Gears of War 3

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2035 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,606 out of 2035
  2. Mixed: 244 out of 2035
  3. Negative: 185 out of 2035
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  1. Thefallenhun
    Sep 20, 2011
    7
    Its good, well polished, quality sounds an effects, but there is virtually nothing to distinguish it gameplay wise from the first two titles except different weapons and enemies. The script writing is pretty hackneyed, and I didn't care about the characters at all.

    The multiplayer is a mixed bag. The deathmatch I don't think is much fun because it pretty much boils down to explosive    Its good, well polished, quality sounds an effects, but there is virtually nothing to distinguish it gameplay wise from the first two titles except different weapons and enemies. The script writing is pretty hackneyed, and I didn't care about the characters at all.

    The multiplayer is a mixed bag. The deathmatch I don't think is much fun because it pretty much boils down to explosive weapons and shotguns. The availability of cover and dive rolls means you won't be killing anyone with your rifle weapons. However, horde and beast modes are pretty fun, and are a less aggressive multiplayer arena and should provide some good fun.

    Still, this game is not at all innovative and I will probably get bored quick.    … Expand
  2. TrevZ
    Sep 20, 2011
    6
    I guess i'm mixed with this title because i prefer story driven games, and as much as I tried to want to like the story in it, it didnt really stand out shine in this perspective. In short the story is filled with a plethora of cheesy phrases and imo overall bad storytelling, however on the good side, the game boasts incredible graphics, gameplay, and a suiting end to the trilogy... OnI guess i'm mixed with this title because i prefer story driven games, and as much as I tried to want to like the story in it, it didnt really stand out shine in this perspective. In short the story is filled with a plethora of cheesy phrases and imo overall bad storytelling, however on the good side, the game boasts incredible graphics, gameplay, and a suiting end to the trilogy... On the multiplayer side, however we theirs an incredibe amount of game modes, and Horde 2.0 is aweeesoomme!! and i can see this as being a game dedicated gears fans play for a long time. In conclusion, the multiplayer aspect really saves this game, for without is i would've rated this game a 2.… Expand
  3. Bigredd77
    Nov 12, 2011
    7
    Awesome game, would have given it a 8 but holy crap look at all the 10's!! I haven't given a game a 10 ever, that means it's flawless. Graphics wise it is awesome, weapons are getting a bit tired and the shtick coming from the corny characters is hard to deal with. Overall I find the game very fun but not addictive. True GOW fans should love this one as it doesn't take itself tooAwesome game, would have given it a 8 but holy crap look at all the 10's!! I haven't given a game a 10 ever, that means it's flawless. Graphics wise it is awesome, weapons are getting a bit tired and the shtick coming from the corny characters is hard to deal with. Overall I find the game very fun but not addictive. True GOW fans should love this one as it doesn't take itself too seriously. Visually a great game.… Expand
  4. BovinePiracy
    Nov 4, 2011
    7
    Good conclusion to a stellar storyline. Multiplayer still a bit lacking though. Nothing improved from previous attempts. 4 player co-op rocks, and horde mode still stands strong. Beast mode was not as fun as I hoped it would be though. Overall a pretty good game and worth the bucks for the single player alone.
  5. TheBruteHazard
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    If you are looking for the ultimate installment in this long running series, then this one is the one to get. Gears of War makes no sacrifices and enhances upon an already solid TPS. You've got action, fun, and beautiful visuals in one package.
  6. Dangerousdavid
    Nov 10, 2011
    7
    The campaign was okay, I thought 2s was better though. Other than that the new MP maps are solid, new weapons are good and I like how they tightened up gameplay even more than 2. I cant give it a better score though because I feel like Epic Games were too conservative in the development in this game, unwilling to change hardly anything.
  7. Crabman
    Nov 10, 2011
    7
    I have been a fan since the first Gears. I have owned every installment and played all of them to death. That being said I didn't feel the campaign lived up to expectations. The story just felt like it ended period. I understand there are thousands of Gears in their universe but they introduce new ones every game and expect me to care for them isn't going to happen. With that being saidI have been a fan since the first Gears. I have owned every installment and played all of them to death. That being said I didn't feel the campaign lived up to expectations. The story just felt like it ended period. I understand there are thousands of Gears in their universe but they introduce new ones every game and expect me to care for them isn't going to happen. With that being said the multiplayer is tight and polished. Horde mode 2.0 keeps you hooked for hours at a time and beast mode is fun too. The only problem with beast is that it is short. Oh and not to mention playing the story with 3 friends is real good fun.… Expand
  8. NoMoreNiceGuy
    Nov 11, 2011
    7
    I got to say, i am a little dissapointed. the Campaign is decent and long, but i've played most parts of it in GoW1&2, sure some parts are new, buts its mostly run, cover, gun again. i love Beast and Horde, they're both awesome. But i dislike the fact that i have to buy weapons and ammo in Horde. The MP is great, but i still mostly see gnashers again

