Xbox One – Gears of War 4
The Xbox One had a tumultuous time out of the gate when it first released, but after some time and a new leader the console really started to find its footing. What really helped the Xbox One start to make headway against its main competition, though, was the fact that Microsoft’s exclusives began to find their stride. Now that we’re in October of 2016, one of the best exclusives to grace the console since launch has released: Gears of War 4.
If you’re new to the Xbox family of gaming, Gears of War is quite possibly the best cover-based, third-person shooter you can get your hands on across all platforms. It’s revered for its tight controls, fun mechanics, and challenging gameplay. The series also offers fun competitive multiplayer as well as a tense horde mode that is sure to test even the toughest COG soldiers out there. All of this is punctuated by incredible, gory visuals which show off the power of whatever you’re playing on and help make the entire fight for humanity a bit more immersive.
Like Uncharted 4 on the PS4, Gears of War 4 switches things up just a tiny bit in the narrative portion while keeping the same gameplay players love accounted for (and improved in some ways). The previous entries were about saving the world as a hardened soldier, one who had seen indescribable horrors and was left as nothing more than a macho hulk of a man who cared about his team as if they were family. Marcus Fenix, the original trilogy’s protagonist, was not a man of many different emotions. The new series protagonist happens to be Marcus’ son, JD, and he’s quite different from his pops, particularly in the emotional range department. He’s not hardened by the horrors of war just yet, but he’s still as dedicated to his team and humanity as his father was, making him one tough cookie.
The different narrative route is definitely paying off, and Gears of War 4 is one to play if you own an Xbox One.
