Mot Wakorb
10-11-2011, 02:11 PM
Title - Gears of War 3
Platform - Xbox 360
Developer - Epic Games
Publisher - Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB Rating - M (Mature)
MSRP - $59.99
Editors - Ryan "UWCrash" Kern and Curt "Mot Wakorb" LeCaptain
Marcus, Dom, Cole, and Baird are back once again to curb stomp locust and chainsaw lambent* to save Sera for what’s left of humanity in Gears of War 3. Marking the end of the trilogy, Gears 3 picks up a year after the events of the Gears 2 when the last human stronghold, Jacinto, was sunk and the locust tunnels were flooded. Since then, the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) has disbanded and what is left of the military has been split into two groups: those risking settlement on the mainland and those embarking on the sea. One of these ships is where the story picks up, as giant lambent “stalks” rise from the oceans floor to drop “glowies” directly on the deck.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6093146028_ec1299fa0c_z.jpg
*Melee with enemies that explode not actually advised.
As mentioned, all of the classic members of Delta squad are back and as hulked out as ever. However, Epic has done a much better job of humanizing the characters this time around. Dom has been dealing with the events of the last game, and plot elements in this installment put Marcus on a real emotional rollercoaster. There’s also a lot more friction when running into Stranded (civvies trying to survive without the military) as you make your way through what’s left of civilization. It may not be the most gripping story, but it does provide much more atmosphere and context to the world of Sera than previous games. The voice-work is solid as well, and any good geek will recognize the addition of Claudia Black (Farscape, Uncharted 2) providing the voice for Sam.
Graphically Gears of War 3 is a real treat and offers some great level design. You still experience plenty of trekking through ruined cities, but you’ll also run into landmarks such as the stadium where Cole played “Thrashball” (a level which also shows up in multiplayer modes) and a giant crater where the Hammer of Dawn was used on a major city. There are also some fantastic visual effects outside on [REDACTED] during the game’s final act.
The single-player mode doesn’t change much since the previous two installments. Once again you’ll be running through the game, dodging behind cover, shooting at whatever shoots back at you. What has changed is cover that can be destroyed, some pretty major in-game events, the addition of a new vehicle type (a walking mech, either a military armed edition or civilian lifting edition) and an overall feeling like everything in the world has gone to hell in a handbasket. Everything you’ll see is in horrible shape since Jacinto was sunk and things only get worse as time goes on.
The Lambent (the Imulsion infected Locust) play a much larger part this time around. Lambent stalks (the replacement for Locust holes in this game) spring up early and often without warning. Pods on the stalks serve as Lambent delivery mechanisms, spewing forth explosive versions of enemies you’re used to, and many that you’re not. Each has an explosive ending, causing pain and suffering to those that stand near upon their death. Some of the Lambent almost have a throwback to Resident Evil 5, breaking forth into nastier versions of themselves, snake-like head and hands attached, throwing Imulsion shots at you along the way. You’ll also face upgraded locust that haven’t been infected, such as the armored Kantus. Showing up in the later acts and Horde mode, these guys will spin-charge you Sonic the Hedgehog-style when they’re not suppressing you with dual fully-automatic pistols. Either way, the enemies are nastier and smarter, ready to cause you pain.
Gameplay is very much what you’d expect from another installment of Gears, of course with added weapons and a few new tricks. Every weapon now has a unique execution available by holding down the Y button, segments of the campaign will put you in a light armored mech called the Silverback, and there’s a new weapon called the One Shot which does exactly what its name implies.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6092606279_b12c94f614_z.jpg
From the looks of things, you're gonna need those Silverbacks
The difficulty of the game also seems quite a bit ramped up once you leave the comfort of normal mode. Enemies get more accurate, shots are more deadly, and their AI gets smarter. Unfortunately, if you’re playing alone, it seems as if the AI of your cooperative partners gets dumber and dumber. Expect to be frustrated at your brothers-in-arms as they stand up in your line of fire, throw errant grenades, and run into situations that are only meant to give you trouble. The AI is workable at best, frustrating and sometimes broken at worst. Fortunately, this time around, Epic has seen fit to make your partners smart enough to revive you (on difficulties less than Insane) instead of leaving you to die. Sometimes this made the game feel easier, but it also made it less frustrating to have to deal with their idiocy.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6093148090_cb539db4ea_z.jpg
Sera has seen better days...
Of course, Epic expanded upon the fantastic co-op that was in previous games, giving full four-player online co-op to the campaign. So, instead of bringing the horribly frustrating AI into battle, find some friends to play. The most interesting thing I found for playing co-op campaign was that each character started with a different weapon set. For example, Marcus starts with his trusty Lancer and shotgun, Dom starts with the Hammerburst and shotgun, and Carmine starts with a Torque bow and shotgun. It allows you to choose a character of your liking (decided by player position) and go with their strengths to start. People might be more willing to change up who they’re playing as for this fact alone.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6093157590_3da0a98560_z.jpg
Multiplayer modes no longer set you off without knowing the area
Complimenting the solid campaign experience is an equally solid multiplayer experience. Epic has seen fit to give no shortage of multiplayer modes to enjoy Epic made changes to their often imitated “Horde Mode” with “Horde 2.0” The biggest new addition here is receiving cash rewards for racking up kills, which allow you to build various fortifications around the map. At first you’ll be restricted to metal/wire barriers, but as you continue to play you’ll unlock access to decoys, turrets, sentries, and the Silverback (and upgraded versions of all but the Silverback). Cash can also buy you weapons and ammo from fixed locations on the map if drops from defeated enemies aren’t cutting it.