    In short: +Beast mode + Horde + long    I got to say, i am a little dissapointed. the Campaign is decent and long, but i've played most parts of it in GoW1&2, sure some parts are new, buts its mostly run, cover, gun again. i love Beast and Horde, they're both awesome. But i dislike the fact that i have to buy weapons and ammo in Horde. The MP is great, but i still mostly see gnashers again

    In short:
    +Beast mode
    + Horde
    + long campaign
    - repetive campaign    … Expand
  9. Pickle
    Jul 20, 2013
    5
    Aaaaah... Gears of war...
    It could possibly be my favorite franchise from the xbox exclusive games, but this game just tends to feel and be really tedious while i was playing it, at first the gameplay it's pretty straight forward, nothing has changed since the last gears in terms of gameplay, and i mean nothing.
    The graphics are obviously appealing, obviously giving the fact that the    Aaaaah... Gears of war...
    It could possibly be my favorite franchise from the xbox exclusive games, but this game just tends to feel and be really tedious while i was playing it, at first the gameplay it's pretty straight forward, nothing has changed since the last gears in terms of gameplay, and i mean nothing.
    The graphics are obviously appealing, obviously giving the fact that the last two entries into the franchise where great, talking about graphics of course, even then the game really doesn't shine to the player at least in my personal experience, i don't know to what i can attribute the fact that the graphics just didn't knock me off, as some might say, they just felt bland and just un special, with nothing really unique that i could love.
    Aside from that the game starts becoming pretty repetitive at times, and this is because every aspect in the game, in terms of developing, hasn't been innovative or improved in any way.
    Aside from that the game never really feels like it's imposing too much of a challenge in any way, and oh believe is noticeable from a mile away, even on the hardest difficulty i found myself feeling like i was just plow ding through the game, i didn't even have to think how to approach to any given situation that the game was settling to me,
    "it was just go stay in cover", "peek when the enemies are taking cover and take them down", this just caused me to let a big "yaaaaaauuuuggggggg" out of my inner self.
    If you really wan't to know if the game was engaging or if it give me any kind of love towards the different characters that are presented through the story,(some new, some old), i really never in any other Gears of War entry have i ever cared so less to anyone that was new to the game.
    Every single character was bad, they were extremely tedious to listen, they break they entire to no little flow that you have in the game, and they are just plain simply bland characters, non of them says something that is truly relevant even in the most emotional parts that the game has to offer.
    They just never click.
    The story is another thing that bothers me the most, let's mention something about the Gears of War 1, and 2 stories, shall we?
    The Gears of War franchise has always been popular not only for his gameplay but for his story,
    in the beginning you really feel like the developers where actually trying in the sense that every single moment that was shown via cutscenes, was relevant, every moment count, either to add some context into the game or maybe to just try to explain to you the different perspectives of each character about the entire main plot of the game, or just plain and simple try to advance the main plot of the game.
    But this game just doesn't have that, even the most dreadful sequences and scenes that are showed in the game that are supposed to impact the player in some emotional way or another, just don't work at all,
    if anything they just annoy the hell out of you because most of them don't even seem to make sense whatsoever, but worse in this parts that are supposed to be shocking not only to the player but to the main characters in the game, they never move anything in any way at all.
    Nothing, cero, they can't care less if someone that's been carrying on the last two entries in the game just dies in one of the stupidest and nonsensical way's possible, doesn't matter to them, they just feel sorry for themselves and move along, and the death never since relevant nor to the game only but to the player too.

