Gears of War 3 is due to release in the Americas, Australia and Europe on 20 September.  By all accounts, the game is truly incredible, with crisper graphics, smoother gameplay and new weapons, finishers and all of the blood-soaked combat that fans have come to enjoy.  Sadly, this isn’t a review of Gears of War 3.

Not a review of Stand By Me's gritty reboot, either.

This game has been in production since late 2009, and originally slated for release in April this year.  The full release, however, never came, but faithful fans of the series were rewarded with the multiplayer beta of the game, which lasted for four weeks before it was cruelly taken away from us again.

At least I had you for a little while...

I’ve been a fan of Gears of War since I first chose X-Box over PS3 all those years ago.  I’ve always loved its deep storyline, gritty combat system, hard-edged dialog, and the depth of its characters.  It’s consistently fun to play, especially in multiplayer games, and there are rarely any slow points.

Not to mention chainsaw high-fives

I was at the midnight release for Gears of War 2, nearly two years ago, and the anticipation was heavy in the air (as well as body odour).  As one of the only women there, I was a creature of awe to most of the other gamers, who I assumed had never actually seen a woman before.

How men see me when they realise I'm also a gamer.

Gears of War 2 was well worth the wait and the smelly crowds and the awkward compliments and come-ons.  It was worth standing out in the freezing cold, worth staying inside for long periods of time afterward, simply slaughtering all comers in online deathmatches (Except for laggers, hosts and cheap-killers.  Because those sorts are the only players who can kill me!)

Now, that anticipation has grown tenfold.  It looms over nearly every gamer in the civilised world tonight, and it is stifling.  I can hardly sit still, waiting for the opportunity to rejoin the fray once more.  It’s one of the most anticipated games of the year, and me and every other gamer are salivating for it.

The anticipation, in short, is maddening.  I rate it 2/5, and I’m only being generous here because we were treated to the beta earlier this year.  This is among the worst anticipations I’ve ever been through, and I would not recommend it.