Campaign
The main campaign in Gears of War can be played alone or with a friend via the included Co-Op mode. The campaign takes place over the course of 36 hours (in the game universe) and is divided into five acts. Each act has between three and eight chapters.
During the campaign, players control Marcus Fenix, but they’re also accompanied by as many as three other AI-controlled characters that round out Marcus’ squad. Although there are rare instances in which these characters can perish in battle, they primarily get “downed.” The player can revive downed characters by running up to them and pressing the X Button. Alternatively, one can watch them revive themselves at the conclusion of the skirmish—when an area is secured, all downed AI squad mates get up.
Difficulty Options
You can play the main campaign on any of three difficulty modes: Casual, Hardcore, and Insane. We encourage first-time players to at least try things out on Casual until they get a handle on the gameplay. Hardcore mode is perfect for playing through the game on Co-Op, as the enemies have much higher health, exhibit advanced AI, and are more aggressive. Insane mode, available only after you complete the game on Casual or Hardcore, is incredibly difficult. As one developer said, “Every enemy is a threat to Marcus’ life and must be taken seriously.” The enemies use advanced AI, have very high health, and Marcus and his cohorts have reduced health.
Available Health per Difficulty Setting
| Character | Player/AI | Casual | Hardcore | Insane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus | Player | 300 | 300 | 175 |
| Dom | Co-Op Player | 300 | 300 | 175 |
| Dom | AI | 300 | 300 | 175 |
| Lieutenant Kim | AI | 450 | 450 | 650 |
| Carmine | AI | 450 | 450 | 650 |
| Cole | AI | 450 | 450 | 650 |
| Baird | AI | 450 | 450 | 650 |
| Jack | AI | 750 | 750 | 750 |
CO-OP
You can play Co-Op via split-screen on the same Xbox 360, via System Link, or over Xbox Live. When playing Co-Op, the host always plays the role of Marcus and the person joining the game plays as Dom. Players must use teamwork to limit the amount of damage they take, especially when they have to follow separate paths. Getting downed while you and your teammate are separated is a surefire way to fail the mission objective, as your partner will be unable to reach you.
Versus
Gears of War features a robust team-based multiplayer mode, which allows teams to battle it out via System Link or Xbox Live—you can also have one-on-one matches via split-screen. There are ten different Versus maps in the initial game release. There are three different gameplay modes: Assassination, Execution, and Warzone. For more information concerning the game’s multiplayer aspect, please consult this guide’s “Multiplayer” chapter. There you will find maps and tips for every mode and map in the game.