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Gears Tactics - Information Thread, update: reviews from OpenCritic posted


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Gears of War meets RPG with 'Gears Tactics' for PC, the deepest Gears game yet (Windows Central)

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The number one thing I often hear from Gears of War fans about Gears Tactics is that the genre puts them off. If you're one of those people, I'd say: keep your eye on it. It seems to have all the high-quality cinematics, and intriguing story delivery Gears is known for. The gameplay appears to have been meticulously positioned to retain that sense of speed and aggression that is uniquely Gears. Rushing forward with a chainsaw, blowing up a group of enemies with a grenade, complete with all that meaty gore and gigantic set-piece boss battles that should create some truly memorable experiences. At least, that's the hope.

 

Gears Tactics is a shockingly good strategy game (PC Gamer)

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Gears Tactics was announced at E3 two minutes after a Gears Funko Pop mobile game, which automatically made me skeptical. Spin-offs can be a bad even when they aren't playing second fiddle to Funko Pops. I didn't expect Gears Tactics to be bad so much as I didn't expect much at all. But after playing Tactics for three hours, I was taking it seriously.

 

What I found was really fun strategy combat, a bit breezier than XCOM but a far better adaptation of Gears than I thought possible. Even in the context of an XCOM-inspired strategy game, chainsawing baddies in a shower of ludicrous gore is still the good stuff. 

 

 

Gears Tactics keeps players engaged by amping up its Gears-ness (GamesBeat)

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Getting the chance to watch a demo of Gears Tactics completely won me over. I’m very excited to play it for myself and dig deeper into these systems.  The game has plenty more worth digging into like how the math works (it barely fudges anything), how much information you get (a lot), and how boss battles change things up.

 

But I’ll save all of that for a review or coverage after getting the chance to play Gears Tactics myself. For now, I’m impressed with how the designers built this game. It’s the exact right way to create a tactical spinoff of an existing property.

 

If you’re a Gears fan, I think Tactics has a strong chance of winning you over specifically because it is so damn Gears.

 

Gears Tactics Preview: Gears of War Meets XCOM and We're Here for It (IGN)

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As someone who has only dabbled in XCOM (sorry XCOM fans, our resident XCOM expert was busy!) and played tons of Fire Emblem: Three Houses but is a major Gears fan, I was keenly interested in Gears Tactics once we finally saw gameplay revealed at the 2019 Game Awards. I went hands-on with the turn-based tactics game for about three hours, and if the laptop I was playing on wasn’t taken away from me, I’d probably still be playing. Gears Tactics is shaping up to be an engaging way to play in the Gears universe.

 

What You Need To Know About Gears Tactics, The New PC Strategy Game (Gamespot)

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Xbox's iconic cover-based shooter is switching gears for its next big release. Developers The Coalition and Splash Damage are launching a new strategy game set in the Gears of War universe called Gears Tactics. It arrives at the end of April for PC (and eventually on Xbox One), and is a canonical entry in the series. This is the first non-shooter release in the Gears series since the mobile game Gears Pop. It's a big change of pace for the franchise, and GameSpot recently had the opportunity to check out some gameplay and speak with one of the lead developers to find out more.

 

Gears Tactics is more Gears of War than you think (Eurogamer)

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Gears Tactics throws a lot at you, then. But so it should. I don't want XCOM in a Gears of War skin. I want interesting mechanics and a unique twist. A Gears of War twist. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't look like Gears Tactics is rewriting the turn-based rule book. But it's doing enough to make me want to give it a shot.

 

Gears Tactics Eschews XCOM Comparisons By Embracing the Brutality of Gears (USgamer)

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But while the similarities are abundant, Gears Tactics stands out to me for its aggression. It's a faster game, with more kills and more carnage. That equates to equal danger for your own Gears. A boss can push your honed strategy to the edge, as your best-laid plans are quickly torn apart by a constant stream of enemies, each bringing in their own methods of disrupting and demolishing Gears.

