Review: 'Gears of War: Judgment' an intense prequel

A scene from 'Gears of War: Judgment.'(Photo: Microsoft/Epic Games)

Have a seat, Marcus and Dom. Time for some other hulking soldiers to lead the fight against the Locusts.

The two stars of the Xbox 360's stellar shooter franchise Gears of War step aside for comrades Baird and Cole in the prequel Gears of War: Judgment, a faster-paced action game that features all the chainsaw-filled goodness and intensity players have expected from the series.

Taking place before the start of the Gears of War trilogy, Judgment follows Kilo Squad and its leaders, the wise-cracking Damon Baird and Augustus Cole (known to many players as "Cole Train"). They're joined by cadet Sofia Hendricks and Garron Paduk as they try to save the city of Halvo Bay from a Locust onslaught.

The campaign starts with Kilo Squad on trial, recounting the events of Halvo Bay before a colonel with the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG). The events of the campaign that players participate in are based on testimony from squad members.

Scattered throughout the campaign are "crimson omens" on walls representing optional, declassified sections of a mission. The declassified portions add a layer of difficulty to combat segments within a campaign chapter. For example, some sections may require players to use only shotguns or limit their ammunition, while others add more challenging Locust enemies such as Corpsers or Reavers. Perhaps the most challenging are moments where vision is impaired by darkness or heavy dust clouds.

Players earn up to three stars for each stage, and "declassifying" a mission will speed up the process. These stars go toward unlocking items for Judgment's multiplayer and cooperative components. Players can also win prizeboxes that unlock additional experience points and weapon skins.

Judgment handles like the traditional Gears of War title. The A button is your best friend for evading enemies, performing "roadie runs" to escape danger and to find cover. Players use the right bumper to reload, jamming their weapon or reloading more quickly depending on timing. Of course, there's also the wonderful weapon selection from Lancers with chainsaw bayonets, Boomshots, Longshots and Gnasher Shotguns. Fresh items are tossed into the mix, including a Breechshot, a sniper rifle without a scope, and a grenade launcher called the Booshka.

The pace is a bit quicker compared to the Gears of War trilogy. Developers at Epic Games ditched the directional pad, making access to weapons and grenades easier. Players now simply toss their grenades while carrying a firearm. Also, they can quickly switch between a pair of weapons with the Y button.

The boost in speed is necessary, considering Judgment tosses every powerful Locust enemy at players from the very start, from smaller wretches to the all-new Rager that grows stronger and tougher after players shoot them. The campaign also takes inspiration from Gears of War's popular Horde mode, as some sections require players to survive waves of Locust to advance. It's pure chaos, but in an exciting way.

A scene from the Aftermath campaign in 'Gears of War: Judgment.'(Photo: Microsoft/Epic Games)

Once the Judgment campaign is complete, players unlock a second, shorter Aftermath campaign that takes place alongside events in 2011's Gears of War 3. Baird and Cole are still the stars, as they revisit Halvo Bay.

There's also a handful of online cooperative and competitive modes. The popular Team Deathmatch returns, as does Execution, where two teams of five fight to kill each other within a set time limit. Judgment adds a Domination mode, which fans of first-person shooters such as Call of Duty or Battlefield will recognize. Players must capture targets on a map and hold them to earn points.

The star of multiplayer is Overrun, which pits a Locust team against COG soldiers protecting a generator. COG members choose one of four classes: Scout, Engineer, Soldier or Medic. Each boasts a special ability such as building turrets or handing out ammunition. Players operating as Locusts start out small, fighting as Drones, Tickers or Wretches before earning points and upgrading to more powerful foes such as Serapedes or the Kantus. It requires more strategy and teamwork compared to other Gears of War modes, making it far more enjoyable.

On the strictly cooperative front, Horde mode is replaced by Survival, which is similar to Overrun, only players operate as COG soldiers fighting off waves of Locusts trying to destroy a generator. It's a decent option, but not as satisfying as the epic matches players can put together in the traditional Horde mode.

Fans of the trilogy should find Gears of War: Judgment an exhilarating expansion and another worthwhile reason to rev up the chainsaws.

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Epic Games/People Can Fly

Platform(s): Xbox 360

Price: $59.99

Rating: M for Mature

Release Date: March 19

Score: 3.5 stars (out of 4)