Gears of War 3 is a terrific experience, and an epic conclusion to a truly revolutionary saga in video game history!
Contains: Frequent Strong Bloody Violence and Occasional Strong Language
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Gears of War 3 is a sci-fi third-person shooter, and the conclusion to the Gears of War trilogy in the current story arc. The events in this long-awaited sequel take place two years after Jacinto, humanity's last stronghold, is destroyed. The Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) disbands after Chairman Prescott mysteriously disappears and seemingly abandons his forces. The COG remnants relocate to Vectes, a secluded island, in order to rebuild their civilization whilst a new foe, the Lambent, are threatening humanity's dwindling numbers. As the Lambent begin to invade Vectes, protagonist Marcus Fenix and his comrades retreat to the CNV Sovereign, a helicopter carrier, and take refuge at sea. There's also the threat of the monstrous Locust to deal with yet again, aswell as the surprising revelation of Marcos's father who appears to be alive and well after all these years. The story may not grab you like it ought to immediately, but there are still plausible scenes of excitement and emotional intensity due to the group of characters (especially Marcos, Dom, Baird and Cole) you know and love from the first two games of the series, with many newcomers proving welcome additions in the dark conflict between good and evil. But it's when Gears of War 3 closes in on the conclusion that it unleashes crucial plot developments and provides late drama to impact your reaction to the story of the saga, all in all proving worthwhile with frantic last-ditch efforts of struggle and sacrifice to reap the rewarding ending it pleasingly delivers after a very good lengthed experience.
On the way to that ending, brutal battles come thick and fast against aggressive and calculated opposition who know exactly what their targets are, arrive en mass in many menacing shapes and sizes, and let their instincts deliver the end product that they strive ferociously for without hesitation. Problem is, they probably didn't count on the badass group of COG soldiers that include Marcos Fenix, who has lots of emotions to deal with aswell as the onslaught of fierce predators trying to ruin the day further in which mankind is threatened to the edge of extinction. The cover-based gameplay remains solid after all this time, with some tweaks of course, and the execution methods on downed foes are satisfying each time you perform something more sadistic than before. An expanded set of execution techniques, that differ greatly depending on which weapon you have equipped when approaching the enemy, determine how they'll perish (usually in a grisly way). A favourite to do is to pick them up like an ordinary meatshield then tap the grenade button to tag them, boot them as far away as your leg possibly can, and then witness a gory explosion that resonates around the environment and showers you with a chunky mixture of debris and blood. And just as satisfying is watching one of your allies finish off an enemy in a violent way. Thankfully your allies (3 pursue the objectives alongside you at all times throughout the campaign) are adept at what they were trained to do - Efficiently take out Locusts and Lambent with gunfire or grenades, seek cover or shelter when necessary, and revive each other and yourself when fatally wounded to prevent a restart from the nearest checkpoint. They have a good advantage with a generous amount of health so not to become a burden en route to your goals, and it's always nice to have company that provide tactical distractions when needed to drastically alter the odds of the conflict.
The shooting mechanics are extremely satisfying, and offer some of the best bloody firefights seen this generation due to the weight of the weapons, the gory messes they produce, and the array of punishing guns that are greatly enjoyable to fire. Returning ones like the Lancer with it's noteworthy chainsaw bayonet on the end which is a pleasure to shoot, and the Longshot sniper rifle which pops skulls with precise shots are welcomed back into the heated battles, while new inventions provide lots of nasty ways to spill entrails and dismember limbs. The Retro Lancer (of enemy origin) is a unique variant of the military produced Lancer which has a spiked bayonet on the end. With the normal assault rifle you'll rev up the chainsaw on the end to cover the screen with thick red blood, but with this new gun you'll charge when holding 'B', and should you be in line with an adversary you'll impale them viciously on the end before casting their dead carcass aside with ease. Another is known as the "Digger", and it fires torpedoes under the ground to catch unsuspecting foes behind cover off guard to a timely detonation that ends their part in the fight. To name more would risk spoiling the pleasant surprises in store, but it's worth mentioning that there are some big guns that cause some big explosions, bloody mayhem and restore order to an outnumbered shootout fairly quickly. It doesn't take long to feel embroiled entirely within the setting, not only because of the beautiful locations that are splendidly detailed, but because of the emotional moments that are inevitable in a final instalment to a trilogy. A booming great soundtrack accompanies you through the hard-fought battles that seemingly never end, a wordless version of the song "Mad World" plays neatly in the background during a sad sequence that required sacrifice for progression in the story, and the last few exciting levels are capped off with powerful drama in the sound design that get the adrenaline pumping and the emotions rising.
The occasional boss fights, optional paths to take, and a very entertaining vehicle segment keep things at a very good pace, and there are promising moments during each shootout. Intel is hidden to encourage exploration of each corner which add some background to the plot, and while it isn't important, it's worth searching for. The brutality of war is nailed square in the face where violence and intensity is concerned, and each satisfying confrontation always provides sequences to relish as you thwart a threat that determines future as you know it. Regardless of what difficulty you play on, the struggles always feel fair, and never cause frustration which some games can, and effectively lose the fun factor they strive so desperately to echo through the levels. Gears of War 3 isn't one of those games, and right up to the last level you'll respectfully admire the balance in enemy types, amount and damage they cause, and while death feels like it's creeping up on you, an ally may keep you breathing longer to keep the excitement levels amazingly high.
So, it is proof that Gears of War 3 was worth the anticipated wait. There is tremendous attention focused at each aspect of the experience in every department, and the developer's should be proud to deliver such a profound and revolutionary third-person series with it's cool science fiction elements and military tactics thrown in for good measure. From the intense atmosphere, the likeable characters, the violent cover-based gameplay, incredible audio, smart foes and excellent controls, Gears of War 3 excels in every area and fully deserves the resounding acclaim it is received right from the very beginning of the franchise back in 2006. Five years later, the conclusion is here, and the final elements will be involved to establish something amazing in video game history. Gears of War 3 is simply an amazing experience, an epic conclusion to a revolutionary saga, and a game that will inevitably leave a mark for years to come.
Story - 3/5
Characters - 4/5
Gameplay - 5/5
Graphics - 5/5
Sound - 5/5
Controls - 4/5
Atmosphere - 4/5
Enemy AI - 4/5
Length - 3/5
Replay Value - 4/5
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OVERALL SUMMARY - 9/10
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Good Points: Extremely satisfying shooting mechanics, Cover-based gameplay remains solid, Large array of punishing weapons, Executing downed foes is brutal entertainment, Terrific locations are stunning to look at, Diverse enemies that are aggressive and calculated, Well lengthed campaign punctuated with exciting and emotional scenes, Dramatic last few levels capped off with an epic finale to conclude the trilogy.
Bad Points: On-screen weapon tutorials fade too quick and aren't available to read in the menu or manual.