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Description

Gears of War 3 is the spectacular conclusion to one of the most memorable and celebrated sagas in video games. Developed by Epic Games exclusively for Xbox 360, Gears of War 3 plunges you into a harrowing tale of hope, survival, and brotherhood. In Gears of War 3, fight on as Marcus Fenix, the grizzled war hero and leader of Delta Squad. Eighteen months after the fall of the last human city, the war against the Locust rages on. Meanwhile, deep beneath the surface, a fearsome new threat is infecting the planet from within. With survivors scattered and civilization in ruins, time is running out for Marcus and his comrades as they fight to save the human race. the Gears of War series is one of the most popular franchises in Xbox history, with more than 12 million games sold worldwide, a forthcoming major motion picture, new York Times best-selling novels, and more.

MSRP Release Date Genre

Action Adventure, Shooter

Developer Publisher Rating

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios, Developer: Epic Games, Genre: third Person Shooter, Release Date: Sept 20, 2011, ESRB: Mature, Systems: Xbox 360.

Gears of War 3 is hands down the best developed Gears game in the franchise. Wether your talking about the story, visuals, sound design, multiplayer or overall content. Gears of War 3′s presentation stands heads and toes over its predecessors. sure you experience those classic weird Unreal Engine physic glitches like Locust legs wiggling and protruding from walls or the ground. I consider the ladder simply nit picking and bares no real weight as far as faults go with this magnificent game. Gears of War 3 is presented with a practically flawless level design and unparalleled pacing in its core gameplay. Keep in mind you can play the entire story campaign online with up to four players.

Gears of War 3′s story starts two years after the sinking of Jacinto. Living on a huge military ship called Raven’s Nest. some of the COGs including Marcus, Dom, Anya, Cole Train, Jace Stratton and Baird made a life for themselves. Ex Chairman Prescott who hasn’t been heard from of since the sinking of Jacinto shows up with a message for Marcus and ultimately starts the story. its a message from Adam Fenix (Marcus’s father) who was feared dead but is alive and being held captive by Queen Myrrah (leader of the Locust).

The message Marcus gets from his dad relates to emulsion and its effects are killing Sera. Emulsion is a natural fuel resource unique to planet Sera or so we all thought. Adam Fenix has a way of stopping the emulsion from destroying the planet. You guessed it, Marcus has to save his father again and this time the planet depends on it. from here on out the COG including Marcus, Jace, Dom, Anya, Cole, Baird, Sam and Carmine set out on an epic adventure.

The Unreal Engine 3.5 was masterfully used by its creator to create one of the best looking console games in existence. Keep in mind i played hundreds of videogames this gen and there are quite a few moments that blew my mind in Gears of War 3. The zipline Cole Train scene was excellent. I thought is was a cutscene till i saw a reticle on screen. Shooting Locust on a zipline was crazy fun. Act 3: Chapter 1 Unbreakable boss battle with the Lambent Berzerker was awesome visually. The glow of emulsion as she leaked created a visual light show.

The music score as well orchestra tunes were memorable and fitting for each key gameplay moment or cutscene. all of the voice actors particularily the individuals from past games did their best work in Gears of War 3. The actors who voiced Marcus, Dom, Cole and Baird in particular. Dizzy and Anya were good as well. The cries of Lambent humans screaming kill me was hunting and creepy. The sound effects from the guns, enemies and even subtle walking was taken with extreme care. If i didn’t type it before i will now, the sound design in Gears of War 3 is the best in the series.

Nothing new or innovative as far as gameplay is concerned. You still shoot and stay behind cover. what i can say playing Gears of War 3 is that its the most fun out of all of its predecessors and that trumps innovation any day of the week. The Vulcan Cannon is a two man gatling gun which adds co-op to operating a gun. One cranks the ammo and one aims and fires. its a deadly powerful weapon. I loved it. Butcher Cleaver adds melee combat to Gears of War 3. The Cleaver is a huge cleaver that Butchers used to cut up Rock Worms in the Hollow. its a deadly weapon to use in the story campaign or Horde Mode 2.0.