 

Gears Tactics will arrive for PC on April 28, and will be on Xbox Game Pass for PC. It may look like XCOM, but its take on tactics is ultimately faster and more brutal. Despite its unusual pedigree, it could well measure up with the genre's best. After all, Gears Tactics may be a tactical game, but it sure is a Gears game, too.

 

Gears Tactics is a funnier XCOM with breathless clutch moments (PCGamesN)

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Presentational issues are one of the relatively few criticisms I would make. The in-game camera doesn’t zoom in (or out, actually) very far, which leaves me with a distanced, impersonal view of the battlefield that’s at odds with most modern games in this and related genres. The fact that the dynamic camera is able to take a closer view suggests this is a surmountable problem, but that camera itself isn’t perfect. For every time it takes a cool angle on the action, it will at least as often default to a far less exciting top-down view.

 

But I don’t want to end on a mean-spirited note. I really like Gears Tactics so far. XCOM is a good starting point, but Gears Tactics is faster, funnier, and more empowering, both in terms of your own lethality and your tactical options, yet it can still challenge you. Gears Tactics is out on April 28.

 

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Game Information

Game Title: Gears Tactics

Platforms:

  • PC (Apr 28, 2020)
  • Xbox One (Apr 28, 2020)

Developers: Splash Damage, The Coalition

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
    
Review Aggregator

OpenCritic - 81 average - 85% recommended

Critic Reviews


Daily Star - 5 / 5 stars

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The Coalition has taken the Gears franchise in a brave new direction into XCOM’s genre and executed it to perfection


God is a Geek - 10 / 10

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Gears Tactics is big and brash at times, but it's also deep, intelligent and balanced, with all the heart and passion we've come to expect from a Gears game.


MSPoweruser - 9.7 / 10

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Tactics is a fantastic conversion of Xbox’s iconic franchise into a more thoughtful gameplay setting. It’s a spin-off that takes everything Gears is known for and masterfully retools it for an engrossing strategy game that we’ll likely be playing for years to come. With a Locust enemy that’s finally more imposing than General RAAM and a lovable cast of characters, it’s also a game that continues to tell an epic, cinematic story that strategy games have never had the budget to do before. This is everything you love about Gears, you just have to think a bit more.


Impulsegamer - 4.7 / 5

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Gears Tactics is a fantastic strategy game and an excellent addition to the Gears of War series, and I’d recommend it to anyone who is either a fan of Gears of War, or to the XCOM series style of game.


Critical Hit - 9 / 10

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Gears Tactics isn't just one of the biggest surprises of the year, it's a vulgar display of power starring everyone's favourite beefy boys in a bloody new direction that'll test your trigger fingers with pure heavy mental action.


Destructoid - 9 / 10

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All my quibbles are on the periphery of Gears Tactics, though. The core -- getting onto the battlefield and agonizing over every move -- is excellent. There's a smart experience here, one that feels both authentically Gears and tactics. That's the best possible outcome. Gears Tactics is a great Gears game and a great tactics game. This 90% doesn't miss.


GameSpew - 9 / 10

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Gears Tactics is the best Gears of War game since the original trilogy came to a close.


Gaming Nexus - 9 / 10

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Gears Tactics is definitely different than what Gears fans are accustomed to, being a tactical-style game, but I think it fits the genre pretty well. If you've ever wondered what Gears would be like outside of the main series, Gears Tactics shows that it does pretty well in a tactical-style.


GamingTrend - 90 / 100

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Gears Tactics is a stellar tactics game that still manages to feel like the Gears you know and love. With a solid story, addictive RPG systems, and dozens of hours of gameplay, this is a must-play for any fans of turn-based strategy games or the Gears franchise in general.


IGN Spain - Spanish - 9 / 10

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Gears delves into the Turn-based strategy genre with a game extremely faithful to the core saga, fun shootings that keep the essence of those played in the third person, but somewhat repetitive after a few hours.


