Gears 5: Is it Open World? Answered

Gears 5 brings plenty of new elements to the series, not least of which being a more open-ended approach to exploration and gameplay. As such, you might be wondering: Is the game open world?

Is Gears 5 Open World? Answered

Fortunately, we’ve got the answer, though it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no.

While the entire game isn’t set in an open map you can explore at your leisure, select parts of the game are set in the afore-mentioned open-ended areas. These areas are the Valley, an icy tundra location, and the Desert, which is about what one would expect from the name.

Though neither of these areas are The Witcher 3 levels of massive, they’re sizable enough that they break the linear design pattern of other sections of the game.

What You Can Do During the Open World Segments

A big part of this is thanks to the options you have for what you can do in each of Gears 5’s open world areas.

In addition to having main missions you can pursue and complete, there are also side missions and secrets you can track down via the Skiff. Each reward you with supplies, lore or easter eggs, and give you a decent excuse to see more of the world using one of the cooler new vehicles in the franchise’s history.

As stated before though, these segments are limited, and once you complete the Act they’re contained in, you won’t be able to return to them unless you start the Act from scratch. To that end, you’ll want to make the most of these segments while you’re there.

Hopefully this cleared up whether Gears 5 is an open world game. For more on the title, check out our Gears 5 guide wiki as well as a recent breakdown of many of the game’s design choices by Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson.

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