    Overall i really didn't have any sense of enjoyment as much as i was expecting from a gears of war entry.
    If they wanted to take a much more mature approach to the game then that's fine, but they can't keep old cheesy story blockbuster moments, and then next to that make one of the most important characters in the entire franchises die in an act of heroism.
    That just doesn't make any sense in any sort of context that you try to put it on.
    It just doesn't...    … Expand
  10. Robbie111222
    Nov 2, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game at all, for me it's the graphics, and the gameplay, solid effort, their are a few little issues here that dampen the experience here within the multiplayer aspect that negates the score. Worth a buy if you own an xbox360, as not many more exclusives to come, unless you own a kinect.
  11. gypsygib
    Oct 17, 2011
    7
    As a long term Gears fan I must say the 3rd tittle is more than a little disappointing. The MP is better than in Gears 2 but the SP is pretty bad. The AI is idiotic and having your teammates constantly revive changes the game dynamic in such a way that it doesn't have any of the Gears magic anymore. Also, level design, story, and dialogue just seem off for some reason. This games SPAs a long term Gears fan I must say the 3rd tittle is more than a little disappointing. The MP is better than in Gears 2 but the SP is pretty bad. The AI is idiotic and having your teammates constantly revive changes the game dynamic in such a way that it doesn't have any of the Gears magic anymore. Also, level design, story, and dialogue just seem off for some reason. This games SP just feel like the worst in the series. Overall, if you're looking for a solid MP only - Gears 3 is fine. But, if you want a comprehensive package, which is what is expected of the Gears series, look elsewhere. This game, sadly, is a big disappointment and way overrated by the major review sites. The metacritic users have it closer.… Expand
  12. GooGooguru
    Dec 10, 2011
    6
    Without a doubt the game i was most disappointed with this year ... to much of the same ... to little innovation ... still fun just feels like an expansion pack
  13. Daematune
    Sep 21, 2011
    7
    Gears of War 3 feels like a giant step back as well as a small step forward in some areas. Gameplay wise there are some invaluable new additions, they sadly proved to be pointless. However, somehow they managed to unbalance the game a bit. The melee is no longer auto-targeted and the damage has been broken down a fair bit, a few guns have also been messed with far too much. The campaignGears of War 3 feels like a giant step back as well as a small step forward in some areas. Gameplay wise there are some invaluable new additions, they sadly proved to be pointless. However, somehow they managed to unbalance the game a bit. The melee is no longer auto-targeted and the damage has been broken down a fair bit, a few guns have also been messed with far too much. The campaign feels extremely sluggish and dull, it was not executed properly at all. The story also had great promise. Cole Train returns to his hometown, sees his stadium in ruin.. Marcus finds out his father his actually alive-- Dom dies.. none of these story elements were taken seriously, it felt lifeless. A couple new characters were also thrown at you that no history behind them, they weren't very likeable either. The multiplayer section of this game lives up to expectations, more or less. The new and 'improved' horde mode is much, much better. It adds an engulfing amount of depth into the map. You can build different types of defenses and offenses, the boss battles are also very challenging. The new beast mode is also surprisingly fun as well, different playable 'beasts' had a number of strengths and weaknesses. Within the other half of multiplayer, player vs player.. nothing really changed. Of course you still have your new maps and all. Overall, I wish they could have been as innovative as they were with Gears 1 and 2.… Expand
  14. killdrphil
    Oct 3, 2011
    7
    Very much like a movie heavy on special effects and little else. In other words, all style and no substance. Pretty shallow really. And can be very boring at times. But, if you're in the mood to just check out your brain and not think - just roll, shoot and say "ohhh pretty" over and over then this is your game.
  15. mrpeanut
    Apr 1, 2012
    6
    Im only in the game for the campaign, but if u want the whole game then i wouldnt recommend it.The gameplay gets frustrating and boring on multiplayer when u keep dying and having a spawn limit which took all the fun out on multiplayer. Horde is fun if the players arent noobs or dont take it serously, but still gets boring boring when u find yourself just killing locust, but its a good wayIm only in the game for the campaign, but if u want the whole game then i wouldnt recommend it.The gameplay gets frustrating and boring on multiplayer when u keep dying and having a spawn limit which took all the fun out on multiplayer. Horde is fun if the players arent noobs or dont take it serously, but still gets boring boring when u find yourself just killing locust, but its a good way to past time. Horde mode is alright but they barley give u any time to kill and all that time is used when when u keep dying when you try to get through traps and **** I give the campaign 9 out of ten for its great action. I give the multiplayer stuff a 3 out of ten. So would give the game a 6.… Expand
  16. Ali1247
    Sep 22, 2011
    7
    The story had so much potential but it could have been executed in a much better way I would have enjoyed the story and gotten into it if it wasn't for this poor execution the bad humour and the lack of seriousness among the characters really ruined it for me. The characters from the previous 2 games return along with some new characters but I just could not get myself to care for or takeThe story had so much potential but it could have been executed in a much better way I would have enjoyed the story and gotten into it if it wasn't for this poor execution the bad humour and the lack of seriousness among the characters really ruined it for me. The characters from the previous 2 games return along with some new characters but I just could not get myself to care for or take any of them seriously because of their bland and annoying personalities specially the buff male characters who look like freaks of nature and mutated themselves. The campaign was fun and they have made some improvements over the gameplay but it is still very linear with its share of frustrating moments and still way to short for the wrap up of the triology but I still enjoyed it and the EXP system is really a great addition and exactly what the previous two games needed in the campaign and the new weapons are also unique and fun to use. The multiplayer is definitely much better than the one from Gears 2 they have added new modes and reworked the Horde mode and they are all really fun and much more strategic than repetitive and boring.. The online multiplayer for the campaign which allows a 4 player Co-Op is really cool however playing the campaign with offline multiplayer with a friend by your side with the awful split screen can be really frustrating. The graphics are just amazing it is nice that despite being out for so many years the 360 is still not showing its age. The game's voice acting is fine but could have been alot better and realistic. Also I still did not see that many changes in the Single player from Gears 2 this game it still feels more like it predecessors. Overall I think Epic Games took 2 steps forward and 2 steps back in my opinion don't get me wrong I still think this is a really good game but I think it is getting overpraised because as the ending of a 5 year triology it is a little disappointing. 7.5/10.… Expand
  17. Rammsoldat
    Sep 22, 2011
    7
    Where to start. Multiplayer is better than ever and i feel that the game is worth the purchase on the strength of that alone. The maps are well designed and the weapons are fun and match a nice variety of playstyles wich has bred a fair amount of discontent from the hardcore fanbase who are used to only having 1 type of player to deal with.