WellPlayed - 9 / 10

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Great storytelling, solid characters, impressive performance and subtle changes to the formula set by XCOM create the impressive spinoff title that is Gears Tactics


Geek Culture - 8.8 / 10

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Gears Tactics delivers signature over-the-top action in a brand new genre that not only works, but succeeds spectacularly.


Spaziogames - Italian - 8.7 / 10

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Gears Tactics feels like a natural step for the franchise, and the best game since The Coalition has been given control over the series.


AusGamers - 8.5 / 10

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From the rushing melee-based Creepers to exploding Tickers to enemy snipers that can pin one of your squad members into place, there’s diversity in how each firefight plays out.


Game Informer - 8.5 / 10

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Inject some much-needed adrenaline and storytelling into the tactics milieu, even if the campaign wears out its welcome


Gamerheadquarters - 8.5 / 10

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Gears Tactics is turn based excellence, a strategy title that takes the Gears of War franchise in an interesting new direction.


Gamers Heroes - 85 / 100

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Everything about Gears Tactics screams quality, and it's easily one of the best debut titles this genre has seen in years. It's nearly time for X-COM to step aside – this genre just went up a Gear.


Nexus - 8.5 / 10

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Gears Tactics is a great fit for the IP and its gameplay complexity matches – and sometimes surpasses – that of other long-established IPs in the genre.


Player.it - Italian - 8.5 / 10

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A fantastic tactical game with all the features that makes Gears of War series a global success.


SECTOR.sk - Slovak - 8.5 / 10

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Gears franchise reach new horizon with superior turn-based strategy game with admirable graphics and good gameplay.


Stevivor - 8.5 / 10

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While Gears Tactics has some refining to do, it’s hard not to recommend


Wccftech - 8.5 / 10

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Gears Tactics is, simply put, an excellent turn-based tactics game that stands up well against titles like XCOM and others at the top of the genre.


Worth Playing - 8.5 / 10

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Gears Tactics is a solid turn-based strategy game that has something for genre veterans and newcomers alike.


Gamersky - Chinese - 8.4 / 10

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Gears Tactics delivers a very deep dimension of strategy while maintaining the wild style of the Gears series.  It keeps me engaged for multiple hours. But at the end of the day, repetitive missions make me feel bored.


PowerUp! - 8.4 / 10

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Gears Tactics is a must-play if you're a fan of the franchise or the genre


PC Gamer - 83 / 100

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Clever combat abilities and brutal executions translate Gears of War into a deep, fast-paced strategy game.


Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 82 / 100

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Gears Tactics reinvents the saga moving from shooter to tactical strategy. It keeps the essence of third-person shooter, it's fast, wild and fun, despite some boring side missions.


Attack of the Fanboy - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics perfectly translates the aggressive, bloody action of the series to a turn-based format.


Digital Trends - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics doesn’t have to rival the latest main-series game to get across the franchise’s grand ambitions of worldwide conflict.


DualShockers - 8 / 10

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Effectively blending the Gears of War universe with strategy gameplay, Gears Tactics is a fast-paced experience that succeeds on both fronts.


Game Revolution - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics makes a wonderful addition to the franchise, and I hope that it spins off as its own series.


GameMAG - Russian - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics is an exciting game with incredibly beautiful graphics, interesting missions and well-developed mechanics, which could have been better if the authors of the game paid more attention to the story. Anyway we have a great project for fans of the genre, regardless of their loyalty to the Gears of War franchise.


GameSkinny - 8 / 10 stars

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Gears Tactics takes the intense third-person action of the console game into the realm of PC-centric turn-based tactical strategy.


GameSpot - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics carefully recreates the chaotic excitement of a Gears of War firefight in turn-based strategy form.


Gameblog - French - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics is a nice surprise. If you like the XCOM genre, there's a lot of fun waiting for you. It's beautiful, epic and clever in its gameplay mechanics. And you dont need be familiar with the Gears saga to appreciate it. But if you are, it's definitely a treat.


