Review
A standard curse with trilogies these days is that the 3rd one can deliver a satisfying conclusion but can be a little uneven and filled with a hint of Deus Ex Machina and Gears of War 3 is no exception. On the release of Gears of War 2, a new bar was set for the series to surpass and it’s no surprise that Gears of War 3 would stumble trying to capture the brilliance of the epic campaign and story of the last game. Despite this, Gears of War 3 does deliver an excellent story and campaign even if it does feel that we’ve missed quite a bit, which isn’t surprising.
Picking up 2 years after the events of Gears of War 2 and the sinking of Jacinto, the COG has since disbanded and our heroes have been reduced to a life of scavenging and unable to make a new home. With the decimation of the Locust Horde, we would hope to find our heroes not worrying about what lurks around the corner to kill them but as is the typical fashion, with one boogeyman gone we get another. Teased back in the first Gears of War, we now have to deal with the Lambent, the Imulsion mutated remnants of the Locust that quickly prove to be just as troublesome and far more lethal.
As is clear in the first few minutes, the last 2 years have taken a toll on the heroes of the series and have forced them to adapt to new situations and make do with what they have. Marcus and Dom continue to take things in their stride, despite the difficulties placed before them. Anya who played a tactical, behind-the-scenes role is now on the frontlines and proves to be just as effective as the rest of Delta. Newcomers Sam and Jayce leave quite a mark on the players but because of how often the characters switch during the story it makes it difficult to ensure each character is given credible development or establishment.
At the heart of Marcus’ final mission to take down the Lambent and the returning Locust is the search for Adam Fenix, Marcus’ father. Long thought to be dead, Adam has proved to be an intriguing mystery for the series as he has cropped up occasionally and has proven to have the greatest of impacts on the series story in the subtlest of ways. Learning a bit more about how Marcus interacts with people when it comes to something he cares deeply about shows just how respected and steadfast he is and it’s just another reminder of why Marcus is such a beloved character and an Xbox Icon.
The roads travelled throughout the campaign all feel like a reflection of the characters themselves as each level gives a distinct sense of self to the heroes of the journey and developers Epic Games does an excellent job of keeping us vested in these character's development, especially when it comes to the characters we already know and love. All of this culminates into a brilliantly directed campaign and an excellent story that neatly wraps up a majority of the mysteries and the conflicts revealed in the series, even if it's a little anti-climatic at times.
Verdict
Gears of War 3 brings the Locust and Lambent war to an epic albeit costly close that signals a new era of peace for Sera and an end to one of Xbox’s greatest series, at least for now. Tying up certain loose ends that have been lingering in the air for some time in a dramatic and somewhat bittersweet fashion helps to close this chapter in a poignant and fulfilling way. It’s been an honour and a privilege to join these overgrown muscle heads on their final push and each character has left a mark on the players who have journeyed with them. Whatever the next chapter is, we can rest easy knowing that this part of the story has come to a satisfying and compelling end.
Main Narrative - Gears of War 3’s campaign takes our heroes and the players on a final whirlwind of a journey that pushes them beyond their limits and forces them to confront many hard truths about the war they’ve been fighting and what it’s cost them. Past secrets that have been swirling around in our heads are answered and the epic conflict we have been apart of for years ends in a brilliant and epic way. - 8/10
Characters - Building on the established character arcs and fleshing them out so that they can come to an excellent and fulfilling end shows the love that Epic Games have for their characters. While we are introduced to several new and interesting faces, they aren’t given the opportunity to stand out like characters in past games. - 7/10
Collectibles & Environmental - Returning collectibles are very informative and have present their independent storytelling values but they take a few steps back which didn’t really feel necessary. The beautifully made landscapes of Sera act as a reflection of the years of war and the characters themselves showing who they are on the inside and how they will be able to move forward. - 7.5/10
World Building - As the last in the epic trilogy started in 2006, the game wouldn’t need to focus much on the fascinating world of Sera but instead decided to double down on this by revealing secrets and hard truths that could shake up the entire foundation of the series if it’s expanded on in the future. - 8/10
I give this game 8/10 Silverbacks
