Gears 5 to “challenge expectations” with ambitious, semi open-world solo campaign

Speaking at a panel (via Twinfinite) during this year’s PAX West, Microsoft and The Coalition expanded upon why Gears 5 is the series’ most ambitious outing yet. 

Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry Hyrb and The Coalition’s Rod Fergusson dove into the nitty gritty of Marcus Fenix and friend’s latest adventure, hinting at what fans can look forward to when it launches next week. 

The panel itself delve into specifics regarding the solo campaign, horde mode and online multiplayer; all of which are more ambitious iterations of what preceded them. Gears 4 was a bit predictable, so this is awesome to hear. 

Ferguson drew specific attention to the single-player portion of Gears 5, which aims to “challenge expectations” by being the biggest this series has ever seen in a number of ways, both in terms of sheer size and ambition when it comes to mechanics. 

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Act 3 will feature a level that is fifty times larger than anything the franchise has seen before, presumably giving players a means to explore and tasks to complete in a large, open-ended space. 

Combat has also evolved and players are no longer thrust into encounters with aggression forced upon them. Instead, you can take the stealthy approach or use Jack, your robotic companion, as a way of cloaking yourself or applying other buffs to Kait and friends. In a way, it’s like a RPG system. 

The Horde Mode is also poised to be bigger than ever, featuring an array of different maps, characters and modes of progression to pursue online and alongside friends. It seems wherever you’re looking, Gears 5 has plenty of content to offer. 

Gears 5 is set to launch on September 10 for Xbox One and Windows 10, and will available on Xbox Game Pass at launch for active subscribers. If you’re spilling some extra pennies on the Ultimate Edition you’ll gain early access and plenty of exclusive digital goodies, too.