Never has a series come together full-circle and as completely all-around as Gears of War 3.
Written By: xGlenn11x (GT: UltimaSpartacus)
Five years ago, the world witnessed a brand-new shooter on the market with bold new game play innovations that turned some heads almost immediately. There were two main reasons gamers and critics were so attracted to the young series; the first was the amazing cover system that needed just the press of a button, and the second one being the goriest kill in the history of games, the chainsaw kill. Gears was idolized five years ago, and after a successful sequel, the game comes full-circle in Gears of War 3, as you rejoin Delta Squad as humanity is on the brink of extinction. Epic Games has not only created monsters within the game, they have created a monster of a game in Gears of War 3, one that everyone is sure to enjoy for hours, months, and even years. Gears of War 3 is here, and it is time to finish the war against the Locust Horde, and the deadly Lambent threat as well.
Gears of War 3 picks up where the previous game left off. Jacinto, the last human city and stronghold, is gone. Forced to destroy it, humanity is now as desperate as ever. You still play as Marcus Fenix, the hero protagonist who has always been the tough guy leader and always gets the job done. The rest of Delta Squad also returns, with a grizzled Dom mourning the loss of his family, a battered Cole Train who tries to remember his glory days as a Thrashball Superstar, and Baird returns as the same sarcastic mechanic who can and will fix anything you put in front of him. Delta receives some new members as well, and fans will enjoy the game's campaign from start to finish. Some "new" characters make their game debuts, but this is not their first time in the universe. Some players may be wondering where Jace and Bernie come into the story, and how they do so casually. Well, they are key characters in the novels written by Karen Traviss, and for those who haven't read the novels; I strongly suggest giving them a read sometime. It greatly expands on this universe, and will answer some of your questions regarding the final game of the trilogy.
To avoid spoilers, I will not go into any more details regarding the campaign. I can say however that it is an emotional thrill-ride from start to finish, and die-hard fans will appreciate it wholeheartedly. It is not only the longest campaign in the series, but also the best one that never has a dull moment. You will shed tears, you will laugh at times, and other times you will be so happy to see certain characters die. And yes, Clayton Carmine is certainly comic-relief in this tale.
As for the fabled gameplay of Gears, the formula is the same, and is better than ever in EVERY way. I have seen nothing but improvements in all facets of the game. All of the new moves and executions that we have learned about these last two years are downright awesome. You feel like every shot coming out of your weapon counts, and all weapons definitely feel effective in each of their own right. Using the Boomshot will clearly feel different than the new Retro-Lancer, and each weapon feels as though you need to take a particularly strategy rather than charging in "guns-blazing". The new Lambent enemies are also a blast to go up against, and brings in a new style of approach as well to each battle.
Graphically, Gears 3 has no equal on the Xbox 360, and coming from me, that is saying a lot. I have seen many games with terrific effects, but the latest version of the Unreal Engine has no equal. It is that good, and to see how far Gears has come in the last five years is incredible, and the game benefits greatly. Shadowing has seen the largest upgrade visually, and the whole game just looks smoother and more realistic. Even Marcus's hair, which he does indeed have, flows very naturally.
Horde returns to Gears and is better than ever with fortifications now. Originally, the developers had no idea in Gears 2 that players would huddle in a corner with tons of shields. Well, to adapt to the fans desires, Epic has added these fortifications to allow you and your friends to survive, from laser fields to turrets; you will feel secure, yet somehow very vulnerable because the enemy output has increased dramatically. The new Beast mode is also tons of fun, as you play as the Locust in 12 rounds. It is similar to what Horde was in Gears 2, only so much better. If you play as a Ticker, you play as a Ticker. If you unlock and play as the Berserker, you will pound the hell out of everything in your path.
Online in Gears 3 is the way online was always meant to be. There is such balance that I have never seen in a game before, that I think Gears may be the defining game on consoles as far as servers go. Thanks to the dedicated servers, there is no longer the "Host Advantage" that plagued the first two games. The game is truly balanced, and each match feels different not just because of different players or maps, but because there is no lag, and for dedicated fans like myself, this is the most welcome change of all. If you even remotely enjoyed the multiplayer in the first two titles, you will become addicted to Gears 3 multiplayer within the first match that you play.
For three years, the fans have waited. The developers have been striving to carve the perfect Gears title. Epic Games has not only crafted the "perfect" Gears, they have crafted the defining game for the Xbox 360. The original game became the killer-app for Microsoft's console. Halo was the defining game and killer-app on the original Xbox. Now, Gears of War 3 takes the series and the developer to new heights. Gears of War 3 is THE killer-app out there now. It has set a new standard for the "all-around balanced package". Epic Games has concluded the most original series this generation, and has updated and improved upon everything you could imagine. If you haven't tried out Gears, now is the time to do it. If you don't own an Xbox 360, pick up a console and Gears 3, because this game alone will grant you non-stop fun for what I expect to be the rest of the current console generation.
(+,-)
+Emotional Campaign
+Multiplayer Is Smooth And Balanced
+Graphics And Gameplay Are Best In Series
-Sad To See The Campaign Over, But The Multiplayer Will Last For A Very Longtime To Come.
(Overall Score)
Gears of War 3 (X360): 10/10