There’s also a new co-op mode called Beast, where you’ll have a chance to play as various locust to take down Stranded and COGs. Like Horde 2.0 there’s a cash system, but you’ll be spending money to determine which species of locust to play. Initial options are fairly simple (drones, tickers), and as you play through you’ll unlock up to a 4th tier which includes the mighty Berserker. The humans will have the same fortifications available to you in Horde mode, but by the time you reach the Berserker those will generally be trivial obstacles (at least on Normal difficulty). This only features 12 waves of play, unlike Horde’s 50, and the XBL leaderboards track your completion time for making it through all 12, with a hefty 3-minute penalty for each failure. It’s worth noting that Horde and Beast can be played solo, but also feature online matchmaking.
Competitive multiplayer has added a new mode called Capture the Leader, with the objective of knocking down and holding the enemy’s leader for as long as possible. Team Deathmatch is also a new mode, and Warzone, Execution, King of the Hill, and Wingman are returning modes. The classic Gridlock map also makes a return from the original Gears.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6092607249_36d00a1153_z.jpg
Your heroes have arrived
If you’re looking for an exclusively at the single-player campaign, Gears of War 3 has great production value but runs pretty short at 6-8 hours tops. Versus hasn’t changed terribly much, so if you enjoyed it in Gears 2 then you can expect more of the same with a few upgrades. The real meat here is in multiplayer, especially the 4-player campaign, revamped Horde mode, and the new Beast mode, and Epic has already announced new maps and fortifications as part of the first DLC package.
Score: (4.5 out of 5 Cogs)
http://www.colonyofgamers.com/images/CoG4_5.png
Ryan says, “Unless you have a strong aversion to cover-based shooters, Gears 3 is a solid purchase. The campaign may be short, but Horde, Beast, and Versus modes will keep you coming back for more.”
Curt says, “If you played and enjoyed Gears 1 and Gears 2, Gears 3 is a no brainer. The campaign completes the trilogy in a fantastic way, the multiplayer has quite a bit of replay value, and the game is more polished than any game Epic has ever put out.
Platform - Xbox 360
Developer - Epic Games
Publisher - Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB Rating - M (Mature)
MSRP - $59.99
Editors - Ryan "UWCrash" Kern and Curt "Mot Wakorb" LeCaptain
Marcus, Dom, Cole, and Baird are back once again to curb stomp locust and chainsaw lambent* to save Sera for what’s left of humanity in Gears of War 3. Marking the end of the trilogy, Gears 3 picks up a year after the events of the Gears 2 when the last human stronghold, Jacinto, was sunk and the locust tunnels were flooded. Since then, the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) has disbanded and what is left of the military has been split into two groups: those risking settlement on the mainland and those embarking on the sea. One of these ships is where the story picks up, as giant lambent “stalks” rise from the oceans floor to drop “glowies” directly on the deck.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6093146028_ec1299fa0c_z.jpg
*Melee with enemies that explode not actually advised.
As mentioned, all of the classic members of Delta squad are back and as hulked out as ever. However, Epic has done a much better job of humanizing the characters this time around. Dom has been dealing with the events of the last game, and plot elements in this installment put Marcus on a real emotional rollercoaster. There’s also a lot more friction when running into Stranded (civvies trying to survive without the military) as you make your way through what’s left of civilization. It may not be the most gripping story, but it does provide much more atmosphere and context to the world of Sera than previous games. The voice-work is solid as well, and any good geek will recognize the addition of Claudia Black (Farscape, Uncharted 2) providing the voice for Sam.
Graphically Gears of War 3 is a real treat and offers some great level design. You still experience plenty of trekking through ruined cities, but you’ll also run into landmarks such as the stadium where Cole played “Thrashball” (a level which also shows up in multiplayer modes) and a giant crater where the Hammer of Dawn was used on a major city. There are also some fantastic visual effects outside on [REDACTED] during the game’s final act.
The single-player mode doesn’t change much since the previous two installments. Once again you’ll be running through the game, dodging behind cover, shooting at whatever shoots back at you. What has changed is cover that can be destroyed, some pretty major in-game events, the addition of a new vehicle type (a walking mech, either a military armed edition or civilian lifting edition) and an overall feeling like everything in the world has gone to hell in a handbasket. Everything you’ll see is in horrible shape since Jacinto was sunk and things only get worse as time goes on.
