- Giant Bomb (100/100): "It answers questions. It leaves things in a dramatically different place than they were at the start of the game. If this were to be the final game in the Gears franchise, it'd be a satisfying place to leave things."
- Game Informer (95/100): "Doesn't do anything radical, not that anyone expected it to. Only the staunchest Gears haters will find much fault here, though. This is the best execution yet of an idea that spawned one of the biggest modern franchises in all of gaming. What's not to love?"
- IGN (90/100): "Every third-person, cover-based shooter from here on out will likely be compared to Gears 3, and it provides a fitting and poignant-- if sometimes cheesy -- closing chapter to the trilogy...The noted hitches, design decisions and 'been-there, done-that' feel of much of the content colors the overall experience, but it certainly didn't keep me from having one hell of a good time."
- Eurogamer (80/100): "In its multiplayer, all you could have reasonably asked for; in its visuals, new heights reached, while cracks of old age are papered over; in its story, a fitting conclusion; and in its campaign, though short of the consistent brilliance of its predecessor, a mostly rousing and memorable spectacle.
Metareview: Gears of War 3
86
The trilogy has concluded, and now that you've read what we had to say about Gears of War 3 it's time you checked in with the rest of the critical community. Were they as enamored of curb-stomping Locusts for a third time? Yes, pretty much.
Reader Comments (86)
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 4:58PM K3ViNPwNz said
inb4 the fanboys!uncharted 3 is better !
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:02PM SisypheanLife said
@K3ViNPwNz
Uncharted 1 & 2 were better than GeoW 1 & 2 were. At least singular system owners both have a chance to play solid third-person shooters, but I prefer platforming-heavy features to a cover-heavy shooter.
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Uncharted 1 & 2 were better than GeoW 1 & 2 were. At least singular system owners both have a chance to play solid third-person shooters, but I prefer platforming-heavy features to a cover-heavy shooter.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:09PM (Unverified) said
@SisypheanLife Eh the shooting in uncharted 1 was very wonky. Is it better game then gears 1 and 2. Yes. but its not a better shooter.
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Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:09PM Uncle Jesse said
@SisypheanLife
Well, if you prefer platforming-heavy features to a cover-heavy shooter it's pretty obvious what series you will like more. Duh.
I actually think that Gears 1 & 2 are far superior than Uncharted, BUT I think Uncharted 2 is better than Gears 1 & 2. It all comes down to the 3's!
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Well, if you prefer platforming-heavy features to a cover-heavy shooter it's pretty obvious what series you will like more. Duh.
I actually think that Gears 1 & 2 are far superior than Uncharted, BUT I think Uncharted 2 is better than Gears 1 & 2. It all comes down to the 3's!
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:11PM DeathBeforeDawn said
@K3ViNPwNz Speaking of fanboys lol... Yeah U3 will be awesome but there are different strokes for different folks. Deal with it.
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Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:15PM SisypheanLife said
@DeathBeforeDawn
I prefer different strokes. Gotta mix things up. What may be right for you, may not be right for some.
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I prefer different strokes. Gotta mix things up. What may be right for you, may not be right for some.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:32PM PedoJokerBear said
@K3ViNPwNz
i have both, how does it feel to be left out you fanboy?
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i have both, how does it feel to be left out you fanboy?
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:35PM CaramelZappa said
@K3ViNPwNz
I don't get what the point of arguing which one is better is. It's a matter of preference. I love third person cover shooters, so I'm just happy there are two amazing franchises in the genre. I enjoy the hell out of both of them.
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I don't get what the point of arguing which one is better is. It's a matter of preference. I love third person cover shooters, so I'm just happy there are two amazing franchises in the genre. I enjoy the hell out of both of them.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:02PM INTRO said
Pretty awesome.
IGN gave Gears 2 a 9.5, but gave Gears 3 a 9.0?
IGN gave Gears 2 a 9.5, but gave Gears 3 a 9.0?
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:40PM INTRO said
@Uncle Jesse Doesn't make sense, it's obvious how much of an improvement there is. I'm sure CoD will get a 9.5.
Then again, IGN also said the MP is obnoxious because, "people roll up to you and shotgun." They also said the Retro Lancer is a kamikaze weapon. Even though it doesn't kill you and the enemy, so it's clear they don't even know the meaning of the word. It looks like the game isn't dumbed downed enough for them if they can't stop people from rolling towards them with a shotgun.
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Then again, IGN also said the MP is obnoxious because, "people roll up to you and shotgun." They also said the Retro Lancer is a kamikaze weapon. Even though it doesn't kill you and the enemy, so it's clear they don't even know the meaning of the word. It looks like the game isn't dumbed downed enough for them if they can't stop people from rolling towards them with a shotgun.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:45PM CaramelZappa said
@Dibils
But it can't possibly a step down: The multiplayer actually works.