    Story mode falls on its face a little. With any    Where to start. Multiplayer is better than ever and i feel that the game is worth the purchase on the strength of that alone. The maps are well designed and the weapons are fun and match a nice variety of playstyles wich has bred a fair amount of discontent from the hardcore fanbase who are used to only having 1 type of player to deal with.

    Story mode falls on its face a little. With any story i feel the toughest part to nail down is a satisfying ending and gears of war 3 pulls the old "i win button" one wich is a fairly large cop out in story telling. There were some great parts of the story to play through such as defending anvil gate but its a bit short and some of the plot is a bit daft.

    I give the game 7 out of 10 based largely on multiplayer, the story itself has good characters and not alot else and seeing as its haf the game its underpreforming brings the overall score down for me.    … Expand
  18. 13years
    Sep 24, 2011
    6
    GOW3: My single player experience.

    Game is now more Zombie type, than a scifi horror. The melancholy, dark, sad, sort of depressing tone in the first game is replaced by jokes, sarcastic jokes, and more sarcastic jokes. I mean it when I say EVERY spoken dialog by every character is a sarcastic joke. It gets old super quick. GOW3 lacks any suspense. No creatures of the night, no    GOW3: My single player experience.

    Game is now more Zombie type, than a scifi horror. The melancholy, dark, sad, sort of depressing tone in the first game is replaced by jokes, sarcastic jokes, and more sarcastic jokes. I mean it when I say EVERY spoken dialog by every character is a sarcastic joke. It gets old super quick.

