Five years ago, the Cary-based game developers at Epic Games introduced Gears of War to the world. The well-polished and action-filled third person shooter was an instant hit, and has come to define cover-based shooting gameplay in the games industry.

Now, three years after the first sequel, Epic Games has brought their Xbox 360 trilogy to a close with the release of Gears of War 3, and everything ends with the resounding bang fans of the series have come to expect.

The story of Gears of War 3 continues the war against the Locust Horde, with an emphasis placed on this being humanity’s last stand. It is a story of survival, and the narrative instills the distinct feeling that everything is happening on borrowed time, with the player tasked with making a last grab for peace.

While Epic Games could have created a somber mood to drape over the entire game, Gears of War 3 avoids being too dark and heavy, thanks to the lively nature of its characters. Amidst the devastation and destruction is a spark of life and humor that really comes alive, especially in the glowing brotherly companionship between main character Marcus Fenix and squadmate Dominic Santiago.

However, Marcus and Dom’s friendship isn’t all that glows on the planet Sera. Along with the continued conflict with the Locust, subterranean enemies that rose to the surface, comes the newly expanded threat called the Lambent.

The action is still fast and the bullets fly hot while chainsaw bayonets rev loudly. It is still a wild, cinematic experience. However, unlike the previous installment, Gears of War 3 manages to keep the player feeling in control. Fans will be able to continue to fight until the bitter end, and have fun doing it.

One of the best additions to the experience are the new Lambent enemy types. These mutated creatures are extremely volatile, skilled at melee combat, and explode upon death. This provides a welcome change to the gameplay in the first half of Gears 3, as it is unwise to get in close to an enemy that may detonate when shot.

Running and getting into cover feels smoother and faster than before. Traversing the battlefield is less of a hassle with tightened controls, and players will quickly be able to slip into cover from enemy attacks.

Another nod toward the desperate tone of the story is the lack of ammunition on the battlefield. The constant need to find storehouses and scavenge weapons from fallen enemies truly adds to the survival tone.

The game is also gorgeous thanks to the Unreal Engine, which has been tweaked and made to look better than ever. The graphics may quite possibly be the best of any game out on the Xbox 360 so far. Players will likely feel compelled to stop and simply admire the beautiful environments that Epic has created.

Epic Games hasn’t changed too much from the formula that has made the series so successful, but Gears of War 3 does enough to keep the gameplay fresh, and stands strong as the most polished entry in the series to date.

Outside of the single player, Epic Games has both improved and added to the game’s other modes. Versus mode in particular has seen a great amount of work. Epic Games has so far avoided major server crashes or any of the other crippling problems that plagued Gears of War 2 upon release.

Online matchmaking has been improved and is faster and more efficient than before. This is thanks to the Gears of War 3 beta that was released and utilized by Epic Games earlier this year.

The popular Horde mode, which pits players against wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies, makes a return in an updated form. Now called Horde 2.0, the mode seeks to be the best on the market.

Epic Games has upped the ante with massive boss enemies joining the fray in Horde mode, and a robust currency system where players can earn cash to be spent on building defenses to assist in holding off hordes of invading enemy forces. The new additions provide a welcome change-up, and make for a more dynamic and enjoyable experience.

Also included is the new Beast mode, which allows players to play from the Locust point of view. This is a fresh variant to the usual gameplay, and it can be argued that dislodging and destroying the well-dug-in humans is an even bigger challenge.

Overall,Gears of War 3 feels like the epitome of every gameplay feature that has come before it. The single player experience provides frantic gameplay and an emotionally-satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Supported by a reworked online system, a bigger Horde mode, and the unique and interesting Beast Mode, Gears of War 3 is filled to the brim with content, and is one of the year’s best games.