The story is set 2 years after the previous Gears game, after humanity on the planet Sera had sunk it’s last remaining stronghold into the ocean in an attempt to destroy the locust horde beneath the surface of the planet.  In this game, humanity is on the brink of extinction and so is the Locust horde.  Both are being attacked by a new life form called the “Lambent”.  The Lambent is a parasitic life form that comes from the immulsion fuel supply that is widely used on the planet.  The Lambent is what pushed the Locusts to emerge from beneath the surface, causing them to flee.  In this game, you learn that the main character’s father is still alive (presumed dead in the backstory of previous games) and has a potential solution to the Lambent problem.  You fight across Lambent and Locust infested areas, crossing land and sea in order to find him.  This game throws a ton of character development at you as well, really showcasing the toll that this war has taken on these people.

Epic Games improved even more so the wildly popular survival game mode, Horde, in this installment.  Added to the Horde gameplay is a form of tower defense strategy.  Players can build fortifications, turrets, & decoys to aide them in their efforts to hold off wave after wave of Locusts and Lambent.  In a twist, another game mode was added to this game that takes Horde and turns it on it’s head.  Beast mode allows players to play instead as the Locusts and try to attack the human defenders.  You have a limited time to complete the wave, earning additional time with each kill or fortification destroyed.  Each kill also earns you money and allows you to select bigger, badder creatures to play as with each subsequent respawn.

The multiplayer portions of this game got a boost with the addition of dedicated servers.  The biggest complaint most people had with the first two Gears games was the poor networking code and how dependent gameplay was on the host Xbox’s connection quality.  With this game, ranked matches (and others, depending on server load) are hosted on dedicated servers, guaranteeing that no one player in the game has a significant advantage over the others.

Video games are a business and Epic Games has followed suit and introduced a pre-payment plan for downloadable content (DLC) for Gears of War 3, much as other game studios have done.  The Gears ‘Season Pass’ will cost you $30 outright, but it provides you with access to the first year’s worth of DLC with no additional cost.  Also, gamers can now purchase additional weapon skins for their guns to make them all nice and pretty.  You could fork over money and buy them all ($48) or just buy the ones you want, which are relatively cheap individually (~$3 each).

Overall, this is a great game to play.  The in-game feedback you get for doing specific accomplishments (ribbons, medals, achievements) is great.  Different combinations of rewards unlock different little ‘extras’ in the game, such as weapon skins, playable multiplayer characters,  or mutators for Horde mode (like skulls in Halo).   There are many options available to you when you load up the game, whether it be single player campaign, co-op, arcade campaign, beast, horde, or versus mode.  The game is fun to play and will be around for quite some time.

Epic Games decided to keep it in the family in Gears of War 2 by having Delta Squad reinforcements include Anthony’s brother, Benjamin Carmine. When I saw that in my initial play through of Gears of War 2 I thought Ben Carmine would be just the typical worthless soldier like his brother was and die fairly quickly. Fortunately I was mistaken on that count and Ben Carmine turned out to be one damn fine soldier. He was always rushing into battle, taking out more than his fair share of the Locust horde enemies. It took a building sized worm eating him and digesting him alive to take down Ben Carmine.

Sticking with tradition, Gears of War 3 will feature the 3rd Carmine brother, Clayton. And, following the trend as well, Clayton Carmine will be and even more bad-ass soldier than either Anthony or Benjamin was.

From Epic Games:

Fans to Decide the Fate of Carmine in Gears of War 3

Place your vote for the fate of the newest Carmine brother through the purchase of avatar gear on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, with benefits going to charity

The fate of Carmine lies in your hands! For the first time in franchise history, Epic Games and Microsoft are giving fans the chance to decide the fate of a character in Gears of War 3. By purchasing avatar gear on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, fans and gaming communities around the globe will decide the destiny of the newest Carmine brother set to appear in Gears of War 3, with all the proceeds going to the Child’s Play Charity.

Keeping with the series’ tradition, Clayton Carmine will be introduced in the trilogy’s final chapter, and like Anthony and Ben, the newest rookie brother runs the high risk of meeting an early death. However, unlike in the previous games, the Xbox community will choose whether Carmine lives or dies by purchasing special Gears of War 3 avatar gear on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Starting July 29, two new avatar t-shirts will be available on the Avatar Marketplace on Xbox LIVE—one shirt reads “Save Carmine,” and the other reads “Carmine Must Die.” By purchasing the “Save Carmine” shirt, you’re casting your vote to let Carmine live in Gears of War 3. Conversely, purchasing the “Carmine Must Die” shirt means you want to see Clayton follow the fate of his brothers.

Child’s Play is a community-based games industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world. Through their network of more than 60 hospitals and through the generosity of their community of donors, Child’s Play raises millions of dollars each year to donate games, consoles, and toys to sick children. The proceeds from the sales of the “Save Carmine” and “Carmine Must Die” avatar gear and limited edition NECA t-shirts will go to Child’s Play, so cast your vote, donate to charity, and get cool Gears of War gear! Fans can get up-to-date information about the fate of Clayton Carmine by visiting www.gearsofwar.com.

