By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
When I played “Gears of War” in 2006 for the first time, I was instantly hooked. It was another first-person shooter game, but something about it felt new and fresh. The recently released “Gears 5,” the fifth instalment in the successful “Gears of War” franchise, seems more creative and still familiar than its predecessors.
Like most things in entertainment, the original is always better. But with “Gears 5,” The Coalition, the game developers, have really took the franchise to a new, inspiring place.
“Gears 5” centres on Kait Diaz, an Outsider of Locust descent. Playing as Kait, your mission is to uncover the origins of the Locust and Kait’s family. Several characters from “Gears of War 4,” like James Dominic “JD” Fenix, return; but don’t be fooled, it’s Kait’s game.
I’ve always enjoyed video games that have a snow setting. Maybe it’s my admiration and affection for the battle on Hoth in “The Empire Strikes Back,” or just my simple love for action sequences on powdery snow; Act 2 of “Gears 5” takes place in a wintery landscape where you parasail with a skiff over frozen lakes and snow-covered terrain. You can investigate dark tunnels and find collectables, but lurking around the dark corners are parts of the Swarm. You have to conserve your ammo. Finding journals at abandoned camps adds to the game’s overall story. The game feels enormous. You can get lost, and watch out for incoming ice chunks that can crush you. It was gratifying searching for the New Hope Research Facility. I learned the hard way that it’s very difficult to throw grenades in the frigid wind when you approach the entrance to the research facility.
image source: Gears 5
I haven’t played all of “Gears 5,” but from what I’ve played, I think it could be one of the best games of the year. It undeniably expands on the “Gears” universe. It’s very rare that I want to go back and play parts of a game that I’ve already completed. Act 3 of “Gears 5” is enjoyable, but I was wholly engaged in Act 2.
Act 3 feels a bit like any other first-person shooter game where you are inquisitively flushing out the enemy through a facility or abandoned factory. It’s still engaging but not as engrossing as the first two acts of the game. The game’s three-player split screen play is superb. And, overall, “Gears 5” is an exceptional entry in an already definitive series that keeps turning out brilliant gameplay.
We were lucky enough to attend Oz Comic Con 2019 in Sydney and take in all the amazing sights and sounds! There were plenty of regular favourites and a few newcomers that shows just how much conventions are growing in popularity. Another very welcome addition we noticed was the increasingly family friendly nature these cons are becoming, with a scribble wall and colouring corners for kids!
Mat Panek, Chief Games Reviewer
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NFSA turns into Australia’s biggest video game arcade, featuring world’s greatest designers, characters & 100+ playable games!
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REE Photography
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Tetris has always been a killer title for millions of gamers around the world. If you had a Game Boy, then we bet that you have played Tetris. Now, imagine playing Tetris on a mechanical display instead of digital. That’s hard to imagine, right?