The sixth entry in the best-selling Gears of War series, Gears 5 (yes, it is the sixth instalment) sees players battling their way across the planet Sera against the underground menace called the Swarm. A mix of fearsome beasts, hulking monstrosities (think Uruk-Hai, but with guns) and small ‘juvies’ who attempt to overwhelm with sheer numbers, the Swarm seems intent on wiping humanity from the face of the planet.
A third-person cover-based shooter, playable in single and co-op mode, Gears 5 is undoubtedly a triumph of form over content. This is because, based on content alone, things do not look favourable. For one thing, the story is as simple and straightforward as the characters: a bunch of pumped-up stereotypes (one gets the impression that they are deliberate stereotypes) that could easily be dropped into just about any testosterone-fueled B-grade action flick. For another, combat, while solidly executed, tends to follow the same simple formula: duck behind cover, pop-up and shoot a few monsters, then duck back down again to let your health regenerate. Even the variety of weapons, the occasional super-heavy enemy, or the rush of juvie swarms do little to vary this formula. Indeed, it’s only the handful of boss fights which do anything to shake things up.
When it comes to form, however, few games can come close to matching Gears 5 in terms of pure spectacle. Firstly, there’s the set-pieces and environments. Indeed, you get the feeling that the story, the characters and most of the game is simply there to allow the developers to create one amazing set-piece after the other. One mission, for example, sees players fighting through the doomed streets of Settlement 2, a city which blends Art-Deco, modern, and Classical Roman design in a stunning display of detail and ornament, from the architecture littering the streets (sometimes literally, there is a war on after all) to the detailed ornaments of a bronze-clad hotel foyer. Another mission sees them fighting amongst equally ornate ruins of abandoned Persian/Arabic-inspired buildings.
Secondly, there’s the level of detail on the characters. From the blinking lights and seams in your characters’ power-armour, to the mottled, pebbled and deformed skin of the Swarm, everything has been modeled in an astounding (or disgusting) level of detail.
Then there are the fights themselves. The basic weapons are satisfying enough: glowing tracer rounds zip through the air, leaving wispy trails of blue-tinged smoke in their wake. Bullet impacts kick up dust and sparks. The occasional grenade or shock trap enlivens the display with a gout of flame or bright burst of sparks. Then there are the heavy weapons, from the gattling-gun style Tri-barrel, to a jerry-rigged mining device perfect for dropping explosive charges behind enemy cover, to a wicked device that fires buzz-saw blades capable of slicing nearly any foe in twain.
Basically, the philosophy behind Gears 5 seems to be take whatever opportunity there is to make something different and over-the-top. The Grenade-Lancer, a version of the basic assault rifle with an under-slung grenade launcher, is a perfect example. When I pulled the trigger, instead of simply lobbing a grenade at my target as I was expecting, it instead launched three small rockets. Trailing fire and smoked, these soared high into the air before turning sharply and coming down straight on top of where I had been aiming, bursting in a delightful blast of flame and debris.
Gears 5 even manages to weave a spectacular ‘wow’ factor into what could be two of the blandest environments imaginable: an ice desert, and a sand desert. These vast open tracks of space serve as a central hub for player missions. Not content to simply have a vast open space, each environment is beset by its own hostile weather. For the icy tundras, a huge swirling cloud, with an ominous blue glow hovers overhead. Occasionally, the storm breaks, and players find themselves pushing through forests of gigantic frozen trees, struggling to see through a pelting blizzard, and trying to dodge the huge spears of ice that come crashing down from the heavens.
The storms of the desert take an altogether more pyrotechnic nature. Sands swirl, fire-tornados churn and threaten to engulf your trusty skiff (your means of rapid transport), and lightning strikes hit the dunes, fusing sand into white-hot shards of glass. Along with being road hazards, these can also provide temporary cover for either you or your foes, and the sight of them as they cool from white, to red, to black is suitably impressive.
For those done with the campaign, there is also a variety of multiplayer modes available. These range from a horde-survival mode (just how long can your squad hold out?), to Gears’ take on capture the flag; all of which show the same level visual detail and flair as the campaign.
In short, while Gears 5 is certainly not the deepest, or most challenging experience around (especially, say, compared to Doom: Eternal or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice), that’s not the point. It’s for those who want to kick back and enjoy the spectacle. In this it really shines, and if you like over-the-top pyrotechnics, flashy fire-fights and an insane amount of detail, this may just be the game for you. ■