Gears of War is set in a violent world where humanity fights tooth and nail for its survival. A brand new threat, known only as The Swarm has emerged, and they look set to finish off humanity for good.
Gears of War 4 features a fully co-operative campaign following JD Fenix and his squad. Gears of War 4 also sees the return of PvP multiplayer, which is gearing up to be even more brutal than previous installments. For those of us who enjoy co-operative PvE however, The Coalition has revived Horde mode once again for Gears of War 4, and it's better than ever.
Here are the most important things you need to know about Gears of War 4's Horde Mode.
What is Horde Mode exactly?
Horde Mode is Gears of War's co-operative player vs. environment mode, which allows groups of up to five gamers to work together to defend a position from increasingly difficult waves of enemies and bosses.
With each wave, you'll be able to gain access to increasingly powerful defensive fortifications from barriers, to rocket turrets and more. After each match, you'll unlock permanent progression upgrades that advance your character and build your roster of skills and unlocks.
Historically, Horde has been an incredibly fun mode that added heaps of value to the core Gears package. Horde Mode 3.0 looks to build on that immeasurably in a similar way Warzone has for Halo 5. Gears of War 4's Horde mode was built with longevity in mind, and I can confirm that The Coalition have a long, long roadmap of content updates planned for Horde.
Buy once, play anywhere
Gears of War 4 is among the first batch of Play Anywhere titles. Microsoft announced the Play Anywhere program at E3 to show their commitment to gaming mobility. Whether you're on a Windows 10 PC or an Xbox One, purchasing the digital version of Gears of War 4 will net you a copy for both the Windows 10 PC Store and Xbox One.
Gears of War 4's co-operative modes, including co-op campaign, co-op versus, and the 5-player Horde mode will also feature cross-play between Xbox One and Windows 10.
Not only will you be able to play Gears of War 4 across devices, but your save data, achievements, in-game purchases and progression will also travel with you via your Microsoft Account.
Beyond the synchronizing of data and purchases, as a Play Anywhere title, Gears of War 4's co-operative modes, including co-op campaign, co-op versus, and the 5-player Horde mode will also feature cross play between Xbox One and Windows 10. This means that you can play with friends using the UWP Windows 10 version, even if you're playing on the Xbox One version.
Using the Windows 10 Xbox app, you'll also be able to jump into parties with Xbox gamers, join lobbies, and enjoy all the same features as your console gaming buddies. Awesome.
Horde Mode 3.0 has a card-based skill unlock system
After every ten waves, you will receive credits to spend on Horde Packs that contain a random set of cards. Unlike Halo's REQ system, Horde Skill Cards are permanent unlocks, which can then be selected and taken into battle at the beginning of the match. There are multiple tiers of each Skill Card. The lowest cards are passive upgrades, improving damage or speed. More powerful cards will feature more active skills, such as siphoning health while using shotguns as a Scout. You will also be able to unlock Strike cards, which allow you to call in a Mortar Strike, or a satellite Hammer of Dawn bombardment, and more.
Each classes' level determines the amount of cards they can bring into battle. Initially, you will only be able to select one card from a deck of around 11 total. As you level up by participating in Horde, you will be able to select up to five cards from your deck to improve and customize your classes' experience.
While the Gear Packs are randomized, you can destroy cards you don't want to create scrap, which can then be spent on Skill Cards you do want. Additionally, duplicate Skill Cards can be used to upgrade existing ones, and this type of progression will be essential if you want to take on the Insane difficulty mode. Consult the guide below for more information.
Learn to love The Fabricator
The Fabricator is a device that can be moved around by two players. It's also how you generate fortifications to defend your squad. Unlike previous versions of Horde, fortifications in Gears of War 4 can be placed anywhere.
I'm all over dat Fabricator. #GearsOfWar4 Horde Mode's gonna be a blast. pic.twitter.com/l2DhE2II9q
— Jez Corden (@JezCorden) 5 September 2016The Fabricator requires Power to generate fortifications. Scouts are supposed to collect Power from fallen enemies so that players can build different types of structures. Structures can be damaged, and even destroyed by encroaching DeeBees and Swarm mobs, so it's up to the Engineer to repair the fortifications, and up to the Sniper, Soldier and Heavy make certain enemies are destroyed before they waste your equipment.
The Fabricator can also construct a Weapons Locker that allows you to retain weapons between rounds. The Locker even regenerates ammo over time, and allows you to retain the most potent heavy weapons for deployment in more challenging waves, should you choose to.
