I knew it was coming. Reviews, youtube searches (all I typed in was "Gears of" and the surprise was ruined). Most people even told me when it was going to happen. When I reached a certain part of the game, I damn near choked up. I turned the console off and I sat there for a minute thinking how awesome the game is.
It's not for everybody but for people that played Gears 1 and 2, and got invested in the characters and the story, Gears 3 is one hell of an amazing game. Is it the best of all time? It takes time for a game to claim that title. Lot's of games give you that "Holy shit, that was awesome!" feeling during that first playthrough but they just don't have that timeless feel after a few months pass.
I will say that after re-playing Gears 1 and 2, the series has held up incredibly well. Also, after a bit of initial disappointment with Gears 3, the narrative has found quite a nice pace. I love the game. It may end up as the best trilogy I've ever played (Mass Effect is also in the running). It may be the best third person shooter ever made. Best game? I can't call it. Midway through act 4, it's all I can think about.
