4.5 out of 5 stars

It’s been a long time coming – one of the first, few major franchises to propel the Xbox 360 above and beyond Sony’s Playstation 3, has finally come to a close. Gears of War, the Epic Games trilogy of oversized men, consistent badmouthing, true bullet sponges, and an entirely incomplete story, ends with nothing short of miraculous growth and somehow, simultaneously, the most limited change imaginable. You’re going to love it.

Gears of War 3 isn’t far from what fans of the series have and will imagine: our favorite barrel-chested men blowing up everything, chainsawing foes in half, curb-stomping their way to victory. The big difference, which Epic Games has seriously pushed ever since they realized they don’t make story-driven games, was to actually make a game players can care about. In Gears 3, the studio has finally discovered its voice. Sure, it’s still a meat-headed, testosterone and adrenaline mixture bent on suffocating players who actually want intelligence, but an emotional one.

Thankfully, Epic doesn’t go that far, instead prompting players to just enjoy their favorite, insanely-buff crew’s wit and ever-condescending humor, a brilliant tactic rarely thought of by game developers. That is, letting the characters tell their story instead of some omniscient being. And that’s what Gears 3 really is, the ending of the trilogy through the eyes of the very colorful characters we’ve come to know and love. And what better farewell than by the prompt bow and curtsy.

Marcus Fenix and Co. follow the twisting and turning plot of the prior two games – that is, the Locust crawled out of the ground to attack the fine, warring people of Sera, and have driven them to near extinction, while suddenly the Lambent attack, a form of the Locust that’s explosive and disorganized, and the good folk of Sera kiss their asses goodbye – where Fenix’ father is alive, well, and with a way to kill the Lambent and Locust. Saddling up his friendly crew of misfits, Fenix races off for adventure in the darkest, most gruesome way possible, meeting old friends and making new enemies along the way.

To say that the world of Gears 3 is colorful is the worst kind of lie. It’s a lush world filled with occasional splats of green and pink, but mostly brown and grey and steel. The color comes entirely from the characters, whether it be from Cole visiting his home town, reliving his past stardom with fans who remember, or Dom finding a way to finally forgive himself for his wife’s death by saving his friend and brother. I can’t say with any certainty that I actually felt emotion during the game…it would be unmanly, and how can anyone really feel with blood and bone flowing rampant. But thinking back, it was a truly heart-warming tale of love, loss, and life.

All that wrapped in a burrito of big teeth, giant arms, chainsaw guns and carnage. Seriously, who the hell can taste that slightly gooey inside with the incredible outside? Not even Epic takes their game too seriously…and if they do, it’s impossible to tell. Play cooperatively and that plot and gripping emotion is thrown out the window by friendly banter.

But if you’re playing with friends, then it’s never about the game; it’s about the gameplay, and dagnabit nothing’s changed. It’s still solid as ever, fun in a perverse way, with too much cover, too much running and gunning, and too many guts spilled everywhere. Some online matches are a sneeze of body parts while others are slow, methodical massacres. The maps have changed but the gameplay hasn’t, and just like before competitive play is a love it or hate it experience.

Cooperatively, Gears of War 3 is the best game to release since co-op was invented. The campaign is fun over and over again, both the updated Horde mode and new Beast modes are charming excitement, and neither gets old too soon. That alone, forgetting the embittered and most certainly subtle political tale, makes Gears 3 a game of the year contender, whether or not the gameplay suits you. There is no better way to enhance a game than to play it with friends, and Gears of War 3 is the very embodiment of that. New titles will come and go, but gamers will keep coming back to this defining buddy game.

2 out of 5 stars

Even if you aren’t a pro gamer, every player has the urge not only to win, but to get the upper hand. I always do, so I always stay on the lookout for things that can boost my performance in-game without cheating. MadCatz’ Throat Communicator may seem like an odd choice, but for anyone who has sat at their Xbox for over an hour, the idea of a more comfortable way to talk with friends and teammates online worth looking into.

In this case, only if you normally play games while eating baby seals while wearing a dog collar.