Just like fortifications, the Fabricator can level up, providing access to more robust structures. You can also upgrade existing structures by lifting them off the ground, then pressing the upgrade key as long as you have enough resources.
Selecting a good spot for the Fabricator will form part of the strategic play inside Horde Mode after it has dropped into the middle of the map at the beginning of a round. Allowing your Engineer to utilize the Fabricator is always a good strategy, but nothing beats co-ordinated building efforts over voice communication. Playing with randoms often results in tons of wasted power.
Horde Mode 3.0 is class-based
Unlike earlier versions of Horde, Gears of War 4's edition features a class-based system. Teams of five players will be able to choose between the Engineer, Scout, Heavy, Sniper and Soldier classes to promote team-play with multiple layers of progression.
Horde Mode 3.0 does not lockout weapons to certain classes, as seen in Gears of War Judgement. Instead, each class will have a designated loadout that can be modified through the game's progression systems, adding new weapons into the mix.
That's not to say each class doesn't have a signature playstyle, and even then, you don't have to select a class if you don't want to. You can play a standard Gears of War character using general Skill Cards, but it's probably sub-optimal to do so. You can also customize your classes with cosmetic skins you have unlocked.
Here's a general overview of Horde 3.0's classes and Skill Cards.
Sniper
Snipers start with a Longshot and Markza sniper rifle and a Snub pistol. They focus on marksman weapons and long distance support. Snipers can use skills that improve headshots, precision damage, improved ammunition capacity, explosive rounds and faster reloads. Players who pick Sniper should have confidence in their aim and spend most of their time providing cover fire and weakening more powerful enemies with headshots.
Skill Cards:
- Explosive Headshot - Your headshot kills cause enemies to explode.
- Headshot Damage - Increases headshot damage.
- Mark Boost - Increases amount of enemies you can mark for your team.
- Precision Rifle Capacity - Increases ammo capacity for rifles.
- Precision Rifle Damage - Increases rifle damage.
- Precision Rifle Reload - Increases reload speed with rifles.
- Radar Ping - Allows you to spend Fabricator power to mark all nearby enemies.
- Sniper Strike - Spend Fabricator power to hit several enemies instantly.
Heavy
Heavies come equipped with a Retro Lancer, Boomshot, and Boltok pistol, and are designed to deal large amounts of damage across an area of effect. Heavies gain an advantage over larger enemies as a result and can pick up abilities that increase various types of weapon damage.
Skill Cards:
- Explosive Launcher Capacity - Increases ammo capacity for explosive weapons.
- Explosive Launcher Damage - Increases damage with explosive weapons.
- Explosive Launcher Reload - Increases reload speed with explosive weapons.
- Heavy Weapon Damage - Increases damage with heavy weapons.
- Marked Damage - Increases damage to targets that have been marked, useful in combination with a sniper.
- Turret Capacity - Increases ammo capacity for turrets built by the Heavy.
- Turret Damage - Increases damage while using turrets.
- Pistol expert - Massively increases damage with pistols.
- Mortar Strike - Calls in an explosive mortar attack in exchange for Fabricator power.
Scout
Scouts start with a Retro Lancer, a Gnasher shotgun, and a Snub pistol. Scouts are designed to roadie run around the map and collect power, which drops from defeated enemies. Power is spent on fortifications, which we'll get to in a minute. Some of the Scout's abilities include speed increases, extended capabilities in close range combat and doubled up power collection in combat.
Skill Cards:
- Brawler - Increased melee damage and increased resistance to melee damage.
- Deposit Bonus - Bonus to Fabricator power deposits.
- Energize - Power pickups heal the Scout.
- Health Boost - Increases the Scout's base health.
- Health Regeneration Boost - Increases the Scout's health regeneration speed.
- Pickup Distance - Increases the radius of power pickups.
- Rage - Melee and shotgun damage now heals the Scout.
- Shotgun Capacity - Increases ammo capacity with shotguns.
- Shotgun Damage - Increases damage dealt with shotguns.
- Shotgun Magazine - Increases the amount of ammo shotguns have before needing to be reloaded.
- Speed Boost - Increases the Scout's movement speed.
- X-Ray - Allows the Scout to see enemies through walls by holding down the Tac-Com key.
Soldier
Soldiers start with a Lancer, Gnasher, Snub pistol and grenades, and play like the classic Gears of War archetype. As an all-purpose class, Soldiers focus on killing enemies wherever they're found. Soldiers can improve things like explosive damage, ammo capacity, durability and reload speeds.
