Gears of War 3 Preview

Gears of War 3

Introduction
The third installment in the series, Gears of War 3 was developed by Epic Games and is published by Microsoft Game Studios as a platform-exclusive title for the Xbox 360 gaming console.

Gears 3 was originally scheduled for an April 2011 release, but due to production delays, was rescheduled for release on September 20th, 2011 in North America, and September 22nd, 2011 worldwide.

The third title in a three-title arc, Gears 3 picks up the story eighteen months after the fall of the city of Jacinto (GoW2) which resulted in a partial success of the main mission but at tremendous costs in terms if life and land.

The unit has relocated to the island of Vectes, and the team is now living on the Raven's Nest, a converted aircraft carrier that now functions as a refuge for military and government officials and their families.

The instability of both society and government has left the team in a difficult position as they have officially disbanded but have nowhere else to go. The Locust beings who were infected -- and mutated -- by the imulsion are now all Lambent, and the enemy of both the Locust and humanity, having become a serious threat to all.

While the first two games in the series tended to deliver more questions than they did answers, the developers of the Gears of War series have stated emphatically that Gears 3 does not simply resolve the story arc, but also provides a detailed answer to most of the questions gamers have about the previous events and the characters who participated in them.

Cliff Bleszinski -- lead developer and design director for Gears of War 3 -- officially unveiled the game on the television show 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' on April 13th, 2010, and as he dished details about the game, the first official promotional video trailer -- called "Ashes to Ashes" -- was broadcast on the show, with the trailer being added to the video library on the Xbox Live service the following day.

Gears 3 at PAX East
If you were thinking that the Public Beta currently live on XBLA is the first time that this particular multi-player PvP gaming event has been experienced well, we hate to say it but no, we actually played this at PAX East last month and, we are reliably informed, it was played at earlier events as well. But hey, don't let that take the wind out of your sails, mates!

Sure, we played this at PAX East -- but we only got one session and that was less than 20 minutes! Add to that the long lines, the tremendous noise, and the booth babes from the Duke Nukem booth constantly distracting us, and you will certainly understand why we decided to delay writing up the preview until after we had a few days to play the game on XBLA, right?

Of course the multi-player side is not all that we saw, otherwise this would not be a very comprehensive preview, now would it? No! Still, tune in to the article about our First Impressions of the GoW3 Public Beta elsewhere on Gaming Update ( http://tinyurl.com/3gfakd5 ) to see in detail what we think of it!

Our first experience with Gears 3 was at E3 2010, where Epic and Microsoft provided what we thought was a late look at the game -- remember it was originally scheduled for release in April 2011, so we thought that we were looking at a game that was already in post-production with less than eight months to go before it began shipping -- but alas that was not the case.

The demo focused upon an ambush event in which Marcus and crew dealt with one of the new Lambent Stalk -- a nasty Jack-and-the-Beanstalk sized beasty that literally drips enemies, spawning mutated warriors complete with weapons at the ready, who began shooting at us almost as soon as they were disgorged from the innards of the Stalk!

A gnarly land-octopus of Lambent arms slithers nearby, ripping apart anything -- or anyone -- that gets within the reach of its nastiness, and killing it involves more than simply point-and-shoot, because allowing any of its parts to slither away and re-form just means you are facing another full-strength beasty!

The impression that we formed at E3 was of a very solid game -- much more so than GoW2, with a vastly improved world and graphics engine. In GoW2 whenever you found yourself in a very busy area with lots of monsters to battle the perspective invariably contracted, and you never saw panoramic vistas while fighting en mass -- but that is not the case with GoW3!

You are as likely to encounter a large scale battle in 3 out in the open as you are in the more confined spaces that were traditionally the place for that sort of encounter in the previous games, and these encounters were surprisingly free of both clipping and blur, offering a smooth and fast battle with nothing to jar your sense of immersion.

