One of the most anticipated games of this years E3 event was the showing of Epic and Microsoft's newest blockbuster title, Gears of War. After all the hype from sporadic screenshots and videos throughout the year, many gamers appetites had been whetted and could only be satisfied with a showing of the game on a grand scale. Once the scene was set and Cliff 'Cliffy B' Bleszinski stepped on stage to show off the game in action on a giant screen, there was little doubt in any ones mind watching the presentation that Gears of War was going to be a huge hit. After seeing the presentation, there's always that little inkling of doubt since the difference between seeing a game in action and actually playing can be huge. As we have come to know from previous fiascos that some companies have done in the past, not everything touted as gameplay footage really is, so when I was set for my appointment with Microsoft and Epic, I was a little dumbfounded when instead of sitting in a chair with a notebook, pen and recorder, I was sent to a seat in front of a monitor at a round table and was handed a headset and a 360 controller. As I pulled up into my chair, I glanced over at the two people on either side of me and we all had a Cheshire, mischievous grin stretching from one side of our faces to the other.

As the two round tables filled with other players, the demonstrators from Epic and Microsoft started to tell us the instructions and what each button and each trigger was for. Along with giving us the heads up on the controller layout, they also tried to give us some advice on how to play the game and what strategies to use. Although the game hadn't started up yet, most of what they were saying was going in one ear and out the other as we stared at the screen in anticipation of the game starting up. Once everyone was squared away in front of their consoles, the team screen loaded up and we were ready to roll on some hardcore team deathmatch action which turn out to the table vs. table, eight vs. eight. As the round started, I pressed the A button to take a crouched stance and started my run forward to get some cover behind a burned out and destroyed car. When you run in the crouched stance, the camera angle bounces and jars and can be described as how the action in Saving Private Ryan was filmed. As my team mates ran past me on their search for enemies, I popped my head up to see if it was clear to continue and was promptly dropped to the ground. Not a good first round but I spent my time waiting for the next to start by following my team mates in spectator mode to learn more. The environment that we were playing in was a dilapidated city, with destroyed buildings, ruined cars and crater filled streets and chaos never looked so good. The COGs; my team, would start at one end, while the hulking behemoths known as the Locusts, started far across on the other side and it was a simple objective of kill them before they kill you.

As I watched my team slowly get torn apart by the opposing Locusts and their heavy assault rifles, I planned out my strategy for the next round in my head. The blood spraying as bodies got hit and the sounds of explosions and gunfire all combined with the beautiful graphics found in Gears of War made seeing the game in action a mere two feet away from me an awesome experience. Once it was time for round two to start, I crouched and ran to the first wall for the first bit of cover I could find. Using a wall hug maneuver, I popped around the corner to see if any Locusts were on their way. Searching back and forth, up and down, not seeing any, I bolted forward to the next wall on the opposite side of the street and repeated the same maneuver. Seeing a Locust heading my way, I opened fire on its huge armored body and watched it reel from the bullets splashing it. I rolled out from my cover behind the wall and into a dive to behind the car that was adjacent to me. From here, I popped up over the top and opened fire on the same enemy. Dropping him this time, I smiled at my first kill, only to be taken down myself from an enemy using the same technique I had just used.

The next round started the same as I moved from wall to wall to blockade. Popping up once in a while to see where the opponents where and taking pot shots at them, I quickly found myself needing to reload. The reload system in the game is one that takes a unique spin on something that every game has. The ammo gauge is in the top right corner and you can see it slowly getting lower with each bullet fired. When you need to reload, you hit the reload button and the small gun image slowly refills. When it hits a certain point, it will flash and give you the opportunity to hit the reload button again. If you manage to hit it quick enough, you will get a little extra kick to your ammo. If not, you will find that your gun may jam and you won't have any use of it for a bit longer. As I worked my way through the city streets, I turned to the side of the road and entered a building where I quickly came face to face with a not so pretty Locust. The demonstrators were watching me and the other lone player left in the match and started yelling to use the chainsaw. With a quizzical look on my face, I pressed the B button as per their instructions and sure enough, the undercarriage of your assault rifle barrel roared to life in a growl of smoke. As I reached the Locust with the barrel of my gun and tore into him, a splash - or rather a flooding - of blood exploded from within him and showered everything in sight, I found myself saying under my breath "oh hell yea!".

With COGs and Locusts tied at three rounds a piece and our time at the demonstration running out, it came down to the final round and my last chance to play this amazing game for a long while. As I used all I have learned in the previous rounds, I made my way through the street and quickly ducked inside a building to avoid the sniper in the window on the street corner across the way. As I charged through the hallway and came back outside, I could hear the cries of death and destruction all around me as both teams were starting to thin out. I tossed a smoke grenade out to the left, as it landed in the in the middle of the street to give my remaining teammates some cover as I continued along my path. As I used a wall for cover to peer into the next opening, I saw the grand daddy weapon of the demo, the grenade launcher sitting in the open. I looked around to see if I would get pegged running for it, and a Locust apparently had the same idea and quickly ran for it. I leaned around the corner and opened fire on him in a burst of flashes and a hail of bullets. As he continued to slowly try to reach it, I ran out from my cover and ran up to him. As I gave him one final shot, he fell over and remained staggering, clinging on to life, dropping to his knees. A quick press on the controller and I found myself delivering the final blow with my boot on the back of the Locusts head to win the round.

As everyone put down their headsets and controllers and stood to leave, there wasn't one person in the room who didn't have a huge smile on their face after their time playing. Every screen and trailer I had seen for Gears of War had me jumping out of my pants already and being able to actually get a hands-on chance to play more than a few rounds of multiplayer was the icing on the ecstasy cake. Gears of War is an exceptionally beautiful game, with the Unreal 3 engine showing just what it is capable of and what the next generation has in store. The gameplay of the multiplayer aspect was teeth gritting and nerve wracking and from the hoots and hollers, it was agreed that which ever side you were playing on, it was a blast. With still the single player side of the game to experience, I would grab Gears just for what I have experienced on one map in the multiplayer. I have no doubts that Gears of War will be the next big hit – the Halo killer if you like - to come out of the Microsoft camp. With Epic at the helm, who has a past history of creating some intense games, they will hopefully deliver on its expected release date of Fall 2006 and allow everyone to enjoy the bloodshed. - Jeff McAllister.