Skill Cards:
- Active Reload Boost - Increases damage bonus when performing an active reload.
- Assault Rifle Capacity - Increases ammo capacity with assault rifles, such as the Lancer.
- Assault Rifle Damage - Increases damage with assault rifles.
- Assault Rifle Magazine - Increases the amount of ammo assault rifles have before needing to be reloaded.
- Cover Boost - Provides damage reduction while in cover.
- Grenade Capacity - Increases the amount of grenades the Soldier can carry.
- Grenade Damage - Increases the damage of grenades.
- Grenade Plants - Increases the amount of grenades that can be planted as mines by the Soldier.
- Hammer of Dawn Strike - Allows the Soldier to call in a devastating orbital laser strike by spending power at the Fabricator.
Engineer
Engineers start with a sub-machine gun Enforcer, a Gnasher, and a Snub pistol. The Engineer is a little special, though, as they also come equipped with a repair tool, which is otherwise very expensive to purchase. Engineers gain access to abilities that help them set up defensive fortifications such as barriers, turrets, and decoys. Some of the skills include increasing the damage of fortifications, their speed, durability, in addition to decreasing construction costs.
Skill Cards:
- Barrier Cost - Barriers are now cheaper to build at the Fabricator.
- Barrier Health - Barriers now have more health when built by the Engineer.
- Decoy Cost - Decoys are now cheaper to build at the Fabricator.
- Decoy Health - Decoys now have more health when built by the Engineer.
- Repair Boost - The repair tool is now cheaper to use and repairs more quickly.
- Sentry Capacity - Sentry turrets built by the Engineer now have more ammo.
- Sentry Cost - Sentry turrets are now cheaper to build.
- Sentry Speed - Sentry turrets now have an increased rate of fire.
- Turret Cost - Turrets are now cheaper to build at the Fabricator.
- Turret Health - Turrets now have more health when built by the Engineer.
- Weapons Locker Cost - Weapons Lockers have a reduced cost to build at the Fabricator.
General
Some Skill Cards are accessible by all classes, and these are as follows.
Skill Cards:
- Build Cost - Reduces the amount of power required to build things at the Fabricator.
- Carry Speed - Your movement speed while carrying fortifications or heavy weapons is increased.
- Execution Bonus - Executed enemies drop way more power.
- Fortification Health - All Fabricator constructions now have increased health, stacking with other health buffs.
- Team Revive - You can spend power at the Fabricator to instantly revive fallen teammates.
Note: On casual difficulty, it's easy to go through all of Horde's 50 waves using virtually any composition, but in higher difficulties, Scouts and Engineers become almost mandatory for their ability to streamline fortification production.
Horde Mode is awesome
Far from being a tacked-on side feature, Horde 3.0 is a fleshed out and engaging way to play Gears of War 4, elevating the mode to levels we haven't seen before.
The fact you can place fortifications, turrets and decoys anywhere opens up all sorts of exciting possibilities for emergent gameplay, something Ryan Cleven was keen to emphasize in our recent interview. Make sure you check it out in the link below for more detail on the development of Horde mode.
We'll update this article in the future with more detail when it becomes available, including skill cards, classes, enemy types and more. Be sure to bookmark it for the future! Oh, and get those chainsaws polished.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is the first big PC game to be released exclusively as a Universal Windows Platform application and its problematic release highlights some of the key challenges Microsoft faces in moving forward with its storefront. In getting the game up and running, we encountered more issues than just about any other PC game we've played over the past year - a disappointing state of affairs considering Microsoft's ambitions for UWP. It's all been a bit of trial to be honest, and that's a shame as we rather enjoyed the Xbox One version, and hoped for even better things from the PC port.
Unfortunately, right now, it's difficult to avoid the sense that UWP simply isn't ready to host ambitious triple-A titles. It completely lacks the ability for users to tweak, mod and adjust game files (which would really help us in addressing some of Gears PC's fundamental issues), while the lack of support for often essential driver-level GPU functionality also compromises the ability for users to whip the gameplay experience into shape. Meanwhile, the Windows 10 background infrastructure itself is currently not fit for purpose in hosting larger PC titles - or even downloading and installing them smoothly. Put simply, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition shipped in a sub-optimal state, and owing to its status as a UWP title, users cannot use existing techniques to help address some of the key issues.
