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GEARS OF WAR 4 (XONE)
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Publisher: Microsoft.
Developer: The Coalition. Released: October 2016. Genre: Third-person shoot 'em up. Other versions: PC. Posted 7th January 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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After Epic Games’ quartet of third-person shooters would prove among the most lucrative exclusives of the seventh generation, Microsoft would secure the Gears of War I.P. from Epic Games in time for its debut on Xbox One. The newly-formed Coalition studio would assume development duties for the fourth mainline instalment, in a situation not unlike that with 343 Industries taking the reigns from Bungie on Halo 4. Gears 4 is a relatively safe effort, looking to establish a trilogy with new characters and refine rather than evolve. Despite this and a few other quirks, Gears 4 is a satisfying and burly shooter that will please fans of the series, even if it might not convert sceptics.
On the ground, Gears of War 4 will be easy to pick up for the initiated. A third-person shooter with a focus on cover mechanics, most of the new additions are relatively minor. Along with iconic weapons like the lancer and hammerburst, new armaments have been added and prove relatively satisfying, including the Buzzkill which fires buzzsaws which ricochet off the environment and the Dropshot which lets you deploy explosive drills. A couple of physical manoeuvres have been added, allowing you to shoulder tackle enemies to stun them briefly and pull enemies out of their cover and perform a gory knife finish. Gears has always benefitted from polished shooting, great cover mechanics and a plethora of awesome weapons, so while the minor additions maybe seem unfulfilling, they merely prove the cherry on the top of this already-delicious sundae.
Gears of War 4 finds the series in familiar territory, but the visuals utilise the Xbox One hardware to impressive effect
Gears of War 4 is a full-featured shooter, with three distinct modes of play. Campaign is perhaps the weakest link, set 25 years after Gears 3. Following JD Fenix, Del Walker and Kait Diaz, outsiders who raid COG locations for resources and supplies, they soon stumble into a more monstrous threat, as their entire village is kidnapped by disturbing creatures. The campaign’s main issue is pacing, as the first act in particular is dull, seeing you fight waves of machines that lack the visceral impact of the fleshy Locust from before. The game really hits its stride in the third act, where the villains of the piece are finally revealed and prove a scary threat, aping the first game’s horror elements. The other issue is characterisation, as JD Fenix proves a rather bland lead, though at least benefits from great chemistry between his two allies. Not to mention, old-man Marcus may be the star of the show, his crusty cynicism adding greatly to the trio. But overall, it’s one of the weaker Gears campaigns to date, lacking the memorability or engaging story of the first three games, bar a few sequences involving Windflares, vicious storms that let you send environmental debris into enemies and dodge lightning.
Co-op is the next piece of the puzzle, allowing you to complete the entire campaign with another player, alongside the return of Horde. Tasked with surviving a 50-wave onslaught of enemies, The Coalition have expanded the experience with some smart changes. The defensive mechanics see a huge upgrade, with everything governed by the Fabricator. Vanquished enemies drop points and these can then be spent on creating defensive barriers, turrets and weapons. Not only that, but a Class system gives players a distinct role, allowing you to specialise in Soldier, Heavy, Scout, Sniper and Engineer. These are pretty self-explanatory, letting players switch between them each game and level up. Not only that, but skill cards add special perks, with higher-level classes being able to use multiple at once. Benefits such as Heavies dealing more explosive damage, Snipers causing increased critical shots and Engineers affording cheaper fortifications, make Horde perhaps the most in-depth to date, and arguably the most challenging, requiring absolute teamwork to conquer on the harder settings.
Co-op is the next piece of the puzzle, allowing you to complete the entire campaign with another player, alongside the return of Horde. Tasked with surviving a 50-wave onslaught of enemies, The Coalition have expanded the experience with some smart changes. The defensive mechanics see a huge upgrade, with everything governed by the Fabricator. Vanquished enemies drop points and these can then be spent on creating defensive barriers, turrets and weapons. Not only that, but a Class system gives players a distinct role, allowing you to specialise in Soldier, Heavy, Scout, Sniper and Engineer. These are pretty self-explanatory, letting players switch between them each game and level up. Not only that, but skill cards add special perks, with higher-level classes being able to use multiple at once. Benefits such as Heavies dealing more explosive damage, Snipers causing increased critical shots and Engineers affording cheaper fortifications, make Horde perhaps the most in-depth to date, and arguably the most challenging, requiring absolute teamwork to conquer on the harder settings.
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Lastly, there’s the multiplayer, which is more of an update than an upgrade. Many of the modes return from previous games, including Execution and Warzone, but a couple of new modes make an appearance too. Dodgeball is a twist on Warzone, where dead team members can be revived by killing an opponent, until all five lives are drained, Arms Race is a team-based modification of Master at Arms from Judgment, and Escalation expands on Domination from the same game, allowing players to place weapons on the map as rounds proceed. One of the cooler additions is co-op versus Bots, allowing more casual play as opposed to the fiercely competitive matches with human players: you can even go up to Insane difficulty to challenge yourself. Multiplayer is fun, and rarely suffering any sort of connectivity issues, though it’s a shame there aren’t a few more new modes to engage in. Some maps do stand out though, such as one that sees a Windflare become a hazard for both teams.
While Epic were not on board for this one, Gears 4 would still use the Unreal Engine, and it’s fourth iteration represents visual excellence. The cut-scenes are a highlight, utilising amazing rendering and shadows to give characters an almost lifelike appearance, though they do see a downgrade during gameplay. Environments benefit from both a post-apocalyptic overlay and the macabre takeover of the new enemy, with pulsating pods and slimy tentacles making it repulsive. Performance is generally strong, with gameplay rarely chugging. The sound is mixed, as both the voice acting and soundtrack lack the same memorable traits of previous games, though some banter between the trio hits the mark and John DiMaggio knocks it out of the park as grumpy Marcus. The effects remain a treat, from the gruesome slashing of the lancer to the gibbed explosions.
While Epic were not on board for this one, Gears 4 would still use the Unreal Engine, and it’s fourth iteration represents visual excellence. The cut-scenes are a highlight, utilising amazing rendering and shadows to give characters an almost lifelike appearance, though they do see a downgrade during gameplay. Environments benefit from both a post-apocalyptic overlay and the macabre takeover of the new enemy, with pulsating pods and slimy tentacles making it repulsive. Performance is generally strong, with gameplay rarely chugging. The sound is mixed, as both the voice acting and soundtrack lack the same memorable traits of previous games, though some banter between the trio hits the mark and John DiMaggio knocks it out of the park as grumpy Marcus. The effects remain a treat, from the gruesome slashing of the lancer to the gibbed explosions.
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Gears of War 4 is a safe, yet satisfying shooter that proves a solid starting point for The Coalition. While it seems wary to move away from the path set by its predecessors and perhaps lacks the memorable set pieces that defined the original trilogy, Gearheads will still find plenty to love here. The Horde is perhaps the deepest yet, and the multiplayer proves addictive and accessible. While the campaign isn’t the strongest, it does have redeeming qualities and fun to be had in co-op. It won’t change the mind of sceptics, but anyone who has enjoyed putting time into this series would do well to experience this one.
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VERDICT
"While Gears of War 4 seems wary to move away from the path set by its predecessors and perhaps lacks the memorable set pieces that defined the original trilogy, Gearheads will still find plenty to love here." OVERALL: 7/10 |
MORE GEARS OF WAR SERIES GAME REVIEWS
Gears of War (2006, Xbox 360)
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Gears of War 2 (2008, Xbox 360)
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