The single player campaign lasts you between fifteen to twenty hours. there is a arcade mode for the single player not to mention the four player co-op. it seemed short in all seriousness due to its epicness (pun intended). Wether you play versus, Beastmode or Horde 2.0 you will have fun. The multiplayer is deep with unlockables such as weapon skins, characters, executions and avatar awards. Oh did i mention that this is hands down the best launch Gears of War multiplayer ever? it is. The dedicated servers work beautifully. I never got so many double kills where myself and the other guy both kill each other the exact same time. say goodbye to lag. The multiplayer is the best in the series from top to bottom and sideways. it has the most content and the most fun to play in my opinion.

Gears of War 3 is the reason why innovation in videogames is overrated in many instances. When you perfect your franchise the way Epic Games did with Gears of War 3 nothing else really matters. Gears of War 3 is a godly game. it isn’t the best game ever made but it is the best game available on the Xbox 360 in my opinion. Gears of War 3 gets my highest rating ever for a full retail game on this site. thanks for reading.

“I think if you come out and say, ‘this is the start of a trilogy,’ gamers get defensive, cross their arms and say, ‘We’ll see,’” said Bleszinski. “You have to play it game by game. We had ideas of where each game could go in the series, but until we had confirmation, we never really started work on a sequel, except for coming up with pie-in-the-sky ideas.”

Churning out three “Gears of War” titles over the past five years paid off.

“Gears of War 3″ sold more than 3 million copies in its first week and was the second best-selling game in September behind “Madden NFL 12,” propelling the entire Xbox 360 series past the $1 billion mark, according to Microsoft Corp. and NPD Group, which tracks retail game sales. Microsoft also said more than 4.5 million gamers played it online since it debuted.

“For some reason, three is the magic number,” said Bleszinski of the omnipresence of trilogies in pop culture. “I can’t explain it. Narratively, they make sense because you’ve got that ‘Lord of the Rings’ vibe where there’s a definitive beginning, middle and ending. There’s something about that contained pack-of-three that’s just incredibly gratifying.”

Other game developers and publishers seem to agree, too.

Sequels have always been an important part of the gaming world, but with the release of “Gears of War 3″ last month and games like superhero brawler “Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds,” first-person shooter “Killzone 3,” horror shoot-’em-up “F.E.a.R. 3″ and alien blaster “Resistance 3″ earlier this year, it seems 2011 is the year of the threequel.

The trend continues this holiday season — or should that be holiday threeson? — with the arrival of such third installments as the epic action-adventure title “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception,” bawdy open-world gang war saga “Saints Row: The Third” and explosive first-person military shooters “Battlefield 3″ and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.”

For some of this year’s threequels, the third outing is less about the story moving forward and more about the technology leaping ahead. “Battlefield 3″ from developer Digital Illusions CE will be the first game to utilize the Frostbite 2 game engine, promising players more realistic graphics, fuller sound and amplified environmental destruction.

“‘Battlefield 3′ is the true next-generation successor to ‘Battlefield 2,’” said DICE producer Patrick Liu. “We’re utilizing the latest technology with our new Frostbite 2 engine. It’s by far the most ambitious game we’ve ever made. It’s a bigger game with a single-player campaign, co-op and multiplayer. It’s the most pressure we’ve ever felt making a game.”

Six years have passed since Electronic Arts Inc. deployed “Battlefield 2″ for the PC, though there have been other entries in the 9-year-old series. this time, the publisher is positioning “Battlefield 3,” which will be available for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on Oct. 25, as a combatant to “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3″ from Activision Inc.

The marketing campaign for “Battlefield 3″ cleverly suggests that the game goes “above and beyond the call.”

The original “Modern Warfare,” which was developed by Infinity Ward and released in 2007, transformed Activision’s aging “Call of Duty” series into the most successful gaming franchise. “Modern Warfare 3,” which is due out Nov. 8, is expected to top the previous two installments, as well as last year’s top-selling “Black Ops” edition from Treyarch.

“From a commercial standpoint, as far as ‘Modern Warfare 3′ is concerned, it’s a one-shot kill,” said Scott Steinberg, CEO of game consulting company TechSavvy Global. “The competition is not in a good position because millions and millions of players have been playing ‘Call of Duty’ online with their friends and are already hungry for the next installment.”

