Features// Gears of War: The Board Game

Confession time: I really really don't like Gears of War on the 360. I didn't get on with the first game in the series at all. I gave it a good shot, but it bored me to tears. I tried the second one at my Joypod co-host's insistence, but to me it was more of the same. I'm led to believe that the third one's out soon. I'm not going to be buying it. I couldn't give a toss. Same old same old.

I am, however, totally fucking hyped for Gears of War.

Ahahahaha! Now I've confused you, haven't I? "How can this be?" I hear you say. "You just explicitly stated that you really really don't like Gears of War on the 360!"

I know. I'm talking about Gears of War: The Board Game. Here begins the Little Metal Dog Show SPOnG Invasion of 2011.

If you didn't know (because apparently I don't shut up about it on Joypod) I present a show about board games, too. Occasionally, the two worlds clash and crossover, particularly in recent times. There's an Angry Birds game, where you build up a stack of planks and piggies then attempt to catapult plastic birds into them.

A few years back there was a brilliant interpretation of Doom, and more recently there was a completely impossible to understand Metro 2033 game too (although that could be because it was only released in Russia).

Now though, we have Gears of War 3 to look forward to. At the moment, it's not out yet. We say that it's On The Boat, the cardboard equivalent to it going Gold - the game's finished, ready to roll... we're just waiting to get our hands on it. News of the release has leaked into the gaming media over the last few days and has piqued the interest of not just those who enjoy punching out thick cardboard bits, but also a fair chuck of those who previously wouldn't even have looked at a board game.

Thankfully, Gears of War actually looks Really Very Good Indeed.

First of all, it's pretty. Artwork from the video game is faithfully recreated throughout, and the minis that come packaged in the box are fantastic. Fantasy Flight, the company producing GoW:TBG, are famed for creating beautifully produced games. They may be a little on the expensive side, but you'll be looking at paying around the same for this as you would your average Day One release from GameStation, and it'll look a damn sight prettier with all the bits and pieces laid out over your table. No jaggies here.

Second, it's designed by the current golden boy in the industry, Corey Konieczka. Corey's games are deep, involving affairs that really draw you in, coupling hefty but straighforward rules with interesting gameplay decisions.

He's also no stranger to working with licensed properties either - Corey was responsible for creating the Battlestar Galactica game released a few years ago. Still a brilliant game to play, it brings tension, paranoia and pressure every time it hits the table. Gears of War will not be unicorns and rainbows - this will be a challenge to get through.

Third, Gears is different to the kind of games you may be aware of. Most people are unaware of the progress that board games have made in the last few years, thinking of only Monopoly and Cluedo when the subject is brought up.

Things have changed in a big way, and this new release is a perfect example of that. Gears of War is played co-operatively, as a bunch of individuals brought together in order to defeat the bad guys. You're given a mission to complete and can do it however you please. Complete the mission, you win. Fail the mission, you lose. The game comes bundled with seven missions, but don't think that'll be it - Fantasy Flight are well known for releasing expansions (think of them as DLC made of cardboard and plastic) so you'll be able to keep on playing.

I'm excited about this one. It's not due for release for a couple of months but I should hopefully get my hands on a copy of it in advance - when I do, there'll be a review here on SPOnG as soon as I can get it done. In the meantime, if you want to check out the game in action, there's a video preview here.

You can get a look at the rulebook here.

Maybe this will be the game that gets more people into the hobby, the grand crossover title that opens up video gamers to a whole new world of play. What I do know is that I'm ready for it, and I'm not even a fan of the series. Who knows how people who actually enjoy Gears of War will take it?