There is some good news though. While it's certainly been a difficult launch, the game's developer - The Coalition - is listening and has already released multiple patches that have improved the title. Bringing the game up to version 1.7, a multitude of improvements have been implemented, but we still have our fair share of complaints and remarkably, it seems that new bugs have been added to the game since we first played it. But as things stand right now, these are the reasons why we simply can't recommend Gears of War: Ultimate Edition - and why Microsoft has a steep mountain to climb in getting UWP into acceptable shape:
Installation woes: In the early days of PC gaming, installing a game and getting it up and running could often prove frustrating but these days, it couldn't be easier. Installing a PC game should be a simple task and it certainly seems as if Microsoft's own Windows Store should be able to provide just such an experience. It doesn't.
Navigating to the game is simple enough and beginning the installation seems to go smoothly, but when Windows decided to restart the computer to finish installing an update, things went off the rails. One would imagine that a simple restart wouldn't interfere with the installation of a game especially when Windows itself is handling the installation. It certainly isn't a problem with services such as Steam, uPlay, or GOG Galaxy, after all. Unfortunately, upon returning to Windows, we were plain stuck. The installation simply wouldn't budge and kept returning errors while attempting to restart the download. So we attempted to remove the game via the Windows Store only to discover that the error messages would immediately return when trying to re-install.
Eventually, we took control of the windows app folder, deleted the incomplete data, and restarted the download. This finally did the trick but the average consumer may struggle to reach that point, especially when the installation files are so locked down by default. On another machine we encountered an issue of messaging - the installation started just fine but every time it reached 30 per cent, we received a vague error message. The issue? Not enough space on the SSD to complete the installation. This feels like something that should have been communicated to the user before beginning the installation. Either way, we understand that installation issues are out of the developer's hands, but it was still a highly frustrating experience that left a negative first impression - and suggests that the Windows 10 store has a long way to go in even getting the absolute basics nailed.
Frame-pacing that cannot be fixed: Once in the game, it's clear that Gears Ultimate suffers from frame-pacing issues when the frame-rate cap is engaged. Why engage the cap at all, you may ask? Well, despite running well on relatively low-power Xbox One hardware, this is one demanding game on PC - an overclocked i7 5820K/GTX 970 combo simply isn't enough to deliver a completely stable 60fps at 1080p, let alone 1440p and higher. That's where the 30fps cap comes in handy - in theory, it should allow you to ramp up the quality settings and still get a consistent experience. In fact, it is actually the default setting here but this particular implementation doesn't quite work as we'd hope. We often see unique and duplicate frames clustered together out of order resulting in noticeable judder - something you don't see on Xbox One.
Normally, when we encounter such an issue, the solution is simple - engage adaptive v-sync from the driver level, utilise the 30fps cap in Nvidia Inspector or use the always trusty Riva Tuner Statistics Server. Thanks to the enforced borderless window mode and other frustrating Universal Windows Platform limitations, it's not actually possible to use any of these methods or tools. Simply put, it is not possible to solve this problem at the moment and none of the patch notes have made mention of it. If you're playing at 30fps and wondering why it feels less fluid than the Xbox One version, this is why.
Universal Windows Platform: Tying directly into our previous issue, we have Microsoft's controversial UWP initiative. Basically, UWP programs lack support for exclusive full-screen (meaning it's impossible to turn off v-sync - something Microsoft is working on) and are unable to take advantage of third party tools such as Riva Tuner Statistics Server. The Windows format container eliminates the possibility for user-created mods, also making it incredibly difficult to make adjustments and fixes to the title outside of the game. Also, title availability is limited to the Window 10 Marketplace - which currently has no wording in place to suggest that software purchased through this store will remain available in perpetuity.
When taken together, you're looking at something closer to a console game than a proper PC game without the guarantee that you'll be able to play it years down the road - a sticky point for us when considering that any games purchased through the now defunct 'Games for Windows Marketplace' are no longer available for download. When you encounter issues with a game - and we certainly did - it suddenly becomes dramatically more difficult or impossible to work around them thanks to UWP. Once again, it's clear that The Coalition can only do so much within the UWP environment but we certainly hope that user complaints resonate with the right individuals in order to enact a change here. We're all for more choice in the PC space, but as things stand right now, the UWP set-up is actually taking away options from PC gamers.
Performance problems: Aside from the aforementioned frame-pacing issues, Gears of War turns in performance that falls short of expectations bearing in mind its origins on Xbox One hardware. While version 1.7 is dramatically better than the launch release on certain hardware configurations, it's still far from optimal. Gears Ultimate actually includes a built-in performance test but we found that these results do not suitably represent the experience you'll encounter in-game. We were able to reach a stable 60fps in the benchmark without issue, but once in the game, it was clear that the frame-rate wasn't holding.
