Video Games

A-

For Xbox 360. Rated for ages 17 and up. $59

GEAR UP: Gears of War might be the next Halo, and it's probably the best next-generation game you'll play this year.

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS: You play as Marcus Fenix, a disgraced former commando who has been released from prison to prevent the obliteration of the human race at the hands of the Locust Horde. The game begins with you fighting your way out of jail with the help of an old Army buddy. Later on, you'll join up with additional troops.

NIGHTHAWKS: Gears isn't a run-and-gun shooter. You have to use cover, advance carefully and fire short, aimed bursts rather than belching out thousands of rounds at a time. Sometimes taking cover behind walls and doorways is a little tricky, as the button on the controller that you push to take cover is the same button that you use to dodge and dive when you're out in the open. You also have to master the art of reloading. While you can just reload normally, if you tap the reload button a second time at just the right moment, you'll get a superfast reload and briefly increase the damage you do.

BOTTOM LINE: Gears of War looks phenomenal. Beyond just graphical detail, though, the designers clearly spent a long time designing the architecture of every level. From soaring chambers to claustrophobic caves to dingy alleyways to crumbling mansions, you truly feel as if you're creeping through a world whose death can only be delayed, not prevented.

Victor Godinez