    GOW3 lacks any suspense. No creatures of the night, no scary encounters, The first game even had lots of "wholly **** moments. GOW3 instead gives you zombies waves. Then fails to provide any real risk or thrill factor with these zombies. They die with one hit, they don't grab on to you, they move at normal speed. Where is the ripping your gun away from you? Or having the zombies jump on you and you have to shake them off? Even the missions lack any sense of urgency. Where is the 3 minute countdown? Or defend the base for 15 minutes? Where is the LIMITED AMMO!!!! While the level design is amazing, the battle fields look great, with lots of room for fights, lots of great places to stick and move, but GOW3 has moved away from this tactical type game play. In the first Gears game, you had to out flank turrets, move quickly cover to cover, the grub also (on the harder difficulties) were quick to charge your cover, jump over and try to instant kill you. GOW3 is pretty much setup at one location, cover shoot, cover shoot till everyone is dead. No need to move forward to advance your position.

    Great suspenseful moments in the first Gears game, where the Grub is climbing over the barricade forcing you to switch from your lancer to quicker melee weapon are non existence in GOW3.

    This game is designed to be played by 4 people, akin to the whole Left 4 Dead Zombie horror game. (Which explains a lot)

    But there is not 4x times the enemy on the screen 4x the action, 4x amount of stuff going on. You don't need to have some of your team flank the enemy while you move up and one guy hangs back with a sniper. As before when you take some damage you will have the option to be revived. Except now you have 3 other team mates to do it. Sometimes, you literal cannot be killed. Start firing, get taken down, get almost instantly revived, repeat. My first run, playing on Hardcore, I barely had to use the cover system, and with instant revive from my teammates you almost don't need it.

    ALSO, because you have 4 people playing, the designers felt that those times where you died by explosion, head shot, curb stomp, or the infamous Torque Bow have to be turned down if not gotten rid of. This takes away a lot of risk, thrill and difficulty in the game. In the first Gears game, the sound of a Torque bow being charge up followed by the sound of the explosive arrow hitting something, was a nerve wracking experience. That weapon made you take notice, and move a little different. Now I take the damage, maybe if iâ    … Expand
  19. a9footD0NG
    Sep 23, 2011
    5
    1 step forward, 2 steps back. that's where GOW3 stands against its predecessors. this is essentially the exact same thing, except the devs believe they have improved the graphics by splashing an annoying level of bloom lighting on everything, to the point where it looks washed out and burns your retinas. in all honesty, i truly believe the graphics from the first game, back in 2005, are1 step forward, 2 steps back. that's where GOW3 stands against its predecessors. this is essentially the exact same thing, except the devs believe they have improved the graphics by splashing an annoying level of bloom lighting on everything, to the point where it looks washed out and burns your retinas. in all honesty, i truly believe the graphics from the first game, back in 2005, are still better than this "updated" version. not because i believe myself to be a purist, but because that's just that way i actually see it. and the A.I. is even worse than before. how is this possible? time after time you sit and watch one of your NPC teammates dancing a jig with a NPC locust. it looks pretty stupid. also, there is pop-in, where if you look around the map fast enough, you will see white boxes suddenly fill in with a texture. seriously? artifacts like this are still present? even with an additional 5 months to polish? then there's the dialogue. this is writing fit for a Micheal Bay movie, not much substance or nuance, so they fill the void with harsh language and explosions. awesome. every character is a complete douche-bag, ESPECIALLY the new female characters. it's like they have to out douche the biggest douches in the universe in order to be invited to the COG house for hell / rush / pledge week. speaking of which, the female characters are so out of place in a game like this. i'm calling it the worst addition ever, it's absurd. a 90 lb woman soaking wet beating a 500 lb locust in the face until it explodes? really? this is NOT a pleasing end to the trilogy. the entire storyline is convoluted and trite. big guys grunt here, and then they grunt over there, someone spouts off a lowest-common-denominator remark to appeal to the Jeff Foxworthy / Larry the Cable Guy / Jeff Dunham crowd, then some woman starts gruntin like she's been getting testosterone treatments without all the nasty facial hair and body mass increase side-effects. i guess i'm just REALLY let down when it comes to the champagne. and by the way, the lambent is a blatant rip-off of Halo's flood. just throwing that out there because it is. so overall, weak level design, unlikable characters, Micheal Bay style action, lame storyline, and **** A.I. make for a complete borefest, of which even the addition of new weapons and the Silverback mech suit can't alleviate. MP is pretty tight though, much better than GOW2, but still, not as good as GOW1. horde 2.0 is still pretty fun, and is in fact much better than the original. i'm glad they decided to throw bosses at you, from previous games, after the 10th wave. it gets super intense. beast mode is just ok. it's not nearly as exciting as horde. but it's something different.