Beyond that, we encountered stuttering when transitioning between areas - something that has been improved since launch but still remains sub-optimal. The team has continued to promise further support but we are somewhat sceptical on this matter as some of these issues are inherent to Unreal Engine 3 itself. Even going back to the original release of Gears of War for Windows in 2007, stuttering and hitching as data was loaded was a common complaint. Over the years, this problem has persisted in a great number of Unreal Engine 3 titles with the worst offender being last year's Batman: Arkham Knight on the PC - a game that was never completely fixed. That's not to say the scope of the problems here are anything like that serious, but let's just say we'll remain cautiously optimistic on improvements in this area until we see results.
AMD-specific performance issues: The first couple of weeks have been rough for AMD owners trying to play this game. Gears Ultimate was rushed to the store before AMD had any idea that it was being released - the company simply didn't have the opportunity to prepare new drivers in time. Even the high-end Fury X was struggling to get anywhere near 60fps, not to mention the severe corruption with ambient occlusion enabled. However, as this is DirectX 12, the drivers can no longer bear the full weight of the blame - this is an issue with Gears itself. Thankfully, the current situation is greatly improved on AMD hardware with performance numbers nearly doubling in some cases on high-end Radeon cards such as the Fury X. But the fact that the game shipped in this state is quite remarkable and calls into question the extent to which it was actually tested before release.
Elimination of split-screen: Split-screen on the PC is not a common feature but it's incredibly simple to use multiple gamepads on a PC these days so it feels like the right time for it. This mode was available on Xbox One but unfortunately, suffered from noticeable frame-rate drops in comparison to the single-player mode. The PC platform has the potential to eliminate these problems and deliver a much smoother split-screen experience. There's been no mention of its absence and it's unlikely it will return. A shame.
Problems changing settings: With the latest patch, we've run into an unexpected issue - changes made to the graphics settings are no longer saved. Perhaps a permissions issue within Windows? It's not clear, but even when re-installing the game from scratch, this problem remains on our test rig. This feature previously functioned without issue but we can no longer make changes. Without the ability to easily access the game's .ini file, this issue suddenly becomes much more problematic. For the moment, we're locked into high settings with textures set to ultra - and there's nothing we can do about it.
Connectivity issues: Even on the latest patch, we've continued to struggle with online connectivity. When starting up the game we've often received messages indicating that Gears was unable to download the required title file. It has functioned previously but as of late, we regularly encounter such messages and are no longer able to join games. When the multiplayer is working, prepare for a very low number of players. Of course, the game's campaign is enjoyable regardless of these issues but it is frustrating nonetheless. Perhaps the sudden appearance of this issue ties back into the difficulty in saving settings mentioned above? Either way, re-installing the game did not solve the issue and troubleshooting a UWP game is less than a pleasant experience due to a fundamental lack of control and user-side options.
Missing settings: The settings menu lacks certain features that we would have hoped for in a PC version of the game. Anti-aliasing options leave much to be desired, for instance, where it is currently only possible to select FXAA. In an interview we conducted last year, we were told that MSAA was on the cards, but The Coalition simply hasn't delivered here. Beyond that, the ability to adjust the game's level of anisotropic filtering is also absent while ambient occlusion is limited to HBAO+ - a fantastic option but one that isn't well suited for slower hardware.
So clearly there are issues with this port, but how does it stack up to the Xbox One version? Is this experience still improved despite these problems? To start with, the Xbox One version of Ultimate runs at 1080p in both single and multiplayer modes. The campaign is capped at 30fps and suffers from minor tearing in more demanding scenes while the multiplayer operates at a full 60fps. Clearly, the PC version has the potential to exceed the Xbox One version in terms of performance and image quality then, but is there anything else here?
The most significant improvement is the inclusion of even higher resolution textures. Many of the game's surfaces now enjoy more defined details that add an additional layer of depth to the presentation. At 1080p, the difference is rather subtle, but as the resolution increases the improved texture quality becomes quite welcome. You require a significant amount of VRAM in order to enjoy these textures and when the game first launched, it wasn't exactly clear how much memory was needed, but in the latest version, the game now spells it out in the options menu. The lowest resolution setting requires 1GB of VRAM and delivers very low quality textures. The medium setting, which is consistent with Xbox One, demands 2GB while high requires 3GB. Moving up to ultra requires 4GB while the highest setting, labeled as '4K', demands a full 6GB.
