Gears 5

In the campaign, Kait Diaz sets out to uncover her connection to the Swarm as war threatens Sera. The story moves between cinematic missions and semi-open stretches across frozen and desert landscapes.

Combat centers on taking cover, shooting, flanking, and switching among varied weapons. Jack, a robotic companion, can retrieve items and use abilities such as shields, cloaking, and attacks that disrupt enemies; upgrades expand his combat options.

The campaign can be played solo or cooperatively, including split-screen. Other modes include competitive Versus, Horde, where teams face waves of enemies, and Escape, a cooperative push through a Swarm hive. Horde and Escape also let players choose characters and classes.

Players who enjoy Gears 5 often point to its weighty cover-based shooting, weapon feel, and intense combat. Co-op and Horde are recurring draws, and some also praise the detailed environments and Jack's combat abilities. Other reviews criticize the semi-open sections for slowing the campaign, question the story and characters, or report technical and account-access problems.