Review: Gears of War 3

When Gears of War was first announced for the then next-gen Xbox 360 console it can be said there was almost universal acclaim for the Epic Games title.  After all, not only was it the flagship title for the Unreal 3 engine, it was also one of the most brutal video games anyone had ever seen.  Its 2006 release also heralded the beginning of a revolution in gameplay: the cover system, a mechanic that is utilized in many shooters today.  Five years on however the Unreal 3 engine is beginning to show its age as its capabilities have been all but maxed-out and with today’s shooter being a first-person affair instead of an over-the-shoulder one it seems that Gears of War 3 may also herald the beginning of the end for the third-person shooter.

If this supposition is true then one can assume that this downfall begins with the end of a great franchise.  As such, the question must be asked: has the final entry of the Gears of War trilogy earned a mausoleum or an unmarked grave in this potential graveyard-bound genre?

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Cogs in the Machine

Gears of War’s final chapter takes place two years after the sinking of Jacinto, the last human stronghold on Sera.  The destruction of the city was a blow that cut both ways as it wiped out most of the remaining Locust threat while robbing humanity of their last safe haven.  Following Jacinto, the Coalition of Ordered Governments collapsed and went its separate ways, the strongest contingent putting down roots on the remote island of Vectes.  The heroes of Jacinto including Marcus Fenix and his compatriots Dominic Santiago, Damon Baird, Augustus “Cole Train” Cole and Anya Stroud took this route, intent on rebuilding what was left of the human race but unfortunately Vectes wasn’t nearly remote enough to escape the fires of war.  A new threat has arisen: the Lambent, Locust who have mutated after being exposed to excessive amounts of imulsion, the primary energy resource used by humans.  The Lambent have taken over Vectes and driven the remaining survivors out to sea.  As the Lambent threat grows stronger by the hour as well as the size of their territory Marcus and company head toward the mainland in hope of finding a safe haven somewhere where the Lambent are not.

Passing through a nearby town in Lambent territory a surprise guest arrives with even more surprising information: Chairman Prescott, the former leader of the COG who abandoned the remaining human forces six months after the fall of Jacinto.  He brings a message for Marcus specifically that shocks him to his core: a call for help from his father Adam Fenix.  Prior to the events of the first Gears of War Marcus and Dom broke off from a key position in the middle of battle to rescue his father only to see him crushed beneath a pile of rubble.  Having deserted his position cost the COG the battle for the capital city of Ephyra and Marcus was sentenced to life in prison for his crime, leading up to the opening minutes of the first game.  Certain that the message is real and that his father is still alive Marcus vows to find his father and rescue him.

The story in a Gears of War title is one that hasn’t always been praised as high fiction.  Given the nature of its presentation style with little to no backstory made available within the games themselves it is a bit of a task to actually discern anything going on during the events of the game outside of what the characters talk about and what you see in front of you.  What you’d be surprised to find is that the Gears universe has a surprisingly deep history told through books and comics.  What would surprise you more so is that Gears 3 is very self aware of the fact that this is potentially the final Gears of War title and as such has to wrap up the war that has stretched through fifteen years and two previous video games.  You’ll notice that characters from that extended universe such a Jace Stratton, Sam Byrne and even Bernadette Mataki appear in the game and play prominent roles throughout the Gears 3 story.  You’ll meet people and see places that have only appeared in print so for those who say that the Gears of War cannot deliver a strong narrative I have this reply: bite your tongue.

One item that people have argued in the past is that the marketing campaign for Gears titles have not exactly matched up to the overall tone of the series.  Those poignant, emotional advertisements that do their best to sell you on how turbulent and sad the Gears universe is have never really been truthful in their representation of the far more action-oriented, hectic gameplay we all know.  I’m pleased to report however that Gears 3 actually contains several moments throughout the story that evoke the emotion we associate with this commercials, one of which may even bring a few tears to your eyes, though you can be like me and blame them on emo onions cutting themselves on your coffee table when your friends ask you what’s wrong through the ear of your headset.

For those looking for longevity from the singleplayer/co-op you should take note that the campaign is actually quite a bit longer than its predecessors.  Clocking in at over thirty chapters spread across five acts you can expect to take a couple afternoons finishing Marcus Fenix’s final journey, more so if you decide to up the difficulty to hardcore or even insane.  Overall though, while the game’s campaign doesn’t scream for a Saturn, Hugo or even a Parsec award it is a solid conclusion to the Gears of War storyline.  Plot holes are filled, characters get closure, and the future of humanity is resolved, all with little to no room for expansion past the end of the game save for campaign DLC whose placement in the game is pretty clear halfway on.  It’s a nice end to a fun series and you’ll be happy to put down your Lancer for the last time as the credits roll.

Grinder?  I Barely Know Her!

Going beyond the cover system and the Unreal 3 engine the biggest item Gears of War has contributed to the gaming industry is the birth of strong, online cooperative play through what would normally be a singleplayer experience.  The previous two titles in the series have been a two player affair and it is wonderful to see that Epic has stepped up their game and now allows four people to play together.  Other than the main character, the cast your co-op buddies will be playing changes regularly for the majority of the game and with them their loadouts as well.  You can expect to be playing different characters at least once an act and while it doesn’t change the overall gameplay it does serve as a nice change of pace over the previous two games’ use of the same four characters all the time.

