The reason to buy an Xbox 360

It took more than a year, but finally Xbox 360's killer app has arrived.\n"Gears of War" is the first truly "next-gen" game, something that could not possibly have been done on older consoles and will make your jaw drop the first time you see it in action.\nThe game plays like a strategic third person shooter, which means that tactics are more important than going in all guns blazing.\nYou will have to move methodically from cover to cover if you wish to eliminate the cunning Locust horde. \nLuckily, simple and intuitive controls ensure a fun experience under heavy fire.\nOn top of that, Epic went the extra mile to put in some truly great, innovative weapons such as the Hammer of Dawn, which directs an overhead satellite to fry enemies on the ground.\nEven the basic assault rifle has been upgraded with a chainsaw on the end, making for some of the greatest fatalities this side of "Mortal Kombat." With the aid of cutting edge, nearly lifelike graphics, "Gears" takes ultra-violence to brand new heights.\nAs satisfying as using these weapons in the single-player campaign is, it's even more satisfying taking the game online and chain-sawing someone on the other side of the world. \nRight now there's only a few team vs. team multiplayer modes, but they're easily the best thing on Xbox Live right now. Sorry, "Halo 2."\nMuch has been written about the game's jaw-dropping looks, and it is hard to look at other games the same way after playing "Gears of War," it looks so damn good even on an old standard-definition TV set. \nAfter seeing it in action with no slow down there are no more excuses for developers to pump out games with "shiny" characters that move like robots.\nSound is another high point in the game, with an orchestrated soundtrack worthy of a big budget action flick, that provides smooth atmospheric pieces during the lulls, and some great fight themes during the chaotic firefights.\nThe voice acting is top notch to, thanks in large part to the main character being voiced by the same guy who did Bender on "Futurama." Bite my shiny metal ass, indeed.\nThe only bad thing I can say about "Gears" it is that it is almost unforgivingly difficult, but it's so much fun that you won't care if you have to redo the same area 10 times over sometimes. This is not just a must-buy game. This is the reason to buy an Xbox 360.