    one other small grip i have about this game: you used to be able to kick dead locust all over the place after you blew them away. what happened to that? now they just shrink away and disappear. i know it's a minor thing, but i LOVED doing that, just rolling around in a pile of gibs. but anyway, you could say that i'm mostly disappointed with this game. once again i bit, due to effective marketing hyperbole.

    next time Epic, please assume your fan base aren't slobbering, hyperactive, knuckle dragging tweens. it wouldn't kill you to make a game EVERYONE can enjoy.    … Expand
  20. THE_COCONUT_MAN
    Oct 4, 2011
    6
    The co-op elements in this game are exactly the sort of thing most mainstream games are missing in todays market, Beast Mode and Horde are worth the price tag alone and you'll never run out of things to do.
    My main complaint however, is the campaign. I have never felt so alienated by a franchise title to which i have become a patron to. It seems like im playing GoW4 rather than GoW3, with    The co-op elements in this game are exactly the sort of thing most mainstream games are missing in todays market, Beast Mode and Horde are worth the price tag alone and you'll never run out of things to do.
    My main complaint however, is the campaign. I have never felt so alienated by a franchise title to which i have become a patron to. It seems like im playing GoW4 rather than GoW3, with all the unexplained, un-introduced new characters, (i assumed they were a bunch of "red shirts", but was sadly mistaken) setting and location not to mention the complete lack of locust. I heard that alot of this was explained in the 19 comic books that Epic released, but I feel that the finale of the franchise should not ride so heavily on cross-media. Without trying to spoil too much, I was greatly disappointed with the games conclusion, which seemed all too rushed and convenient. Im not saying that they should of killed off all of the characters, but I would of liked the game to stir some emotion rather than cliche in its closing hour.    … Expand
  21. Tolmar
    Sep 25, 2011
    5
    I bought this game with high hopes. I loved the storyline of the first two, but the third part left me feeling very disappointed. The endings of GoW and GoW2 were spot on IMO, but I felt that the ending to GoW3 was not the epic cinematic experience one would expect at the conclusion of story involving the fate of humanity. Plot references felt contrived and convenient and there was noI bought this game with high hopes. I loved the storyline of the first two, but the third part left me feeling very disappointed. The endings of GoW and GoW2 were spot on IMO, but I felt that the ending to GoW3 was not the epic cinematic experience one would expect at the conclusion of story involving the fate of humanity. Plot references felt contrived and convenient and there was no emotional depth, nothing to reinforce the previous two games.

    Game play is the same as the others, along with the repeat and rinse maps. Running from one section to another, you will certainly know when to expect a Locust attack. I was hoping for something new in the game play, so I was disappointed with how similar to the other games each level felt. The campaign arcade mode was interesting for a short while, earning points for position on a high score table.

    Multiplayer faired better. I'm not a fan of competitive multiplayer, so I always turn my attention to co-op. I loved beast mode, laying waste to the Stranded and the heroes of GoW, but horde mode was excellent. In Horde mode you earn cash to build and repair defences which hinder the locusts as they try to wipe you out. My only problem with horde mode was that it was somewhat easier to kill the locusts at normal difficulty. XP can earned in campaign and carries through to multiplayer and, every so often, your friends may jump in and help you at any time.

    Overall GoW3 doesn't offer anything new over GoW and GoW2 that would warrant forking out £40. In some ways it is a missed opportunity to close a terrific story. For me, horde mode in GoW2 feels more hectic than in GoW3.

