A lot of high profile sequels are exceedingly self-conscious exercises in trying to manage player expectation, to change just enough, but throw in enough of the same to keep things familiar. Gears of War 3, on the other hand, is the most confident release this year.

The word polish is bestowed often, but Gears of War 3 is embarrassingly well assembled. Anyone who played this spring's multiplayer beta has an inkling of this. From a mechanical standpoint, the third-person, cover-based shooting in Gears has never been as fluid, as responsive to player input. Weapons feel and sound fantastic and pack the punch that previous iterations struggled with. But it isn't just those meat and potatoes aspects - or the beautiful, colorful visual palette on display, a marked departure from Gears 1 and 2 - it's the entire package. Nothing in Gears of War 3 feels like an afterthought.