Set 25 years after the events of the original trilogy, Gears of War 4 introduces new heroes, new enemies and a new, less war-torn vision of the planet Sera, but in almost every other way this gory, glorious shooter harks back to the very first game in the series.
After decades of peace, the main threat on the planet is not the vicious Locust Horde but the Coalition of Ordered Governments, which has become oppressive and controlling. That is until a new kind of monster emerges. This sets the scene for a dark story tinged with mystery and horror, not unlike the original game.
The campaign opens with a bit of a history lesson, reminding players of the 79-year world war fought between the COG and the Union of Independent Republics, followed by the invasion of the Locust only six weeks after the war's conclusion. It's a great recap for series fans — a chance to play a snippet of the oft-referenced lore — while also introducing new players to some core concepts that will be important later.
Of course when we last saw Sera, the COG had deployed a device that destroyed all the world's emulsion (a fossil fuel over which all the wars were fought) and took the Locust with it. In Gears 4, we see a Sera rebuilt on alternative fuels, and a trio of protagonists that have never known war.
JD Fenix (son of war hero and former protagonist Marcus Fenix) and his two friends Kait and Del are immediately likeable, and the switch to a younger generation of heroes helps takes the edge off the incredible macho-ness of the original trilogy.
But don't get the wrong idea, this is still very much a game for those who like their guns and soldiers big, their banter filled with coarse language and their enemies' limbs occasionally being separated and launched airborne by concussive blasts. The game is rated R18+ for a reason — and at times is almost comical in its detailed depictions of gore — but it's also just a bit less brash than its forebears.
Even the world itself, with sections of greenery and mountainous landscapes, contrasts nicely with the shoutier Gears of old. It's a difference the game plays up with great humour, especially when grouchy old man Marcus joins the group in certain sections of the game.
Rebelling against the COG and its authoritarianism, JD and pals first come into conflict with the DeeBees — the Coalition's robotic armed forces — and later face the disturbingly Locust-like Swarm.
A smattering of new enemy types adds some variety and veterans will be forced to think on their feet once or twice, but the standard bad guys are almost identical to previous games.
Thankfully the combat itself needs no improvement, and the mix of taking cover, switching up weapons and nailing active reloads for more powerful shots is as awesome as ever. The narrative conceits make for some cool new weapons — including several gruesome takes on construction-tools-turned-deadly — and new environmental hazards as well.
Giant electrical dust storms called windflares are a constant threat when fighting outside. Unlike previous environmental hazards like razorhail, windflares are totally dynamic and can affect the battle in unexpected ways. Corpses, cover and any object not bolted down become ballistic terrors during a storm, and heavier weaponry like grenades or the new buzzkill (it fires circular saw blades, use your imagination) become near impossible to aim in the wind.
Co-operative play has shifted focus back down to two players, either splitscreen or online, marking the return of some of the original game's brilliant branching path sections. Player two can choose to take charge of Kait or Del, but either way the co-operative play is top notch and avoids the charm-destroying multiplayer focus of games like Halo 5.
Multiplayer has changed a lot, and largely for the better. Competitive play includes standard deathmatch alongside fresh new modes inspired by other popular games. In one Counterstrike-inspired game type, teams must get three kills with each and every weapon consecutively, starting with the big explosive toys and ending with the standard pistol.
Horde mode, which sees a team of players defend a base against waves of increasingly tough enemies, is better than ever and can be tackled by up to 5 players online. Felled enemies drop points that players must collect and take back to home base to bank. It's a mode so satisfying that the build-and-defend mechanic is actually implemented several times in the campaign mode.
In a much-appreciated touch, and in contrast to many other recent games, all the multiplayer modes are accessible in two-player splitscreen as well as online.
Overall, this is an inspired middle ground between a Gears of War 3 sequel and a full-on reboot. Everything that worked in the past is here, proving that the series is still the best there is at the cover-based shooting and grim military fantasy niches it carved out a decade ago.
There's plenty for series fans who want to know what happened to their favourite characters and delve deeper into the long and mostly-unexplored history of Sera, and for new players there's no reason not to start here with a brand new story (and less abrasive, more inclusive characters).
Gears of War 4 is out now for Xbox One and Windows 10.
