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Arts&Entertainment ISiillß BfO Ejßtiite “Gears of War” Microsoft X-Box 360 With Halo 3 possibly being released as late as this holiday season, a big question on the minds of X-Box 360 owners is w hat games are out there to tide them over until they can ride in their favorite Warthog again. Sure, games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance and F.E.A.R may fill the void for awhile, but where is the real single and multiplayer substance hiding? Ask no more because the collective talent at Epic Games has the answer, and it’s in the form of a little gem they like to call Gears of War. In Gears of'War, mankind is deadlocked in an endless war on planet Sera against the looming threat of the burrowing Locust Horde. As the war wages throughout the years, humans are desperately losing ground against their hideous bug-like enemies, and decide it best to enlist any able bodies that can hold a gun and Hitcher a ride worth taking By Larry Peel News Editor Larry@ioncinema.com £ With the most demented movie monster since Hannibal Lecter, Dave Meyer’s The Hitcher is the most terrifying slasher flicks of the last few years. Buckle up and pray. Collegiate couple Grace Andrews (Sophia Bush) and Jim Halsey (Zachary Knighton) hits the road in a 1970 Oldsmobile 442, en route to spring break, but their pleasure trip soon turns into a waking nightmare after encountering the mysterious hitchhiker John Ryder, a.k.a. The Hitcher (Sean Bean). The initial encounters with Ryder are increasingly off-putting for Grace and Jim, and they bravely fight back when IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD squeeze the trigger. This is where gamers are introduced to Gears of War’s main protagonist, Marcus Fenix. Once a proud soldier of the COG military, Marcus now finds himself a dishonored shadow of his former self that has spent more th;ui his fair share of time in prison for unjust war crimes, ;uid has the attitude to match it. But now with the Locust Horde tightening the noose on mankind's neck, previously tainted soldiers like Marcus Fenix are now being broken out of prison to unite in the good fight. As Marcus is freed from prison by other soldiers in the COG military, he joins up with them and immediately begins his fight to help them retake the planet of Sera. Despite the slightly cliched back-story. Gears of War is a truly epic gaming experience that keeps the ball continually rolling with its characters and intense action. Unlike typical third person-shooters that hardly require the use of cover and seem to be biased as to how fast a player can empty their gun’s ammo supply. Gears of War is a breath of fresh air at how it approaches firelights with enemies. Gamers that he ambushes them. But they are truly blindsided when he implicates them in a horrific slaying and continues to shadow them. The open road becomes a battleground of blood and metal as, in trying to elude not only Ryder but also New Mexico State Police Lieutenant Esteridge’s (Neal McDonough) officers, Grace and Jim must fight for their lives and face their fears head on. Meyer’s, in his feature film debut, draws heavily from his nearly 100 music videos, giving The Hitcher a fast paced, no holds barred energy that can only come from the MTV generation. From the opening scene (reminiscent of Oliver Stones Natural Born Killers), to the shockingly gruesome final moments; Meyer’s grabs viewers by the throat and drags them, kicking and screaming, through the 83-minute combination of horror, thriller and action. The short run time helps to ensure that the audience is kept on the edge of their seats while still allowing a connection with the characters that is the key run out in the open expecting to mow down three or four enemies with one clip will quickly find themselves with a virtual body riddled with Locust ammo. This game is all about finding cover, squeezing off a few rounds, and ultimately outsmarting the terrifyingly intelligent Locust Horde w ith smart maneuvers like Hanking and diving. With this type of action, the controls for the game are a perfect fit. After becoming acquainted to the creative cover system, gamers will be performing perfectly executed rolls, spins, and slides to reach the next designated cover spot, and then effectively neutralizing enemies with either accurately aimed shots or around-the-comer, no looking shots with their neat futuristic weapons. Keeping with the more realistic tone of the game, players ;ire not allowed to pick up and cany every weapon they come across in-game, but rather only four weapons at one time. This includes a spot for grenades, a handgun, and 2 huger guns like rifles or nxket launchers. This may seem like a downer with the weapons usually being the biggest draw for shooting games, but it really adds ;ui extra amount of strategy when play ing. Every weapon in the game is good for a certain condition, but not knowing what condition is coming up keeps gamers on their toes I'll D/m i iHtrlcw roth’iUoimiUH'sA <mi Gripping suspense and gore highlight Meyer's remake of the 1986 cult classic. to a gripping ride. A remake of Eric Red’s 1986 film of the same name, The Hitcher breaks free of the typical remake curse by infusing a memorable soundtrack with enough action and common sense to appeal to viewers of both genders, though the film is decidedly turned toward the male 18-24 demographic. The characters in general are utterly believable, avoiding the stereotypical plot foibles that curse the generic horror flick. The plotline has a few kinks. Fantastic House For Rent!!! Close to College. Located on 166. 