If there's one thing Gears 5 proved, is that The Coalition needs to do a new IP.

[KDC720]

Gears as a series has been consistently solid if not great since the first entry, and while I enjoyed 5, I think the franchise really needs a rest after 6.

The additions in 5 really didn't amount to much, 5 was at it's best during the linear portions, the open world bits didn't feel fleshed out enough. Tactics at least seems like a pretty cool deviation and one that very much suits the franchise, but I think The Coalition should really be allowed to work on something else after 6.

 

[Ze_Shoopuf]

I actually just finished the campaign last weekend, and noticed only about 16% of players got the achievement for finishing the campaign. Oof

 

[faint]

I agree, OP. I've been playing it daily since I did the $1/mo trial for Gamepass, and while the multiplayer feels strong, the campaign has been... interesting. I'm playing it with 2 old friends that I used to play GoW2/3 with, and we're all kind of like "this is Gears?" at random points. Act 2 is perhaps the most egregious part.

On one hand, I'm happy they tried something new, but I feel like the execution fell through. The game is great, just not a great Gears game.

 

[SlipperyMoose]

The Coalition working on a new IP is something I think most people would like and the break that Gears deserves. Not to mention their studio initially was going to work on a new IP. Now that they have had a chance to put out some Gears games let's use that talent to see what new stories we can tell.

 

[Fawz]

I hated Gears 5 on so many fronts and it continues to be recovering from the terrible state it launched in. Couple with the fact that key members of The Coalition have since departed and my confidence in them being able to put out a new and inovative title is close to non-existent.

Gears Tactics wasn't too bad, a good take on the genre if a little tame and limited (though perfect for GamePass). I think there's similar avenues that can be taken with the Gears IP to branch off into other genres, but at this point I think they killed any potential the series had and lost all momentum it was building from the original trilogy. Them splitting off and making something new would likely be for the best, but short of AAA scale & technical acomplishments I don't trust them to release a successful game

At this point they commited to a new trilogy though, so they'll likely make a 6th and final game trying to go off with a bang leveraging both Next-Gen and major differences from the tried & true formula. Regardless if that ends in success and failure, I'm sure they'll tackle something different after that

 

[Spinky]

It didn't get awards recognition because it was a decent game and nothing more.

 

[Cats_Schrodinger]

I was quite disappointed by Gears 5. It's a fine game, but it could've been so much better.

I played through all the games beforehand for the first time. I loved them. GoW is still unique. Its combat is just brilliant and there are still no third person shooters that match its heavy combat. It has great lore and good characters. It has more going for it than what the other GoW had before the sequel.

They turned the combat into generic TPS shooting. The close up "ass camera" is gone and the game feels more like Uncharted than the old GoWs.

They forced the whole open hubs into the games and they suck. Big time. All the linear parts of the game are so detailed, interesting and cool. The throwback to the original was awesome. Every side area is just a waste of time. They are insanely ugly, especially in the desert and other than a few interesting lore segment, they are just simple shooting galleries, repeating the same thing.

Traversal is also kind of a waste of time and certainly not fun. Compared to Uncharted 4 which tried to do the same thing, it's a night and day difference.

The thing that saved this game for me was the UIR lore. Funny, because the starting mission was also the best part of GoW 4. Overall, the characters are not utilized, at least they could've explored the world a bit more and lean into the lore.

 

[Fezan]

There is plenty of room for great gears game. Unfortunately, Like 343, Halo Gears is being made in a safe boring way. I liked Gear 5 when i played it and forgot it after a week

 

[Adryuu]

I'm playing through it right now and in part I think the franchise is at its best moment after 4 and this... But that actually says more about it needing change. It's old as fuck and needs aesthetic and plot revision, you can only extend a franchise so long, and this one has run for 5 games plus 2 more spin offs. Enough is enough, and TC have demonstrated enough by now that they have talent and know how and can somehow innovate instead of just imitate. Now put that to use.

I feel it's really, really sad that Microsoft has two studios named after franchises things that are being limited to outputting entry after entry of those franchises... Especially when those two franchises seem to need not only evolving drastically (if Gears is old then what is Halo), but directly being rebooted or forgotten at least for some time.

