Gears Of War 3 - Review

Over the last while I have gotten Nolls (wife to be and an all-around awesome person) into Gears of War.  We finished Gears of Wars 2 recently and she was eager to see how the story ended (well for this trilogy anyway). I played Gears of War 3 when it was first released and at the time I felt a little underwhelmed, maybe it was because Gears of War 2 was so good. There was just something about 3 that just didn't quite do it for me, so I was curious how I would feel this time.


I like cakes, pies and generally anything that is bad for your health. One pie that I can be a little on the fence about is deep-dish apple pie.  If I am in the mood for deep-dish apple pie and eat it I'm usually amazed how good it is, but if I eat because it is the only thing available I'm generally underwhelmed.  I guess it just depends on my mood?  Playing Gears of War 3 I wondered was I in the mood for deep-dish apple pie?

Story


Last time on Gears of War it was decided that the best course of action was to sink the last major city in an attempt to stop the Locust.  Now, months on, Marcus, Dom, Baird, and Cole along with other COG and survivors are living on a ship.  The Lambent, the enemy of both humans and the Locust is slowly taking over the world. The Locust are adapting to the surface quickly and have already started amassing their forces. This time it is not just a war, it's a fight for survival for all life.


The story focuses on many interesting points, like life before the Locust and how so many of the COG used to just be civilians. Queen Myrah while slaughtering many humans is simply trying to help her people avoid extinction from the Lambent.


Overall the story is good, if not a little sad.  The world now is extremely bleak and really feels like extrication is imminent. I think maybe my reservation when playing it last time was that it really feels like the end of something. When something feels so good it can be tough to see it come to end.

 

 Visuals


The original Gears of War had very dark and gritty visuals, these were then massively improved in Gears of War 2.  For me, the visuals in Gears of War 3 have not evolved beyond Gears of War 2.  That doesn't mean they are bad.  There is a huge focus on character designs, the bulkier armor has been slimmed down.  This time everyone is wading into the fight, Anya is ditching her formal outfit for COG armor, we are also introduced to new characters, Sam and Jace. The Locust have more rugged armor and look more beat up. The Lambent have so many different forms, the stalks which birth enemies, enemies that can evolve into multiple forms and if that was not bad enough they also like to explode.


Overall the visuals haven't improved much from Gears of War 2 but the new character designs and variety of new enemies make it a lot of fun to look at it.



Music


The music in Gears of War 3 is dark, it feels more than just about war but also loss and the reminder that the world hangs in the balance. American composer Steve Jablonsky created the score along with Gears of War 2, Gears of War Judgement, Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands and Command and Conquer Tiberium Wars.


The soundtrack runs at close to ninety minutes and features some really great tracks, my favorites being; 'Restless', 'Meanwhile Below Deck', 'Bridge Too Far Indeed', 'Deadland Dance', and 'Corpser Ambush'.

Overall Jablonsky has helped create a very distinct sound for Gears of War that is easily recognizable. The soundtrack in my eyes has as big of a part to play as the story, visuals, and gameplay itself.

Gameplay


Personally, I have always found the gameplay in the Gears of War series to be pretty solid. Gears of War 3 is no exception. It plays in third-person and continues to work well. The big change for me is the cover system - there is a lot more to hide behind but there is also more destructible cover.


There are a lot of old familiar weapons, along with some new ones like the Retro Lancer which, instead of a chainsaw, has a giant blade stuck on the end of it.  It can be a little unruly to pull off a kill with the blade but when you can it is a lot of fun. The executions are back in force, each weapon has its own unique execution.


There are truly dark moments in the game, seeing not only destroyed areas of the world but also how close everything is to the end.  Each battle feels like you have to prevail and push forward, not only for your survival but everyone else's as well.

Overall the gameplay is solid, things feel tougher than before but all help drive the point home as to how bad things have become.