The MadCatz Throat Communicator, a Gears of War 3 accessory built specifically to ease the burden of wearing a wired or wireless microphone directly on the ear, is a concept I stand behind. I use Microsoft’s wireless headset, and though it works well, after an hour my gets sore. The same applies for most headsets, wired or wireless, unless they’re all-encompassing and act as speakers as well (see our review of the MadCatz 7.1 Surround Headset for more). So a headset that doesn’t rest on that floppy cartilage on the side of our heads intrigues me from the start.

The design is simple, though flawed: the neck-brace is worn one-way, with wires on the right, and a microphone is built into the right side to more accurately catch sound from your throat. That means if you like wearing your headset on the left, sucks to be you (myself included). If you do, all other players will hear are guttural tones and sometimes even a pulse. Worn on the right, one cable connects to the Xbox controller while the other is an in-ear speaker, which is comfortable and easy to use. It also comes with three cushion sizes so anyone over the age of 13 (or kids with bobble-size heads) can wear it.

In fact, based solely on the design and in use, there’s nothing wrong with the Throat Communicator. The neck brace is comfortable to wear (though there are four sharp corners, which I filed down to a less heinous level of ow), the speaker is light and tiny and volume controls are easy to adjust. I played several online matches with the Throat Communicator and was happy as could be. That is, until I opened my mouth.

Once you do that, dear friends, all bets are off. The first group of randoms demanded I take the microphone out of my mouth. The next (I assume) muted me because of the sound I made. It wasn’t until several friends of mine appeared online who told me that yes, a mix of walrus and crocodile was talking to them in illegible noises. So I recorded myself, using the simple message-sending application through Xbox Live, along with my smartphone recording from my speakers, so you can hear what I sounded like. You can see that below.

MadCatz Throat Communicator Sample Audio by jamezrp

Think about how you’d feel hearing that in an in-game lobby. Or mid-game. Or when you bark about that asshole teammate who just shot you in the back, and hearing only the mumbled stomach-pangs retort of an agitated narwal. Not pleasant. After attempting to rearrange the microphone, to better place it so I could be clearly understood, I’ve found no easy way to accomplish this, should any exist. The best sounding I’ve been was when I held the microphone away from my throat, to which I sound normal.

The sad truth is that no matter how much more comfortable or convenient something may be, if it doesn’t work, it’s useless. The Throat Communicator is a smart idea, but the tech just isn’t there. I’d have gladly paid more than the current $30 for not just a military-based design, but a military-grade set. However, I intend to open it up and attempt to extend the microphone to mouth-level, thereby solving my own ear-weight problem. If you don’t do something of the sort, stick with your current method of communication. That is, unless you just want to troll Xbox Live users. There’s way to many of them out there to not make up its own market.

The MadCatz Throat Communicator is available for purchase from Amazon for about $28.

Pros:

• Comfortable for long periods of time
• Lightweight, easy to store

Cons:

• People on the other side can’t understand a word you say
• Jagged edges are harsh on skin and need to be filed down
• Only “works” on one side

4.5 out of 5 stars

The only way to really enjoy the visceral meat-grinding, head-stomping sounds of a game like Gears of War 3 is with headphones. Don’t kid yourself audiophiles with expensive speakers! No system in the world that can pound out high-fidelity sound as accurately as speakers strapped to your ears. And with all the curb-stomping and chainsawing in the final chapter of Gears of War, the only way you’ll want to hear the likes Marcus Fenix, Dom, Baird and the Cole Train with their snarky testosterone-filled remarks with a solid headset.

Well lookie what we have here.

Created by Tritton, the Gears of War 3 Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset – or just the 7.1 – is a simple and intuitive headset made specifically for the Xbox 360. Emblamized with Gears of War’s skull logo on both cans (that light up!), and properly maintaining the black-and-red theme of the franchise, the 7.1 is a simplified Tritton headset made specifically to be fan candy. It’s like Men’s Warehouse: if you like Gears of War, you are going to love the way this looks.

