Gears of War in Retrospect

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Nice review. I've always wanted to check this one out. I'm a fan of the video game series.

Great game, good retroview.

The soon to be released Fireteam Zero uses the action card/hand as health mechanic and has a vaguely similar theme (WWII though). I've played three games now and enjoy it, although it's not nearly as good as Gears. It's kind of like mixing GoW with Zombicide and a few new twists.

I have had this and its PoD expansion since release. I late last year finally brought it out again and tried the first scenario with a friend. I had never managed to win the first scenario solo with two cogs and tried about a dozen times. We won together mainly due to a lucky timing of bad guy death and respawn in the final room during the middle of multiple attacks or some such (I don't remember exactly so don't shoot me if I just described something that can't happen).

I like the game fine but have found it extremely hard. I was reticent to even introduce it to others due to this, but eventually had to bring in a friend who I know is better at these kinds of things than I am. He didn't find it as much fun as I hoped though.

Back to solo only play for me, but I feel I can now move on to the second scenario.

I really hope this does get a retheme, as the mechanics seem sound, clean, and relatively original. I just have zero connection to Gears of War.

Yeah, the base system skims out all the bullshit I hate about the genre---it deserves another shot. I cannot emphasize enough how important having meaningful upgrades is, something I would also want moved into a campaign version of the system.

Nice review! Lots of people who's opinion I really trust rave about this one. I'd love to try it at some point.

You'd have to imagine that the shitty Gears license sunk this one. I can vividly remember seeing this on their "Upcoming Games" list for like 3 years. It was always listed as "in development". Most people were shocked the game actually ever came out.

I'd totally be on board with a 2.0 and a retheme to Warhammer 40k or something.

I rarely login but I had to comment: GOW is not fun. It's very much like wrath of ashardolan but harder, lacks the variety, and is somewhat mechanically more finicky.

I do not recommend.

It was a great game and one of my favourites until I played it with more than 2. When played with 3-4 players, it bogs down, and once behind due to the nature of the AI system you never get a chance to catch your breath, and in the end need to game the AI rather than playing naturally. I had a really bad game with 4 that went for two hours and we were only 1/3 of the way through the mission. I traded it away soon after that, which was probably too soon in retrospect as I forgot how much fun it is solo playing 2 COGs. But then if I can really only play it solo, there are better options.