Also having teams do the same over and over is a way to make sure talent flies away. I don't think it's a good way to treat people you want to stay. They have proved themselves and earned some freedom, let them choose what to make next. Both The Coalition and 343i.

 

[FGLS1992]

There's too much people in here throwing the word 'mediocre' too easily.

I'm agree with you, OP. Gears of war should be rebooted a la God of war.

 

[hwalker84]

Gears 5 was actually a great game to me. Much better than 4. I'm wondering if all these critics even played the game...

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Gears 5 was probably the best Gears since 2 but it's a Microsoft exclusives so we must ban together and crap on it.

Can't wait for Gears 6 and if they're doing something else great. The Coalition is a fantastic and talented team.

 

[Deleted member 63122]

TBH, MS needs to change everything about Halo and Gears, marketing, release date and playability. They release too close to CoD and what US and WW sales sa is, that this games can compete. MS can give a huge budget, market the hell out it and change everything for the better, but the moment CoD is released, Xbox users are going to flock to that game. They should release the next Gears and Halo on the first half of the year.

 

[medyej]

Agreed, 5 was a great game and the PC version was incredible. I loved it but it basically got no attention because it was 'just another Gears'. Even superficially they need a big changeup to get public interest again.

 

[InspectorJones]

Gears Tactics is really fun; really hoping for a sequel that further innovates on that design and adds in a strategic layer like XCom to really make it stand out.

 

[Yinyangfooey]

Gears is like Forza to me. Those two franchises are consistently solid, but the downside to that is that there's not much hype because you see a new trailer and think "oh, yeah, it's probably gonna be a good game". You already know what to expect.


I think all of Xbox's main studios need new IP...including 343, The Coalition, Turn 10, Playground Games

 

[Deleted member 45130]

I honestly think that all of the popular Microsoft IPs could do with an extended break. It will be exciting to see what they have to show in July. I'd like them to show off plenty of brand new games that rival Sony's best studios.

I'm not hopeful that they will do that but it would be awesome if they had some exciting games to announce.

 

[Mass Effect]

The Coalition is certainly stuck in a weird spot. I think they ultimately finish up Gears with 6 and move on to something else. I doubt they'll just drop the series where it is, but who knows. I wouldn't be mad if they did.

I will stand by to whatever decision The Coalition makes, however Gears MP and gameplay is unmatched and Gears 5 feels the best to play, the SP went to a nice direction and they need to continue imo, finish Gears 6 before doing anything else.

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The problem with Gears MP is that you have to be a knuckle-busting tryhard like me, who has been playing the series for almost 15 years, to actually enjoy it.

Otherwise, you're just getting your ass kicked over and over. The multiplayer is completely inaccessible to new players. Though horde is great as usual even if I'm not a fan of the leveling system.

 

[Datajoy]

That's funny cuz I heard Gears of War 5 was amazing

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That's funny cuz the premise of the OP is literally how Gears 5 is amazing and yet still didn't make an impact.

 

[Azurik]

4 and 5 were mediocre at best, very forgettable and nowhere near what made Gears 1-3 so great (imo). Unfortunately, TC have no choice but to make a 6th instalment as the "new" gears titles were always meant as another trilogy.

hopefully they get over and done with it quickly and move on to a new IP. TC got a lot of talent and I hope MS give them the freedom, time and money they deserve to go wild.

 

[DontHateTheBacon]

For me, Gears would be a better tactics game at this point than a shooter.

 

[Destroyer]

Who's rumored to be working on the new Perfect Dark? Is it Coalition?

 

[ghostcrew]

MS needs to stop with this idea of "Franchise X factories" and let their devs find their footing in new games and IPs 100% OP. If Sony has proven anything and MS can learn, with studios like Naughty Dog, Guerilla Games and even Insomniac, letting them experiment and try new ideas can make whole new and fantastic franchises.

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To be fair, Rare just made Microsoft's best selling new IP and all anyone kicks and screams about it them not making another Banjo. Sometimes it's impossible to win.

 

[Loxley]

I want them to finish off Gears with 6, since I enjoyed 5 quite a bit a want to see the story end. But after that? I'd absolutely be all for them moving on to a new IP and giving Gears a rest for a while.