Due to the issues with saving settings, we were unable to test the texture streaming performance at different levels, but in earlier versions of the game, we saw some interesting results. Rather than simply trying to load higher resolution assets at the expense of performance, the game seemed to dynamically adjust texture resolution based on available VRAM. On a 3GB card, the higher settings produce a significant number of very low resolution textures leaving the world in a rather blurry state. Once we slapped in a 4GB GPU instead, these issues immediately disappeared. While enhanced artwork is obviously welcome, remember that Gears' performance overhead makes running at higher resolutions challenging for all but the most powerful hardware, limiting the possibilities offered by this welcome upgrade.
A professional critiques gaming horticulture.
On top of that, there are some unfortunate holdovers from Xbox One here that may disappoint some PC players - a reliance on pre-rendered cut-scenes. All of the game's cinematics, which were real-time in the Xbox 360 and PC originals, have been remade for Ultimate Edition and stored as pre-rendered sequences. The issue, of course, lies in the mismatch between video quality and real-time graphics. These scenes are limited to 1080p so users with higher resolution displays are bound to notice the inherent lack of sharpness in these sequences.
Based on what we've played so far, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is slowly evolving into a workable port. Many of the issues encountered on day one have been corrected and others are under review. The team at The Coalition is clearly working hard to make things right but there are limits to what can be done here due to longstanding issues with Unreal Engine 3 and the severe limitations of UWP. If you have a powerful rig, it's possible to enjoy Gears Ultimate at a mostly steady 60fps. You'll encounter minor hitches and skips here and there, but it should be very playable. On slower machines, however, the frame-pacing issues present when using the 30fps cap actually make for a less pleasant experience compared to the Xbox One original. That's all presuming you don't encounter issues in simply getting up and running. Installation problems, connectivity woes and more run the risk of spoiling the fun. For the moment, we suggest approaching with caution.
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Forgotten your details? The Gears of War series is 10 years old now, but it’s been half a decade since the humans triumphed over the alien threat in the original trilogy. Gears of War 4 represents several firsts for the series. Not only is it the first time a Gears game has appeared on Xbox One, but it’s also the first time any developer other than Epic Games has had a crack at it. Now that Epic has moved on, a team called The Coalition built this installment from the ground up, but the obvious question is whether the new team is up to the task. So far, this is what we’ve gathered from the new installment and why we think its well worth the money.
Excellent story
Maybe you don’t play shooters for their stories. That’s understandable, because many triple-A shooters don’t have stories worth following. Thankfully, Gears of War 4 does. It’s not some massive Tom-Clancy-on-steroids plot like you’ll find in games like Call of Duty, but its simple narrative is easy to follow over its roughly nine hour campaign. (It says something about the state of shooters that a followable storyline is considered praiseworthy, but that’s where we’re at these days.)
The game takes place 25 years after the events of the Gears of War 3. Humanity is finally at peace. Most people live in cities, which are protected by advanced combat robots the government built to help preserve the human race against any other threats that might be lurking in space. The game centers around a group of friends led by J.D. Fenix — the son of Marcus Fenix, who will be familiar to anyone who played the previous games — as they flee the city, meet up with Marcus, and take on a whole new threat.
Despite the brutal violence Gears is known for — which is still very much present here — the story delves into the relationships between the characters, making it feel much more personal than most other shooters.
Buy Gears Of War Stuff
Killer graphics
The graphics in Gears of War 4 are the best we’ve seen yet | Microsoft
Let’s not beat around the bush: Gears of War 4 is the best-looking game on Xbox One to date. From the stunning caves and forests you fight your way through, to the various enemies you encounter, everything looks incredible. Unlike its often drab predecessors, this installment even has bright environments, filled with the whole spectrum of colors and shades. And the storms that roll through some of the environments? They send debris flying through the air and shake every tree in sight. Visually speaking, this game is a stunner.
Great enemy variety
The enemies in Gears of War 4 are totally unique compared to the enemies in previous games | Microsoft
In Gears of War 4, you’ll be going up against two types of enemies: the robot enforcers mentioned above, and the Swarm, a new type of alien for the series. Some Swarm villains act similar to the Locusts you fought in the previous games, while others do strange, awful things like emit toxic gas clouds, or even gobble you up, taking you out of the fray until a teammate guns them down.
