Gears of War 4

"Gears of War 4"

Reviewed by: Carless Yen

Gears of War franchise, is probably one of my most favorite of my gaming history. I still remember the day I brought home my first Xbox 360, and fired up the multiplayer. Running and splashing water on Canals. Watching the bullets make the water splash, as they hit. There is just something about Gears of War online, that just sticks with you. It is rewarding, because it isn't easy like Call Of Duty, Or Halo to get a kill. I have witnessed people not get their first kill until they have played multiple games. I've seen it actually make people quit playing it, for the same reason. Once you get it down though your hooked. It has a very serious fan base, of people who really just love it and some that play nothing else. I know the first two years I had a 360 i didn't play much of anything else. To some people gridlock is a new map, to those people that have been around since the start it is something else. There is a reason it has been in every Gears of War game to date, because it was there from the start. It represents everything Gears is online. It can be relentless. Everyone isn't equal. The most powerful weapons are put right there in the middle of the map, now go fight and earn them. It is a race , and battle to get your hands on the Boom Shot , or the Longshot and it feels good when you get them. That is what Gears is all about, and that is why so many love it.

Now for the new Gears you are probably thinking. He has been babbling about the old games for so long , he must not think to much for the new one. You'd be wrong, because I am having a blast with it. it isn't perfect, and the first three are certainly better in my opinion. That doesn't mean it isn't great though. It is still one of the better games in what has been a rather weak generation of games. Where a lot of AAA titles are glitchy, unfinished and unpolished. Gears shows up feeling, and running just like the trilogy before it. The multiplayer is smooth, and crisp. The weapons feel pretty much the same, and they have thrown some really cool weapons into the mix. Some of them take a little getting used to, but feel so good when you get the hang of them. They also bring back the old style matches, but throw a ton of new fun games into the mix. I been having a blast playing the dodgeball game where your eliminated upon death , but revived every a team mate gets a kill. The game ends when an entire team is eliminated. It is a blast.

Now for the Campaign. The campaign can seem a little repetitive at first. Seems like you fight the same enemies over and over, and go through the same scenarios. Before long though you feel like your right back in battle, as Marcus joins the fight. JD Fenix Marcus's son resembles his father a lot. Sounds like him a lot of the time. Him , Marcus, and Del really make a lot of the story comical as they make wise cracks towards each other. it really feels like Gears of old with the commentary between Baird , Cole, And Dom.I hate saying this though the female character Kait really doesn't hit the mark like characters before her like Anya and Sam. Her character is kind of boring, and really doesn't bring much into the story until the end. I know it isn't her voice actors fault Laura Bailey because I have enjoyed her in a bunch of other video game titles like TellTale's Batman. The story is good though, the enemies are really cool a vast range of different things you fight. The last Act is just amazing, leading up to the final boss battle is just so much fun. Feels like Marcus and Dom on Brumak storming the hive all over again. Then kind of sizzles out as it just comes to a stop, without really a challenge at all. The ending is kind of leaves you wanting more, and I guess that is what it is supposed to do, but I felt a lot better after beating the first three. I know this sounds bad, but it really is still worth picking up.It is a excellent introduction to new Gears fans, and hopefully makes them pick up, and play the old ones to see what they missed out on.

Horde Mode is a blast, it is 50 waves again, with Bosses on the 10th waves. Except now you have different classes that all have unique abilities. They can level up, as well as level your equipment up to. It feels a lot harder though, as this game you seem to not absorb as many shots as before. Same with the campaign, you have to pay more attention to what your doing. You really have to fortify well, and play as a unit.

As a whole I really am enjoying every second with this game. As a long time Gears fan, like the original game on launch day I am impressed with the work the team has done without Cliff. It looks and feels like Gears, and it is almost just as fun. I look forward to the sequels, and counting down the days for information on them.

I have heard a lot of complaints about the new crates in multiplayer. I am kind of mixed on it. I don't mind them , because it kind of gives you motivation to keep playing. It gives you something to unlock. I also don't mind them because they don't give any competitive edge. They are merely cosmetic. Then i also kind of hate them , because i feel it is a way to keep cashing kind on gamers. In the history of gears you unlocked characters as you leveled up,now you have to get them in crates which you buy. You can buy them with money you earn in multiplayer games, but to be honest your not really going to get everything you want that way. They are so overpriced either way your buying them. Another thing I kind of feel upset about is the 99.99 version that comes with the season pass. They turned around and made all of the maps free, so it is pretty pointless. They just gave us packs. There is no way in hell I would have spent 40 extra dollars on cosmetics, If I had known this. So that is a let down as well, but still doesn't take away to much of the fun. Won't be the first game this generation to screw us with preorders and season passes. Seems it is becoming the standard to not reward loyalty, but penalize it. I don't know how many season passes i've bought to not get all the content, and have to buy more. Or how many times I paid a fortune for a game, and someone buys its months later, and gets everything at half the price I paid all together on one disc. Companies really need to stop doing this to the fans, that is my biggest complaint so far with the Xbox One and PS4 game developers.

Pros: The level design is on par with the originals

Sounds and music are epic

Multiplayer is fun, and smooth

Have had no issues with glitches

Amazing new weapons added

Some fun characters added to the mix

New enemies are unique, and varied

Tons of replay Value in Multiplayer capturing skins

Cons: Starts of kinda slow

Female lead kind of stale

Ending kind of falls short compared to original titles endings

Season pass kind of a ripoff, and online crates over priced.

Overall: 9.0 A nearly perfect introduction into the Gears franchise, for the future chainsawing and Gnashering fans.