7 Things You Should Know About Gears of War 3

Number 1: The Plot

The final chapter takes place eighteen months after the fall of Jacinto, and the apparent defeat of the Locust Horde. Having experienced a quiet interlude, the remnants of the human resistance have formed a new base of operations on a remote island. However, the Imulsion-filled Lambent soon begin to emerge from the ground to eradicate the remaining human and Locust survivors.

Leaderless and forced off their new island home, the COG has disbanded, parting ways to seek out the last remaining areas that can provide refuge. As a result, Delta Squad has joined survivors aboard a naval ship called the Sovereign, while the others seek out safe areas on the mainland.

Gears 3 isn’t about taking back the planet, it’s too late for that. Now it’s all about survival, while Marcus tries to find his father, who may still be alive.

Number 2: Delta Squad

While Marcus and Dom stick together, the rest of their team has splintered off. Separated from Baird and Cole for much of the narrative, players will switch between their stories, before eventually meeting up for the finale. As a result, this adventure will give every character a fleshed out story, and time to shine throughout the campaign.

Number 3: Coop Campaign

Despite the four-man team having broken off into twin units, this will be the first game to feature a 4-player cooperative campaign. As a result, Marcus and Dom are joined by a gun-toting Anya, their dispatcher and Marcus’ love interest from the previous installments, as well as a newcomer named Jace Stratton.

At the same time, two new allies fight alongside Baird and Cole. These include Clayton Carmine, the brother of Anthony and Benjamin, who appeared in the previous games.

Number 4: Weapons and Gameplay

Low on ammo and supplies, the remaining Gears are forced to use items left over from the Pendulum Wars, and era when humans fought each other. These weapons include blade bayonet Lancers, as well as modified labor exoskeletons called Silverbacks that have been outfitted with artillery.

More so than ever before, this game will leave you desperate for any form of ammo as you struggle to down unstoppable enemies in Humanity’s eleventh hour. Shockingly, Gears 3 will force you to flee from battles, struggling to reload your gun, and find defendable cover.

Number 5: The Enemies

Far more terrifying then the Locust forces, its emulsion-corrupted members have mutated to become zombie-like Lambent. As a result, these aggressive creatures are tougher to kill and can mutate mid-battle. They burst from the ground in root-like structures and won’t go down easily, exploding with a burst of Imulsion when they do. These include Lambent that fling fireballs, and tiny spider-like creatures that emerge from wounds of larger enemies.

A sign of the times, even the Locust are on the run, salvaging weapons to fend off Lambent and human forces alike.

Number 6: Horde 2.0

Having previously popularized the iconic mode, Gears 3 packs an improved version of Horde called Horde 2.0. This awards players with cash for their kills, enabling them to purchase weapons, items and emplacements, such as target decoy dummies and silverbacks. At the same time it packs its own twists, such as having you take on devastating boss battles.

Number 7: Beast Mode

A first for the series, you can now play a Horde-like mode from the perspective of the Locust. Called Beast Mode, here you face off against waves of humans, starting off as weaker enemies, such as weaponless Wretches before gaining access to more powerful troops. Here the goal isn’t to survive the rounds, but to eliminate all of the humans before the timer runs out.

Conclusion:

Only available on the Xbox 360, Gears of War 3 ups the ante in every possible way, providing a dire, yet visually stunning conclusion, which now includes Stereoscopic 3D.

For a primer on the earlier installments of the franchise, be sure to check out our Gears of War Franchise Retrospective over at WatchMojo.com