86 Southern Trail Carrollton Secluded 3 bedroom, 2 bath, loft overlooking family room. Jacuzzi room with extended sunroom. Contact Kormath @ 404-735-4695 tun'iH Photos courte ,s\ l(i.\ < oni Rough and tough military soldiers? Check. Invading army of alien enemies? Check. One of the best games on the X-Box 360? Check. when selecting which gun to keep and which to toss. The sniper rifle is obviously the best choice for those hard to reach enemies, while the nxket launcher is perfect for the bulkier Locust enemies that can take their lair share of bullets. While these weapons are great to use, it’s without a doubt the less iconic weapons in Gears of War that really bring out the fun. Weapons like tire Torque Bow are perfect for massive amounts of damage against Horde enemies. The Hammer of Dawn is great for those stubborn enemies behind cover as it's technically a targeting device that rains down a powerful laser from a satellite to w ipe out any hidden bogey s, w hile the Torque Bow is best described as a direct nod to w hat Sv Ivester Stallone uses in his Rambo films. and there are enough directorial flubs to keep film buffs giggling, but overall the film serves its purpose as an in-your-face slash-fest infused with a healthy does of explosions and car crashes. In traditional horror formula, there is a last girl, and to coin a phrase from Saw... oh yes, there will be blood. Rated R for strong grisly violence, terror and language. Grade: A- Despite the game being (>ne (>f the nx *st fun experiences a gamer could have on his or her X-Box 360, a handful of bugs can < X'cask inally break the flow of the game as players can find themselves permanently stuck in the Lrx'ust’s holes, w alls, or objects. However, the biggest complaint is that the single player ends tcx> quickly. The game is split up into five amazing acts, but all five of these acts can be completed within ten hours or less, the worst |>art being no additional bonus missions or content. Even though a short single-player campaign may sour more than a few gamers' grapes. Epic Games is not without offline and online multiplayer modes, but once again it has its own set of ups and dovvns.being able to blast through the single-player campaign with a buddy in Lower Class Brats By Bobby Moore Guest writer One of the good things about “modern” punk bands is that they seem to stick around a lot longer than their predecessors. One example is everyone’s favorite A Clockwork Orange loving Texans. Austin’s Lower Class Brats have been at it since 1995 and they show no signs of stopping. When “The New Seditionaries” was released late last year, fans had been waiting over three years for anew LCB album. After listening to this long awaited album. I doubt any of them were disappointed. The album starts with a bang as the group tears through “Go Insane” in 1:50. This is the shortest song on an album full of tunes that clock in at less than three minutes. There is nothing wrong with that, since longer songs are best reserved for Dave Matthews and hippies. The title track comes across as being a nod to Malcolm McClaren and Vivien Westwood’s Sex, the King’s Road clothing shop that, along with Online Co-Op is positively one of the best features, but the online multiplayer's limited game type selection leaves a bit more to be desired. As gamers unavoidably search for the next handful of games to satisfy their hungry gamer appetite until the hopeful release of Halo 3. Gears of War should w ithout a doubt be on their list to pick up and play. The single-player may be a short play-through, but with three varying levels of difficulty and an overall rewarding multiplayer experience, gamers will be continually challenged and entertained for months to come w ith this game. Wains Hating ®J (out ol 10) Acme Attractions, helped spawn the punk rock look. In addition to bondage trousers, that little shop also gave the world The Sex Pistols. The lyrics are very catchy, and 1 would imagine that this would be a fun track to hear played live because of its football chant chorus. The fast-paced “P.G.L.” is another catchy tune. “I’m glad I'm bored, I could be dead,” could be the best words to live by I’ve heard in a while. On “I’m a Mess". Bones DeLarge’s vocals remind me a little of Atlanta’s own Chase Noles of The Heart Attacks. Flattering comparisons aside, this song isn't quite as good as the two that it follows. 1 say this because the lyrics are a little less catchy and a lot more predictable. “Don’t Care About Me” sounds like it is about a girl who did one of the band members wrong. 1 would share some of the lyrics, but they would probably make a young Elvis Costello sound full of See BRATS, pa ve 5