“Modern Warfare 3,” “Gears of War 3,” “Resistance 3,” “Uncharted 3,” “Saints Row: The Third” and “Mass Effect 3″ are among the threequels on the same platforms as their predecessors, a striking difference from past gaming franchises that spanned consoles. Steinberg blames a combination of the economy and “dumb luck” for the one-two-three punch.

“Traditionally, you don’t see three iterations of a series on the same console because previous sales cycles and technical evolutions have moved more quickly,” said Steinberg. “In the past, publishers used console launches as a reboot point for new installments. this longer cycle has given developers the chance to eek more horsepower out of the systems.”

Steinberg thinks the third time on the same platform will ultimately charm gamers because developers have honed both their technical talents and storytelling skills without the burden of figuring out how to create games for a completely new system, an issue developers tackled when transitioning from such consoles as the Xbox to Xbox 360 and the PS2 to PS3.

“When you’ve got a stable technology platform underneath you, it’s nice because you can focus on design elements and storytelling aspects,” said Aaryn Flynn, general manager at developer BioWare. “I think anyone who has developed multiple games on these platforms is doing what we’re doing — honing their craft and getting better and better each time.”

Flynn and his colleagues at BioWare are currently preparing for the launch of “Mass Effect 3″ next March. The third chapter of the intergalactic sci-fi saga centers on the ominous alien Reapers invading Earth. Flynn said the trilogy, which features a highly customizable protagonist named Commander Shepard, was always envisioned as a three-part series.

“Certainly, when we first imagined ‘Mass Effect’ as a story for Commander Shepard, we did think of it as a trilogy,” said Flynn. “That said, we’ve made tweaks and adjustments all the way along as we’ve heard from fans what they want to see, but certainly the story has been building to the Reaper invasion and to Shepard’s ultimate battle against them.”

In addition to “Mass Effect 3,” other threequels expected in 2012 include Ubisoft’s open-world shooter “Far Cry 3,” Blizzard’s fantasy title “Diablo III” and Rockstar Games’ third-person shooter “Max Payne 3.” As long-running franchises like “Super Mario,” “Final Fantasy” and “Resident Evil” have proven, the third time out doesn’t always mark the end.

“When it comes to video games, never say never,” said Steinberg. “Players aren’t dense. they realize that as long as there is interest left in a franchise, it will make an inevitable return. There’s usually so many holes left open in a plot, that it’s of no consequence when you reach the end of a trilogy. there are a thousand other stories that can be told.”

[ Online: "Gears of War 3" : gearsofwar.xbox.com/; "Mass Effect 3" : masseffect.bioware.com/; "Saints Row: The Third" : saintsrow.com/; "Battlefield 3" : battlefield.com/battlefield3/; "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3": callofduty.com/mw3/; "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception:" naughtydog.com/games/uncharted/ ]

Coming near the end of the decade and looking ridiculously realistic, Battlefield 4 will be set to blow our minds clear out of our faces with its intense action and perfectly realistic looking graphics.

Sure, this video is another gem from Freddie Wong, but it proves a point that I’ve been wanting to discuss for ages. just because a game looks more realistic, it doesn’t mean that it looks good, right?

Video and more after the jump.

So by now you’ve watched the video about right? no? Then do it now before your continue reading. Pretty awesome huh? Gotta love these vids. Now that that’s over, let’s just get back to what I was saying about graphics.

You see, it’s a point that I wanted to make a while back about graphics in the past with regards to the difference between realistic graphics and good looking graphics. Gears of War 3 is by no means a realistic looking game, but it looks absolutely phenomenal. That’s because when it comes to visuals, it’s all about art direction and style.

A good example would be to take a game like Gran Turismo 5 and need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. they are both incredibly good looking racing games, but for completely different reasons. while Gran Turismo has perfected the sort of lighting that fools the eyes into thinking its catching a glimpse of something real, need for Speed is throwing in the Hollywood effects and action to make it look spectacular. Which one is better? It’s probably all a matter of taste, but in the end, you can’t just say that realism trumps non-realistic visuals every time because it just isn’t true.

