Gears Tactics Review:

This game doesn’t have a broader strategy layer like X-COM does. Instead, the main story is broken up into side missions. These side missions won’t register much in the game’s first act. In the second and third act, however, a gamer will often have to complete two or even three side-missions in a row before moving on to the next chap


These missions often have specific parameters, such as a limit on the number of characters that can be deployed, or specific buffs for enemies like increased movement or damage. Also, Gears sent on one mission cannot be sent on anot


Class customization is satisfactory. There are five classes, each featuring four branches of subclasses. I found the amount of skill-tree variety to be just right – nothing overly complex nor dumbed-down. The selection of weapon mods and armor perks brought me the experience I just about expected. You can build each of your units to be adaptable and well-rounded or have them specialize. I personally enjoyed building up Cole Train as a beefy tank and Mikayla as a critical hit-machine, for exam


The specialization branches available to the Heavy allow for the building of someone who controls a conflict zone through either stoic, unshakeable defence or sheer force of firepower. For those looking to settle in, picking up Redeploy from the Specialist branch and Dig In from Demolitionist can be incredibly useful. The ability to relocate the Anchor means more freedom on where to set up a defensive line, while the boost to accuracy to all teammates within range with Dig In means that a solid, hard to penetrate firebase can be set up with relative ease. For those looking for a more forward approach, the combination of Ultra Shot and Heat Up from the Artillery branch all but insure absolute destruction. Heat Up's 25% boost to damage that stacks with every shot is effective on its own, but pairing it with an ability that literally causes the Heavy to shot a target til either it drops or the gun goes "click" allows for an actual nightmarish amount of firepower to be leveled on an enemy. Regardless of which path the player chooses, an all-important skill is Suppressive fire. It essentially stonewalls a 4 meter cluster of enemies, breaking any overwatch they have in place and preventing them from moving for the entire subsequent turn. Suppressive Fire changes repositioning a team from dangerous legwork to a walk in the p

No one can put out focused damage like the Sniper. Given the proper space (and ideally elevation) to work, the ranged specialist can inflict heavy damage on any foe, softening up hard targets and mopping up damaged enemies in a single deadly sweep. The skills of the class allow the player to choose their particular flavor of deadly at a dista


For instance, all the customization options are gender-neutral. The player can also color each piece of armor however they want. And let’s not forget the plethora of neon options to make each fighter stand out. Basically, players can make their units as flamboyant, macho or ridiculous as they w

The game is similar to the other Gears of War games in that it’s fast-paced and incredibly aggressive. It feels like a Gears game, only that it’s now overhead and focused more on strategy . For gamers who love Gears of War and similar games like XCOM , this is like a dream mash-up between the ga


Gears Tactics is an ambitious spinoff that doesn’t necessarily innovate, but it does succeed in taking the turn-based strategy genre head-on. The game’s presentation is quality, reflecting classic, core Gears elements. Although the gameplay flattens out by forcing repetitive mission types – extensive customization, immersive storytelling, and overall polish earns Splash Damage and The Coalition a tip of the


For the series' first foray into the rapidly evolving turn-based tactics genre, **Gears Tactics ** is an impressively balanced and well constructed strategic experience. Managing to avoid the pitfalls of some other genre-crossing series (for all that is good about it, the first Halo Wars game had some pretty rough edges), Gears Tactics hits many of the right notes for a squad tactics title, including a fairly fleshed out equipm.ent customization system and some very involved soldier skill trees that allow for specialization that is critical to a rounded battle experience. While it is easy to see how these features have lead to comparisons to the likes of XCOM (which is amongst the highest of praises bestowable on a young turn based tactics series), the game manages to retain the unique flavor of its source material, finely portraying the gritty world that plays hosts to the ongoing conflict between mankind and the Locust hordes, with some clever, thematic mechanics to match . As adaptations go, this shifting of the Xbox flagship Gears series to a genre more about careful consideration than frenetic aggression has gone exceptionally smoot


In most squads, the Vanguard is going to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting. A multipurpose fighter comfortable anywhere from middle to relatively close range, players are likely to keep them on the front lines at all times. Conveniently, Vanguards happen to have a well-rounded skill tree that allows them to adapt to fill in any holes in a team composit