The Gears of War Beta will officially kick off in a couple of days but we got the chance to test it already. It’s been a while since we’ve entered the universe of Gears of War and this fourth episode is destined to set the cover-based third-person shooter back on the map. Gears 4 will house some innovations but this beta experience felt extremely familiar, combining the gorgeous graphics of the Ultimate Edition with the solid controls of Gears of War 3.
A mad but gorgeous world
The first thing you’ll notice is just how good everything looks on your Xbox One console. This is the first Gears of War game that’s been made for the new hardware and you can tell! The three playable maps look great and offer a glimpse of what we might expect to see in the story mode of this game. That being said, let’s talk about the maps a little more.
– Dam: The Dam map is a gorgeous map, it features some impressive looking pine trees, some abandoned vehicles and buildings scattered around. This was the first map I got to play but its beauty truly surprised me. It’s a rather straightforward map, filled with objects to quench your thirst for cover. That being said, it’s great to see how the power of the new console is used to create a map this good looking.
– Foundation: The second map I played was called Foundation and is my favorite one until now. It’s set in an urban environment, filled with smaller paths to flank your enemies. In the center, there’s a more open spot where the teams like to end up. It’s another rather small map that motivates the players to keep moving and keep fighting the enemies.
– Harbor: The third and last playable map of the beta is Harbor and is set next to a big ship during the night. It’s a map that wants to demonstrate the night graphics and it works well but isn’t as enjoyable as the other maps. The problem with harbor, for me, was that it’s a rather complex map. There are a lot of small paths and open spots, so taking cover isn’t always that easy here. That being said, you did spot an enemy rather fast thanks to their external glow but without it, the map would have been doomed.
The great Gears of War action
So the three playable maps all offer something new for the Gears of War fans but it doesn’t stop there yet. During the beta, you’ll be able to get your hands on one of the new weapons called the Dropshot. This powerful weapon fires a Beyblade inspired bomb straight into the air. Making sure it lands on an enemy is rather tricky but the more you practice, the more kills you’ll get. Speaking in terms of range, it’s comparable to the Torque Bow but the damage it does is unparalleled. If you manage to hit a target with the Dropshot, the enemy will explode, leaving big piles of blood and body parts on the ground. The weapon feels a little too overpowered now, but we’re sure the team will find the right balance to counter this powerful weapon.
As of now, the other weapons feature iconic Gears of War weapons as the Lancer, Hammerburst and shotgun. The matches are fair since they don’t give certain advantages from the start. Each player starts with the same weapons while the other, more powerful weapons are placed on the map. Fighting to get your hands on those weapons first is what will prevent the players from camping. If you want to have a good run, you’ll simply need to get that weapon lying in the center of the map. These weapons also shift places from time to time, so the battle is constantly moving. This results in a chaotic yet fun Gears of War multiplayer.
The king of cover
The beta comes with two playable modes, the classic Team Deathmatch and the infamous Dodgeball mode. In Dodgeball, you’ll only be able to respawn if another enemy is taken care of. That being said, it’s a shame that the beta doesn’t come with more innovating modes but these two classics do demonstrate the power and potential of the bloody multiplayer.
If you played Gears of War before, you know this isn’t your typical run and gun multiplayer. If you want to survive, you’ll need to take cover. Without cover, it only takes a minimum of hits to get you down. When you’re down, your teammate can still revive you but the enemy will shoot you down for good most of the times. Finding the right spots to take cover is very crucial. New in Gears of War 4 is a grab-‘n-stab mechanism. This mechanism allows you to drag your enemy from its cover and deliver a deadly stab in its neck. It only works when you’re on the opposite side of a cover but being able to take down your enemies in this new and brutal way really works surprisingly well. It’s a mechanism we’re sure we would miss if we played some older Gears of War games. The king of cover just received even more unique tricks!
Conclusion:
The Gears of War 4 beta shows us that Gears 4 is on the right track to deliver its hype. The graphics look amazing and the gameplay feels very familiar and yet fresh. Thanks to the new grab-‘n-stab mechanism, taking cover will never be the same again. The new Dropshot weapon still feels a little too overpowered but it’s something the team could work on in the future. Besides that, this beta is something you just need to try for yourself. Gears of War offers a different style of playing and it’s good to have it back on Xbox One.
