The new Gears of War trailer is noteworthy for several reasons. One, it’s directed by one of my favorite CG-centric filmmakers, Joseph Kosinski, formerly of KDLAB.
Two, although some of the visuals are probably what you’d expect for a shoot ’em up action game, the soundtrack isn’t. Gary Jules’ hauntingly beautiful “Mad World” (which you may recognize from the Donnie Darko soundtrack) is a daring choice. Some may not like it, but I think it’s super.
Three, according to the short blurb on Kosinski’s site, the spot was “created entirely within the Unreal 3 Game Engine.” I remember reading about the Unreal 3 engine over two years ago when it was still in development and being astounded by it then. I had no idea it was capable of this kind of graphical beauty, though. It’s a testament to the power of the Xbox 360. (Despite that, I’m holding out for a Wii.)
Big thanks to Mark Mitchell for the tip.