We’re busy birds, so we don’t always have time to review all the games coming out. This month is one of the busiest and most packed months in gaming history for new releases, so you will have to excuse us if we’re a little off the boil. The month is kicking off in style with Gears of War 4.
The first game in the series for some years, GoW seemed dormant until this sequel was announced, much to the delight of fans of the Fenix. It’s also the first game to make use of the Xbox and PC cross-play system Microsoft are making to look uniform, so it could represent the start of a big change in gaming as we know it.
With the release date approaching, early reviews have been trickling out and they are mostly positive. Here are all the verdicts you need:
Trusted Reviews – 4.5/5
“Gears Of War 4 does everything required to get the franchise roadie-running into 2016 without losing what made it so good to begin with. One of the best games on the Xbox One.”
Destructoid – 8/10
“Impressive effort with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won’t astound everyone, but is worth most people’s time and cash.”
Polygon – 9/10
“Taken all together, Gears of War 4 doesn’t completely reinvent the genre, and it’s not always “bigger.” But it’s a remarkably consistent, complete package with the kind of refinement and focus few other games can manage, providing excellent solo, cooperative, and competitive options that rank it as one of the best action games of 2016.”
Gamespot – 7/10
“This is a shooter teetering on the edge of something greater, but despite the improvements it makes to the storied franchise, its missteps hold it back. There is inspiration here, and creativity in the way Gears of War 4 rethinks its multiplayer modes. But the lackluster campaign and technical issues are blights on an otherwise exhilarating shooter. The result is a whole that doesn’t reflect the quality of its often stellar parts.”
TechRadar – Play It
“Sure, Gears of War 4 is hardly a grand transformation for the series, but much like Uncharted 4 on PS4, it manages to find a balance between the new and the old.”
LazyGamer – 8/10
“Gears of War 4 is a satisfying, if not overly familiar, return to some of the series’ best beats. A distinctly dark campaign dishes out welcome surprises and disappointing repeats in equal measure, while its refined Horde mode and thoroughly engaging multiplayer round off a package that any franchise fan should be happy to rev through.”
IGN – 9.2 (provisional)
“Let’s get something out of the way up front: if you’re looking for Gears of War to be completely reinvented, Gears 4 isn’t that game. That full-on reboot day will likely arrive eventually, but everything about this entry in the series hews closest to the first Gears, which is probably the one I’d also choose to emulate…”
Buy Gears of War 4 on Xbox One
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
