EDITOR’S
CHOICEGears 5
THIS BOLD ENTRY SHOWS IT’S NEVER TOO KAIT FOR A CHANGE DAVE MEIKLEHAM
PUBLISHER XBOX GAME STUDIOS / DEVELOPER THE COALITION / RELEASE DATE OUT NOW / COST £49.99/$59.99It’s also a superb showcase
for Xbox architecture. While the
standard Xbox One version still
manages to impress thanks to solid
art direction and a reliable 30fps lock,
it’s the Xbox One X edition that sells
the worth of Microsoft’s supercharged
console like few other games since
the machine launched in late 2017.
Smart dynamic resolution sees the
action shift from 4K down to around
the 1500p range, but unless you’ve
got the eyes of a Terminator – which
actually appears as a DLC character
for multiplayer – you’re unlikely to
notice Gears 5 is nothing but the
show-stopping, 4K real deal. That
the Xbox One X version mostly sticks
to a 60fps target is also a revelation,
lending the series’ punchy combat a
fluidity rarely seen on consoles.Kait bloomer
Even if Gears 5 ran at 240p and at a
stuttering framerate, the strengths of
the series’ best campaign would stillSometimes, change
and old-school fan
service can live
together. Combining
a reinvigorated
campaign with
returning competitive online modes,
there’s something here for every COG
fan. The Coalition’s second shot at one
of Xbox’s most important franchises
presents its product as a unified
experience. In the studio’s mind,
there’s no main singular draw on show
here. Rather, this is a sumptuous soup
where every ingredient adds to your
overall enjoyment of the shooty dish.
While Gears 5’s reworked campaign
will deservedly grab most of the
acclaim, the returning 5v5 versus
matches, the ever-reliable wave
slaughter of Horde, and the decent (if
uninspiring) evac mode, Escape, prove
to be mostly worthy backups. Add
these complementary modes together,
and there’s no question this is the
most ambitious game in Gears history.
shine through. Be in no doubt: this
is absolutely the finest single-player
instalment in the franchise. The switch
from JD Fenix to his former sidekick
Kait breathes new life into Gears’
mythology, and with this conflicted
COG now firmly established as the
lead of the franchise, The Coalition is
free to spin the most morally murky,
ethically complex tale the series has
ever seen. Suffice to say, there’s more
going on in the campaign than just
biceps and brooding.
While the narrative is hardly going
to give true storytelling greats like
BioShock Infinite sweaty night terrors,
Gears 5 propels its plot along in
easy-to-follow, yet relatable, story
beats. Following on from Delta Squad’s
rebelliously naughty, yet world-
saving exploits in Gears Of War 4, the
most muscular unit in all of games
is officially welcomed back into the
COG Army by the powers that be. This
being Gears though, an entirely AWOL
mission is soon in the offing.ABOVE Gears 5
throws up some
seriously
impressive-
looking
firefights.
LEFT Kait goes
through the most
emotionally
complex journey
of any Gears
protagonist.This is the first entry to drop the ‘Of War’ from the title, as The Coalition felt a cleaner title was neededMore Xbox news at gamesradar.com/oxm THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE 069REVIEW