The robotic enemies are called DBs, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They can absorb a lot of bullets before they die, and they’re awfuly reckless in combat. Some DBs fly, some duck behind cover, and some rush at you in a suicidal attack when you chip their health down low enough. Suffice it to say you’ll need to come up with new tactics to take on the enemies this go-round.
Top notch gameplay
Gears of War 4 is a satisfying and fun game to play for Xbox One | Microsoft
One of the strong points of Gears of War has always been how satisfying the game feels to play. Basic things like your heavy footfalls and the way the camera wobbles when you sprint give the games a style all its own. Add to that the satisfying sprint-to-cover mechanic and the adrenaline burst when you nail an active reload, and you’ve got a game that just feels good to play. Satisfying gameplay is a tough thing to nail down, but Gears of War 4 gets it just right.
Lots of multiplayer modes
Horde mode in Gears of War 4 is a hit with players | Microsoft
The campaign is fun for as long as it lasts, but what really gives a shooter longevity is its online offerings. Thankfully, Gears of War 4 delivers. The centerpiece of the multiplayer modes is, of course, Horde mode. But if you thumb past that, you’ll discover a lot of other creative modes you won’t find anywhere else.
In Dodgeball mode, for instance, players who die are eliminated from the game until someone else on your team gets a kill, at which point you can come back in. In Escalation mode, each team is vying for control of three points on the map; capture all three, and you win the round. Arms Race mode gives everyone on a team the same weapon until they rack up a certain number of kills. Then, everyone’s weapon switches to something new, making you have to change your strategy on a dime. Each new mode offers a unique twist, and there are enough of them that you’re bound to find at least one you like.
Horde mode still reins supreme
Defend waves of enemies during Horde mode in the new Gears of War 4 | Microsoft
Horde mode continues to reign supreme for players. Like in previous installments, you and your team members are tasked with taking on wave after wave of enemies. Between waves, you spend “energy” to set up automatic weapons and defenses that will help you in the next wave.
The big new idea this time around is the class system. Before the fight, each player chooses a class, granting them a unique perk in the session. For instance, scouts collect more energy from downed enemies between rounds. Engineers get a discount when building defenses, and Heavies deal extra damage when they use heavy weapons.
As you’d probably expect, Horde mode remains as exciting and challenging as ever. It’s particularly enjoyable when you play with a group of friends.
Verdict: Play it
Gears of War 4 is a not game you want to miss | Microsoft
The bottom line is that Gears of War 4 is a game worth playing. It might not veer too far from what came before, but it’s a more-than-promising start of a new chapter in the franchise.
The Coalition has delivered a gorgeous game that adds smart new ideas that fit right into the established Gears of War universe. Maybe this game will give them the confidence to change things up a little more next time around. But even if they continue to make minor changes while mostly sticking with what works, it’s safe to say the series is in good hands.
Microsoft's exclusive Gears of War series is one of the most popular to hit Xbox, with the Lancer and its chainsaw bayonet as recognizable as Halo’s iconic Warthog. And at the Microsoft E3 2019 keynote, the company announced Gears 5 is coming out September 10, 2019.
Called Gears 5 rather than Gears 'of War' 5 the latest game in the series will have a female protagonist, Kait. Marcus Phoenix will still appear, but Kait will take the starring role as she leads her team on a personal mission continuing from the emotional ending of Gears of War 4.
Microsoft shared more details about Gears 5 during it's E3 2019 conference: a new 3-player online and local co-op mode 'Escape,' a special character pack featuring Terminator skins in a crossover with the upcoming 'Terminator: Dark Fate' film, and a new teaser.
Another fun addition: Gears 5 will get a Map Editor, a first for the series, per an Xbox official tweet. And if you sign up for the new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can play the game four days early on September 6.
[Update: In a blog post it's been confirmed that Gears 5 won't have loot boxes or season passes. Read on to find out more. And don't forget to check our hands on with the game from E3 2019.]
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The fifth game in the main Gears of War series, potentially acting as the middle chapter in a second trilogy
- When’s it out? September 10, 2019
- What can I play it on? Xbox One, and PC (maybe. See below for more details)
Gears 5 trailers
At E3 2019, Microsoft gave more details about Gears 5, including the new 3-player co-op mode Escape. Here's the trailer, showing off the three new characters who will fight to get out of a Locust-infested area.
Microsoft and The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson confirmed Gears of War 5 during the Xbox Keynote at E3 2018. To go alongside the announcement we got a new trailer starring Kait Diaz, Marcus Fenix and the rest of the Gears crew. Locusts will again play a major role in the series when the game comes out later this year.
