Gears Tactics may be a part of Microsoft’s long-standing Gears of War series, but it differs majorly when it comes to gameplay. Rather than guiding a hulking COG soldier narrow hallways and waves of Locusts, this time you’re taking a step back.
As the commander, you’ll be guiding a team of four units across a battlefield to complete objectives. Sometimes you’ve got to hold down control points to gather supplies, other times you’re destroying a Locust Imulsion supply.
Despite taking that step back, Gears Tactics still does the series proud; when the action dials up, the intensity feels like classic Gears.
If you were wondering whether the game would pack the same sort of violence as the mainline series, you’ll be pleased to know Tactics manages to get as much blood, guts and gore as possible. Want to chainsaw through a Locust? Go for it. How about gruesome executions? They’re here. Oh, and you can literally blow Locust into tiny little pieces with the right weapon.
So for those worried Gears Tactics wouldn’t feel like it belonged as part of the series, guess again. It’s not just all the blood and guts that does it either…
It’s Set Right After E-Day
Gears Tactics fits rather snugly into the overarching narrative in the series. Taking place just after Emergence Day (E-Day) when the Locusts burst out of the ground and mounted their attack on mankind, players follow the story of Gabe Diaz. Yes, that’s the same ‘Diaz’ family as Kait. Gabe is her father and a Gear, and he’s tasked with taking down the Locust Ukkon.
He’s the big, bad creator of creatures like the Corpser, Brumak, and all the other terrifyingly enormous and deadly assets in the Locust ranks. Having the action take place prior to the original game makes it all the more appealing for fans of the series to check out, as these events have seldom been explored in the video game series before.
Not to mention, Gears Tactics does have a few rather big revelatory moments that fans are sure to lap up with vigor. We can’t say much more, but we wouldn’t want to spoil these moments for you anyway.
Side Missions Are Compulsory… and Can Be Annoying
Gears Tactics doesn’t go about side missions in the traditional sense. Rather than being optional missions for players to take on as and when they feel like it, Gears Tactics forces you to complete a set amount before allowing you to move on.
The further you get in the campaign, the more side missions you’ll need to complete back-to-back before you can progress with the story missions. On top of that, you’re only allowed to use a character once per side mission section.
It means you’ll have to dig into your list of ‘Troops’ that you’ve recruited throughout the campaign and ensure you’re leveling all of these up and giving them the best weapon and gear upgrades you can.
What really makes side missions feel like a drag, however, is that it’s the same four mission types over and over again throughout the campaign, including the story missions. It can get a little repetitive if you’re trying to blast through Gears Tactics as quickly as possible, but for those wanting to progress at a more leisurely pace, this shouldn’t be as much of an issue.
An Entirely Fresh Set of Faces
As we eluded to above, Marcus Fenix, Baird, Kait Diaz, Del, and the other faces you’ve grown accustomed to in the mainline series of Gears games are absent in Gears Tactics. Instead, you’ll be following Gabe Diaz and Sid Redmond for the most part. They’ll be joined along the way by a badass sniper and former stranded member, Mikayla, alongside a few other faces.
This shouldn’t be considered a negative, though. The likes of Mikayla, Sid, and Gabe feel like solid additions to the series’ roster of characters, each with their own distinct and unique personality.
Plus, on the positive side, if you pre-ordered the game or check it out through Xbox Game Pass for PC, you’ll gain access to the Thrashball Cole character. Everything’s better when it involves the Cole Train baby!
Gears Tactics is available on PC on April 28. It’s also slated for an Xbox One release, due for sometime later this year.
