Gears of War 4 is out, and the heads are poppin’
The game has already picked up a pretty positive reception and we at THG have been roadie running, wall bouncing and two piecing for the past few days now.
10 years old, there is plenty of nostalgia running through Gears of War 4’s veins.
Today, THG is getting a bit sentimental, as we look back at our favourite moments from the decade old game series.
Gears of War 1: Raam’s Introduction
Gears of War 1 was a revelation for gamers everywhere, and boasted an incredible campaign.
Packed with plenty of pulse-pounding moments and gory twists, there is one moment in Gears of War 1 that stands out for the guys at THG.
This scene is cinematic gold.
It’s intense, it’s well choreographed and it beautifully creates the character of Raam, a villain who has such an intimidating presence, despite barely appearing in the game.
It made Raam an icon of Gears of War, and we only hope to see him return as a playable character in the fourth edition to the franchise.
Gears of War 2: The Locust Hollow
Gears of war 2 was packed with memorable moments. The demise of both Tia and Maria, the death of B. Carmine, Cole’s amazing reintroduction and his rousing speech.
But for THG, the one moment that sticks out for was entering the locust hollow. Suddenly, these creatures evolved from mindless killers to a race of intelligent life. There was life below the surface, a grim beauty in the design of their world.
This built a new level of depth into the franchise. It might not have been the most exciting part of the story, or the most gripping, but as you make your way through the catacomb-like structure of the locust hollow, the game took on new life.
Gears of War has always been more than what meets the eye.
Gears of War 3: Brothers to the End
The emotional crux of the entire Gears of War series came in one heartbreaking cut scene.
Faced with the death of his friends, Dom made the ultimate sacrifice in a shocking and superbly handled twist.
It’s a very raw moment for the Gears franchise and surprisingly well done. It’s not the kind of death you’d expect from a protagonist of a grizzly, macho shooter like Gears of War. You’d figure he’d go down with a gun in his hand, being ripped limb from limb, but no.
It made sense to the plot, it made sense to the character, and it cranked the stakes of Gears of War 3 up far beyond anything the series had experienced before.
Gears of War Judgement: Does Anyone Remember This One?
Judgement wasn’t the most well received game in the franchise, but its story still had some great moments.
For THG, our top moment came from none other than star of the show, Baird. Baird is a smartass, a wisecracker and a bit of a dick — we bloody love him. He’s always messing around and mouthing off, but in one pivotal moment, he shows his true colours.
With a lightmass bomb trigger in hand, he his given a choice. Fire the bomb and face death by firing squad or leave the bomb and wait as countless people died.
Baird chose the lives of others over his own.
Gears of War 4: Old Man Fenix
Mild spoiler alert: early story mode info
Wait, we all knew old man Fenix was back, right? I mean, it wasn’t exactly a secret.
Gears of War 4 has some pretty spectacular moments sprinkled through the story mode, and considering it’s only just come out, I won’t spoil any.
Except this one.
Pretty early on, you arrive at an abandoned manor house, wander through its ruined garden, and slowly edge open the door of what appears to be the groundskeeper’s cottage.
There, in the darkness, Old Man Marcus sits alone. Waiting…
The moment we saw this titan of metal and war again is perhaps my favourite moment from the entire Gears of War 4 campaign. Age has done nothing but made the gruff war hero more of a badass.
Shiiiit.
