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Ah the Gears of War franchise. The series that has carved (literally) it’s way to the top of the 3rd person shooter genre has released its 3rd and final chapter in its epic series and it is bloody fantastic. After spending countless hours (and many sleepless nights) with this amazing title, I am very proud to announce that the game is nothing short of brilliant. Although the game sticks to what brought it to the top, Gears of War 3 is (arguably) the best in the franchise and is one of XBOX 360′s best titles to date.

How well did this amazingly gruesome title fair? Read on and find out.

If you have ever played a Gears of War title, you pretty much know what to expect here. It’s an overly violent, fun and entertaining shooter that has a robust online system (a lot better than Gears 2) and a bevy of modes that will keep any gamer happy for a very long time. Gears of War 3 awards players with badges in nearly everything they do and has me hooked on its online multiplayer for the long haul.

The first thing many will notice upon booting up the gruesome game is that the title is gorgeous. Epic and the Gears franchise as a whole never really needed any help in the graphics department, but this game takes the cake strictly in terms of eye candy. The games atmosphere and locals seem to come alive and the overall animation is mind blowing. It’s almost hard to believe that we are at the dawn of the next generation of video game consoles with graphics as good as Gears 3. The lighting effects are out of this world, dust kicks up under every footstep, the enemies are mean and nasty looking and the bosses are gigantic. Everything just flows and I am pleased to say that some of the multiplayer levels add some much needed color and truly immerse gamers in this “living” world.

Gameplay wise, the game is near flawless. Ducking under cover, flipping over tables, tossing grenades, chainsawing enemies, taking care of people in multiplayer mode, running towards my destination and preforming devistating “finishing” moves all controlled perfectly and it appears as though Gears 3 really buttoned up the controls from the previous titles in the series. Everything just worked and has kept me addicted since its stellar launch. Seasoned Gears players will already know how to operate everything but new players to the series will enjoy the tight controls and adapt swiftly. Another fantastic thing about the gameplay is the inclusion of the 4 player co-op and was a joy to play. If you can gather up some friends and go through the campaign mode, I HIGHLY suggest you do so (I will leave it at that and offer no spoilers for all who are reading).

Multiplayer in Gears of War 3 is one of the games many strong points. There are new weapons, modes, enemies and boards for players to explore and they are entertaining to say the least. The multiplayer boards are brilliant in design and offer a number of choices for gamers ranking up in death matches. The levels are tight and crisp and players will instantly adapt to the levels outlay. They all seem to offer something new and fresh and had me excited to play each and every level.

To say that I have fallen in love with XBOX’s recent release is an understatement. Simply put, Gears of War 3 is a technical marvel. It is the pinnacle of the series and the 3rd person shooter genre as a whole. It looks sublime, plays superb and will keep gamers busy for a long, long time. Chances are if you are a fan of the series, you already know what I am talking about. I will see you all online.

Overall MVGN score: 9.5 out of 10.

*If you have picked up the game, let me know how you would score the game. Thanks for reading.