Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics was released in 2020, bringing the brutal world of Gears of War into turn-based strategy, developed by studio Splash Damage under the supervision of The Coalition. The story takes place before the events of the first game and follows veteran Gabe Diaz, father of later hero Kait, at a time when humanity on the planet Sera is desperately defending itself against a Locust invasion led by the giant monster Ukkon. The player assembles and upgrades a four-member squad of mercenaries, plans moves on dynamically generated battlefields, and must consider cover, position, and order of actions, while a system for interrupting enemy turns gives combat a faster pace than is typical for traditional representatives of the turn-based strategy genre.

On PC, the game presented itself as a fully-fledged tactical title built on the Unreal engine, which preserved the series' typical brutality and visual style – from the chainsaw bayonet built into the Lancer rifle to intricately rendered mechs and monsters. The interface was designed with precise mouse control in mind, easing unit micromanagement even in more demanding battles against stronger enemy variants and bosses with special abilities and combat phases. The music and sound effects carry the series' characteristic dense tone and, together with the dark setting of a ruined planet, help build an atmosphere of permanent threat and exhaustion from a long, seemingly endless war.

The game was received as a successful attempt to bring a familiar brand into a different genre, earning praise especially for the depth of unit equipment, the damage system, and the clarity of tactical decisions, even for players with no experience in the turn-based strategy genre. For fans of Gears of War as well as fans of turn-based strategies like XCOM, Gears Tactics presents an interesting combination of two gaming traditions that feels natural on PC thanks to precise mouse and keyboard controls and a clear user interface.

Why play: Fans of Gears of War as well as fans of turn-based strategies like XCOM will appreciate the precise mouse-and-keyboard controls and the clear tactical system of equipment and damage.