For the second time in as many weeks, another GoW game was released. However, this isn’t a new God of War but a new Gears of War. Judgment is a prequel in the lore of the Gears of War story. This one doesn’t focus on the exploits of chainsaw-wielding, steroid-using hero Marcus Fenix but Damon Baird who was a secondary character in the previous trilogy of games.

Were the critics tired of another game in another franchise that might just be getting milked to death or was something special done with the 4th (Microsoft) GoW game?

IGN (9.2/10): Halfway through, I realized this is the best third-person shooter around. By the end, it’s clear that it’s paving a path other developers could (and hopefully will) follow.

Gaming Nexus (8.5/10): Gears of War Judgment gives fans of the series exactly what they were probably expecting. The campaign is solid and the declassification system and star ratings add a new dimension, but it’s still just the same old cover-based shooting from Gears of War 3… The multiplayer, on the other hand, continues to grow and change.

The Escapist (4/5): Gears of War: Judgment is gorgeous in its destruction and the gunplay is simply unmatched, as has been the case with every Gears title since its inception. The fact that the game doesn’t offer anything significantly new is definitely a point against it, but it remains undeniably fun to play.

Video Gamer (7/10): Judgment is a solid effort that, in some ways, changes the Gears formula for the better. Whether it will be remembered as anything other than a stopgap is questionable, but small qualms aside, it’s a good one.

Giant Bomb (3/5): Judgment’s campaign twists the Gears formula in some interesting ways, but the rest of the package feels pretty thin for a full-priced retail product.