A sequel isn’t a sequel without improvements and additions and Gears of War 3 is no exception to this rule.  In addition to having the traditional assortment of Gears weaponry several new additions make for an even more intense firefight.  The Digger, for example, is a grenade launcher that actually travels underground and is capable of popping up above the surface behind the enemy’s cover to detonate.  The Retro Lancer, a weapon alluded to quite a bit in the expanded Gears universe, has a bayonet instead of a chainsaw and fires stronger ammunition than its newer counterpart albeit at the cost of stronger recoil and a larger bullet spread.  The sawed-off shotgun too is a new addition and trades off range and ammo count for a massively power short range burst that can pretty much disintegrate the enemy in the blink of an eye.  The balance of some of these weapons can come into question at times but they feel right at home in the Gears universe.

The Lambent, the third faction in the new game and ultimately the biggest threat to both the Locust and humanity, are probably the biggest addition to the series.  Unlike the assorted cast of subterranean beasts that populate the Locust, the Lambent serve as a twisted amalgamation of what we’ve fought against previously.  Lambent Wretches annoy just as before but the addition of Lambent Drones and Polyps, the Lambent take on a Ticker, as well as the Drudge, an enemy that can transform and throw imulsion at you, all serve as deadly enemies.  They all explode upon death as well though the damage from these explosions is lighter than they were in the previous two games.

Thank God I Wear a Helmet

In addition to the most refined campaign experience to date in the Gears of War series you’ll also find a plethora of different multiplayer options.  This is where the meat of the Gears experience will be going forward and the variety is quite wonderful.  Simply put, you’ll find something to entertain you when you want to play with other people.

Versus mode returns as it always does bringing with it classic gameplay variants such as Warzone and Execution.  New to the experience however are a couple worthwhile additions to keep you occupied.  Capture the Leader, a combination of Gears of War 2’s Guardian and Submission modes, plays out like a standard CTF mode with the exception being that one player on each team serves as the flag.  I find myself more appreciative though of the new Team Deathmatch variant that allows for multiple respawns, something that should have been in the series from the beginning.  While the selection of maps to play on are fine not one of them really stands out so one can only hope that Epic remedies this (as they always do) with DLC.

Going beyond competitive multiplayer, cooperative play comes in three distinct flavors: Arcade, Horde, and Beast.  Arcade mode isn’t that different in scope from what you would assume it to be in that it is a competitive, point-gathering playthrough of four players through the game’s campaign.  The Arcade mode doesn’t offer much outside of main campaign experience but it does offer replay value for those who want to avoid Versus.

Horde mode returns this year with some drastic enhancements.  Much like the previous version, Horde 2.0 plays out on standard multiplayer maps against fifty waves of Locust and Lambent enemies.  Unlike the previous version however you now have the ability to build fortifications to help fend off the enemy such as barriers, turrets, and even the ability to summon a Silverback mech.  Every tenth wave is a boss fight this time around and has you facing off against the more prominent bosses from the entire Gears library including the Brumak, Reavers, and even multiple Beserkers at the same time.  Conquering Horde mode is no easy task but with a couple hours and competent teammates it can be accomplished.  The fortifications alone make Horde significantly more fun this time around and the bosses are exciting to fight against so for those looking for a fun yet potentially frustrating experience (I’m trademarking the word ‘funstrating’ right now) Horde is definitely where you want to spend most of your time.

The elephant in the room though is Beast mode, the much talked about new addition to the Gears series.  Beast mode is the exact opposite of Horde wherein you play as the Locust hunting down AI humans.  Beast utilizes a Counter-Strike like purchasing system for selecting your Locust and runs the whole gambit of all the infantry monsters seen in the series.  Every time you kill an enemy you are awarded time and cash for your actions and continued play allows you to unlock larger, more powerful Locust to play as.  The barriers and fortifications seen in Horde apply here as well so an amount of strategy is called for.  Of all the Locust you can play as though I found myself having the most fun as a Ticker, the scream it emits as it sprints being one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.  Beast mode only lasts twelve rounds as opposed to Horde’s fifty but the end result is still marvelously fun and should be one of the first things you try out if you decide Gears 3 is worth your money.

Epic, like most shooter developers these past few years, intends to make sure you stick around through the turbulent October and November months and beyond thanks to a wide assortment of unlockables and events that will take place as time goes by.  Medals, ribbons, titles and more can be unlocked through proper play and Epic has plans to host a series of events such as Ticker Tuesday for Horde and more.  While it may not be quite enough to deter you from logging onto Battlefield 3 or Modern Warfare 3 come November it still looks to be quite fun.

Brothers to the End

Gears of War started something five years ago and while the cover-based third-person shooter may be retreating out of the spotlight it doesn’t mean that Gear of War is falling with it.  As the final entry in Marcus and crew’s story and the end of the Locust war it is a fine game worthy of your praise.  With the strongest campaign to date and a bountiful selection of multiplayer modes to occupy your evenings it is hard not to recommend Gears of War 3 to your average hardcore gamer.