Every bit of the 7.1 has Gears written all over it, and often literally. Even grandpa will say “oh, that damn kid likes that funny videogame that reminds me of ‘nam.” The cables, decoder box, and everything else screams Gears of War. So if you’re interested, you’d better like the franchise.

Though anyone interested in a solid surround sound headset need not look away. Although it’s not the simplest or best priced set, the 7.1 shares the quality of other Tritton headsets while eliminating the horde of cables that have previously plagued Tritton owners. In this box there are only four connectors: USB, optical, headset, and Xbox 360 controller voice cable. It won’t beat any of the wireless solutions available by clearing the clutter in your mancave, but the 7.1 is fine-tuned as good as it gets for a wired headset.

In fact, simplicity is the key to the 7.1′s design, and it manages to follow through in every way. The decoder box is as basic as can be with only three cable connectors, two buttons and one (unnecessary) volume dial. Powered directly through the USB cable, players need only touch the decoder box to power it on and off and to switch between the movie, game and stereo modes. The box even comes with a stand, though it’s too lightweight and depending on your setup may not keep the decoder box upright.

Onto the over-the-ears set, the 7.1 has leather cushions on both cans and on the headrest, and MadCatz cautiously includes a second pair of can cushions. Emblamized from top to bottom with Gears of War logos, you couldn’t mistake it for anything, even in pitch black. The light-up cans pulse dull-red whenever powered on. The detacheable microphone plugs in only on the left side, and is adjustable and very clear.

Two feet down the heavily braided cable is the volume control for both in-game audio and headset audio. A simple mute switch is supplemented by a mute button on the volume rocker, and an SVM (Selective Voice Monitoring) button on the headset volume rocker. The latter loops their voice through the headset so they can hear what they’re saying. An interesting if useless feature, though it’d be neat if recorders could pick up the audio. The volume control is two feet down the cable, which is about a foot too far, and there’s no clip to keep it in place.

That’s why it’s a good thing that the 7.1 is such a light headset. The heavy braided cable weighs down heavily on the set, though you couldn’t tell because of how lightweight the 7.1 is. In fact, it almost doesn’t feel solid, but it’s surprisingly durable. Audio quality also wasn’t sacrificed to make the set lighter, which is great because Tritton headsets have been notorious for not being comfortable for over an hour, and this one doesn’t stop feeling fine.

Sound quality on the 7.1 is good. Music is soft but with oomph, meaning it doesn’t hurt at high volumes but isn’t lacking gusto. Sounds are accurate though bass is lacking, which isn’t uncommon for headphones of this caliber. In-game the 7.1 provides excellent sound and music quality, though when using SVM there’s a constant ring of static always plays in the background. It’s especially annoying when the audio is quiet, because the static is easier to hear. You won’t forget the music stopped playing with this set. My set also had occasional ringing in the right can, where it would produce a popping noise randomly. I’m still waiting for MadCatz to comment on this.

Included with the 7.1 is a USB adapter for using the set on a PC, though my review unit did not include one. At press time does not include an adapter for PC use, though the instructions booklet does say that it is included.

I’m impressed with the MadCatz Fears of War 3 Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset, except that the name is a mouthful. It’s comfortable in every way, convenient for any Xbox 360 owner, and provides excellent stereo and surround sound audio. $170 is a bit steep for a headset that only works for the Xbox 360 (advertised solely for the 360, though you could use it for the PS3 and PC just as easily, though on the PS3 only as headphones), but there’s no better way to commemorate the end of an era for Microsoft’s console than with a star-studded headset booming expletives and charming narrative from some of this generation’s favorite videogame characters.

Pros:

• Super lightweight, comfortable for long periods of play
• Few cables, the bare minimum in clutter without going wireless
• Good sound quality that isn’t sharp
• Braided cable is practically indestructible

Cons:

• Weak bass likely from the low-power USB power source
• Volume control is too far down the cable
• SVM has a constant static background that’s annoying

The Ugly:

• If you aren’t a Gears of War fan, would you ever buy this headset, regardless of how good it was?

