Gears of War 3: Review Round-up

Considering the runaway success of the first two Gears of War titles, I think it’s fairly safe to say that most people have already made up their minds as to whether or not they’ll be heading over to their local store of choice and picking up Gears of War 3 the second it’s made available.

If for some reason you aren’t quite sure just yet and need a review or two (or five) to help make up your mind, a slew of reviews from all of the mighty publications hit the internet early this morning, so you’re in no shortage of opinions to go over.

If you’d prefer the short version, here it is: some critics feel that Gears of War 3 wasn’t quite the leap that Gears of War 2 was over the original, but the general consensus is that Gears of War 3 is a worthy send-off for the trilogy.

Here’s a glimpse at a selection of reviews, ordered lowest to highest:

Destructoid – 8/10 (Read full review)

Gears of War 3 is a great game indeed, one that fans will most assuredly adore. It does lack that unique, intangible spark that the past two games had, but that does not mean it’s a poor game in any way. I have my disappointments, but I cannot claim I had a bad time. That Gears of War 3 doesn’t quite live up to expectations is only a testament to how high Epic raised the bar in past efforts, and that it’s still a superior encounter despite any setbacks speaks highly of its enduring quality.

Strategy Informer – 8.5/10 (Read full review)

As we mentioned at the start, there was a lot of hype surrounding this game, but thankfully Gears of War 3 holds up rather well against it. For many of you, this will be a finale that’s been six years coming, for others, it might just be a series that you’ve found enjoyable and want to pick up the next instalment. Regardless, there are worse things you can spend your money on, and we’d surprised if after a few weeks you felt disappointed with your purchase.

IGN – 9/10 (Read full review)

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. I imagine you’ll feel the same.

Giant Bomb – 5/5 (Read full review)

The members of Delta Squad have finally found some closure, and, for all of the derisive things the world lobs at Gears’ totally-broed-out motif, the story even manages to be touching on multiple occasions. It’s a joy to play, and the game’s expanded set of multiplayer options will give you plenty of things to keep you busy for a good, long time. Oh, and Ice-T’s pretty great in it, too.

Joystiq – 5/5 (Read full review)

Gears of War 3 has left me with a parallel set of emotions. On one side, it represents a powerful elegy, a close to a series that has done much to define this console generation. It’s a melancholy thing, seeing a solid conclusion for characters that a lot of us liked despite ourselves, that make themselves even more understood in the end. But Gears of War 3 does it with respect and grace, and even subtlety, for a fantastic experience from start to finish. And it bestows a postscript of one of the most full featured, fun, and polished multiplayer experiences I’ve ever played. Gears of War 3 has finally kept the promise the series made six years ago, and then some.