Gears of War 3

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 47 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Gears of War 3 Game Cover
The attention to detail in the single player, continued excellence on the multiplayer front, and new additions to the Gears of War experience, make this one of the most well rounded games I can ever remember playing.
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"Gears of War 3" is a horror shooter game with various multiplayer and single-player options, including local 2-player split screen and online co-op. As Marcus Fenix, players lead Delta Squad in the fight to save the human race from the Locust threat, amidst a harrowing tale of hope, survival, and brotherhood. The game boasts good gameplay, delightful graphics, and an intriguing story, available in English and French.

  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews
story10 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • Gears of War 3 offers an expansive campaign with more weapons, creatures, and multiplayer modes, making it the best installment in the series.
  • The graphics and sound design are outstanding, providing a visually stunning and immersive experience.
  • The multiplayer modes, including Horde 2.0 and Beast mode, are addictive and provide a variety of gameplay options that keep players engaged.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive, as it largely revolves around the cover-and-shoot mechanics without significant innovation.
  • The story, while engaging, lacks depth and could benefit from more character development and plot detail.
  • Matchmaking issues and unbalanced teams in multiplayer can lead to frustrating experiences, especially with the prevalence of powerful shotguns.
  • story42 mentions

    The story of Gears of War 3 is generally viewed as engaging but flawed, with a mix of well-developed characters and intriguing backstory overshadowed by pacing issues and unresolved plot threads. While some players appreciate the straightforward narrative and its connection to previous installments, others criticize it for being shallow and predictable, often feeling like a series of fetch quests. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, which remains the primary draw for many fans.

    • “Gears 3 is necessary for any true gamer who enjoys a great story, great multiplayer, and just flat-out having a good time.”
    • “The story was written very well, and we get to see some new enemies as well.”
    • “In this game, the characters have a little more depth, and you get some pretty interesting backstory on them.”
    • “The story is the weakest part of the game--very shallow with the majority of the game being fetch quests for fuel and equipment.”
    • “The story would have been better if it went into a bit more detail about the evil queen or the lambent.”
    • “The biggest problem with the story mode of this game is that it has no sense of pacing.”
  • gameplay29 mentions

    The gameplay in the latest installment of the series retains its core cover-and-shoot mechanics, which some players find enjoyable while others feel it has become stale. While the level design and horde mode have seen improvements, the overall gameplay lacks significant innovation, making it feel familiar to long-time fans. Despite these critiques, the game is praised for its solid mechanics, satisfying weight, and engaging multiplayer modes, ensuring hours of fun for those who appreciate the established formula.

    • “The atmosphere is crazy-over-the-top and the structured gameplay makes it very easy to learn.”
    • “The gameplay, as ever, is fun and rock solid, and has thankfully been sped up from the previous games.”
    • “What the story lacks in emotion, the action makes up for in sheer impact, and the gameplay has a satisfying weight that is missing in many other games in the shooter genre.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay never really breaks out of the cover-shoot-flank pattern and it does start to feel stale after a while.”
    • “The gameplay, which is what has made this series popular, remains relatively unchanged.”
    • “Gameplay is a little more improved, but all innovation has been sucked out of the franchise.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, improved color saturation, and smooth performance. Players noted the attention to detail and the ability of the graphics to enhance the storytelling experience, making it one of the best-looking games available. While some comparisons to previous titles were made, the overall consensus is that the graphics are top-notch and contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Graphics: 10/10 graphically, it feels like it squeezes as much power as it can out of your Xbox.”
    • “The graphics are excellent and have clearly been upgraded.”
    • “Graphically, this game looks stunning.”
    • “Now stay with me, because I may be the only person alive who's going to gripe about this game's visuals.”
    • “The graphics are just a bit better than other games; there's not a large gap but a small gap between this game and other games, such as Halo: Reach.”
    • “I don't base graphics on cut-scenes because games could just play clips from a Blu-ray movie or something.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the action, receiving a perfect score of 10/10. Reviewers appreciate the consistency of the soundtrack throughout the series, suggesting that its established quality is a key factor in its success. Overall, the music effectively supports the game's immersive experience.

    • “Sound: 10/10! The music sets the atmosphere and the combat effects punctuate the action!”
    • “As the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' From the first time I picked up Gears of War, I thought the music fit perfectly.”
    • “The music has basically stayed constant throughout the series, and that's probably for the best.”
    • “As the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' and from the first time I picked up Gears of War, I thought the music fit.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in this game is generally viewed as mediocre, consistent with the series' history, but it shows improvement compared to the previous two installments. Reviewers noted that character designs effectively reflect the characters' experiences and growth throughout the war, indicating a thoughtful approach to their development.

    • “The character designs actually show the wear and tear on the characters as this part of the war has progressed, which personally tells me that a lot of thought went into this game.”
    • “For weaknesses, if I have to pick, I would say character development. Of course, the entire series had mediocre character development, so I wasn't expecting much. On the other hand, this game has better character development than the previous two.”
    • “For weaknesses, if I have to pick, I would say character development. Of course, the entire series had mediocre character development, so I wasn't expecting much. On the other hand, this game has better character development than the previous two.”
    • “For weaknesses, if I have to pick, I would say character development. Of course, the entire series had mediocre character development, so I wasn't expecting much. On the other hand, this game has better character development than the previous two.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with a perfect score for sound, as the music enhances the experience and combat effects intensify the action. Reviewers note that the overall atmosphere is vibrant and exaggerated, complemented by structured gameplay that is accessible for players.

    • “The sound is a perfect 10/10; the music sets the atmosphere, and the combat effects punctuate the action!”
    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, and the structured gameplay makes it very easy to learn.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game boasts a solid replayability score of 8/10, featuring an 8-10 hour campaign with four difficulty levels and various cooperative and versus modes. Additionally, numerous hidden easter eggs enhance the experience, encouraging players to revisit both the campaign and co-op modes.

    • “Replay value: 8/10. Gears offers an 8-10 hour campaign with 4 difficulty levels, and a ton of cooperative and versus modes.”
    • “There are many hidden 'easter eggs' (little secrets put into a game just for fun) that add to the replay value of the campaign, as well as co-op.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted as a powerful and satisfying conclusion to a beloved franchise, though some reviewers feel it lacks the depth of emotional attachment needed to elevate it to masterpiece status.

    • “It's a powerful, satisfying, and surprisingly emotional close to what has been my favorite video game franchise in years.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by over-the-top voice acting and dialogue, which many players find hilarious, particularly those who appreciate this style typical of the Gears franchise.

    • “The voice acting and dialogue are what you'd expect from a Gears game: over the top and hilarious, if you ask me.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that some boss battles feel endless and contribute to a frustrating experience.

    • “Some of the boss battles just go on endlessly and are very tedious.”
    • “The grinding feels repetitive and lacks any real sense of progression.”
    • “I spent hours farming for resources, but it felt like I was getting nowhere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

91% average critic score

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