Review: Gears Tactics

The newest installment in the Gears of War line of games, Gears Tactics _ , is a completely original take on the _Gears franchise. While Gears is known for the over-the-shoulder third-person gunfights and tearing through hordes of enemies in a 3D environment, Gears Tactics keeps that momentum but in a different style. Tactics is similar to games like XCOM where, instead of controlling one character, the player controls a squad of characters while looking at a battlefield with a top-down perspective. This requires players to play Tactics more strategically then they would any other Gears g


Even so, Gears Tactics players will likely be having enough fun with the gameplay that the repetitive missions may not bother them that much. Plus, the side missions do give players the chance to collect more loot and level up their characters. And this is where Gears Tactics becomes especially difficult to put down. The SLG game beginner guide is generous with its loot, meaning players are always finding new armor and weapon attachments to improve their soldiers. Each class also has its own skill tree with no wasted space. Each new skill opens up a multitude of new strategic opportunities on the battlefield, and this progression is hugely reward


Battlefield commandos of the highest order, scouts are great at getting around and doing the subtle work that other classes just aren't capable of. Fast moving and hard hitting, their unique mix of stealth and explosive skills makes for a hit-and-run technician that can expertly dismantle enemy positions and leave without a scratch (apart from a few powder burns and Locust stai


To top it off, Tactics nails the reconstruction of familiar enemies in a turn-based world. Boomers are just as terrifying and stompy, Tickers just as erratic and hyperactive, Kantus just as loud and obnoxious . There are a few new foes to discover too, but the core army of bad dudes didn’t require many tweaks to remain interesting and formidable. As it turns out, the Locust are just as robust in a strategic sett

Despite some stumbles, Splash Damage has successfully taken the essence of the Gears franchise and transferred it into a turn-based strategy game. Gears Tactics is a true Gears title with a campaign that builds and expands the franchise’s lore, all while introducing new characters and adding new wrinkles to old ones. The turn-based gameplay fits well within the universe, providing plenty of strategy both on and off the field. Combined with some genuinely excellent main missions, Gears Tactics comes together nicely. It does frequently stumble thanks to the repetitive and frequent side quests that vastly hurt the pacing, but remains a joy to play throughout its many hours. Gears Tactics is a solid turn-based game that’ll make Gears and tactics fans happy.


As players will quickly come to realize, taking cover is the most basic but most important part of Gears Tactics . Cover can keep the player safe from harm's way and can allow the player to hold a point push up on an enemy easier than being out in the o


Unfortunately, this is where Tactics becomes a bit dull. The recruiting system and side characters are mostly forgettable. The tactical variety isn’t the largest either, leaving the player with a handful of options. It isn’t dry by any means, yet after the first 15 hours of the roughly 25-hour campaign, you essentially get the gist of it. This would’ve been negligible in the wake of diverse mission designs, but sadly – this isn’t the c


There are also different sizes of cover. Short cover allows players to shoot over the top of the cover but leaves them more vulnerable to attacks. Tall cover completely protects the player from frontal attacks, but only allows players to attack around corners and not over the top of co

Other than a brief foray into the Pop! figure world, Gears of War has always been a third-person cover shooter. Across all six entries so far, players have come to expect Gears games to play a certain way. Slide into cover, pop up and blast the grubs. Despite this, Gears is a franchise with tons of potential in different genres, which is something Splash Damage hopes to take advantage of with Gears Tactics. Embracing the turned-based strategy genre, Splash Damage has created a new type of Gears game that aims to blend this genre with the franchise’s roots. Is Gear Tactics another excellent addition to the franchise or does it need more time at boot camp?


Wretches are a more volatile class that, while still weak in terms of hits they can take, they will rush friendly units and attack with melee attacks. Overwatch is best used against these enemies as they will never attack from far off and will always try to get as close to the player as possi


The two opening skills for the support are both incredibly useful in their own right. Empower essentially hands an action point off to an ally, delegating the damage-doing to a more specialized soldier for a net increase in hurt thrown the enemy's way. Stim is simple and direct healing, a nice pop of 100 points at the skill's first level. While not exactly overly impressive, that little boost can be game-changing - 100 points of health can mean the difference between a soldier making it out of a crossfire alive or d