If realism was the ultimate goal, then movie directors wouldn’t go so far out of their way to alter the feeling of their film’s visuals so much. The Blair Witch Project looked ‘real’ but does that mean that it was more pleasing to the eye than The 300, How To Train Your Dragon or even heavily green-filtered visuals of The Matrix.

Will Battlefield 4 really look like that? I sure as hell hope not, I see realistic graphics in my own office as I write this post, they aren’t so great. sometimes realism is required to bring a certain atmosphere to a game and if that’s the case then it’s fine, let’s just hope that as new technology comes along, it doesn’t create a race for ultra-realism that we all probably don’t want. well, not all the time anyways.

Big ups to Freddie Wong though, for creating another great game-inspired video. This guys just rocks the planet.

Gears of War 3 is a big game for Epic. there is the requisite hype machine of course, which has done nothing but gain a boulder-rolling-down-a-mountain amount of momentum since it was announced.

Then there is the fact that GOW3, released on Sept. 20, is supposedly the last game in a trilogy, meaning that this might be the last Gears game we see for some time. Epic had to go gargantuan or go home on this one and, thankfully, they opted for the gargantuan route.

Playing the game in single player mode, one thing that immediately stands out is the enhanced focus on character building. For two games, series mainstays Marcus Fenix, Augustus “Cole Train” Cole, Dominic Santiago and Damon Baird have been little more than hulking, gun-toting man-beasts with collective hearts set on little more than killing lots and lots of bad things. But in this game, their characters are fleshed out more, and I found myself more capable of caring about them than in other entries (although Epic did make a valiant effort to do this in GOW2).

the narrative, which brings to a close humanity’s battle against the Locust Hoard (introduced in the first game) and the Lambent (introduced in the second), is probably the strongest in the series as well. If GOW3 is your introduction to the series, some of the emotion may not translate, but anyone can enjoy this well spun yarn for what it is.

the plot moves along smoothly, deftly hopping back in time and then returns to the present without causing confusion. I found myself satisfied with the conclusion to the series, and there wasn’t any overload of forced, sentimental cheese that can sometimes come with the closing of any series.

But I did find the game’s transitions from emotional scenes back to game play unintentionally humorous. after sentimental scenes, the characters would be yelling, profanity-laced one-liners at each other. sure, it’s war, and everyone is screaming, but it was a rather jolting juxtaposition.

the Gears series has always been known for its graphics, and GOW3 is hands-down the most visually superior of the three. I was not expecting much in terms of graphical enhancement over the second, but I was pleasantly surprised.

every environment oozes detail and texture, and  the color palette has been expanded beyond the blacks and grays that the series was known for. the world of Sera feels more organic than ever. in previous games, the world did not feel lived in, but the more intimate settings presented here make it seem human.

the game play is just as high quality as the graphics and story. the cover-based third-person-action is back in full force. Few adjustments have been made to the mechanics, but there really wasn’t much need for that, and it is still as smooth as ever. the arsenal has also been expanded, adding even more destructive weapons into the mix that are fun to use — such as the Retro-Lancer, a rustic edition of the series’ infamous default rifle that has a bayonet attached to the end.  

the game is not without hiccups, though. the final boss fight at the end is an utterly frustrating endeavor and not at all fun. I have had an issue with boss battles in games for quite some time, and my conclusion here is no different.

Although the story is paced well, the actual game play is not always so smooth. Some objectives seem to be arbitrarily stretched out to add length. I felt like the developers could not figure out what to do with players next, so they rerouted them several times per mission for a wide variety of reasons that would usually be dumb, like an elevator not working, and would make the game drag in spots.

Finally, there is the series’ lauded multiplayer and co-op modes. All of the original modes like “warzone,” “assassination,” “execution” and “wingman” make a return with the addition of a new “team deathmatch” mode that basically just adds re-spawning to warzone. it helps stretch matches out a little longer and helps less experienced players get another shot, so it is definitely a worthy addition. “king of the hill” and “capture the leader” modes that are also equally fun. These game types play out across a variety of maps that are all a blast to play.

the campaign can finally be played with four players (unlike the first two entries), which is a blast to do on higher difficulties. there is also the updated Hoard Mode, which features  base-building mechanics help spice things up. in the new Beast Mode, unlike HoardMode, players take on the role of the Locust and try to take out the humans, an equally fun endeavor.