Published by Microsoft Game Studios and developed by Epic Games, the Gears of War franchise has won over 30 “Game of the Year” awards, sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, and redefined the third-person shooter genre for this console generation. The Gears of War series is exclusive to Xbox 360, and its riveting multiplayer action makes it one of the most popular titles on Xbox LIVE. The trilogy finale, Gears of War 3, will release on April 5, 2011, only on Xbox 360.

How I felt after a Gears 2 Horde Run or ODST Firefight game

I enjoyed playing Gears of War 2.  I really did.  Right up until the point that I completed a full Horde run.  A few friends and I got together one Saturday afternoon and went through the full Horde run.  It took us about eight hours to complete.  After that, I don’t think many of us have even loaded the game up again.  It seriously ruined the fun factor of the game.  Every time I think of playing Gears of War 2 now I think of that one single marathon gaming session and how I felt afterward.

Last fall Bungie Studios released Halo 3: ODST.  The game was thrown together fairly quickly by a small development team.  As such, they decided not to implement a full multiplayer matchmaking system like they did with predecessor games Halo 2 and Halo 3.  They did, however, include a new multiplayer mode called Firefight.  Essentially, it was a copy of Gears of War 2′s Horde, in that a team of gamers faced off against wave after wave of increasingly stronger enemies in an attempt to gain a higher score.  Once again, I got together with some friends one day and we played through the Firefight mode.  Although not quite the marathon length of Horde mode, it still took us over two hours to get through.  Just as with Gears of War 2, I never really have enjoyed ODST the same since.

What is it about these marathon endurance modes that ruins the gaming experience for me and probably many others?  I think it has to do with the challenge difficulty.  The whole point of these modes is to see how far you can go, how far you can push yourself.  In order to do that though, you have to set aside the fun part of the gaming experience and turn it into something most of us are trying to avoid by playing video games – work.  In order to succeed you really do need to view it as work.  It takes planning, leadership, and a team effort to succeed.  You can’t screw around and just goof off.  You have to take it seriously, otherwise what’s the point of even doing it?

Just today I sat down and played the latest DLC content from Gear Box Software for Borderlands.  Some friends and I managed to get through the first three arena challenges.  These are five rounds of five waves each, facing stronger and stronger enemies each wave.  It took us probably five hours to complete those three challenges.  After beating those three, we find out there are three additional larger challenges.  We went into the first of those challenges just to see what ‘larger‘ meant.  They are twenty rounds of five waves each.   Twenty!

I’m not sure how long before I attempt those later challenges in Borderlands.  Right now I really enjoy playing the game.  I guess I should learn from past experience and just know that once I sit down and force myself to play through them (which I know the perfectionist inside me will eventually make me do) that I will probably not feel like playing the game anymore after that.  Then again, maybe if I actually do it before Gearbox Software releases their next DLC, maybe that DLC content will make the game fun again.  Either way, I still wish developers would move away from these marathon gaming modes and find newer, better ways to make gamers want to play their games for hours on end.  One that doesn’t require gamers to play it hours on end just to actually play it.

The new content includes the Dark Corners game add on plus other content, listed below. The disc will cost $19.99 and the Dark Corners addon will be available separately on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 1600 MS points (~$20), both being released on July 28, 2009. With all the additional content given with the disc, it really doesn’t make sense not to pick up the All Fronts Collection disc.

Included on the disc:

Dark Corners Game Addon

• Road to Ruin – New campaign level where Marcus & Dom head back into the Locust Hollow (possibly the alternative to trying to save Dom’s wife?)

7 new multiplayer maps:

• Allfathers Garden: Honor the sacred grounds of the Coalition founders in this explosive map, where powerful weapons catalyze fast and furious action at this COG landmark.
• Memorial: Set near the Eternal Flame, which pays tribute to the fallen soldiers on the battlefield, a hard-fought battle ensues at the Tomb of Unknowns. Put your flank formation and evasive skills to the test as you fight to control the Boomshot.
• Sanctuary: Once a peaceful ground for reflection and remembrance, all that remains of the Sanctuary is the chill of death. Feast your eyes on the arsenal of weapons available as you make your way through the tight paths and blind corners of the Locust-damaged temple corridors.
• War Machine: In the abandoned train station that once served as a hub for travel, you will need to master the Longshot, Mulcher, and Boomshot weapons to advance the fight while evading fire from the platforms above.
• Highway: Take the fight deep into Locust Hollow in the complex passages of this underground highway system brimming with enemy vermin. Stick together, separate the enemy and have an exit strategy ready or it’ll be a one-way trip.
• Way Station: Sitting in limbo between death and “processing” are Locust way stations filled with fallen COG soldiers. Tread lightly and practice patience as it’s better to sacrifice firepower for stealth while navigating this minefield of hidden grenades.
• Nowhere: Set in the middle of what was once a destination for weary desert travellers, the land is now barren and devoid of life. Pick off your enemies with the Longshot sniper rifle and make your way to the stairwell with a well-fortified team during this intense firefight.

Additional Content Included:

• Video Introduction to Road to Ruin from Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski
• Custom Xbox 360 Theme
• Collectible Gears of War 2 poster
• Strategy Guide

Previously released content included:

• Flashback Multiplayer Map Pack
• Combustible Multiplayer Map Pack
• Snowblind Multiplayer Map Pack