GamingBolt - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics marries classic Gears of War elements with engaging tactical combat. It's not as deep as X-Com, but this is a unique, enjoyable tactical game with a lot of depth that should entice fans of both Gears and X-Com.


Glitched Africa - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics is one of the best tactical games on the market. It delivers a challenging and unique approach to the series. As for replayability, it offers hours of intense gameplay, fantastic boss fights and a large emphasis on an end-game modifier experience. You don't want to miss this.


IGN - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics does an excellent job of grafting Gears' signature look and feel onto XCOM's turn-based battle format and looks great doing it.


Metro GameCentral - 8 / 10

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A fast-paced and accessible turn-based action game that if anything feels constrained by the predictable nature of the Gears Of War universe.


Shacknews - 8 / 10

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The game offers a solid experience of squad customization and tactical turn-based battle, but still keeps some of the most satisfying head explosions to ever come out of an action game.


Tech Advisor - 4 / 5 stars

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I wasn't expecting to like Gears Tactics this much, and the tactical layer is phenomenally enjoyable. If this is all you want, Gears Tactics is a must-buy.

 


However, a lack of memorable moments and the lack of a grander strategy layer to dig your teeth into could leave some itches unscratched, despite the quality shown by Splash Damage and The Coalition.

 


TechRaptor - 8 / 10

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On the gameplay front, Gears Tactics nails the transition from high octane shooter to tactical strategy. You'll be hooked even as you grind through an overlong campaign filled with repetitive missions.


The Games Machine - Italian - 8 / 10

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Gears Tactics is not only a pretty good turn-based tactical game, but it also manages to keep the typical feeling of the Gears of War series unchanged.


TheSixthAxis - 8 / 10

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There's a sense that this is Splash Damage and The Coalition playing to the crowd with Gears Tactics. It undoubtedly captures the look and feel of the Gears universe, squeezing it into a slick turn-based tactical game, but while I can see a few genre fans attracted to its more cerebral form of warfare, it's the series fans who are going to get the most out of it.


TrueAchievements - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics is a fantastic strategy game.


TrueGaming - Arabic - 8 / 10

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Maybe some missions felt repetitive and the overall structure felt linear without branching options to advance, but the combat in Gears Tactics is amazing and it can even rival the amazing XCom.


TrustedReviews - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics is a great game that is sure to delight fans of the series. More hardcore gamers will find it a little lightweight to be considered an XCOM rival.


Twinfinite - 4 / 5

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A blend of excellent gameplay and a compelling story that feels true to the Gears universe is guaranteed to turn the COGS of series veterans and newcomers alike. Gears Tactics should be on the radar of all Gears fans, even those entirely new to the tactics genre.


USgamer - 4 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics finds its niche by leaning further into the hyper-aggressive action and gore of the franchise. It throws tons of enemies at you, which forces you to move and keeps you on your toes, but can also become annoying and tedious in some missions. For a first-time outing though, Gears Tactics is a fantastic start.


Windows Central - 4 / 5 stars

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Held back by a few flaws, Gears Tactics remains a rock-solid turn-based strategy game fans of the genre will love.


Cerealkillerz - German - 7.8 / 10

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Gears Tactics successfully injects the brutal acion of the Gears of War Series in a tactical environment with phenomenal boss fights and gory executions but runs itself in the ground with a repetitive mission structure and a lot of missing variety in many departments. Even newcomers of the Genre will soon have a desire for more.


3DNews - Russian - 7.5 / 10

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Gears Tactics is a successful experiment for both Gears franchise and Splash Damage. But there is much more potential than the game shows us.


GameWatcher - 7.5 / 10

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Staying true to the franchise, your Gears are brutal killing machines who live in a soap opera. We'll add that it's also rare to find a tactics game which makes you feel powerful but vulnerable at the same time, and that's worth a lot.


