So the question then turns to the technical specs, the question of how well a two-year-old title (ancient in gaming years) looks, sounds, and handles when pitted against modern competition. Surprisingly, there aren’t many games in general, or 360 titles in particular, that can surpass this technical marvel.

Graphically, Gears was the first time we saw the Unreal Engine on the new consoles, and it performed beautifully. The insane amount of detail that went into everything from the scars on the characters faces to the architecture of the buildings is a testament to what the engine can do. In the interceding years, we’ve seen a number of games use the same engine, but few of them have been able to match what Gears managed back in 2006. Also, with Epic utilizing the next generation of Unreal for Gears 2, we all stand ready to be blown away yet again by what we’re looking at.

The sound design also stands the test of time, with the sounds of a Theron Guard hissing orders or a Boomer preparing to launch his payload still making your skin crawl. Also, even though the dialog was awful and the script absolute garbage, the voice actors still delivered their lines with so much panache that you got the feeling that they just might believe what they’re saying. From Marcus’ cool, sarcastic demeanor to the over-the-top machismo of the “Cole Train,” all the members of Delta Squad managed to deliver a memorable performance. Now, let’s just hope the team actually hires a few real writers for the sequel.

Aside from rampant overuse of the A button, Gears managed to create an intuitive, fluid system that made you feel like you were in complete control of the situation at all times. The inclusion of active reload spiced up the traditionally boring act of putting a new clip in your gun by introducing an element of risk and reward. Time your button press right, and not only did the clip get loaded faster, but you put out more damage to boot; time it wrong however, and you were left with a weapon jam that would cause you to sweat bullets as enemies pressed in and Marcus fought to get the weapon ready for battle. Oh sure, firing from the hip was awkward, but if an enemy ever managed to get that close that was what the chainsaw bayonet was for. Of course you’re not supposed to shoot enemies from point-blank range, that realm is made for melee.

When it’s all said and done, Gears of War stands as a technical marvel and a genuinely fun game even to this day. While many games can’t entertain so long after their launch, there are still few game experiences more satisfying than grabbing a buddy and suiting up with Marcus and Dom to blast some Locust back into their holes. While the single-player has been outdone by Metal Gear Solid 4, and even though the multiplayer isn’t much when put up against Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4, Gears still proves one of gaming’s simplest axioms; there’s nothing more fun than you and a buddy grabbing a gun with a chainsaw strapped to it and mowing down crowds of bad guys.