The seminal Gears of War series has been around for more than a decade but Gears 5 promises to be the biggest Gears experience to date – and it’s here!
From everything that we’ve seen from Gears 5’s campaign, it seems that The Coalition has added mini open-world sections that are traversable with a skiff, adding a scale to the series not seen before. Side-missions, collectibles and mild RPG progression won’t get in the way of Gears of War’s signature cover based shooting though.
All of these exciting, wild changes are there to facilitate one of the series’ most dramatic stories yet. Our focus shifts away from the Fenix family as Kait Diaz is our lead this time around. She sets out on a personal journey to learn more about her past after an ominous discovery at the end of Gears of War 4.
Gears’ campaign isn’t the only mode to get an overhaul though. Gears 5 retains the same wall-bouncing, shotgun madness that has made the franchise’s PvP famous but adds even more. Arcade mode is a brand new competitive mode geared towards more casual players that aren’t accustomed to Gears’ frantic PvP yet. It’s a more casual mode with character loadouts, unlockables and passive abilities for different characters, making it the most approachable competitive mode in any Gears game.
Gears’ influential Horde mode makes a return with some new changes as well. Ultimate abilities for every character make an appearance along with the return of specialist classes from Gears 4. Delightfully, Jack – the flying robot – is also a playable character, offering an easier way to introduce your friends to Gears without the heavy shooting intimidating them.
Escape mode and a Map Builder are the newest additions to the Gears stable. Escape is the opposite of Horde mode. Instead of defending an area, you and two friends need to escape an enemy hive under a time limit. It’s a more aggressive PvE mode to sink your lancers into. The Map Builder offers you the opportunity to create your own Escape Mode maps to share with others and torture your friends with.
And the best news is you won’t need to wait another second! Gears 5 is available now if you’ve purchased the Ultimate Edition of the game for £69.99 on the Xbox store or Steam. The Ultimate Edition not only gives you early access to the title, but you’ll also unlock the Halo Reach character pack that includes Kat and Emile as playable characters in the game’s multiplayer modes. If you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you’ll automatically receive the Ultimate Edition of the game including early access and the exclusive character pack.
If you want to save some money, you can still pre-order the Standard Edition of the game for £49.99. Unfortunately, if you don’t upgrade to the Ultimate Edition or to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you’ll need to wait until September 10th to play Gears 5, when it’ll also launch into Game Pass regular. The Standard Edition also doesn’t include the Halo Reach character pack but don’t worry, you won’t be left without an epic crossover. Whether you own the Ultimate Edition or the Standard, players will receive the Terminator Dark Fate character pack that includes the T-800 and Sarah Connor (voiced by Linda Hamilton) available as playable multiplayer characters.
Gears 5 Ultimate Edition includes:
Pre-order any digital edition of Gears 5 before September 10 OR Play Gears 5 before September 16, and receive the Terminator Dark Fate Character Pack, featuring Sarah Connor and the T-800 from the film, the Vector Lancer Skin and 7 days of Boost. (Character pack and skin require Xbox Live Gold on console, membership sold separately.)** Gears 5 Ultimate Edition includes: • Gears 5 standard edition • Halo: Reach Character Pack • 30 days of Boost • Early Access – Play 4 days early! Campaign: The world is crumbling. The Swarm has corrupted the Coalition’s robot army and is descending upon human cities. With danger closing in, Kait Diaz breaks away to uncover her connection to the enemy and discovers the true danger to Sera – herself. Escape: Outrun the bomb, outsmart the Swarm, and escape the Hive! Escape is a new, aggressive, high-stakes co-op mode featuring a three-player suicide squad that must work together to take out enemy hives from within. Versus: May the best team win! Rack up points and trade up for superior weapons in Arcade, a frenetic playlist built for jump-in, over-the-top fun. With ten other game types plus new and classic maps, Versus rewards every competitive style, from casual to pro. Horde: Can you and four friends endure waves of ever-stronger enemies and bosses? Survive using new hero abilities, building defenses, collecting power, leveling up your skills and working as a team. Map Builder: Create custom Escape hive maps and experiences to share with and challenge your friends. Features: • Three-player Campaign Co-op: Battle alongside your friends in three-player online or split-screen co-op. • Tours of Duty: Rank up from new recruit to four-star general in Gears Tours of Duty. Take on new and exciting challenges, earn awesome rewards, and show off your loot. • Boot Camp: New to Gears or just a little rusty? Bootcamp is a fun way to learn the ropes, from the basics to advanced combat techniques. • Play as Jack: Play as Jack, your personal flying support bot that can protect allies and damage enemies – perfect for players new to Gears. • Visual Showcase: Play every mode in 4K and HDR at a smooth 60 frames per second on Xbox One X. Accessibility: Customize your gaming experience with updated accessibility features, including: full controller remapping, single stick movement, Adaptive Controller support, narrated UI and menus, improved subtitles and more. *Some modes including Escape, Versus and Horde, and online multiplayer require Xbox Live Gold on console, membership sold separately. **Offer available with (1) pre-orders/purchases of Gears 5 digital game made by September 10, 2019 at Microsoft Store, Microsoft.com, or at participating retailers. OR (2) play Gears 5 while signed into your Xbox Profile by September 16, 2019. Content requires broadband internet to download. Limit 1 per account. May take up to two weeks to receive content in-game. Terminator Dark Fate and its associated logos are trademarks and intellectual property of Skydance Media and are used under license to Microsoft Corporation.