SomHráč.sk - Czech - 75 / 100

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Gears Tactics' devs took a lot of inspiration and know-how from the XCOM series, but they implemented it so elegantly, it's not very bothersome at all. The visual style and atmosphere stayed very true to the original series, but the whole experience is compromised by repetitive forced side missions and weak RPG progression.


New Game Network - 72 / 100

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Gears Tactics is a worthwhile spinoff that does a great job of integrating key franchise elements into a different genre. The story is shallow and the missions get quite repetitive, but fans of turn based tactics should get some gory fun out of this one.


GamesRadar+ - 3.5 / 5 stars

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Gears Tactics is a smart, fast, and aggressive strategy game that's in need of a little more variety


Hardcore Gamer - 3.5 / 5

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Despite some stumbles, Splash Damage has successfully taken the essence of the Gears franchise and transferred it into a turn-based strategy game.


PCGamesN - 7 / 10

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Its core combat is probably better than XCOM's. If only it did a little more with it, Gears Tactics would be one of the greats.Richard Scott-Jones


Press Start - 7 / 10

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As a spin-off, Gears Tactics has strong core gameplay, but unfortunately surrounding areas in the design hold it back from being greater.


Rocket Chainsaw - 3.5 / 5 stars

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While it doesn’t quite have enough tricks up its sleeve to remain engaging throughout its 40-hour main story, it’s still a creative, interesting new take on the franchise that’s worth a look for any fan after something a bit different.


Screen Rant - 3.5 / 5 stars

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Gears and XCOM fans will love Gears Tactics.


GotGame - 6.5 / 10

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Ultimately, Gears Tactics may be inviting to someone who wants a bridge between robust strategy and high octane excitement. However, veteran strategy game players may find this game a shallow ride.


VG247 - 3 / 5 stars

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Despite the necessary rules and stricture of turn-based strategy, the action feels just as chaotic and unpredictable as any trophy match Cole played in his sporting days.


COGconnected - 55 / 100

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Gears Tactics tries some new things, but ultimately results in a game that’s less tactics oriented than the name suggests. It’s a competent experience, but completely whiffs on character with a lackluster story and every tool is a hammer class design.


ACG - Buy

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With some inconsistencies, Gears doesn't land perfectly but it does land on both feet. One firmly entrenched in excellent strategy, the other a perfect rendition of Gears but in a turn-based style


Echo Boomer - Portuguese - Loved

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The revolutionary cover-based shooter gets adapted into a turn-based game, that still gets the fun, the action bits, the chaos and the adrenaline that defined the series.


Eurogamer - No Recommendation / Blank

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A competent tactical retooling of the Gears formula, even if the execution isn't always spot-on.


Expansive - Loved

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I really enjoyed Gears Tactics. Everything just comes together so well and without doubt, it’s one of the surprise packages of 2020. Cast it aside and discredit at your own risk Gears Tactics is a brilliant game that works as well as any other in the genre on almost every level.


Kotaku - Unscored

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This isn’t a gimmick or reskin of XCOM. This is something great that stands on its own.


Polygon - Unscored

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This is a near miss, but as anyone who has ever played a turn-based game will tell you, a near miss can be all the enemy needs to take you out. This is an interesting, but hardly essential, addition to the Gears family.


Rock, Paper, Shotgun - RPS Bestest Bests

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This is 100% a Gears Of War game, that also happens to be a top flight strategy effort.

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While I'll be checking this out since it's "free" on Game Pass, so far I haven't been a fan of "XCOM but simpler." I watched the first few minutes of SkillUp's review last night, and he kind of lost me right off the bat by calling Mario Rabbids "sublime" and then talking about how while this game lacks on the complexity of XCOM, it makes up for it "where it counts," after which, if I recall correctly, he talked about uhh, how the guns sounded and how bloody overwatch was instead of being clinical and how the Gears bros fit perfectly into a tactical game since they spend all day behind cover anyway. To me, the complexity of the XCOM games is like the heart and soul of what makes them fun, which is why barebones games like Mario and Rabbids (which honestly was more of a puzzle game disguised as a tactical game rather than an outright tactical game so I already find the comparison shaky) just left me kind of feeling meh. That and those sad ass actual puzzles they had between combat.