Final Thoughts


 So, after around fifteen hours how did I feel?  Pretty good.  The story is dark, gritty and enjoyable and a good ending to the trilogy. While the visuals may not be much stronger than Gears of War 2 the new character designs of allies and enemies alike look really good.  The music is strong and Jablonsky has helped create a very distinct sound for the Gears of War series. The gameplay continues to be solid, offering some new challenges. Overall this one gets a solid 4 out of 5

Gears of War 2 - Review

At the end of last year, I played Gears 5 and I was surprised as to how good it.  Playing it reminded me of the first few games in the series and I had the desire to play them all again, but this time I would have a partner in crime to play with (Hi Nollsy!). We already completed the original Gears of War together, and as  I reviewed it previously there was no point doing it again.  But with Gears of War 2, I never reviewed it and was looking forward to it.


I like Snickers, there are reliable, tasty, a good bit of bite and they have nuts! The only thing better than a normal Snickers is a peanut butter one or an ice-cream one. Being honest, if it is a Snickers bar of any description I don't think you can go too wrong.  Playing Gear of War 2 I found myself asking was it as reliable as a normal Snickers or was it even better?

Story


The first installment of Gears of War introduced us to the Gears Universe but was sparse on a lot of details.  With Gears of War 2, it really builds up the Gears Universe and answers a number of questions along with asking a few more. At the end of the first Gears of War, it was thought that the Locust might be beaten, it turns out this could not be further from the truth. The Locust are eager to take over the surface of the planet, but before doing that they want to sink all the cities. But why? Well, you will have to play to find out, I'm not telling you.  There is more effort gone into character development , and not only between Marcus, Dom, Baird and Cole.  We also see Dom struggling to try and find his wife and Marcus hoping to find his father who seems to have a deep knowledge of the Locust.


Overall the story is really good and focuses on so many different things without it feeling jumbled.  There is a real sense of feeling like you are a team.  There are some highs but many sad lows which left me feeling a little emotional.  The story of Gears of War 2 is it all it could be and more.

Visuals


The Gears of War world is dark and gritty, not only because of the damage done by the Locust (and the humans) but also because the buildings have a very industrial feel to them.  When I found out we would be spending some time underground I was a little nervous.  Not because I'm afraid of the dark but because in the first Gears of War I found it a little tough on the eyes and while there were some cool visuals the lighting was so low it made it hard sometimes to work out where you were going.  This time is very different it well lit, you can enjoy the underground rivers and some of the Locust architecture which is very standout and ornate.  There are many more types of enemies this time, they are big, bad and won't go down without a lot of bullets.


Overall the visuals look really good and the developers have taken more risks and it has paid off.  The world feels much more organic than the original Gears of War and we felt more engaged with it.



Music 


The world is dark and the music in the game is a great reminder of this, and when it isn't doing that it provides some great battle music that helps you keep pushing forward.  The score is put together by American composer Steve Jablonsky. He has a rich body of working including; Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, The SIMs 3 and Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands. On top of this, he also penned the scores for movies such as Transformer, The Island, Pain and Gain and a host of TV series.


The score is almost two hours longs and features some great tracks, my favourite being...all of them. It is one of the rare cases where I enjoyed the whole soundtrack. It is perfectly suited for the game and helps add to an already enjoyable experience.

Gameplay


The gameplay is in third-person and the mechanics are much improved in Gears of War 2, the cover system is much stronger and responsive. The weapons feel more varied and the constant looming of battle helps keep you on your toes.  The Lancer weapon now has a chainsaw that feels much more responsive than the first Gears of War.  There is now a range of weapons including the Hammerburst, Poison Grenades, along with bigger weapons like a minigun and mortar canon.


Down but not out. This is big thing in Gears of War 2, your allies will pick you up if you are down but enemies will also help each other.  This time you can carry out executions on downed enemies which can vary depending on what weapon you have. It's pretty fun and nasty at the same time especially with the noises being made.


There are some larger enemies like the Brumak and Reavers which offer tough resistance but offer more fun when you can actually use them yourself. Yep, that right you have a mount, kind of, it is short-lived but a lot of fun.


Outside of the main campaign is Horde Mode which sees you take on wave after wave of enemies. It can be done solo but is not as much fun.  There are a number of maps to pick from Avalanche being my favourite by far.  If you just want some mostly mindless fun for a short time this will suit you down to the ground.


Overall the gameplay is awesome and much improved over the original.