OP is totally right that Gears 5 was a damn good improvement over 4 but still failed to make any kind of splash at all, folks moved on really quickly.

 

[Lord Fanny]

Who's rumored to be working on the new Perfect Dark? Is it Coalition?

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Doubt it, I don't think Coalition actually does anything but Gears

 

[Remark]

I don't know I think Gears just needs a break regardless. Gears could be a whole new game but people see the word Gears and they're just like "nah".

Crazy series fatigue rn, best to take a break and come back to it in a couple years.

 

[Vinx]

I actually just finished the campaign last weekend, and noticed only about 16% of players got the achievement for finishing the campaign. Oof

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$2 Game Pass promotion being talked about everywhere makes for a lot of looky loos.

 

[DidactBRHU3]

The problem with Gears MP is that you have to be a knuckle-busting tryhard like me, who has been playing the series for almost 15 years, to actually enjoy it.

Otherwise, you're just getting your ass kicked over and over. The multiplayer is completely inaccessible to new players. Though horde is great as usual even if I'm not a fan of the leveling system.

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Arcade is pretty accessible and fun, they did a good job for newcomers with assists counting as kills, Lancer being viable in Versus, playable Jack etc. The problem is the core fans kicking butt in those casual modes too lol, there is not much to be done unless you piss off the core fans with shit like the sawed-off shotgun on Gears 3 or whatever Judgment did.

 

[Komo]

The Coalition has some crazy talent. I would love to see them tackle a new IP because I am getting tired of Gears. However, I don't see it happening right now. They were literally founded to be a Gears studio, just like 343 was founded to be a Halo studio.

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It pisses me off that he chose to go after gears and dropped their original IP before making the coalition. It's like bruh I get it, but seriously why ruin all that effort and not just become a gears studio after?

 

[Haze]

Gears 5 was such a trite game. The gameplay not only felt dated on its own right, but didn't even hold up to previous titles as the combat lacked the impact from an audio-visual perspective.

The open-world aspect was completely unnecessary and served no purpose other than giving me an excuse to fall asleep (which I did several times in coop while my friend piloted the skiff).

The story is easily the worst in the series and ends with a wet fart of a player decision that feels contrived and unearned. Also not much of a choice either as the game spends its entire runtime bemoaning one of the options.

The multiplayer is also a series low. From a network perspective, it's probably the best, but in actual execution, it's like they forgot what made gears appealing. It's not long range lancer fights and sitting behind cot for minutes, it's the fast-paced CQC, which with the insanely punishing lancer compounded by the larger levels with less geometry to hide behind, the game sorely lacked.

IDK, Gears 5 is the worst game I played in 2019 and I played a few other bad games. I think it's time to move on from the franchise or let another developer give it a shot.

 

[ArjanN]

I probably wouldn't hurt to let them try something else to switch off with Gears. I really liked Gears 5 though and I'm there for Gears 6 day one.

 

[Levitates]

Gears is one of my favorite franchises, as Gears 4 being my favorite multiplayer of this generation. Gears 5 is a great game, but I really would love to see TC taking more risks on the single-player component. I wouldn't mind a God Of War style reboot.

Gears 5 didn't get the attention it deserved because it was for the most part, more of the same... And the marketing was horrible.

 

[SirKai]

I enjoyed Gears 5, and actually played through it twice, but a 15 hour campaign? That's a joke. I played through it on Intermediate on my first playthrough, did all the side quests, and finished it in under 9 hours. It's not especially longer or more bold than prior games, and the open world sections are a cute addition but only hurt the pacing. I actually replayed Gears 4 in between my two playthroughs of Gears 5 and enjoyed that game a lot more. Also both games end on complete empty gasps of climaxes where it feels like the devs didn't have the time or money to include the final Act.

Also Gears multiplayer/extra modes have never been something I enjoy or seriously invest; I've always been a campaign guy for the series and Gears 5 just isn't anything that special. I would prefer a more focused, swiftly-paced (even if briefer) campaign like Gears 4 again, than something like 5. That said, the writing and dialog in 5 is a HUGE improvement and the one potent area where the game is obviously vastly better than prior games.