Gears of War 3 is everything a final game of a trilogy should be. the story and characters are expanded, the central conflict is resolved, and many features, like those in multiplayer, are fleshed out. Although not exactly a classic, GOW3 is a shining example of great game design.

GERARD CAMPBELL

DEDICATED FRIEND: Dominic Santiago has been a loyal friend to lead character Marcus Fenix throughout the Gears series.

REVIEW: I’m not sure that I want to admit it but there was a moment in Gears of War 3′s campaign that I almost shed a tear. Almost.

it was the type of moment that in a series featuring hardened soldiers with thick necks and muscles on muscles battling fearsome creatures and monsters that I wasn’t expecting. it was a moment of contemplative poignancy that, surprisingly, didn’t feel out of place.

I remember watching the scene unfold, my eyes not believing what was going on. it is a powerful scene and indicative of the much improved narrative of Gears 3.

Gears 3 also has a definitive ending: there’s no cliffhanger, no sudden appearance of a character that you thought was defeated in the first game. This is where the trilogy ends – and what happens throughout may surprise you.

so, how do you build on Gears 2, which was cited by Epic Games as “better and more badass” than the original? you have a compelling story about Marcus Fenix’s search for his father, that’s how – one that ties up all the loose ends.

The world of Gears of War 3 is one of destruction, with survivors doing the best they can and a once-powerful civilisation in ruin: one city destroyed at the hands of the government’s military might is a ghost town, unlucky citizens turned into human statues of ash.

Gears of War 3 has much deeper characterisation than the previous games, too, especially of Fenix and Augustus Cole. it shows a vulnerable side to these mountain men who think nothing of wiping out a wave of locust before breakfast.

The game play will be familiar to Gears fans: move from cover to cover, taking out locust troops to reach your objective, and it’s the most exhilarating Gears yet, but there were too many fetch quests for my liking: like fighting your way through a shipyard to a COG submarine only to find it’s missing two vital parts and you must fight your way to where they are and bring them back.

There’s an underwater sequence that changes the pace, mech suits to wear and set pieces against large-scale enemies both above and below ground. It’s also the most visually stunning of the series, and Epic must also be pushing the now ageing Xbox 360 to its limit as the once muted browns and greys make way for vivid red, greens and blues.

A couple of times I couldn’t progress through to the next location – Marcus would bark out “I can’t do that” – turns out there was one stray locust still hiding nearby that I had missed. also, while many games have computer-controlled, team-mate AI that is laughable, at times the AI of Gears’ soldiers is too good: they’ll happily take the fight to the locust. Small niggles, though.

The ending is suitably memorable, as the finale to a trilogy should be. The closing moments were touching – and surprising.

Rod Fergusson, the executive producer on the Gears games, told me recently that he hoped people would think Gears 3 was the best game of the series. I’ll make that call: this is the best Gears game yet and I’m sad it’s at an end.

Gears of War 3From: Microsoft Game StudiosFor: Xbox 360Classification: R18RRP: Standard edition $99.95

– The Press

Gameplanet

THE CREEPS: Screenshot from Dead Space 2, picked as the scariest game on the Xbox 360 console by Vertical Slice.

The scariest Xbox 360 game is Electronic Arts’ sci-fi horror Dead Space 2 reports a new study.

The study was carried out by Vertical Slice, a usability studio, and measured the heart rate and sweat levels of both casual and core gamers in response to Alan Wake, Resident Evil 5, Dead Space 2 and Condemned.

Games considered for the study but not found to be scary enough included the original Dead Space, Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead 2, silent Hill: Homecoming, Alone in the Dark and Mass Effect 2.

Participants played the opening passages of each game. When presented with Dead Space 2, Vertical Slice writes, “None of the players’ interest was stimulated during the cutscene that played at the start, at least not until Isaac witnesses his dead wife become a necromorph in a horrific fashion.”

“At least four of the participants found this moment distressing, and were frightened further still when throttled by the orderly, only to have him gruesomely slaughtered by a grotesque creature.”