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But it can't possibly a step down: The multiplayer actually works.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 6:04PM OnToGloryReturns said
@INTRO
Exacly - a skilled player rarely lets someone 'roll up on them' and when players tried to bayonet me in the beta they'd be dead 99% of the time if I saw them coming
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Exacly - a skilled player rarely lets someone 'roll up on them' and when players tried to bayonet me in the beta they'd be dead 99% of the time if I saw them coming
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 6:14PM Your Shadow said
@CaramelZappa
Yeah I agree. This game actually has a balanced multiplayer, don't get me wrong I loved playing guardian in gears 2, but the beta was the best balanced multiplayer I've played since ...I was going to say a halo game but I thought it was more balanced then any of them.
Yeah you can roll into ppl and shotgun but its not the only choice. You can actually develop diverse playing styles that aren't just "class based".
Oh yeah and horde is awesome.
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Yeah I agree. This game actually has a balanced multiplayer, don't get me wrong I loved playing guardian in gears 2, but the beta was the best balanced multiplayer I've played since ...I was going to say a halo game but I thought it was more balanced then any of them.
Yeah you can roll into ppl and shotgun but its not the only choice. You can actually develop diverse playing styles that aren't just "class based".
Oh yeah and horde is awesome.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 6:32PM MystcLazrDragon said
@INTRO Just because it's a sequel doesn't mean it's going to be a better game, heard of Dragon Age 2 it wasn't bad but it wasn't super great either.
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Posted: Sep 15th 2011 10:16PM EMH said
@INTRO
Oh my God, guys! A person gave Gears of War 3 a 9.0! I mean really, Gears of War 2 got a 9.5 on the same site, this should be at least that! I say we hang and quarter the person who reviewed it!
Seriously people, it's half a point on a single review. It's not that big of a deal.
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Oh my God, guys! A person gave Gears of War 3 a 9.0! I mean really, Gears of War 2 got a 9.5 on the same site, this should be at least that! I say we hang and quarter the person who reviewed it!
Seriously people, it's half a point on a single review. It's not that big of a deal.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:03PM Truant said
Can't wait for this. It's Epic and they delayed the game to allow for a beta and polish. The high scores were expected, but still nice to see.
Brothers till the end.
Brothers till the end.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:05PM Special Agent Steve said
Eurogamer always feels like being "that guy".
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:06PM GuardianLegend2 said
It seems like they added screen shaking to basic movements. I hope I don't get sim sickness from this like deus ex
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:08PM xiLeShadow said
Only problem I heard is that they dumbed down the difficulty of the game. Enemy AI is a little dumber and Ally AI is a little better.
Overall, the Gears 3 system is now;
Normal = Super Easy.
Hardcore = Gears of War 1/2 Normal.
Insane = Gears of War 1/2 Hardcore.
Kind of sad about that, still will pick up the game when its goes down in price. I'm a huge Gears of War fan but I have no money to spend right now on expensive games. =( Wish it was released on PC tho, would pick up much quicker if it was.
Overall, the Gears 3 system is now;
Normal = Super Easy.
Hardcore = Gears of War 1/2 Normal.
Insane = Gears of War 1/2 Hardcore.
Kind of sad about that, still will pick up the game when its goes down in price. I'm a huge Gears of War fan but I have no money to spend right now on expensive games. =( Wish it was released on PC tho, would pick up much quicker if it was.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:13PM blackangel209 said
@xiLeShadow Can you source that? Because I haven't heard anything like that at all.
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Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:13PM Wizardsofwaverly said
@xiLeShadow It's gonna be like $40 on black Friday I gaurantee it
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Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:17PM Uncle Jesse said
@xiLeShadow
Really? Where did you read that?
It is too bad that the series never made it past the first one on PC. The Gears series is definitely worth the price of an Xbox, but it's nice to have options.
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Really? Where did you read that?
It is too bad that the series never made it past the first one on PC. The Gears series is definitely worth the price of an Xbox, but it's nice to have options.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:24PM xiLeShadow said
@Uncle Jesse
I have an Xbox 360 but I rarely play it anymore because I became a PC-centric gamer again because of Microsoft's practice and most of my friends came along.
Here is the source: http://www.gamesradar.com/video-play-gears-war-3-hardcore-normal-it-virtually-plays-itself/
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I have an Xbox 360 but I rarely play it anymore because I became a PC-centric gamer again because of Microsoft's practice and most of my friends came along.
Here is the source: http://www.gamesradar.com/video-play-gears-war-3-hardcore-normal-it-virtually-plays-itself/
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:11PM Vcize said
Tone down that SoS and add dedicated servers to private matches and you've got yourself a damn near perfect game.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:12PM Uncle Jesse said
I kind of hate that the reviews are already in. It makes me feel like the game is already out... but it's still so far away! Damn you all!
