Review
Played on: Xbox One
Released: 2016
Released: 2016
Excitement grew as the release date for the next instalment of Gears of War grew closer. Microsoft's new and dedicated Gears developer, The Coalition, gave us a remake of the first game last year, review here. Something to feed hungry fans like me, while waiting for the fourth game. The result was an incredibly well crafted remake and inspired the developers to return to the darker and creepy tone of the first game.
The larger scale of Gears 2 and 3 are still present in Gears 4, albeit more subtle, as it focuses on a closer, more intimate depiction of the four main characters. This game is more about isolation, survival and loneliness. This shift back to the very first games style, is a very welcome approach.
Gears 4 is the first huge budget title to feature the incredible Unreal Engine 4. While the Unreal 3 engine dominated many last generation games, there were literally tons of titles using it. UE4, on the other hand, has had a slower start this generation. PC gamers and Xbox One owners alike, can finally get a taste of the new engine, even in coop playing together cross-platform!
Gears 4 is the first huge budget title to feature the incredible Unreal Engine 4. While the Unreal 3 engine dominated many last generation games, there were literally tons of titles using it. UE4, on the other hand, has had a slower start this generation. PC gamers and Xbox One owners alike, can finally get a taste of the new engine, even in coop playing together cross-platform!
Let's take a closer look at the difficult task of continuing a highly regarded and loved series, which rounded itself up last gen. It's a tricky one to follow both story related and technically.
It's a darker and a more brutal approach, injecting a much loved creepier atmosphere. You'll find yourself in terrible weather conditions, on a brutal and hostile environment. Throughout the game you have to battle not just enemies, but also weather and environmental hazards.
Gears 4 focuses on natural locations, such as woodlands, mountains, fields and caves. It's a beautiful way of showcasing UE4's huge diversity, but also some of the best lighting, particle and environmental detail I've seen so far in games. At times the game looks like a playable tech demo!
Gears 4 focuses on natural locations, such as woodlands, mountains, fields and caves. It's a beautiful way of showcasing UE4's huge diversity, but also some of the best lighting, particle and environmental detail I've seen so far in games. At times the game looks like a playable tech demo!
There's also visually, eye catching castles, ruins and post-war inspired buildings to traverse. They all lend this beautiful Gears design perfectly and show the developers have carefully designed the game to keep a Gears uniqueness to it's visuals. The darker areas also build tension in a better way, making you feel more vulnerable and scared as you're constantly attacked by vicious enemies.
Gameplay feels exactly as it has been before, with a focus on trench type of warfare, but is more smoothly animated with precision and responsiveness put at the front seat. There are some new and subtle options to climb over covers and pulling enemies over them too. New types of enemies give Gears veterans new challenges and new weapon additions give fresh, new ways to dispose of them.
I really enjoyed the way you can manipulate a lot of the environment surrounding you, especially when you're in wind storms. Loosening some heavy objects with a few bullets, sends them blowing over the landscape and crushing the enemy. It's not just fun to watch, but an incredibly satisfying gameplay mechanic!
Long-time, multiplayer, Gears fans will be pleased to know that Gears 4 has a ton on offer. All the popular modes are back and just like the Gears 1: Ultimate Edition, last year, the multiplayer runs at 60fps, versus the singleplayer 30fps on Xbox One.
A clever choice, as gamers require better framerate performance for multiplayer. I only tested leveling up a bit in King of the Hill, my personal favourite MP mode, and found it just as good as Gears 3. The much loved Horde mode, where you and three other friends are under constant attack from waves of enemies, is back with even larger, fleshed out, base building features.
The only gripe I had with MP was the lack of true player customisation. The fact that you either need to buy gear packs, or play for endless hours, to have even a chance at requiring certain outfits or weapons skins, feels like a sell out in these micro transaction focused days. I wish they'd done this in another way.
My love for the series has always been with the singleplayer though, and Gears 4 left me wanting even more! It's perhaps a tad short but the return to a darker and more creepy Gears left me happy nonetheless. The variation from action orientated levels to darker atmospheric ones, were nice changes of pace throughout the game.
The only gripe I had with MP was the lack of true player customisation. The fact that you either need to buy gear packs, or play for endless hours, to have even a chance at requiring certain outfits or weapons skins, feels like a sell out in these micro transaction focused days. I wish they'd done this in another way.
I enjoyed that they implemented horde mode during the campaign too, letting you build up defences as you're relentlessly attacked by tons of enemies. It teaches you how to play the mode, in a discreet and incorporated manner woven inside the main campaign.
The main characters are great too, the banter between J.D and his dad is funny and the new female lead, Kait, has a strong personality and looks the kick-ass part as a COG soldier. I also liked J.D.'s friend Delmont, which in a way replaces the much loved Marcus and Dom childhood friendship. All in all, the diversity of characters is fantastic, and the story surrounding them even more so. It switches from fun and lighthearted dialogue, to some very dark and saddening ones, in an even more convincing way, that the previous games already cleverly did.
I found Gears 4 to be all what I wished for in a new generational start for the series. To follow up on, perhaps one of the best series last generation and continue it's trilogy of amazing games, was always going to be a difficult task. Gears 4 does a great job at it and feels just like a natural progression of the series into newer times. In fact, it actually keeps itself a little too much to fundamentals of the series and one could accuse it of taking little chances of any sort!
The main characters are great too, the banter between J.D and his dad is funny and the new female lead, Kait, has a strong personality and looks the kick-ass part as a COG soldier. I also liked J.D.'s friend Delmont, which in a way replaces the much loved Marcus and Dom childhood friendship. All in all, the diversity of characters is fantastic, and the story surrounding them even more so. It switches from fun and lighthearted dialogue, to some very dark and saddening ones, in an even more convincing way, that the previous games already cleverly did.
I found Gears 4 to be all what I wished for in a new generational start for the series. To follow up on, perhaps one of the best series last generation and continue it's trilogy of amazing games, was always going to be a difficult task. Gears 4 does a great job at it and feels just like a natural progression of the series into newer times. In fact, it actually keeps itself a little too much to fundamentals of the series and one could accuse it of taking little chances of any sort!
I really appreciate the throwback to the darker, close and personal combat of the original Gears. I loved the natural environments, with the weather conditions, and all the atmospheric places it visited along the way. A fairly short, but beautiful beginning to, hopefully, a new trilogy of incredible Gears of War games!
Update: The game has since been updated with a Xbox One X patch, featuring higher quality visual effects and a graphics toggle: either play the game at a super sharp 4K@30fps or a smooth and responsive 1080p@60fps!