One of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360, next to Halo 3, is Epic's Gears of War. Spearheaded by the supercharged Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski, Gears of War delivers on more than just next-generation graphics with its intense immersive gameplay. Our own network site, Gears of War Realm, was at E3 this year and got a lot of exposure to the game, including two play sessions in the multiplayer back room at Microsoft.

Here is a taste of GWR's impression of the single player demonstration given by CliffyB.

The game opens with a dramatic cinematic of the history of the beautiful planet Serra and how the Locust Horde came and messed it all up for everyone. Seeing the planet’s surface being scorched deliberately is really a sight to see. Shortly after the cinematic ends; your old friend Dom rescues you, Marcus Fenix, from the bowels of an abandoned prison where you’ve been locked up for some time.

In the near future, GWR will have hands-on impressions of the multiplayer demo at E3 in their second part of their Gears of War preview. Also check Gears of War Realm often as the site will be giving away a "Limited Edition" Gears of War faceplace handed out by Microsoft during the multiplayer playable demo. These things have been going for well over $100 on eBay, so you might want to make sure you keep track of when GWR starts their contest.

Gears of War Preview - Part I: The Single Player Experience [Gears of War Realm]