In addition to some very tight and well-crafted story we get some female COG teammates for the first time, and an unholy alliance with our former enemy against our new one -- what is it that they say? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Well, we don't know about that, and after all it is very difficult to trust a former enemy -- in particular one that rather liked wearing our guts for garters -- but as the story in GoW3 progresses we are expected to do just that.

The variety and strength of the enemy in this new offering includes some familiar forms -- remember the Berserkers? Well they are back! -- and some new ones thanks to the Lambent, but in the end all that we need is our trusty Lancer, some grenades, and our buddies... wait, can we actually call chicks our buddies? Hmm... that does not sound right does it?

Still, when facing these new enemies all that we need is our trusty Lancer, some grenades, and our bud... Teammates by our side, Yar!

Probably the biggest news for the game as far as capabilities go is the four-player online co-op play options -- which by the way is the only way that you will get to play some of the new characters.

If you played GoW2 in Co-Op mode with a buddy you already know what a joy it is to play through the story with a human companion rather than the AI -- not that the AI totally sucked in the game, it is simply a much more satisfying experience to play with a thinking and breathing partner you can communicate with and who can help you do specific strategies -- you know, like flanking the enemy?

In GoW2 that meant that we could play through the game as a partnership, as only two players could team up in Co-Op mode, and we found that to be twice as fun as when we played single-player with the AI as our bud. Well, can you imagine what it will be like with four -- count 'em FOUR -- human players going through the story mode?

The conversion rate for fun in this case is the same formula you use for converting miles to kilometers in Canada when you drive there, so you take the two players, then you double the fun and add 12, before stopping at a Tim Hortons for some coffee and a cruller, eh?

Seriously though, with the ability to play with four players in Co-Op Gears 3 has the potential for replacing your favorite MMO when it comes to choosing a game to play in a group on the weekends when the weather is crappy enough to keep you in, and that is actually saying something about Gears that has never been said before!

Fast forward to PAX East 2011

Cliff Bleszinski was at the exhibit, and in between talking to the media and chatting with regular gamers, he seemed more than just at-ease but appeared to be enjoying himself, and that says something if you have ever spent time around Cliff at major media events...

We did not have the opportunity to chat with him one-on-one and get all of our questions answered, but as it turned out we did not need to. All that we needed to do was stay close as he spoke with the journo's who had appointments, and listen in on their conversations to learn what we would have if we were asking the questions anyway, so bonus!

The first question we did not get to ask -- but would have asked -- was whether or not the delay in the game that gave it an extra 8 months of dev time was time well-spent -- and it turns out that it was.

Gears 3 is all the better for that extra time, as the development team took an already tight and well-built game and tried to make it as bulletproof as they could. That does not sound like much if you have not actually seen the game in action, but considering how solid it was when we saw it at E3 last year, we honestly do not expect to notice the differences between that version and the finished one -- and you can take that as a compliment to the game.

As far as Cliff is concerned the big news is the four-player co-op for the story mode.

"In gears one and two we just did the two-player co-op mode, but in three we are doing true four-player story-based co-op; players one will be the main character (Marcus) but players two, three, and four will be playing as some of the other characters -- like Anya Stroud or Samantha -- and playing this way gives you a unique experience because you get their perspective of the events.

"The only way to play as some of these characters in the campaign is to be players two, three, or four, which is very cool," he says.

A related issue that he is excited about is getting players to do the online co-op.

Bleszinski is almost painfully aware that the majority of gamers who gravitate towards the Gears saga are gamers who prefer to play their own game -- they are not your typical online gamer in other words -- but in the case of GoW3 the idea is to get them online, so they have made that process as easy and seamless as it can be.

"One of the things we're doing for Gears 3 is making it super-easy to get online games underway -- because we want players to experience the game together. We want them to experience it multiple times...

"I think online game play is going to be the future; it's the ultimate way for us to keep players playing our games; keep them coming back for more." he says.

As we sat and listened the conversation went in a direction that we were not expecting, as Cliff began talking about the attraction of online play being one of the prime motivators for gamers buying -- and retaining -- their game.