I'M GETTING A GIANT WORM THINKING ABOUT PLAYING THIS!
I'M GETTING A GIANT WORM THINKING ABOUT PLAYING THIS!
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:16PM jbs1018 said
Really looking forward to this one, if the multiplayer plays like it did in the beta, I'll be happy.
Finally all the guns have their uses whereas in Gears 1 and 2 multiplayer if you didn't use the shotgun 24/7 you were usually out of luck.
Also looking forward to Uncharted 3, but there's no question I'll be spending more time with Gears' multiplayer than Uncharted's.
Finally all the guns have their uses whereas in Gears 1 and 2 multiplayer if you didn't use the shotgun 24/7 you were usually out of luck.
Also looking forward to Uncharted 3, but there's no question I'll be spending more time with Gears' multiplayer than Uncharted's.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:17PM foofighting86 said
i'm probably in the minority here, but i couldn't finish Gears 1 or 2. They just bored me halfway through, and I stopped playing.
Bash away, bitches.
Bash away, bitches.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:23PM foofighting86 said
@Uncle Jesse
Yea, figured. Saving $60 on this one!
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Yea, figured. Saving $60 on this one!
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:34PM Uncle Jesse said
@foofighting86
But are you actually 'saving' 60 dollars on something you were never even going to buy in the first place?
You're cuter than I thought. I can see why she likes you. Not too bright, though.
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But are you actually 'saving' 60 dollars on something you were never even going to buy in the first place?
You're cuter than I thought. I can see why she likes you. Not too bright, though.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 6:05PM OnToGloryReturns said
@foofighting86
If you had friends it'd probably be much more fun for you
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If you had friends it'd probably be much more fun for you
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 11:50PM Brian Griffin said
@OnToGloryReturns
Of course! That HAS to be the reason he doesn't like the game! So clever.
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Of course! That HAS to be the reason he doesn't like the game! So clever.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:22PM FlashJS said
"Only the staunchest Gears haters will find much fault here..."
Are you calling me a hater?!?! Grrrrr.
Are you calling me a hater?!?! Grrrrr.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:23PM Cosmic93 said
Well that wasnt much of a suprise. Call of Duty and Gear of War just get automatic huge reviews straight away. Now im definatlly not a fan of Call of Duty, just seems to be the same game over and over. Gears of War is okay, not the best game around but i can see why people like it.
I found Bulletstorm a brilliant game, hope they decided to follow that up in the next year or so.
I found Bulletstorm a brilliant game, hope they decided to follow that up in the next year or so.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:33PM xiLeShadow said
@Cosmic93
Bulletstorm was a pretty good game. I, however, don't see a sequel, of the same level, being created. Epic said that they lost money a good chunk of money on Bulletstorm.
It is the sad state of the console industry right now. Even with the Gears of War 3 beta included, the game failed to bring in any money. Most games now a days require a HUGE marketing budget and HUGE development budget in order to return a profit or else, they will be ignored.
That is the reason why Epic games is now investing and developing more for the PC platform again and mobile. Way too much risk in the console business, unless you have multi-tens/hundreds of millions to investment in one project.
The PC is less risky for developers because cost of development and marketing aren't required to gain a good chunk of profit.
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Bulletstorm was a pretty good game. I, however, don't see a sequel, of the same level, being created. Epic said that they lost money a good chunk of money on Bulletstorm.
It is the sad state of the console industry right now. Even with the Gears of War 3 beta included, the game failed to bring in any money. Most games now a days require a HUGE marketing budget and HUGE development budget in order to return a profit or else, they will be ignored.
That is the reason why Epic games is now investing and developing more for the PC platform again and mobile. Way too much risk in the console business, unless you have multi-tens/hundreds of millions to investment in one project.
The PC is less risky for developers because cost of development and marketing aren't required to gain a good chunk of profit.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 6:01PM BoBsS said
@Cosmic93
I don't know what you're talking about, but unlike CoD, games like Gears and Uncharted that come out every 2+ years actually deserve good ratings if they're good, which they just happened to be.
You can be cynical about CoD 3 getting a 90+ but not when Uncharted & Gears get them every 2 - 3 years dude.
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I don't know what you're talking about, but unlike CoD, games like Gears and Uncharted that come out every 2+ years actually deserve good ratings if they're good, which they just happened to be.
You can be cynical about CoD 3 getting a 90+ but not when Uncharted & Gears get them every 2 - 3 years dude.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:25PM freaparn said
@Lucky48
The hipster kids of the gaming website world, to be sure.
The hipster kids of the gaming website world, to be sure.
Posted: Sep 15th 2011 5:27PM peternography said
oh come on who cares what the rewiers say, what really matters is what the fans say. unfortunately they say gears of war 1 was the best one.