There isn't some secret genius to Gears 5 that's being overlooked; it's more Gears, but mostly worse than before, and with more stuff in between the good bits that hurts the pacing. I would love to see Coalition do a new IP too, because I worry Gears' identity as an IP is way too critically linked to everything holding it back, since I can't really imagined a main numbered Gears being anything other than "basic cover shooting TPS gameplay that's still 70% of the game + some ancillary tacked on mechanics to try and make things feel fresh."

 

[eraFROMAN]

Gears needs to end, 5 was so boring that my friends and I were annoyed with it despite it being free (gamepass.) Granting them the freedom to make a game that isn't bound to 2006 game design would be good.

 

[Destroyer]

Doubt it, I don't think Coalition actually does anything but Gears

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Not to go off topic, but who is?

 

[Strat]

It needs a break, for sure. A long one.

 

[Lord Fanny]

Not to go off topic, but who is?

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I don't think we know yet. Just that a PD reboot of some kind of is in development. I haven't been keeping track though

 

[GattsuSama]

Gears 5 was solid and very awesome but I agree the series does not seem as popular. It happens to every series, even the biggest ones, and it seem that a revamp sort of what God of War did can be the answer.

Though it can backfire. I really think the Sony team did something special with that game in the same way Nintendo did with Zelda.

I really really really hope MS can do the same with Halo Infinite. Halo seems like the kind of series that need that new life like GoW.

Gears should be kept at bay for now. And please bring back Fable to just what it was, empty promises and all. At least we had a Fable.

 

[SnatcherHunter]

Gears 5 started HOT, then it all started going downhill after Act 2.

Time for retirement, or a complete reboot as I always said.

 

[GameAddict411]

They should just wrap up the story and move on. Maybe reboot it 7-10 years from now.

 

[Servbot24]

Yes please. Gears is tapped already imo.

 

[Mediking]

You should read the first sentence of the thread, I loved the game lol.

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That's funny cuz the premise of the OP is literally how Gears 5 is amazing and yet still didn't make an impact.

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I... uhhh... didn't read the OP fully so... I'm sorry. My bad.

 

[Ocarina_117]

Gears 5 is a great game.

As someone who mostly just plays the series for single player, I had a great time with it. I dont think they can switch up the formula much as they have to keep the MP fanbase happy.

My only qualms, as with Gears 4, was that the game ended when it felt like it was gearing up to its climax.

 

[Fisty]

Eh I don't know, if the game had staying power and was exciting enough of a 5th entry to be a GOTY, it would gotten it. There isn't some media conspiracy to keep Gears from getting all the accolades it seemingly deserves but has been robbed of.

 

[mernst23]

Its the game that made me stop playing gears of War after achievement completing every other game in the series so it definately accomplished something.

 

[Vic Damone Jr.]

The Coalition has some crazy talent. I would love to see them tackle a new IP because I am getting tired of Gears. However, I don't see it happening right now. They were literally founded to be a Gears studio, just like 343 was founded to be a Halo studio.

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Were they? I thought they had a new ip and then were given the choice to work on Gears and they chose that because of security.

 

[Transistor]

Were they? I thought they had a new ip and then were given the choice to work on Gears and they chose that because of security.

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True, true. But they literally only did gears and hell they renamed themselves to the coalition because of gears.

 

[Jawmuncher]

A new IP for them would probably stand out really well. Gears 5 was good, but you can feel the "We want more than Gears now" while playing it. The most amazing aspect would be to see animation work from them that isn't taken from a 9 year old game. The animations that don't feel like they were ripped right out of Gears 3 are so good.

 

[Jesb]

Yes it's time. Make something new. I wouldn't mind if they did a smaller gears game like a 2D/3D hybrid side scroller. Doesn't have to be a AAA game. Have someone else continue gears and make something else.

 

[Lothars]

There's too much people in here throwing the word 'mediocre' too easily.

I'm agree with you, OP. Gears of war should be rebooted a la God of war.

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It's a accurate term for gears 5. it's not a bad game but it's not great either. mediocre is exactly what i'd call it. It's better than 4 but nowhere near as good as the original trilogy.

I'd have more faith in them to make something new.

 

[Deleted member 67920]

I wholeheartedly agree.

Coalition is absurdly talented.

I want them to do their own thing.