Not the best in the series but still a damn good time!
So first of all, if you don't like Damon Baird in the Gears series you probably won't care much for the actual story. That doesn't mean you should skip it though. The Judgement campaign is a great time, it feels more like an arcade type of game play but I honestly enjoyed it. Also, the villain is talked about more than actually seen, so by the time you fight him you might ask yourself; "Wait, who is this guy again?". Despite a lackluster bad guy, the actual boss fight at the end is really fun. Aftermath is an extra story you unlock that takes place in the third game where Marcus sends Cole and Baird off to Halvo Bay. I was surprised how much I like this too because I wasn't expecting much. My only gripes about the campaigns were that the A.I. is completely helpless if you play alone and constantly get in the way.
The competitive multi-player in Judgement is very inconsistent, more so than in the previous three. I find that more frustrating than anything else. For example: If you shoot someone with a gnasher or sawed-off shotgun point blank it's a 50/50 chance you'll actually kill them. Another downside to the multi-player is the severe lack of maps, only four for Overrun and four for Team Deathmatch, Free for All and Domination. I think it's complete BS to only include 8 maps but I'm sure they will release more with a price tag of course, like most games are doing now. My last complaint about the multi-player would be the lack of characters to choose from and the over the top skins for the CoG, I would have rather just seen alternate uniforms. Despite these pit falls it's still a great time with friends, Overrun is a blast and Survival is a good time too if your into the Horde mode.
I'm not a big fan of the weapon switch change, I like have the D-Pad and four options to pick from rather than the two. I hope this isn't a permanent change in the franchise. In closing, yes this isn't the best of the four but it's still a great game and if you like Gears of War you will definitely enjoy this one.