The glorious core gamer was affected less by the scenes of horror than his or her casual counterpart says the study:

“Olivia suffers her first direct attack from a necromorph. Clearly, her irregular GSR [Galvanic Skin Response] patterns are aligned with this moment, and she was shouting, ‘God, oh my God, this s**t is so scary!’”

you can read up about all the scary s**t in Dead Space 2 right here.

-Gameplanet

Canadian gamers who enjoy co-op gaming but for some reason don’t own an Xbox 360 (or maybe they need a second console!) are in for a treat. a limited-edition 250 GB Xbox 360 bundle which comes with a whopping five 360-exclusive games has just debuted in the land of maple syrup for the low price of $299.99 CDN.

The bundled games include: Alan Wake, Gears of War 2, Halo 3, Halo Wars, and Fable III. Four out of five co-op games isn’t bad at all. The games are actually download tokens, which means they’ll take up 29.51 GB of hard drive space when installed. plus there are the caveats that downloadable Alan Wake doesn’t come with the retail-bundled DLC and Halo 3 doesn’t run as well from a hard drive as it does from a disc. but cost-conscious gamers probably won’t mind when they have a brand new slim system and a big bundle of games to play on it.

again, this Xbox 360 bundle is exclusive to the frosty realm of Canada. perhaps holiday bundles will debut in the US and Europe soon too…

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Microsoft is still working on making significant headway into Japan, and during this TGS they are preparing to show a few things that may excite Japanese gamers.

A number of upcoming Xbox 360 and Kinect games will be on display and playable including a couple of big name releases.

Read on for the details.

We’re about to enter one of the most exciting holiday seasons for Xbox 360 and Kinect worldwide. And today we kick off the 2011 Tokyo Game Show (TGS) with updates to Forza Motorsport 4, Dance Central 2, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Gears of War 3, among many other titles.

Core gamers who’ve been fans for years – and families who are new to the console – will find the most anticipated titles of the season for Xbox 360 and Kinect on hand and playable at TGS. the show is expected to attract entertainment enthusiasts from around the world, and provide the ultimate gaming experience in Japan this year. TGS is also about marking the Xbox commitment to Japan, which is home to some of the most legendary games creators in our industry. one of the most important aspects of the Xbox business in Japan is the relationship with our third party development houses, and the news from those creators is plentiful:

in addition to the five titles from Japanese creators announced at last year’s Tokyo Games Show, Microsoft will announce that happy Wars, a new title from Toylogic, will be coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

A demo of Project Draco from Grounding will be shown for the first time to media in an exclusive setting.

Diabolical Pitch (announced at TGS 2010 as codename D) from Grasshopper Manufacture, and Haunt from NanaOn-Sha, will be playable at Microsoft’s booth. Diabolical Pitch will be released on Xbox LIVE Arcade next year.

Pre-order sales for EA inc.’s FIFA Soccer 12 for Sony Corp.’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 ranked in the top 15 this week at GameStop Corp.’s online division amid building demand for the title.

This week, the FIFA Soccer 12 PS3 SKU ranked as the no. 16 best-selling pre-order product at Gamestop.com.

The FIFA Soccer 12 Xbox 360 SKU held a 135 percent sales increase to rank at No. 12 in the same period.

This week, customers who pre-order the FIFA Soccer 12 PS3 SKU or FIFA Soccer 12 Xbox 360 SKU will receive a $20 Amazon.com Credit towards a future purchase.

FIFA Soccer 12 is said to include a new physics engine, pro player intelligence, tactical defending, precision dribbling, and true injuries.

The final game will include online multiplayer functionality.

It carries a pre-sale price of $59.99.

Sony in Aug. price cut the PS3 160GB SKU to $249.99.

In addition, the PS3 320GB move Bundle now sells at $349.99.

Microsoft in Sept. will sell a new limited edition Xbox 360 320GB Gears of War 3 Bundle at $399.99.

This holiday it will sell the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Star Wars Kinect Bundle at $449.99.

Current Xbox 360 stand-alone SKUs include the Xbox 360 250GB hardware at $299.99 and the Xbox 360 4GB hardware at $199.99.

Bundle SKUs include the Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Special Edition Bundle at $399.99 and the Xbox 360 4GB with Kinect bundle at $299.99.

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