This epic finale to the Gears' saga is one that gamers will be enjoying for a very, very long time.
THE GOOD
-Superb shooting and cover mechanics
-Exciting campaign with 4-player co-op
-Outstanding Horde mode
-Terrific graphics and sound
-A plethora of fun weapons and gruesome executions
THE BAD
-Minor glitches and framerate issues
OVERVIEW
Gears of War 3 marks the end of an era for the legendary series. The setting takes place two years after the destruction of humanity's last major city of Jacinto. Currently, the human race is struggling to avoid extinction. Marcus, Dom, Cole, Baird along with a rag-tag group of COG soldiers have been surviving aboard an aircraft carrier. The overall tone is much more tense and desperate. Marcus's Delta Squad and the rest of the dwindling human race is either forced to roam like nomads or live in small communes hidden from plain view. Even trained military personnel is hard to come by these days which is why some of the women, like Anya Stroud, have now dawned the COG gear.
Early on, Marcus receives video proof that his father is still alive and that his research might be the silver bullet to ending this war. With nothing else to live for, Marcus decides to pursue this risky venture in an effort to save his father. This brave quest requires the Delta Squad to travel through many Locust infested areas which are led by the ruthless Queen Myrrah. To add to the dire situation the Imulsion infected Lambent begin to emerge and want nothing but complete and utter destruction.
The story mainly focuses around Marcus Fenix and his most trusted friend Dominic Santiago. There is a small portion of the plot devoted to diving deeper into the infamous Augustus Cole (aka Cole Train). For a heavy action third person shooter, this game will surprise you with great storytelling and character development. The dialog can get a little campy at times but overall this final adventure is filled with intense moments and heart wrenching twists.
GAMEPLAY
The Gears' series revolutionized the third person shooter promoting and perfecting the cover system style of gameplay. Rather than copy and paste the successful formula, the developers at Epic Games have instead opted for a fairly extensive overhaul which has yet again proven to be highly successful.
The flow on the battlefield is much smoother and faster now. The sluggish movements that have haunted the series is a thing of the past. Straightaway you'll notice that you can pop up, take a few shots and move to another vantage point with ease. The cover system has been tweaked making it much easier to avoid the volley of incoming gun fire and position yourself for a successful counterattack. Additionally, the camera is set farther back to give the player a wider field of vision. The shooting mechanics still work extremely well. The active reload feature returns and when timed correctly will grant you a temporary damage bonus. One new addition to the scheme is the ability to mark enemies with the left stick button to instantly alert your teammates about a possible threat or the next target.
Gears of War 3 comes fully loaded with many sweet weapons of mass destruction. There are many familiar firearms like the iconic Lancer, Gnasher Shotgun and the Hammerburst (now with a scope enhancement). Included in the arsenal expansion are the Retro Lancer (older bayonet tipped model), Digger (submerged grenade launcher) and the Vulcan (high powered mini-gun). Almost every gun serves a unique purpose and is immensely fun to weld.
The N-Zone celebration in the NFL is an exciting way to show your triumph over the opposition. In Gears of War 3 its the executions that really get the crowd roaring. Executions are an amusing way to humiliate your opponent and rub your victory in their face. Vulnerable enemies downed by gun fire are susceptible to this bloody massacre. Holding down the Y button next to a fallen enemy will unleash a unique and gruesome fatality based upon the weapon you're carrying. If you're in a pinch you also have the option to use that helpless body as a handy meat shield to soak up some bullets coming your way.
The campaign is just one of the many exciting game types in Gears of War 3. The story is engaging with plenty of action to enjoy. Playing with friends is definitely the preferred choice especially with 4 players. If you don't have anyone to play with the computer AI steps in to help you out. The AI isn't perfect but they aren't slouches either. Also, to spice things up, there are a few on-rails shooter parts woven into the story.
The highly addictive Horde mode defines the true meaning of teamwork and survival. Here, the players (5 max) have to work together to fight wave after wave of Locust and Lambent forces. A challenging powerhouse boss appears every tenth round which include armored Berserkers, inferno throwing Gunkers and even hulking Brumaks. To even the playing field, tower defense elements were added to the mix. Before the beginning of each wave you'll be able to fortify your position with barriers, decoys, turrets and even a mech-warrior type unit called the Silverback. Horde mode is filled with many "Wow" moments making it the variant of choice for you and your friends for a long time.
Epic Games listened to community feedback and vastly improved the player vs player experience. You'll still see the annoying dive roll shotgun cheapness but it doesn't happen as often anymore. There are a total of six different game types which include Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill and Capture the Leader. There is also a standard and casual setting which caters nicely to all skill levels.
A new game type has also emerged from the creative development team and it is called Beast mode. Beast allows you to play as the villains in the story. When playing you and your friends aren't trying to fortify and defend a position from an onslaught of Locust and Lambent forces. Instead, you play as the gruesome monsters trying to wipe out the humans. Tickers, Maulers and Grinders are just a few of the choices available in this neat gameplay twist.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics work well in this game especially when it comes to the blood splatter. The gripping cut-scenes during the campaign do a great job in immersing you in the story. Unfortunately, the framerate slows down when you're under heavy gun fire and the collision detection is just plain sloppy. For example, your gun would disappear inside objects and on rare cases, some enemies would phase through walls. It really irked me, in Horde mode, to see a Brumak fit through a tiny doorway and enter places that are physically impossible for the giant beast.
The sound effects are exactly what you would expect and more for a intense shooter like this one. The musical soundtrack is exhilarating and does an excellent job pumping you up as you light up the enemy. The excellent cast of voice actors is somewhat tarnished due to some lame dialog in certain sections.
CONCLUSION
Gears of War 3 is a well-crafted and endearing conclusion to the trilogy. The enjoyable story overflows with intense action and memorable plot twists while wrapping up all the loose ends. The overall theme of survival and a "brothers to the end" mentality is displayed all throughout the entire game whether you're crawling through the campaign or defending your position in Horde 2.0. The quicker pace and superb controls make it fun and easy to reek havoc on the battlefield. This title is a must if you are an Xbox 360 owner because there's something for everyone. Sadly, this is the final installment for the famed franchise but with tons of content and loads of DLC coming soon, Gears of War 3 is definitely going to be a game I'll be playing for a long time.