The Lambent (the Imulsion infected Locust) play a much larger part this time around. Lambent stalks (the replacement for Locust holes in this game) spring up early and often without warning. Pods on the stalks serve as Lambent delivery mechanisms, spewing forth explosive versions of enemies you’re used to, and many that you’re not. Each has an explosive ending, causing pain and suffering to those that stand near upon their death. Some of the Lambent almost have a throwback to Resident Evil 5, breaking forth into nastier versions of themselves, snake-like head and hands attached, throwing Imulsion shots at you along the way. You’ll also face upgraded locust that haven’t been infected, such as the armored Kantus. Showing up in the later acts and Horde mode, these guys will spin-charge you Sonic the Hedgehog-style when they’re not suppressing you with dual fully-automatic pistols. Either way, the enemies are nastier and smarter, ready to cause you pain.
Gameplay is very much what you’d expect from another installment of Gears, of course with added weapons and a few new tricks. Every weapon now has a unique execution available by holding down the Y button, segments of the campaign will put you in a light armored mech called the Silverback, and there’s a new weapon called the One Shot which does exactly what its name implies.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6092606279_b12c94f614_z.jpg
From the looks of things, you're gonna need those Silverbacks
The difficulty of the game also seems quite a bit ramped up once you leave the comfort of normal mode. Enemies get more accurate, shots are more deadly, and their AI gets smarter. Unfortunately, if you’re playing alone, it seems as if the AI of your cooperative partners gets dumber and dumber. Expect to be frustrated at your brothers-in-arms as they stand up in your line of fire, throw errant grenades, and run into situations that are only meant to give you trouble. The AI is workable at best, frustrating and sometimes broken at worst. Fortunately, this time around, Epic has seen fit to make your partners smart enough to revive you (on difficulties less than Insane) instead of leaving you to die. Sometimes this made the game feel easier, but it also made it less frustrating to have to deal with their idiocy.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6093148090_cb539db4ea_z.jpg
Sera has seen better days...
Of course, Epic expanded upon the fantastic co-op that was in previous games, giving full four-player online co-op to the campaign. So, instead of bringing the horribly frustrating AI into battle, find some friends to play. The most interesting thing I found for playing co-op campaign was that each character started with a different weapon set. For example, Marcus starts with his trusty Lancer and shotgun, Dom starts with the Hammerburst and shotgun, and Carmine starts with a Torque bow and shotgun. It allows you to choose a character of your liking (decided by player position) and go with their strengths to start. People might be more willing to change up who they’re playing as for this fact alone.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6093157590_3da0a98560_z.jpg
Multiplayer modes no longer set you off without knowing the area
Complimenting the solid campaign experience is an equally solid multiplayer experience. Epic has seen fit to give no shortage of multiplayer modes to enjoy Epic made changes to their often imitated “Horde Mode” with “Horde 2.0” The biggest new addition here is receiving cash rewards for racking up kills, which allow you to build various fortifications around the map. At first you’ll be restricted to metal/wire barriers, but as you continue to play you’ll unlock access to decoys, turrets, sentries, and the Silverback (and upgraded versions of all but the Silverback). Cash can also buy you weapons and ammo from fixed locations on the map if drops from defeated enemies aren’t cutting it.
There’s also a new co-op mode called Beast, where you’ll have a chance to play as various locust to take down Stranded and COGs. Like Horde 2.0 there’s a cash system, but you’ll be spending money to determine which species of locust to play. Initial options are fairly simple (drones, tickers), and as you play through you’ll unlock up to a 4th tier which includes the mighty Berserker. The humans will have the same fortifications available to you in Horde mode, but by the time you reach the Berserker those will generally be trivial obstacles (at least on Normal difficulty). This only features 12 waves of play, unlike Horde’s 50, and the XBL leaderboards track your completion time for making it through all 12, with a hefty 3-minute penalty for each failure. It’s worth noting that Horde and Beast can be played solo, but also feature online matchmaking.
Competitive multiplayer has added a new mode called Capture the Leader, with the objective of knocking down and holding the enemy’s leader for as long as possible. Team Deathmatch is also a new mode, and Warzone, Execution, King of the Hill, and Wingman are returning modes. The classic Gridlock map also makes a return from the original Gears.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6092607249_36d00a1153_z.jpg
Your heroes have arrived
If you’re looking for an exclusively at the single-player campaign, Gears of War 3 has great production value but runs pretty short at 6-8 hours tops. Versus hasn’t changed terribly much, so if you enjoyed it in Gears 2 then you can expect more of the same with a few upgrades. The real meat here is in multiplayer, especially the 4-player campaign, revamped Horde mode, and the new Beast mode, and Epic has already announced new maps and fortifications as part of the first DLC package.
Score: (4.5 out of 5 Cogs)
http://www.colonyofgamers.com/images/CoG4_5.png
Ryan says, “Unless you have a strong aversion to cover-based shooters, Gears 3 is a solid purchase. The campaign may be short, but Horde, Beast, and Versus modes will keep you coming back for more.”
Curt says, “If you played and enjoyed Gears 1 and Gears 2, Gears 3 is a no brainer. The campaign completes the trilogy in a fantastic way, the multiplayer has quite a bit of replay value, and the game is more polished than any game Epic has ever put out.