But the problem is that for as cool as it is to see building shrapnel rain down from the sky or a structure lumber toward the ground under its own weight, it’s shoehorned into a multiplayer mode that does little to make use of it. With each breaking piece, there’s a crunchy shudder and boom, and it made me imagine how much more entertaining the single-player/co-op would be if I could bring down skyscrapers on that map. And it is genuinely impressive to barrel a rocket toward the ankles of a massive granite statue and watch in the unfolding seconds as the weight and mass of the stone humanoid force it down, cracking the floor into chunks as it makes contact. Sometimes you just want to keep wrecking shit with the chainsaw gun.For as cool as it is to see building shrapnel rain down from the sky, it's shoehorned into a multiplayer mode that does little to make use of it.ĭestruction is the absolute high water mark in Wrecking Zone. Gears works best as a linear cover-shooter, not as something with “open-world” sensibilities. Thus far, Gears 5 is shaping up to be a solid Gears game, even if I’m not keen on the new things it’s trying. The tonal shift with the new games isn’t necessarily more interesting, but it’s more intimate. The original trilogy was, for the most part, a tale of large-scale conflict. It’s a personal story, a cue this game carries over from Gears of War 4. Gears 5 focuses on Kait, and unraveling her lineage is a narrative I want to see through to the end. Under these circumstances, Jack’s build would be far more useful and important. However, Gears 5 features three-player cooperative play, leaving one person to control Jack. Jack’s abilities aren’t really necessary except for sections where they’re shoehorned in. It’s a superfluous but inoffensive system.

For instance, you can switch between having shock traps or an area-of-effect scan that highlights all enemies. Apart from Jack’s passive traits, he has active abilities that can be swapped out. Components are hidden throughout the levels that let you enhance Jack’s abilities. Jack, the robot that always accompanies you, can be upgraded. There’s another relatively-major addition. (Also, I still maintain that active reload is one of gaming’s neatest simple mechanics.)

Waiting in cover, popping up for a few seconds of sustained fire, ducking back down, hitting an active reload, repeat until everything’s dead - that’s a loop that never really gets old. This cover-based shooter shows no signs of aging. That being said, Gears 5‘s combat is predictably excellent. Gears is best when the setting is small so that the action can be focused. The combat sequences are punchy and tense. The locales are self-contained and rife with detail. Once back in pursuit of the critical path, Gears 5 returns to form. There are optional locations that probably hold side quests, collectibles, or resources. Steering a skiff, we’re asked to traverse a snowy pass at our own leisure. Gears has never been subtle and it’s not about to start now. Corridor shootouts that lead to more corridor shootouts.

Heavy-handed exposition stitched together by loud setpieces. The end to Act 1 had me rolling my eyes with astonishment, convinced I wouldn’t see something more delightfully stupid in video games this year.įor a long time, Gears 5 feels exactly like the Gears everyone expects. The build is deceptively slow, considering that there’s always something explosive and ridiculous afoot. Halfway through the campaign, and I’m just now being introduced to Gears 5‘s major overhauls. MSRP: $59.99 included as part of Xbox Game Pass But there’s also a cognitive dissonance when the formula feels different from what we’ve come to expect from Gears over the past 13 years. Gears 5 strays from its roots and that’s commendable. Gears 5 feels huge at times.īut, in service of feeling like a Gears game, sometimes those changes are too much. There are structural changes so that developer The Coalition can sincerely call this the biggest Gears game ever. Gears 5 takes risks, more than just dropping the “ of War” from the title.

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