Final Thoughts

So, after twelve hours or playing how did we feel?  Pretty damn good. The story was really good, as were the visuals, music and gameplay. I am really happy and getting to play it with someone else was a lot of fun.  Gears of War 2 still holds up well and gets a solid 5 out of 5

Gears 5 - Review

I have been a fan of Gears of War since the beginning so I feel compelled to play each and every one of them that has come out.  Gears of War 4 wasn't bad but definitely did not excite as much as the previous games in the series.  Perhaps this was due to Epic Games not being at the helm and instead Canadian based game's developer The Coalition taking the reins.  Naturally, I wanted to play Gears 5 but was slightly dubious, one day I thought to hell with it I'm just going to buy it and give it a go.


Oreos is something I have had a mixed relationship with.  Their normal cookies are a little dry but still tasty, the white chocolate covered ones are amazing! Then there are the new Oreo bites mixed with Cadbury's chocolate.  Initially, I was unsure but quickly I found myself really drawn to them and alas before long the bag was empty.  Playing Gears 5 I found myself asking what kind of relationship would I have it, would it be dry but manage to stay tasty or was it so it going to be my new addiction?

Story


Gears of War 4 saw the return of any long since dead and the world still very much in the process of being rebuilt.  In Gears 5 you get to see civilization like never before in New Ephyra.  The COG have grown strong again and their new city is definitely a testament to that.  The story heavily focuses on Kait, her mother, and her family. She won't be doing it alone though she will have JD, Del, Fahz, and Jack watching her back.  The story sees the all-powerful Hammer of Dawn brought online, however, this quickly goes bad. Shortly after this Kait leaves the group along with Del to try and find out who she really is and why she keeps getting visions. It seems that the Locust are back and this time they want to stick around.  Right, that's all you get, no spoilers!


Overall the story is amazing, I felt a real bond with all the characters and what happened to them mattered to me. The story starts a little slow but after that, it kicks into first gear and there is no stopping it.  One of the best Gears of War stories since Gears 2.

Visuals


The visuals are very different in Gears 5 and Gears of War 4, there is more color used in the game, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The series has always focused on darkness, which I have always really liked.  That being said I really like the new art direction, the visuals are more detailed than before and it very much feels a new world.  The enemies are more detailed, the armor you wear looks more impressive and is generally just pleasing to look at it.  I like the new art direction but only hope that Gears 6 (they are totally making another one) does not go the way of New Dawn which feels way too colorful.


Overall the visuals are very impressive and have helped create a very new feeling world which is the fresh coat of paint the series needed.



Music


I'm not going to beat around the bush, the soundtrack is amazing.  Each track has this underlying somber tone but in the foreground, it has a very 'keep fighting, keep pushing forward' feeling. Which suits the game perfectly as that is what the whole campaign is about.  The soundtrack was composed by the amazing Ramin Djawadi.  He has an impressive body of work and scored the soundtracks for; Iron Man, Pacific Rim, Game of Thrones, Person of Interest, Medal of Honor and Gears of War 4.


Listening to the soundtrack again I realized that I did not have a favorite track, I loved them all.  The soundtrack is probably one of the most impressive if not the most impressive in the Gears of War franchise. It worked so well and really hope Ramin Djawadi returns for Gears 6.

Gameplay


The gameplay, where do I even start?  Let's starts with weapons, they feel better, more accurate and overall more satisfying when using them.  In fact, I almost forgot to use the classic chainsaw attached to the Lancer as I was having fun trying the other weapons. Jack is back, your little robot friend, but this time he is badass.  He can be upgraded with components and modules, he has your back and is much a teammate as anyone else in the group.  He can attack enemies, heal the team and use a variety of special abilities. Not happy with how you have upgraded him? No problem, respec him without any penalties.


The cover system feels more dynamic, this time it does not just have small barricades but multilevel ones that are often very destructible so don't get too comfortable. It made the gameplay more challenging and forces you to engage with the environment more.


The enemies go from straight forward to bordering on brutal. A new addition is The Warden, super armored, can only be shot in the head and carries maces that will annihilate you if you are not too careful.  There are many more new enemies each looking to wipe you out.  The AI seems to adapt more than in previous games in the series meaning you have to be always focused and not get careless.


