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10 pro Gears of War: Ultimate Edition tips
Former pro players Josh and Lava share top tips after playing the Gears of War Ultimate Edition beta
Gears of War was a big eSport, bigger even than Call of Duty, but it was dropped from the eSports circuit following the release of the second game in the series. Now, with The Coalition remastering the original for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, many fans will be hoping that it will be back on the competitive scene soon
Of course, those who played the beta have already sampled the remaster in its 1080p, 60 FPS glory. Former Team Dignitas pro Josh and Lava from Hypefestation are two Gears players who couldn’t wait to get their hands on it again after all these years - after testing it out, they supplied us with some top Gears of War: Ultimate Edition tips to prepare you for action when the game launches on 25 August.
Lava’s Gears of War: Ultimate Edition tips
1. Active Reloads
In the Gears Of War: Ultimate Edition beta, the developers made it so that active reloading (hitting the reload button for the second time while right on the white bar in the upper right) gave you a damage boost for all weapons. That meant actives were super powerful. Pumping an active reload with your Gnasher Shotgun almost guarantees a one-shot kill or down from close range if you hit your shots.
Another thing that players newer to Gears might not know is that if you get an active reload with the Longshot Sniper, any snipe shot that you hit on an enemy from the waist up is an instant down. Use this to your advantage in game if you get the sniper, as it comes with plenty of ammo.
2. Power Weapons
While playing the beta, players came across multiple different power weapons. The main ones in the beta were the Longshot, Boomshot, and Frag Grenades (the other ones are a lot less effective). The Longshot, as explained previously, can one shot down an opponent if you have an active reload. However, you can also down enemies that are already hurt or you can even one-shot headshot opponents. Headshotting people with the longshot takes a lot of skill and is very hard to do consistently, but if you see an enemy that is immobile, go for the head and you will be rewarded with a nice, gory headshot animation.
Next, the boomshot is essentially just a rocket launcher that comes with two shots. This weapon is very good and can lead to quite a few free kills, but only if used correctly. Try to aim for the ground, right at the feet of an enemy when going for a kill. You will either down them or kill them instantly, depending on how good a shot it was.
Next are Frag Grenades. These are a set of two grenades that can be picked up and thrown at opponents to kill them. This power weapon is a lot more tactical, as a lot of the time you won't get too many kills with them, but you WILL make your opponents have to avoid them at the very least. They have a decent blast radius too, so if you throw one at an unsuspecting opponent, you will get a kill.
3. Right hand advantage
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
© Microsoft
Everyone that has played any Gears of War title knows that holding your right hand while behind a wall gives you a tremendous advantage over opponents that may try to push you. The reason for this is that the character in every Gears game is on the left side of the screen, holding their shotgun with their right arm. So, basically, you will be able to see anyone that may be approaching you before they see you, and all you need to do is poke out, hit a shot, go back behind the wall, and repeat. This becomes much harder on left hand, and almost shouldn't even be attempted.
4. When to use which weapon
This may seem like a no-brainer to those that have played Gears of War before, but everyone gets caught with the wrong weapon out sometimes. I’ve lost count how many times I have seen that one noob walking straight at me using his lancer at point-blank range.
Gears of War isn't Call of Duty. Here is the general rule: if you are close range, have your Gnasher Shotgun outThat's it. At long range you can use whatever weapon you prefer: the Lancer, the Snub Pistol, even the Longshot if you have it. Don't walk around that corner with a Lancer out - be prepared to fight. This may require some thought for newer players until it becomes habit.
5. Using a cover system
Gears of War is a unique franchise. It is one of the only games to feature a cover system in which your character can physically lean on walls and cover to avoid being shot by your opponents. When you are hurt (indicated by the red COG in the middle of your screen), try to take cover or run immediately if you don't have your opponent equally hurt.
In Gears, playing smart plays a big role, and you should be smart about when to move up and when to stay put. So, you can use the cover system to stay alive and avoid dying. Another way you can use the cover system requires a bit more skill and practise. In Gears, there is a term called the wallbounce or just bounce, where, in mid-shotgun fight, you hit A while looking at a cover to slide away from your opponent's aim, giving you more chances to nail your opponent. All the top players use this move from time and time, and it is all about knowing when and where to bounce.
Josh’s Gears of War: Ultimate Edition tips
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
© Microsoft
1. Learning to be a support player
You don’t always have to jump into the heat of a battle with a shotgun. Instead, depending on the distance, it’s quicker to help your teammate in a fight by using your pistol and lancer to weaken their opponent safely from afar.
Learn how you can best support each other by using wide angles from around a map to overwhelm targets and minimise your own risk; although, be aware of enemies who will try to pounce on you once your attention diverts to help a teammate.
Remember, 1 versus 2, 3 and 4 clutches can happen on Gears because of the shotgun’s close-range effectiveness. Don’t be tempted by the illusion of greater numbers; it only takes four shotgun bullets and four seconds to wipe your team out. Keep your distance whenever possible.
2. Play with confidence
Aggressive play almost always came out on top on the original Gears of War and that won’t change on Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. If you’re locked into a battle or forced to rush into a 1v1 to rebalance numbers, commit to it and get it done quickly. Your action will set off a chain reaction throughout the rest of the map so communicate with your team to ensure there’s a plan for whatever your individual outcome is.
3. Rush in numbers
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
© Microsoft
Rushes should almost always involve swarming players in greater numbers. Seek out a vulnerable opponent and coordinate with your teammates to push and kill them before reinforcements arrive to even up the playing field. Better players and teams will escape quickly if you’re not effective enough, while others will try to lure you into a trap. Think cat and mouse, but know how to be both.
4. Sniping and downing
Like in the original version, an active reload sniper shot will temporarily down an opponent regardless of where you hit them. This means that you don’t always have to go for tricky headshots – you can freeze a rival until they’re revived (after a set time limit or by a teammate) or one of your teammates can get up close to finish the job."
5. Use your surroundings
The Gears of War cover system enables you to glide around maps much faster, allowing for slippery escapes, life-saving evades and fast combat to disorientate opponents.
Unlike other GoW titles, you can’t cancel wall bounce (abandon mid-action slides into cover) and each move into cover is a commitment until you hit the object, meaning poor movement makes you vulnerable and easier to predict.
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