"It's a good way to mitigate rentals and used games," Bleszinski explained, adding that a gamer who is invested in the story, and who plays with his friends in a regular group is a lot less likely to trade in or sell their game.

"We want to find ways to provide incentives for first-time buyers to pick up the game new; adding a penalty is not the best way to deal with things like that you know -- you always attract more flies with honey than with vinegar," he said, smiling widely.

While we listened several people tried to pin him down about a sequel or a new game in the Gears series, but Bleszinski deftly handled the question with a series of non-answers, going only so far as to comment that any talk in that direction was pure speculation.

The Multi-Player Bedrock
It is no accident that the focus of the Public Beta that is currently under way on XBLA is all about player-versus-player, and as any longtime fan of the game series can tell you, it has always included strong Co-Op and PvP elements.

Veteran gamers are very proud of their rank and their accomplishments in the online side of the game -- to put this in perspective for you, it has been three years since the release of GoW2, but if you slotted that game in your Xbox right now and picked online multi-player, you would find a match. Gamers still play it!

The Public Beta is more than just the illustration that Gears 3 will include that element, in many ways it is an homage to the players that made the game -- that still make the game -- an online destination long after the campaign side has been retired in their minds.

Bleszinski believes that this identity and this loyalty is the secret to maintaining game place and success in an era in which used games are taking huge bites out of the video game pie for studios -- and while the major players in the industry are looking for ways to get some of that money back (EA's ten dollar fix is a prime example of that) the folks over at Epic are trying to find ways to make you want to buy new and keep your game forever, without hurting you in the process.

While there has been no official word on that matter, we will be shocked and surprised if -- when you slot the retail version for the very first time and load the PvP online mode -- your status and accomplishments in the Beta do not carry forward with you into that game!

We fully expect that if we somehow manage to find the time to level our character in the Beta to 25 before May 15th, that in September when we walk out onto the battlefield we will still be Level 25. Considering the solid connection that Epic has with its online gamers, that is just a given!

Editions & Pre-Orders
There are currently three retail editions planned for Gears of War 3 that have been officially designated as The Standard Edition , The Limited Edition , and The Epic Edition , with reservations and full pre-order being accepted by designated retailers.

Gears of War 3: The Standard Edition
This edition includes the standard retail boxed game with manual and game disc, as well as any pre-order bonus content from specific retailers and/or a pre-order code for the Gears of War 3 Public Beta on XBLA which can be activated on April 25th, 2011.

Priced at $59.99 US, £49.99 UK

Gears of War 3: The Limited Edition
This edition includes the standard retail boxed game with manual and game disc, a set of COG Dog Tags, a Limited Edition GoW Poster, and a companion CD/DVD with additional content, artwork, and music.

In addition this edition will include any pre-order bonus content from specific retailers and/or a pre-order code for the Gears of War 3 Public Beta on XBLA which can be activated on April 25th, 2011.

Priced at $79.99 US, £59.99 UK

Gears of War 3: The Epic Edition
This edition includes the standard retail boxed game with manual and game disc, a set of COG Dog Tags, a Limited Edition GoW Poster, a bust of the character Marcus Phoenix suitable for display upon your desk or shelf, and a companion CD/DVD with additional content, artwork, and music.

In addition this edition will include any pre-order bonus content from specific retailers and/or a pre-order code for the Gears of War 3 Public Beta on XBLA which can be activated on April 25th, 2011.

Priced at $149.99 US, £99.99 UK

Pre-Order Special Content and Bonus Items

-- Gears of War 3 GameStop Pre-Order Special: Gamers who pre-order their copy of Gears 3 (any edition) from online and in-store locations for GameStop will receive a key for the Gears of War 3 Public Beta valid from April 25th to May 15th, 2011.

-- Gears of War 3 Amazon Pre-Order Special: Pre-order GoW3 from Amazon and get $20 off a future purchase from the Amazon Video Games store.

-- EB Games Pre-Order Special: Pre-order at EB Games to be granted exclusive access to the Gears of War 3 Multiplayer Beta. The Beta period will begin April 25th running until May 15th. Special events and unlockable items will be available during the Beta and will carry over into the final cut of Gears of War 3.