You can check out the Gears 5 announcement trailer below:
Gears 5 release date
Gears 5 is coming on September 10, 2019, as Microsoft announced during its E3 2019 keynote. But you can get it four days early on September 6 if you subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Gears 5 news and features
No loot boxes or season passes
As we count down the days until Gear 5's September release, The Coalition has announced some more details around how players will be earning new content and items as they play.
In Gears 5, all DLC maps will be free in both matchmaking and private play scenarios and there won't be any loot boxes in sight.
New content will be earned through the Tour of Duty system. This will involve daily challenges and medals that you can complete to rank up and earn cosmetic rewards and you'll also get some of the in-game currency, Iron. It will, according to Coalition, be clear what's required of you to earn each item and there will be no premium, pay-only content in Tour of Duty.
As well as getting a small amount of Iron through Tour of Duty, you'll also be able to buy it using real-world currency. All store purchases will also be direct so there won't be any RNG causing issues.
Another way to unlock new content will simply be by playing - supply drops will happen at random as you rack up the hours and these can't be purchased with real-world currency. If you get a duplicate item, it'll automatically be scrapped and you'll be able to use the remnants to craft new items or upgrade skills.
E3 2019
We got hands on with Gears 5 during E3 2019. Our first impressions of Escape Mode are that it's a fun co-op experience but that it runs the risk of growing repetitive.
XO18 show
During the XO18 show in November, 2018, The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson promised 'a bunch of innovations, a bunch of changes, a bunch of things that are really exciting and different but still feel like Gears of War' (via GamesRadar).
Cult of personality
During the XO18 show in November, 2018, The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson
explained the studio wants to prove it can still provide 'an authentic Gears of War experience' and that Gears 5 will be about 'bringing The Coalition’s personality to the game' (via GamesRadar).
explained the studio wants to prove it can still provide 'an authentic Gears of War experience' and that Gears 5 will be about 'bringing The Coalition’s personality to the game' (via GamesRadar).
E3 2018
Gears of War 5 was confirmed during E3 2018, and will be called Gears 5 to be released in 2019. Following on from the ending of Gears of War 4, this game will follow Kait as the star of a new trilogy. Breaking her chain of command, the game will follow Kait as she breaks the chain of command and takes her squad on a decidedly personal mission.
PC Gaming
Microsoft has been pushing its PC Play Anywhere program, that sees you able to take your Xbox games and play them on Windows PCs. Gears of War 4 made use of it way back in 2016, so there’s no reason why Microsoft would drop the service for a sequel. (Which is a nice change, considering Gears of War 2 and 3 never saw releases on PC.)
What we want to see from Gears 5
Unanswered questions
Gears of War 4 ended with JD and Kait fighting their way through the Swarm to try and save Reyna, Kait’s mother, only to find it was too late. Reyna wasn’t dead but the Swarm were trying to integrate her into their hive and removing her would kill her. But, at Reyna’s request, JD and Kait tear her away from the Swarm.
Before she does, Reyna teases a great mystery: she gives Kait a necklace that she says she was given by her own mother, Kait’s grandmother. The symbol is one Gears fans will recognize looks remarkably similar to one worn by Queen Myrrah of the Locust, your nemesis in original trilogy. A Gears sequel would have to explore this further – are Reyna and Kait descendants of the Locust?
There are hints that Adam Fenix, Marcus’ father, JD’s grandfather was close to Myrrah before the wars, so there’s a chance that Locusts and humans coupled but it would be new territory for a Gears of War game to explore.
Wish List
Besides continuing the campaign story, we’d like to see more of the changed world we were introduced to in Gears of War 4. Taking place 25 years after the original trilogy, the sequel is set in a world where humans were forced to abandon fossil fuels and collect together in small martial law-governed encampments and violent windstorms sweep the land, tearing up anything left unprotected.
Gears of War 5 should explore that further, showing us how desperate humans are trying to fight off the Swarm on a planet that is trying to kill them.
Gears Of War Stuff
The Coalition worked to make Gears of War 4’s battlefields more dynamic places, giving you the ability to pull enemies out of cover and leap forward with short range charges. A sequel should continue this, giving players greater freedom of movement and ways to break stalemates between human and Swarm forces.
The original Gears of War cemented the cover shooter as a subgenre, now its sequels have to rattle its foundations by taking away the safety of sitting behind a low wall.
(Image credits: The Coalition/Microsoft)
Gears Of War Stuff That Are Made
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