There is now an element of exploration to the game, you can use a skiff which basically a retro-looking jetski with a sail attached to it.  Exploring means more fights, but also more rewards which are pretty cool. I made sure to go everywhere I could just to see what might be on offer.


Similar to the other games in the series there are collectibles in the world including COG tags, documents, and history about the old and new world.


Overall the gameplay is awesome and while sometimes fights felt almost unwinnable a little bit of patience and tactics went a long way to beating certain sections of the game.





Final Thoughts

So, after twenty-five how did I feel?  Amazing!  The story was great and there was a real feeling of being part of a team rather than just lifeless AI.  The visual was new, different and exciting and brought a new element to the series.  The music was perfect!  The gameplay was challenging but a little work and you would be just fine.  I can't wait to play this in co-op with Nolls in the future, I think we will have a blast with it.  Overall this one gets a delectable and tasty 5 out of 5

Past Cure - Review

Earlier this year Past Cure was released, which is a third-person psychological thriller.  It caught my interest due to the story.  It got slatted quite badly when it came out, but rarely does something like that stop me playing a game.  I saw it pre-owned the other day and thought to myself, why not take the risk?


I like spare ribs done in most styles.  There is one though that does not really do it for me, which Peking Style.  I like Peking Duck but for some reason, it just does not quite do it for me, even though in theory it should.  Playing Past Cure I found myself asking was this just not a tasty style?

Story

The story sees you follow ex-soldier Ian who has can't remember the last three years of his life.  His brother Marcus has put him up in his swanky beach house to help him recover.  Ian wants nothing more than to remember, mostly because he is having scary ass nightmares and hopes that if he remembers what happened he might be able to get rid of them. The worst thing for Ian is that sometimes the dreams start becoming real and trying to keep sane is a full-time struggle.  Luckily he has magic blue pills to keep things in control.


It sounds like an interesting story, right?  It is but it's told poorly, and it was hard to get invested in Ian.  The ending semi-pays off but in honesty, it's all pig and no bacon (I just made that up, not sure if it works).  Overall it is not the worst story but could use a lot more development.

Visuals 


At first glance, the visuals look reasonable but I quickly realised I was mistaken.  Most of the buildings and locations you enter have a very modern look and feel, very minimalist.  However, playing the game I could see this was less to do with an intended design and more to do with possible budget restrictions.  It looks like a game that was released on the XBOX 360 or PlayStation 3, which would be fine if it wasn't 2018.  The nightmare sequences seem interesting at first but very quickly look dull.


Overall not a very exciting visual experience and is in need of more development.



Music


The score is purely backing music and there is not anything engaging or exciting about it, with the exception of the closing credits song.  The composers are Roman Duda, Charlotte Jacobs, and Jen Paeyeneers.  I was unable to find any real information on the composers or their previous works.


The score has eight tracks and runs at just over forty minutes, the only tracks that really stood out were the 'Atmos Fight' and the ending song.  Overall very underwhelming.

Gameplay


Past Cure is a third-person psychological thriller, which sounds exciting, unfortunately, it is not.  Even basic movement feels clunky and awkward, melee combat isn't fun at all, and the cover system is almost non-existent.  The weapons in the game are not very accurate, often shooting an enemy in the head who was only ten feet away would end up missing him altogether.


Early on we learn that Ian has been experimented on and this has granted him certain abilities.  Time Manipulation, Astral Projection and Mind Blast.  Most of the time these abilities will be used to solve puzzles.  The puzzles themselves feel clunky, but most of the time this comes down to the ability being awkward to control.


The thing that scares me is that Past Cure was released this year and got really negative reviews.  Since then Phantom 8 Studio has released patch 1.05, which makes improvements to story and gameplay.  So the version I played is the improved one?  I'm curious what it was like before then.


Overall some disappointing gameplay that could have been so much better.




Final Thoughts

So, after six-plus hours of playing how did I feel?  Disappointed.  The story had some interesting parts to it but just never quite reaches its full potential.  The visuals, music, and gameplay all feel bland and underdeveloped.  This one gets a low 1 out of 5