BY SHAWN HANDYSIDE

Despite all the media attention surrounding the two new gaming consoles (Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii), the hottest action game to come out this holiday has been an Xbox 360 exclusive.

Epic Games’ “Gears of War” is an action-heavy sci-fi shooter that delivers an exciting and creepy experience for mature players. And unlike most other shooters, “Gears of War” cannot be won by aimlessly running through environments and unleashing tons of firepower on your enemies. Instead, this slower-paced thriller places a heavy emphasis on using items for cover and exchanging blows with the vicious alien race known as the Locust Horde.

While the story and dialogue aren’t going to win any awards, the game’s strengths lie in the tense action, incredibly smart artificial intelligence, and multiplayer modes on the same television, local network or Xbox Live online service.

In “Gears of War” players assume the role of beefy futuristic soldier Marcus Fenix, who commands a squad of soldiers trying to rid the world of nightmarish alien creatures through tactical warfare. Played from a third-person “over-the-shoulder” camera perspective, players must carefully assess the indoor or outdoor areas for cover, find ammo and health packs to sustain the next fight, and then take on enemies until the coast is clear to continue to the next area.

High-tech weapons range from pistols and shotguns to grenades and assault rifles (complete with a chainsaw bayonet for gory close encounters) to the Hammer of Dawn, a weapon that communicates with a satellite hovering above the earth that can beam down a deadly laser strike that can level buildings.

Taking cover is as easy as pressing the A button on the controller when near a solid object; your soldier will crouch and press his body up against the car or stone wall (causing a plume of dust to arise). Press the analog stick to the left or right and you’ll peek around to assess the threat. Press A again to re-enter the freeform mode to walk, roll and find another hiding place.

With dark levels and realistic weather effects, the game offers plenty of atmosphere, adding to the wonderful sense of anxiety and excitement, especially while playing the game alone and with the lights dimmed. In fact, “Gears” is easily the best-looking Xbox 360 game to date thanks to its photorealistic characters, detailed environments and special effects; despite the fact that the game world is set in an overwhelmingly gray apocalyptic setting.

Gamers who prefer to play with others rather than against computer-controlled components won’t be disappointed either. Two friends can play the single-player game cooperatively on the same television (split-screen view) or through the Xbox Live service. A handful of four-on-four team battle modes are also included in the game, including Warzone, pitting humans versus the Locusts, and Assassination, where the goal is to kill the leader of the opposing team.

Xbox 360 fans in search of a gorgeous but gory game, and one that combines tactical action with horror elements, will love fighting though this challenging adventure. And for those who need an additional challenge – play through the game once and you can unlock an even more difficult mode, with even meaner enemies. Get to that level, and you’ll definitely want to team up with a friend to survive.