    So 5/10 from me.    … Expand
  22. zyryx
    Sep 22, 2011
    5
    I wanted to like this game, but I'm only reminded of what I hated about the first one and why I didn't buy the second one. Overall a fail. Multiplayer is simply frustrating. I'm sure the things I hate are what everyone else loves. The sprint effect, the random "bouncing" when taking damage that makes it near impossible to adjust your fire on target. The sounds are horrible, when you hearI wanted to like this game, but I'm only reminded of what I hated about the first one and why I didn't buy the second one. Overall a fail. Multiplayer is simply frustrating. I'm sure the things I hate are what everyone else loves. The sprint effect, the random "bouncing" when taking damage that makes it near impossible to adjust your fire on target. The sounds are horrible, when you hear the enemy they sound like they are right behind you even if they are halfway across the map. I know why they made these features this way, as a way to artificially raise the tension of the game, but do shooters really need this? Versus mode needs more options for games, like the ability to have uneven numbers of players on teams, though I guess that's what they included horde mode for.Overall it's just too simplistic, two dimensional, and lacking compared to shooters like COD. If you loved the first two I'm sure you'll love this one too. I wish I had saved my money.… Expand
  23. Weyland
    Oct 6, 2011
    6
    Repetitive.. no options to really play with other than a couple skins you can unlock & some really lame characters you can get access to use. Graphics are really nice though & it is full of silly one liners! but i really really wish i did not get talked into this game. :(

    Way over hyped!!
  24. SonnyFlowers
    Oct 11, 2011
    5
    Gears of War 3's tiresome chest-beating final chapter comes out along side sloppily unearned emotion, a detestably shallow multiplayer mode, and a disappointing "pay for the whole story" model that is frankly antiquated and behind the times. Itâ
  25. DesNukem
    Oct 1, 2011
    5
    Despite the hype, this game isn't a patch on Halo Reach. Here's the main faults, most of which carry over from the first installments:

    * Virtually no improvement in the graphics after 3 years in development. * Derelict cars with such basic features they'd be lucky to pass muster in a cartoon. * Invisible walls that defy logic. You can't even jump off a cliff and die! * Most visible    Despite the hype, this game isn't a patch on Halo Reach. Here's the main faults, most of which carry over from the first installments:

    * Virtually no improvement in the graphics after 3 years in development.
    * Derelict cars with such basic features they'd be lucky to pass muster in a cartoon.
    * Invisible walls that defy logic. You can't even jump off a cliff and die! * Most visible barriers in the maps are contrived and lazy.
    * TVs and other in-game objects that cannot be destroyed with gunfire. In fact, you can shoot holes in the screens and they still display a picture! Where's the logic in that?!
    * No bullet wounds; just heaps of gratuitous blood.
    * Distasteful executions such as the 'curb stomp' which cater to teen bloodlust.
    * Juvenile, one-dimensional characters with immature dialogue bordering on the moronic.
    * Enemies with no personality. They're really just cannon fodder in different shapes and sizes.

    In Horde Mode:
    * Selectable, glowing fortifications which totally destroy the sense of realism before each wave.
    * Cardboard cut-out decoys that also destroy realism and supposedly fool otherwise intelligent enemy.

    You expect better from a famous multi-million dollar company with an elite team of CGI experts at its disposal.    … Expand
  26. Rynocirator
    Oct 3, 2011
    5
    Before I go into this, I have played every single gears of war game and I find this one to be the worst game I have played this year...it is absolutely horrible. My friend and I played for 3 hours straight and asked each other if we were having fun yet. Not only is the game filled with overused cliches that arent even good like "clean up on aisle 8" or "Mr.ugly just got uglier", but theBefore I go into this, I have played every single gears of war game and I find this one to be the worst game I have played this year...it is absolutely horrible. My friend and I played for 3 hours straight and asked each other if we were having fun yet. Not only is the game filled with overused cliches that arent even good like "clean up on aisle 8" or "Mr.ugly just got uglier", but the story is piss poor and boring...the locusts are black and white, the lambent are annoying and boring, and from the beginning of the game until the last mission my friend and I honestly didn't know what we were doing when we were playing certain parts. Asking ourselves "why are we doing this what does this have to do with the story"..I gave it a 5 only because the horde mode is actually decent but as for the campaign I would rather throw up my insides than play that again...didn't even try the multiplayer because I know it will be the unbalanced garbage it has always been.… Expand
  27. Blitzcrag
    Oct 4, 2011
    5
    I have clocked in more hours playing GoW and GoW2 than any other game. I loved the first two. Here we go...

