Disclaimer, first time poster, long time forum stalker
Now I know I’m basically the counter culture (at least last I checked, it was still cool to hate this game) but after seeing plenty of hate on TC for this, I finally decided to give my piece, which no one asked for.
As someone who held a distaste for Gears 4, I’ll admit I walked in expecting to hate 5. JD was dull as dishwater, Del was just, a whole new level of shut the hell up, and I think we can mostly agree Kait wasn’t exactly an interesting character. The story itself I was unimpressed by, perhaps because of characters, perhaps because it felt too… Pointless, a story that didn’t need to be told.
In contrast, the Gears 5 story (even when not paired with the accompanying book) actually tells an enjoyable story (if only it didn’t delete my act 3 progress toward the end) with some enjoyable highlights, Matriarchs anyone? The free roam ish aspect (I guess miniature hub between missions?) Was sort of enjoyable but did lead to some glitching (I recall one trying to help a Nomad who bugged out). The ending was satisfying enough and set up for a third game that we can only hope will actually end it (I love the series but like Halo, it’s time to finish it). To point out Gears 4, Kait becomes an actually interesting character, JD, while still dull, is at least somewhat sensible, Del is… Look I enjoyed my ending. And while I disagree with some points of the story (like Lizzie not going out the other door, which there was time!) They at least tried a hell of a lot harder this time. And even put out an enjoyable if kind of short dlc.
Horde, which I’d deeply hoped to enjoy as I did in 3, was an absolute pain in the neck. Not a scout? Good luck building. Not an engineer? Well here’s nearly impractical prices for someone alone (which if you aren’t a scout you don’t get the double energy deposit benefits if you ran that skill.) Not a soldier? Welcome back to Gears 2 Horde pain (let’s admit it, it was a pain by wave 41.) I think there was a sniper class but I never played it. Oh there was also the demo class, which again, never played. Playing with randoms was the usual dice roll, often times I was stuck as the scout cause no one else can do their ■■■■■■■ jobs!
Horde, in 5 by contrast, I actually view as quite enjoyable, and still a challenge. Any class is viable alone (except maybe Jack, never felt like trying it), and the idea of building by yourself is actually entertainable (I would know, I love Sentry guns and Infiltrator.) Meanwhile they’ve also (at some point) added in the Lambent (who give me horrid nightmares back to Lambent Wretches from Gears 1 on Insane with their explosive power) and the Locust (as in, the Locust, ya know) and they actually fight each other, leading to some enjoyable fights between a juvie and a drone. As someone who played day 1, I can honestly say that it’s a more enjoyable experience now.
Escape, well Gears 4 didn’t have it, thank God, but Escape is, escape, it gets boring like anything else, but still maintains an enjoyable experience with friends or when wanting to challenge yourself. Although it’s been updated well and given some tlc, it could still use a touch more, a good bit more. Perhaps a different version where we play as Swarm who attack settlements, or something.
Multiplayer in 4 was… Well an utter disaster like I view all Gears multiplayer. Yes, I’m that guy. While managing Onyx and Gold most times I played, I find the Gnasher wall bounce fighting to be a bore.
Gears 5 multiplayer I won’t say much, cause I’ve avoided it. Played in the beta, played when it came out, played a match or two in the tenth week of Op 7, and it’s the same ■■■■, different number
Maps, well, the newer maps are nice, remakes are always just that (I’ll admit I’m happy to see Blood Drive and River back), and compared to 4, there’s pretty much nothing to say, same ■■■■, new number.
Overview, while Gears 5 is far from perfect, it’s become an enjoyable experience on par with 3 (at least by a PvE experience and standard). The campaign while not as being enjoyable as the original trilogy (let’s pretend Judgement doesn’t exist), is at least a good effort to make a set of questionable characters into an enjoyable new squad. Horde mode has seen massive improvements for a solo player or two to three man squads. Escape could still use further touching up, perhaps even a Swarm/Locust counter (Beast Mode comeback anyone?) But overall is enjoyable. Multiplayer seems to have remained the same, what a surprise.
So now I’m curious, as op 7 comes to it’s end, beyond bugs or glitches, what is everyone’s real gripes now? I know Gnasher hit detection was a complaint (but, I’ve never found it to be too good), and I seem to recall server issues was another complaint (I can still feel this in horde alone), but what’s everyone’s opinions now? Is it finally acceptable to say 5 is better than 4?
Note, I chose to skip over the tour of duty versus loot box system (yes I know originally we had a sort of loot box thing on 5) because really it’s just a bad thing to compare because of differences in how it works