 

I'm still waiting for something as deep and complex and satisfying as War of the Chosen while not being a buggy disaster like every modern XCOM game has been so far. I'm not against these games being simpler, but so far I have yet to see a compelling reason as to why they should be less complex.

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10 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

While I'll be checking this out since it's "free" on Game Pass, so far I haven't been a fan of "XCOM but simpler." I watched the first few minutes of SkillUp's review last night, and he kind of lost me right off the bat by calling Mario Rabbids "sublime" and then talking about how while this game lacks on the complexity of XCOM, it makes up for it "where it counts," after which, if I recall correctly, he talked about uhh, how the guns sounded and how bloody overwatch was instead of being clinical and how the Gears bros fit perfectly into a tactical game since they spend all day behind cover anyway. To me, the complexity of the XCOM games is like the heart and soul of what makes them fun, which is why barebones games like Mario and Rabbids (which honestly was more of a puzzle game disguised as a tactical game rather than an outright tactical game so I already find the comparison shaky) just left me kind of feeling meh. That and those sad ass actual puzzles they had between combat.

 

I'm still waiting for something as deep and complex and satisfying as War of the Chosen while not being a buggy disaster like every modern XCOM game has been so far. I'm not against these games being simpler, but so far I have yet to see a compelling reason as to why they should be less complex.

 

I highly suggest BattleTech if you want something as potentially complex as XCOM. I just played it recently and the campaign was a lot of fun and the gameplay was on point.

 

Word on the street is this is good, will be keeping an eye on this as I do want to play it.

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Downloaded it and played through just the opening tutorial section, and already there are a couple mildly interesting twists on the formula. Gears does feel well suited to this type of game, and it's very clear they didn't skimp on the production values. It also runs pretty well. I'm playing on ultra @ 4K and the benchmark showed pretty unflappable frame rate.

 

Of course, before I could get it to run I had to spend 45min troubleshooting the Xbox app on my PC, as is tradition whenever I install another Game Pass game. I even have a separate windows login just for Gamepass, but somehow it still never seems to work right. I kept getting the least helpful error message of all time: Error 0x000001. No description, no help menu, no cause, no windows event raised. Just a blank, default, error, not allowing me to install the game. I updated everything, and reset the Xbox app a couple times, and eventually it let me install. 

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Got through the first two Acts and I'm quite enjoying it. On normal difficulty it's on the easy side, but there's enough going on to keep you entertained. The progression system feels pretty good, though I'm finding that some skills I expected to be great aren't as good as I thought, so I really wish you could respec more often, at least for the main characters that you're constantly required to bring along. By and large the biggest takeaway is that the gameplay itself is pretty good. It's fast, there's lots of strategy, and it really works with this setting.

 

There are some issues I've had though. A few times now I've had mission ending bugs. Once I had a complete hard lock of my system, which I believe is a first for my new PC. There was a mid mission cut-scene which went black and I was unable to do anything. I've also had a few missions where the enemy turn just wouldn't end. The UI was still working, but the enemy turn just didn't happen. In each case it's been not long after a mission checkpoint, so I probably only lost maybe 10 mintues of gameplay time each, so while not ideal, at least it wasn't a huge waste of time. I'm also getting some slow texture loading times, but it seems to be very sporadic, and mostly limited to the in-engine cutscenes at the start of missions.

 

In general I dislike the UI on enemy turns. It often forces the camera to a place where I can't see enemy movements anyways, and some things happen fast enough that I don't even get to see them. A much smaller gripe is how turns work when the map is cleared. I'm tired of voice lines saying "incoming grubs!" or something similar, when there are no enemies at all. It's also annoying that you don't always know when missions will end. A couple times I've missed out on extra loot because I killed a guy, not realizing that he was the last one and that this wasn't a mission that would have an extraction point. 

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