Originally published October 11, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
Ricky Church reviews Gears of War 4…
After several years away from Xbox, Marcus Fenix finally returns in Gears of War 4, though the game focuses less on him and more on his son JD and the younger generation of Gears. From start to finish, Gears of War 4 is a fun thrill that encapsulates everything great about the series while introducing some fresh concepts and gameplay mechanics, but still remains familiar enough for long time Gears fans.
You’d think that after spending three games playing as Marcus and his fellow Gears (four if you count Gears of War: Judgement with Baird and Cole) that it would be a hard sell to play as an entirely different team, but Gears 4 very quickly diminishes any thought these new characters would not be up to par. The chemistry between JD, Kait and Dell is established very well and they prove to be more than just carbon copies of Marcus, Anya and Dom. One very clear difference between the three main players is the humour they inject in their interactions. There is a youthful vibrancy to each of them, which makes sense considering they’re the first generation that has grown up without a major war on Sera. Liam McIntrye, Eugene Byrd and Laura Bailey also give good performances as JD, Del and Kait respectively.
The graphics look amazing with the game transitioning from play, cut scenes and levels seamlessly. Running at 30 fps in single player mode, character movements are smooth with not a hint of lag. The scenery is also gorgeous; the level of detail in each setting is easy to appreciate, whether you’re staring over a mountainside or running headfirst through a violent windstorm. Without a doubt, this is one of the prettiest visual games of 2016.
The gameplay is quite solid as well, offering enough variety in the campaign, both in levels and enemies, that it doesn’t feel repetitive. There are plenty of new weapons that raise the level of ridiculous destruction, such as the Buzzkill, a gun that shoots saw blades and allows them to ricochet across the map. One or two action sequences in particular will surely have Gears fans talking for its cinematic spectacle. The campaign itself is about the length of the previous Gears of War games, around 6 hours but probably 8 – 12 on the Hardcore and Insane difficulties for those who want a challenge. The story draws players in and while it leaves plenty of room for a sequel, some players, myself included, may feel it ends a bit too abruptly.
Horde mode has become a staple of the franchise and is tweaked just enough to make it a little bit of a challenge for seasoned players to adjust to. The command centre and banking system is modified slightly to have you pick up money from fallen enemies to use for barricades, defences and weapons and bring it a Fabricator, essentially a mobile command centre that can generate anything you want. Gears 4 also introduces classes to the mix, letting you level up as a Solider, Engineer, etc. Each class has its various rewards and advantages, such as a higher damage rate as Solider or being able to repair damaged emplacements as an Engineer. Horde 3.0 doesn’t completely overhaul the system, but adds new layers to it for veteran players. The fact that Horde is now five player as opposed to four also increases the amount of fun to be had.
The multiplayer system is much the same as expected. At the moment, Gears 4 offers 10 maps and a few game modes that are staples to most first-person shooter games. Arms Race is one that has a lot of replay value as it orders teams to gain three kills with each weapon in a certain order, forcing players to change their usual tactics. The multiplayer offers quick rounds in which teamwork is a focus of many of them, as most multiplayer modes are, but there’s still enough room to go around individually as well. Escalation is the only mode that lasts for a while as you play 13 rounds of gaining territory over your enemy with the average run time of 25 minutes. That mode is definitely not ideal for a quick play and maybe goes on a bit too long, but players who have the time for it may find it enjoyable all the same.
Gears of War 4 is an astounding game in nearly every aspect, from its graphics to its mechanics to replay value. Those who enjoy Gears’ story will appreciate the depth of the new characters while others focused solely on the multiplayer will have endless fun with its Versus and Horde modes. It is definitely a worthy addition to the franchise and the possibilities going forward show a lot of potential.
Rating: 9/10
Ricky Church
