{"id":110859,"date":"2020-03-27T12:33:05","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T12:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/?p=436739"},"modified":"2020-03-27T12:33:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T12:33:05","slug":"hands-on-with-the-upcoming-strategy-game-gears-tactics-coming-to-pc-april-28-and-now-available-for-pre-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2020\/03\/27\/hands-on-with-the-upcoming-strategy-game-gears-tactics-coming-to-pc-april-28-and-now-available-for-pre-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Hands-on with the upcoming strategy game Gears Tactics, coming to PC April 28 and now available for pre-order"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n

The hulking
\nBrumak bellows as it launches a salvo of missiles into the sky, then bears down
\non my COG Scout, preparing to unload an arm-mounted chain gun in her direction.
\nNearby, an emergence hole opens up, bursting forth with bounding Wretches. Make
\nthat two e-holes. Then, for the first time in a Gears of War title, I\u2026 stop. I
\nlook around the battlefield. And I think. Think about how bad of a situation
\nI\u2019m in (very bad), formulate a plan, and execute.<\/p>\n

On the surface, the Gears of War franchise doesn\u2019t immediately scream \u201cstrategy,\u201d as you survive moment to moment, cover to cover, reload to active reload. But when you look at some of the top strategy games out there, Gears fans\u2019 may find many familiar elements; battlefields rife with chest-high cover, the importance of positioning to flank or get off a shot without exposing yourself, and stakes so high that a single mistake may find you reloading from a checkpoint. I must confess that while playing through recent genre standouts like XCOM 2<\/em><\/a>, Mutant Year Zero<\/em><\/a>, even Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle<\/em>, I\u2019ve found myself thinking \u201cthere\u2019s a bit of Gears in here!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"Gears<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

And it *is* nearly here; this week I got my (well-sanitized) hands on the first few hours of Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a>. We\u2019ll keep this look free of story spoilers, but the fact that there is<\/em> something to spoil speaks volumes about the level of narrative Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> brings to the genre. While some entries in this genre are non-canon side stories, Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> yields valuable insights on the events that took place before the Gears of War titles you know and love, told through the eyes of some new, instantly likable heroes. <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk Tactics<\/em>: most missions see you deploying a quartet of Gears to the battlefield, choosing from an ever-expanding roster of Heavies, Scouts, Vanguards, Snipers, and Support units. Each character takes three actions per turn, which can be split amongst shooting, moving, and using skills in any way you like. Move, shoot, reload \u2013 that can be your turn. Dig in and shoot multiple times \u2013 that works too. Or sprint long-distance across the battlefield into cover\u2026 you\u2019ve got the freedom to act however you need to, as there is no grid in Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a>. Those skills, by the way, are very<\/em> Gears \u2013 if a Drone gets too close, that Lancer has a chainsaw for a reason (one hit kill!). Powerful melee moves, Support heals, and grenades of various types are moderated by cooldowns to ensure you can\u2019t spam your way to victory.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> brings a unique twist to these actions. If you\u2019re playing defensively and go into overwatch with all your turns banked, you can take up to three shots at enemies who cross your sights on their<\/em> turn. Conversely, executing a down-but-not-out enemy with a showy finisher inspires your teammates to take an extra action in the current turn. Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> is a game in which intelligent aggression swings momentum in your favor; a moment of inspiration can take you from being hopelessly pinned down to mopping up stragglers in a single turn.<\/p>\n

Once your
\nobjective is achieved, your troops return to their convoy, a mobile base of
\noperations where you can level up, open equipment cases you find on the
\nbattlefield, recruit and customize troops, and gear up for your next mission. I
\nspent a lot of time in the convoy, sorting through mods for weapons, and
\ndeliberating on where to spend ability points on a (very extensive) skill tree
\nunique to each class. You can even customize the appearance of all your troops
\nand their gear, the better to help them pop on the battlefield. <\/p>\n

\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

A word on
\ndifficulty \u2013 playing on Normal, the game quickly ramped up, punishing bad
\ndecisions, but (usually) granting me an opportunity to pull myself out of the
\nfire. Stakes are kept high, as outside of some key heroes, death is permanent. The
\nresult is that I was constantly on the edge of defeat, making even early
\nvictories feel like a legendary triumph. Those new to the genre can lower
\ndifficulty, while true tactical pros will want to engage the no-reloads-allowed
\nIronman mode. My playthrough culminated in the aforementioned battle with a
\ngiant Brumak that tested my skills and required more than one attempt to
\nprevail.<\/p>\n

Despite the transition from an in-your-face shooter to a higher-altitude strategic view, your Gears\u2019 key actions are conveyed in close-up sequences that show the brutality of the world of Sera. This, coupled with the familiar report of the Lancer, the meaty clacks of a reloading Longshot, and fully realized cutscenes means Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> feels<\/em> like a Gears game. If strategy games previously saw you running for cover, Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> may be the one to change your mind.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Gears<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> arrives on Windows 10 PC, Steam and with Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) on April 28th. Pre-order Gears Tactics<\/em><\/a> or play with Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) before May 4 to receive the Thrashball Cole Character Pack which includes Augustus Cole as a recruit and the Thrashball Armor Set, complete with rare abilities.<\/p>\n

Series fans will want to check out Gears of War: Bloodlines<\/em><\/a>, the new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jason Hough, that sets the stage for the events of Gears 5<\/em> and Gears Tactics<\/em>, and the father-daughter relationship between the games\u2019 leads, Kait and Gabe Diaz. Gears of War: Bloodlines<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is available in paperback, ebook and audiobook on April 21, 2020.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Gears\"Gears <\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
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\"Xbox\"Xbox <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Gears Tactics Pre-Order<\/h2>\n
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Xbox Game Studios<\/p>\n

\n
\u2606<\/span>\u2606<\/span>\u2606<\/span>\u2606<\/span>\u2606<\/span> <\/div>\n
\u2605<\/span>\u2605<\/span>\u2605<\/span>\u2605<\/span>\u2605<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Pre-order Gears Tactics or play Gears Tactics on Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) before May 4, 2020 and receive the Thrashball Cole Character Pack.* * Offer available with (1) pre-orders\/purchases of Gears Tactics digital game made by April 28, 2020 OR (2) play Gears Tactics with an active Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta) membership by May 4, 2020. Content requires internet to download. May take up to two weeks to receive content in-game. Gears Tactics is the fast-paced, turn-based strategy game set 12 years before the first Gears of War. Cities on the planet Sera are beginning to fall to the monstrous threat rising from underground \u2013 the Locust Horde. With the government in disarray, a squad of survivors emerge as humanity’s last hope. Play as Gabe Diaz, recruiting, equipping and commanding your squads on a desperate mission to hunt down the relentless and powerful leader of the Locust army: Ukkon, the evil mastermind who makes monsters. Against all odds and fighting for survival, outsmart your enemy in uniquely brutal, turn-based tactical combat. Experience the intensity of one of the most-acclaimed video game sagas in an exciting new way. Immersive and character-driven story: Play as the defiant soldier Gabe Diaz, rescuing and building your troops in a journey of leadership, survival and sacrifice. Customizable squad and equipment: Prepare your troops to face tough enemies, upgrading their skills and outfitting them with loot collected in challenging missions. Aggressive gameplay: Command your squad in fast paced, turn-based battles, advancing and surviving intense and visceral encounters with the unstoppable, swarming enemy. Massive boss battles: Defeat towering deadly bosses that defy your strategies and completely change the scale of the battle.\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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