It's been a long time since I've written a comprehensive post on anything since the days of wotmania, so I'm going to keep this short, but I just finished Gears of War 3, and felt the need to give a review/summary.


PROS:

1. The Music.
I found that the GoW3 soundtrack surpassed by a fair margin that of its predecessors. I sort of liked the original soundtrack. I really like the second. I adored this one. Every piece fit well where they had it, and lended itself extremely well to the atmosphere of the game.

2. The Visuals.
I debated whether or not to include this one in either category, as saying something has good graphics, today, is like saying you use the controller to play. All the character models and environments were well done, and not much of a surprise, there. The thing that stood out to me were the outdoor lighting effects. There was a level where you are walking through a pseudo-desert around sunrise, and the way the light reflected and refracted and played through the trees sold me.

3. Gameplay:
Being the same on a basic level as its predecessors, this was another section I almost let slide. I thought it was worth mentioning that, while everything is the same on the surface, the gunplay, cover, and general movement seemed tightened and refined.

4. Act III.
If you've played it, then you know. If you haven't, I refuse to spoil it for you. A MAJOR event occurs that affects the tone of the remainder of the game. Suffice to say, a single manly tear welled up in the corner of my eye. But just one. And it was awesome.

5. The Story.
It continues on directly from Gears 2, with Marcus once again in disgrace. The plot was easy to follow, and had some fun moments with Baird and Cole during a section where you control Cole for an Act. Introducing new characters actually worked; all the new Carmines were funny, and having Anya now as part of Delta Squad was neat. Parts were very emotional, and I enjoyed it greatly. There were a few cons, that I'll mention, later.


NEUTRAL ISSUES:

1: Combat.
It's Gears. It's chest-high walls that give a very obvious warning of combat. It's mostly the same grubs and glowies we've fought before. It's not bad, by any means, but I found myself sighing every once in a while when I spied a building lobby or hallway filled with suspiciously and strategically placed sandbags and concrete barriers. Again, not bad, just not revolutionary.

2. Game Length.
The back of the case promises the longest Gears campaign to date. I found that to be a blatant falsehood. I cleared the entire game in (from what I recall) no more than 9 or 10 hours max. It wasn't short, exactly, but to me, it didn't hold a candle to the length of GoW2.


CONS:

1. The Story (Ending).
I'm keeping it as spoiler-free as I can. The main story was good. The ending/final boss fight was so simple and predictable, I was convinced there had to be more. I was a tad perplexed that I was staring at the credits and then the title screen again, after a few minutes. Surely the rest of the story and conclusion came before the credits...? But alas. Was definitely a let down.

2. The Claim That This is the Last Gears of War.
Not a chance. And if it is, someone at Epic needs to get kneecapped with a crowbar. The final cut scene leaves out loads of stuff that needed to be wrapped up in regard to some character plot points, and again, trying to be spoiler free, with the resolution regarding the Locust. The Lambent? Handled. The Locust? Who knows? The game just has the smell of another game to come. Not that I'd mind, but it bothers me when something is called a concluding chapter to a set story, and then doesn't conclude. I suppose it did, but I really feel there's too much left unanswered.



CONCLUSION:

I liked the game a lot. I would definitely recommend getting it. Despite the cons I mentioned, they don't detract from a fairly satisfying and truly enjoyable.......final........installment to an awesome franchise.

9 out of 10, IMHO.