Preview: Gears of War 3

Guns, guns, and- ...is that a chainsaw? While there are seemingly innumerable shooter games currently available in the video game market, Epic Games is among the minority of these developers to finally put an end to their own, beloved franchise. Yes, the Gears of War saga is coming to an end, and it's going out with a bang.

Gears of War 3 is the third and final entry in the award-winning shooter franchise of the same name. This series follows the combined efforts of the Delta Squad and COGs on the planet Sera in which they must defend the human race's very existence from the ruthless, alien species known as the Locust.

With the end in sight, Gears of War 3 aims to add some freshness while sustaining many of the gameplay elements that made the franchise so popular in the first place. The cover system has been tweaked to allow some new, combat-based actions, yet, to compensate for the difficulty change, environments now make the player more vulnerable. Many of the objects the player will intend to hide behind are destructible, so any potential barriers should be approached with both caution and consideration. In addition to gameplay tweaks, more brand new content has been added to Gears of War 3, expanding the franchise's already large catalog of weapons, tools, and other gadgets.

A multitude of weapons have been added to Gears of War 3, including the "new" Retro Lancer with a regular bayonet attached, acting as a counterpart to the iconic chainsaw Lancer. Additionally, a double-barreled shotgun has been included, as displayed in many promo images in the hands of Dominic "Dom" Santiago, "sidekick" of protagonist Marcus Fenix. Perhaps the most stunning addition to the game's arsenal is the advent of the Silverback Mech Suits, colossal machines a player can enter and control, lending him or her several new abilities. Both of the Silverback's arms are equipped with gatling guns, offering the player an incredibly destructive new type of weaponry. On the defensive side of the spectrum, the entire suit acts as a layer of protection for the driver, preventing (or at the very least weakening) sizeable amounts of damage that would normally be done to the player. While only available in limited areas of Gears of War 3, they give the player not only a fighting edge, but a fresh and enjoyable gameplay experience.

While the new gameplay elements are certainly appealing, arguably the most interesting addition to Gears of War 3 is Beast Mode, a reimagining of its predecessor's Horde Mode. In Beast Mode, up to five players gain control of the Locust, fending off twelve consecutive waves of humans and attempting to survive until the end. As the game progresses and later waves are introduced, players will find that the difficulty increases, as the humans will not only attack in greater numbers, but will also be equipped with an overall superior arsenal of weapons. While Beast Mode may seem like a mere rehash of Horde Mode at first glance, its new element single-handedly enhances the entire mode.

Beast Mode introduces the "money system," in which the player will earn "money" as the game progresses. This form of currency is spent on the ability to play as a specific member of the Locust species for the player's next life. For instance, at the beginning of a Beast Mode playthrough, only a few options are available, including the weak Tickers, Wretches, Savage Drones, and Butchers. Most of these classes cost around $50 and can be purchased with the initial amount of currency given. Yet, as the game progresses and more money is earned by killing the opposition, better, more advantageous characters are "unlocked." Hulking beasts such as the Berserker and the Armored Kantus will cost the player nearly $6000 for a single spawn. Although this may seem like an utter waste of money, the damage the player can deal with these characters is paramount. Of course, to keep the difficulty factor stable, Silverbacks and Delta Squad members will be knocking at the player's door before he or she even realizes it.
As previously stated, Gears of War 3 will act as the conclusion for the franchise's story. Taking place 18 months after the end of Gears of War 2, Delta Squad, along with the remaining humans, are fighting for survival and bringing out their entire arsenal. Anya Stroud, communications expert for Delta Squad, has decided to take action and is fighting alongside the rest of the crew, alongside new recruits Samantha Byrne and Jace Stratton. Of course, old favorites are still here as well; Marcus, Dom, Cole Train, and Baird, along with Clayton, a newly introduced member of the fan-favorite Carmine family.

CliffyB, design director of Epic Games, promises that all the big questions and secrets will be answered in Gears of War 3, ending as phenomenally as he could ever dream. The final battle is nigh, Gears of War fans. Things are going to get intense.

Gears of War 3, an Xbox 360 exclusive. will be hitting shelves on September 20 in North America and Europe and on September 22 in Japan,

Short Version: Gears of War 3 acts as the end of the Gears franchise, going out with the biggest bang possible. By keeping the familiar, beloved mechanics of the franchise's previous entries, yet adding in enough new content to keep the game fresh, Epic Games aims to surpass everyone's expectations by satisfying the needs of the entirety of their audience.