The MadCatz Gears of War 3 Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset is available for purchase here from Amazon.com

Amazon is offering a special bonus when you order this brand new Gears of War 3 Edition Xbox 360 Console!

Gear up for the latest smash hit to find its way to the Xbox 360, Gears of War continues where the last installment took off and takes the story and gameplay to new heights of action. With the new title comes this brand new special edition Xbox 360 which is sure to fly off the shelves and become hard to find. This bundle includes the sleek Xbox with a new Gears paint job along with 2 Gears inspired controllers, huge 320GB hard drive and who could forget the game itself. Amazon itself has a special offer attached as well though, and while not lowering the price is effective as the same goal, in this case you will receive $40 of credit which can be used on pretty much anything from them gaming or otherwise. Now of course you may use it for gaming equipment or maybe even another game and that just makes this new offer that much sweeter. Get yours while it lasts.

Get the limited edition version of this console for $399.99 (S&H is included) and you’ll receive a $40 Amazon Credit good towards most goods, not just video games.

When you pre-order a copy of Gears of War 3 from Amazon you will also get $20 credit to a future video game purchase!

Get ready to experience the third installment to one of the most popular games the Xbox 360 has to offer! In Gears of War 3 you will once again fight the Locust in a much more explosive and graphical environment then ever before. The story is much more cinematic and powerful than ever and thanks to the supreme technology the Unreal 3 Engine provides you will be sucked into the game like never before. Fight to save the human race with new weapons and against all new Locust enemies, and battle it out online in the hugely popular multiplayer modes! This will become one of the most definitive multiplayer experience to be found on Xbox Live, and when you order now not only will you get it the moment it launches but thanks to the Pre-Order guarantee you will save any money that comes off the price between now and the release. You will also get $20 credit towards your next video game purchase, because more is better!

Order this game before it arrives and you’ll pay $59.99 plus receive $20 good towards a future video game purchase at Amazon.

We’ve got good news and bad news.  The good news is that the beta for Gears of War 3 is available starting today.  The bad news is that if you wanna download it you would have needed to bought a copy of Bulletstorm Epic Edition.

If you did, just pop in the game, click on the Gears of War 3 MP Beta link on the menu and your download will begin.  And for those of you that preordered Gears of War 3 – then you’ll be able to download it starting next week.  According to Major Nelson the beta will run until May 15th.

Read

With the Gears of War 3 release date around a year away, the web is still on fire with all the bits of info it can deliver.  What we are hearing now is that there is going to be a 4-Player Co-Op mode for the single player campaign.  Hear that Job Security Ward and Dice?

Cliff Bleszinksi let that slip earlier today via his Twitter account effectively dissolving the panties of Gears fanboys everywhere.  I should probably stop playing Bad Company 2 for a night or two and finish Gears 2.

What do you think?  Will this be awesome?

Read

In what smells to be a heaping pile of malarky,  Epic Games is saying that Gears of War 3 “may” or “might” appear on next generation consoles.  Only really citing their upcoming Unreal 4 engine as a reason, this seems really lame to me.

Since next-gen hardware is still 4-5 years off, people will either have long forgotten Gears of War or have harbored such a massive grudge that they will boycott the game entirely, and then play it.  Either way I think that Epic Games owes it to the Xbox 360 to release Gears of War 3 within its life span.

There has got to be some other issues going on that we don’t know about and this is some unfortunate “news” indeed.  Just a short while back Cliffy B was touting new RPG like features to be implemented into Gears 3.  Booo!  Anybody else?

Read

Epic Games fervent mouthpiece Cliff Bleszinski has been quoted saying that the future of shooters is making them more like Role Playing Games.  Offering kudos to the lead designers of BioShock and Deus Ex, does this mean we will see some RPG features in Gears of War 3?  I hope so.  Being a huge fan of BioShock and mildly remembering Deus Ex, I am totally sold on the idea of making shooters a deeper and more involved experience.  While nothing has been confirmed at this point, it is a fun idea to think about.  Any ideas on what could work well with Gears of War 3?

Read