2: Gears of War
Gears of War is a great game, there’s no doubt about it. When everything is said and done, the starter to the franchise has some of the best combat around to this day and perfectly fine tuned mechanics. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the multiplayer. In a way, the small 8-10 player count that the series has offered has been the games’ quiet success, making sure there’s a decent size of people on each team without losing the feel of intimacy, pre-chainsaw vasectomy. Provided you were able to not get revved in half or turned to mush by someone with a shotgun, Gears 1 had some of the best multiplayer on the 360.
If the multiplayer isn’t your bag, the story mode is just as fun. While the storytelling isn’t the best, and the teammate AI is lacking in brain cells, the enemy AI is sharp and won’t go down without putting up a fight. The first game has some of the best moments in the series–the Brumak, the mining facility, Fenix estate, and the entire train sequence at the end are all great and challenging. Co-op is a blast, particularly on the higher difficulties, and you can’t help but bond with your partner when they revive you. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that this game helped push the 360 to the top.
