TheGears of Warseries began on theXbox 360in November 2006. The sci-fi cover-based shooter was gory and featured an over-the-top aesthetic that perfectly aligns with Microsoft’s branding. The original game instantly became a classic and the series has remained a staple of theXbox’s lineupever since.
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The series has been fortunate to keep its longevity through the years, delivering a host of quality titles for Microsoft’s consoles. Gears of War set itself apart with its stellar graphics, compelling narrative, and frantic multiplayer. The series has undergone some changes through the years but has still managed to deliver high-quality titles for almost two decades.
7Gears Tactics: The Worst Gears Of War Game
Gears Tacticsis a competenttactical strategy gamebut fails to live up to the highs of other entries in the series. The game operates similarly to theWastelandtitles, with turn-based combat taking place on an open grid. The biggest departure is the inclusion of an open map that doesn’t confine movement to selected grids.
The story of Gears Tactics acts as a prequel to the first game, taking place just one year after the cataclysmic “Emergence Day”. We would like to see the Gears series take a turn into a full real-time strategy like theHalo Warsgame, but Gears Tactics is still a great game for any Gears or strategy fan.
6Gears Of War Judgment: Gears Of War Origins
Gears of War Judgmentis a spin-off title from the main series but fills in a lot of the gaps left by the mainline titles. The story follows Damon Baird as he recalls missions in front of a military tribunal. This unique framing device allowed the player to see the Gears world through flashbacks and does a good job of reckoning the violence of the series with the world that these people inhabit.
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Our biggest complaint with Judgment, and why it doesn’t land higher on our list, is the comparatively small levels each mission takes place in. The Gears of War series has become known for its huge sprawling level design and the missions in Judgment are smaller and more linear. Even with this shortcoming, Judgment tells one of the better stories in the series and the multiplayer is just as fun as it is in the mainline titles.
5Gears Of War 4: The Beginning Of A New Era
Gears of War 4acted as a soft reboot for the series. The story takes place 25 years after the ending ofGears of War 3and introduces new characters to continue the story. A stand-out highlight of these new characters is Kait Diaz, who takes center stage in the sequel and is voiced by the immensely talentedLaura Bailey.
Gears of War 4 was the first game to take full advantage of theXbox One’shardware and developerThe Coalitionpushed the system to its limits. The game is still one of the most gorgeous titles available on Xbox and the multiplayer and Horde mode are overshadowed only by the game’s sequel.
4Gears Of War 3: The End Of The Xbox 360 Trilogy.
The Gears of War series will always be remembered hand in hand with the Xbox 360. The original game was a massive success and the quality of titles never dipped throughout the original trilogy. Gears of War 3 brought a satisfying conclusion to the series on 360 and remains one of our favorite titles even if it’s not as memorable as the ones that came before.
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Gears of War 2 ended on a massive scale, with Jacinto being destroyed in order to stop the quickly advancing Locust forces. Gears of War 3 picked up two years after the events and brought a satisfying end to the series narrative. Our only complaint with Gears of War 3 is the lack of innovation brought to the multiplayer modes.
3Gears 5: Pushing The Series Forward
Gears 5was released for the Xbox One in 2019 with an updated version forSeries X/S consolesarriving just a year later. It is undoubtedly the most impressive game in the series and gives us all hope for what the series will look like going forward.
Gears 5 takes a more open-world approach to exploration with several levels being accessible through a main explorative hub world. The story centers on Kat Diaz as she continues to resist the COG and attempts to forge her own path in the war against the Locust Horde. The narrative is one of the strongest in the series and the multiplayer modes are some of the best in the series. Gears 5 is a must-play for any Xbox owner.
2Gears Of War 2: A Worthy Follow Up To An All-Time Classic
Gears of War 2took everything that made the original so special and expanded upon it in meaningful ways. The story picks up six months after the original game, and while the narrative isn’t as compelling as the first game, the story ended on a massive cliffhanger that left us clamoring for the next entry.
The only flaws that can be found in Gears of War 2 are with theboss battles. The first Gears game delivered epic final battles that tested our skill and patience and Gears 2 stumbled slightly in this department. Even with our small gripes, Gears 2 is still an incredible game that holds up well today.
1Gears Of War: The Best Gears Of War Game
It’s not often that the first entry in a series is its best, but that is the case with the Gears of War franchise. The original Gears of War launched in 2006 as an Xbox 360 exclusive and proved to be the system savior people needed after they had completed Halo 3.
The original title was developed byEpic Gamesand proved how apt this team was at creating games. An enhanced version dubbed Ultimate Edition was developed and released by The Coalition in 2015 and is the best way to experience this all-time classic. Few games have been able to reach the highs of the first Gears of War game, and it’s a testament to its quality that the game is still so highly regarded today.
