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5 tips to help you improve in Gears of War 5
You'll need all the help you can get to fight back against the Locust hordes.
Gears of War 5 is finally here and it's bigger, better, and bolder than ever before. The Coalition hasn’t only crafted campaign missions that are much prettier than its predecessors, they’ve also made some of the most intense action-packed scenarios we’ve seen from the series to date. While blasting your way through hordes of Locusts may make for a rather cathartic experience, you’ll need to be at the top of your game if you wish to survive the fleshy threats that are thrown at you in late-game missions.
Gears of War 5 has a lot to offer, and those that are willing to scratch beneath the surface will find plenty of side missions, tons of collectables, and exciting new skills to unlock. For many, the third-person, cover-based shooting of Gears of War 5 may seem like familiar territory, but there’s enough change here to make it stand out from the crowd. To help you survive the Locust threat, we’ve put together a list of Gears of War 5 tips that will help you secure those adrenaline-fueled campaign victories.
1. Upgrade your drone to increase combat effectiveness
Jack the drone has a lot of useful abilities
© Microsoft
In Gears of War 5, you’ll get access to a small drone called Jack. This cute little fellow not only serves as the game’s comic relief, but he also comes packed with some incredibly useful abilities that can turn even the toughest of fights in your favour.
These abilities range from locating nearby hostiles via pulse beacon, providing yourself and allied troops with life-saving armour and even deadly assault tools that can incapacitate enemies with electrifying shocks. To make matters even better, each one of Jack’s abilities can be upgraded by spending components on them. For example, Stim can be levelled up so that its melee damage is tripled, making it the perfect addition for those that love to get into the very heart of a fight, while Jack’s Shock Trap can be upgraded into little bots that follow targets and deal double damage upon contact. However, upgrades don’t come free and the best upgrades fetch a fairly hefty price, so make sure you take the time to collect the components that are littered around each map.
2. Use cover to your advantage
Using cover effectively is crucial in Gears of War 5
© Microsoft
Slinking in and out of cover in Gears of War 5 is absolutely pivotal to your overall success, especially when you’re looking to catch hunkered down units off-guard. It may be tempting to find the nearest piece of rubble and huddle behind it when the bullets start to fly, but doing this will make you more susceptible to enemy flanking manoeuvres and explosives.
Instead, it’s often best to constantly move between cover and actively work your way towards or around your enemies. However, before you make a mad dash towards your foe, make sure you use Jack’s Pulse ability to spot any hostiles or potential hazards that could pose a threat. Once you’ve scouted out your surroundings and plotted out the best route of action, use the Roadie Run, evade, and vault manoeuvres to quickly advance your way through the map. Getting to grips with Gears of War’s movement system is just as important as mastering its gunplay, so be sure to practise this if you wish to greatly reduce any frustrating deaths.
3. Make aiming for headshots a habit
Aim for the head if you want to go far
© Miscrosoft
This tip should be a given for any action game aficionado, but it's especially important in Gears of War 5. While most of the Locust Drone classes don’t require too many shots to take down, there are a number of bulkier enemies that demand a lot more firepower.
One such unit is the Brumak, a giant reptilian-like creature that serves as the Locust Horde’s very own sentient tank. These monolithic beasts can easily shred through your health with their wrist-mounted chainguns and back-mounted rocket launchers, so it’s imperative that you silence them before they get the chance to deal any serious damage. Headshots not only dish out considerably more damage to enemy units and players, they also help conserve your ammo for Gears of War 5’s rarer weapon drops. Consider booting up a Horde mission and get practising those all-important headshots.
4. Master the ways of the Perfect Reload
Nailing a Perfect Reload will offer huge benefits
© Microsoft
The Active Reload has been present in every Gears game since the franchise launched way back in 2006. This mechanical feature is not only incredibly satisfying to use, it can also make for some rather intense situations if you mistime it.
Try to always aim for the solid white line of each gun’s reload bar, as this will shave off precious seconds, while also increasing your overall damage output. For example, achieving a Perfect Reload on the Lancer will reward you with empowered bullets, while the Hammerburst receives a much-needed boost to its rate of fire. Meanwhile, a failed Active Reload will result in the gun jamming, forcing you into a lengthy animation that leaves you vulnerable to incoming attacks. The benefits of the Perfect Reload are huge and you should get into the habit of hitting each gun’s sweet spot whenever you equip a fresh magazine. Of course, achieving a snappy reload in the heat of a battle can be a little tricky, so consider experimenting with your favourite loadouts and try to familiarise yourself with the timing to avoid any future mishaps.
5. Be aggressive and play to your loadout’s strengths
Smart aggression is the way forward in Gears
© Microsoft
Gears of War has always favoured aggressive play over the more subtle tactical approach to combat. Of course, simply rushing into hordes of deadly Locusts and rogue DeeBees will almost always result in a swift, messy death, but if you play to your loadout’s advantages you’ll invariably come out on top. For example, you should actively seek out close-combat battles with the Overkill Shotgun to fire lethal rounds before your enemies can react. Long-range guns like the Longshot Sniper Rifle favour distance shooting over bloody brawls, so find a decent vantage point and be ready to rack up those all-important headshots. Playing to your loadout’s strengths will almost always reward you with more enemy kills and successful campaign victories. After all, simply rushing down targets with your Lancer at point-blank range is never a good call.