    Campaign is annoying. Every time you go somewhere you have at least 3 other AI teammates, and they provide absolutely nothing to the story or game play. Instead, the AI serve as healers when you go down, since even on Insane difficulty you can still get revived. I found myself just    I have clocked in more hours playing GoW and GoW2 than any other game. I loved the first two. Here we go...

    Campaign is annoying. Every time you go somewhere you have at least 3 other AI teammates, and they provide absolutely nothing to the story or game play. Instead, the AI serve as healers when you go down, since even on Insane difficulty you can still get revived. I found myself just sitting on the ground most of the time during the boss battles, just waiting to get revived by a bot. Getting downed instead of dying produces a very choppy run through. Also, the AI have choppy, stupid remarks about everything imaginable, and the cut scenes are even worse. They try to throw in some stupid relationships between the characters, too. There is no plot, just a never ending series of battles as you move from level to level. About the final boss battle.... just boring and long. Shoot it in the mouth, get behind cover, and repeat a billion times. And there is only 1 single checkpoint during the last battle. I ended up dying at the very very end when on Insane, and had to go back way to far every time.

    Lambent are stupid and annoying. Just be warned. The only reason I give it a 5 was I like a lot of the new maps, graphics are great, and a lot of multiplayer action is fun.    … Expand
  28. davenbettridge
    Nov 14, 2011
    6
    The Gears of War series is a franchise popular because there are a large amount of people in society who are impressed by the sensation of violence rather then originality, depth, metaphors, meaning, and purpose. Gears will not be remembered or loved but forgotten along with the massive pile of missed opportunities. The video game industry could actually be better with more deeper,The Gears of War series is a franchise popular because there are a large amount of people in society who are impressed by the sensation of violence rather then originality, depth, metaphors, meaning, and purpose. Gears will not be remembered or loved but forgotten along with the massive pile of missed opportunities. The video game industry could actually be better with more deeper, original games if people weren't so easily entertained and demanded it.… Expand
  29. Gamer84
    Nov 5, 2011
    6
    Gears of War 3 has proven to me why I wont pick up a part 4. The story throughout the entire series has been terrible. Who wrote this game? Theres so much to tell but I dont want to ruin anything. i just dont get why you have to have a cutscene when going through a door. I mean serious and on top of that I lose my weapon when this happens. The only thing good about this has to be playingGears of War 3 has proven to me why I wont pick up a part 4. The story throughout the entire series has been terrible. Who wrote this game? Theres so much to tell but I dont want to ruin anything. i just dont get why you have to have a cutscene when going through a door. I mean serious and on top of that I lose my weapon when this happens. The only thing good about this has to be playing with friends in multiplayer and using the overpowered shotgun. Once again another game with unbalanced weapons with the exception of the sniper rifle and the magnum which kills enemies in one hit. I'm tired of this series and it should go away.… Expand
  30. Makaveli
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    By all means this is not a bad game at all. However I didn't like the multiplayer, it felt like they tried a CoD approach, and I hate CoD. Gears 1 and 2 I was addicted to those for a long time. This game not at all. I bought this game at launch, And single player ending was not as good as I thought it would be.. Gears 1 was the best and Gears 3 is the worst.
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
5
#5 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
4
#4 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 96 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 96
  3. Negative: 0 out of 96
  1. GameCritics
    Jan 18, 2012
    65
    Rather than the perfect end to a thrilling series, it seemed like the developers were afraid to take real risks with either the story or the gameplay of Gears 3.
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  2. DailyGame
    Dec 12, 2011
    85
    Gears of War 3 is a solid game and likely worthy of the praise it's received. I just happen to think it falls a bit flat.
    Read full review
  3. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2011
    90
    An unmissable, unbeatable offering. [Dec 2011, p.95]
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