The crown jewel of Microsoft's 2006 lineup is an exhilarating adrenaline rush that redefines action (in bloody fashion) for the new console systems. Microsoft would love for "Gears of War" to become as important a franchise for the Xbox 360 as "Halo" is. The gory content might prevent that, but if you like raw action and a cinematic story, there's no beating this one. Like playing online? Multiplayer sessions offer some terrific twists on conventional death matches. "Gears of War" is hands down the best action game of the year, but its visceral content makes it one to definitely keep away from children.