-- Walmart Pre-Order Special: Pre-order Gears of War 3 at Walmart and receive a $20 Walmart.com eGift Card.

-- Bulletstorm Epic Edition: Gamers who purchased the Epic Edition of the video game Bulletstorm received a code for the Public Beta of Gears of War 3 on XBLA that could be redeemed on April 18th, 2011, providing them with five days of early access to the multi-player Beta that showcases the PvP side of Gears 3.


Gears of War 3 Public Beta
The Gears of War 3 Public Beta officially begins on April 25th 2011, and runs through May 15th, 2011, and gamers who participate in the Beta can expect to unlock and obtain several exclusive rewards for their play that can be carried forward into the retail game, including:

Beta Tester Medal: Complete one match in the Beta to unlock the Beta Tester medal and title, which will carry over to your gamer profile in Gears of War 3.

The Beta Tester title will be featured and visible in the Gears 3 multi-player lobby in the retail version as well, telling all who are present that you were part of the Beta.

Thrashball Cole: Unlock Thrashball Cole to play as Augustus Cole as he was before Emergence Day (in the form of the legendary Thrashball athlete known for his ferocious, flamboyant style).

Complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock this character for the Beta period, and complete 10 full matches using the Thrashball Cole character during the Beta in order to unlock this character in the full retail edition of the game.

Gold-Plated Retro Lancer: Before the chainsaw bayonet was deployed at the beginning of the Locust-Human war, the original Lancer assault rifle had a large fixed blade.

Complete 90 matches in any game type to unlock this weapon for the Beta period. To retain this unlockable for your Gears of War 3 gamer profile in the retail edition, score 100 kills with the Gold-Plated Retro Lancer during the Beta period.

Flaming Hammerburst: Complete one match by Sunday, April 24th and unlock this weapon variant. This is the special item that is exclusively for gamers who have qualified for early access to the Public Beta, and it will carry forward to the retail game.

Flaming Lancer: Complete one match during the week of April 25th and unlock this weapon variant. This is the special item that is exclusively for gamers who have participated in week one of the Public Beta, and it will carry forward to the retail game.

Flaming Sawed-Off Shotgun: Complete one match during the week of May 2nd to unlock this weapon variant. This is the special item that is exclusively for gamers who have participated in week two of the Public Beta, and it will carry forward to the retail game.

Flaming Gnasher Shotgun: Complete one match during the week of May 9th to unlock this weapon variant. This is the special item that is exclusively for gamers who have participated in week three of the Public Beta, and it will carry forward to the retail game.

Preview Conclusions
Normally in a game preview we do not spend a lot of time covering things like pre-order bonus items and the different version contents of a game in such detail, but with Gears 3, it is not simply different, it is relevant. Very few games -- let alone game series -- enjoy the sort of following and loyalty that Gears can claim, so providing a well-rounded take on it is our duty to you.

Having spent so much time playing GoW 1 and 2, like a lot of gamers we have an investment in Marcus and Dom, and we care what happens to them. From where I am sitting as I write this, I can see the three shelves that contain my game collection, and I know exactly where my copies of Gears of War and Gears of War 2 are.

There is already an open slot next to them for 3 -- it has been there since last June when we thought that we would be playing GoW3 by now -- but it will keep until September.

When we opened the email with our code for the Public Beta in it last week, our first thought was that it would be nice to be able to play it. What never occurred to us was that the intense PvP GoW action would stimulate our need to play the story mode.

After four days of battle in the Beta we have come to the conclusion that a complete replay, starting with Gears 1, is clearly in order. Can we manage that with the limited free time that we have available for elective gaming and still be ready for GoW3 in September?

That is the question...

Official Title: Gears of War 3
Developing Studio: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: September 20th, 2011
Platforms: Xbox 360
Genre: Third-Person Shooter / Action-Adventure
Ratings: TBA presumed M (for Mature)