Truth be told, only a handful of games can bring good picture quality, third-person shooter actions, strategy, and tactical turn-based gaming into a perfect blend the way the Gears Tactics does. 

Gears Tactics is an even more interesting spinoff from the Gears of War game series, which was first released in November 2006 by Xbox Game Studios. If you ever fancied the XCOM video game series, then you most definitely cannot wait to get your hands on the Gears Tactics, trust me. If you have never been introduced to the Gear series, then Gear Tactics provides just the right avenue for bringing you into the ever-captivating world of the Gears of War video game series. The writing was structured such that it was to be the sequel to the first Gear of War game, so playing this first would feel like watching the Hobbits before seeing Lord of the Rings. 

For Gears of War enthusiasts, the XCOM based mechanics and the storyline of the Gears Tactics would feel almost like a 35hour long flashback. For instance, we get told the story of Reyna and how she retrieved her mother’s (whom she never knew) amulet from Ukkon—who had executed her father. We are later told in Gears of War4 who Reyna’s mother is and the significance of the amulet. A love story twist is added, more like implied, between Sgt. Diaz and Reyna, leaving us excited at the prospects of Kait Diaz being a product of the union between Reyna and Sgt. Gabe Diaz. Although we are entirely sure what role this possible relation to Kait plays in the overall scheme of things, yet the prospect of a family dedicated to the protection of the COG is nothing but exciting. 

Note of Warning! If you jump into playing Gears Tactics simply for the brawl, then you might be in for a shock. Be prepared for a strategy tutorial. Simply put, it is called Gears Tactical for a reason. This does not go to say, however, that the game doesn’t pack some brawl. As a matter of fact, the TBT game may have well exceeded its predecessor X-COM in terms of gory brawl it brings and the mobility it allows within the map as against being restricted to a grid. Tactics allow three actions for each soldier, which are taking cover, shooting, or sniping, i.e., the Overwatch from where you can snipe at enemies. You can decide to execute a weakened enemy soldier; this adds a score to the entire team. Yes, Gears Tactical did not lose the signature gory execution style of the Gears franchise, where you get to slash through an enemy monster using a Lance or a chainsaw. I particularly like the Chainsaw to the back move. Whilst this move can be promising for the entire team, it could also be detrimental due to overwatch fire, which can be drawn to your soldier when trying to execute an enemy.

One of the many beauties of Gear Tactics is how that from the start, it always looks like the odds are always stacked against you. Every wave brings its unique uncertainties and doubts as to whether or not you can make it. There is always a horde of enemy monsters that come in varying sizes, and you must defeat them while also trying to position your units in a strategic vantage point. Sometimes you may need to watch your back because of enemy Locusts and monsters that can crawl up to your solder. Luckily there is always a way out, a wave of luck or one precise may randomly offer up an opportunity to take advantage of and turn the tables in your favor. Also, if you lose a soldier in battle, such a soldier can be revived and brought back to the battle. Although, this only applies to characters that are pivotal to the story and not to other randomly generated characters.

The characters in the game have limited movements. When it is a character’s turn to act, it is only allowed action three times per turn. It could either move, shoot, or make use of some of its special abilities. Not all characters have the same abilities. This is because the game divides characters into five categories. These categories determine the weapons used by the character and the Gears it can access. However, as you progress in the game, you can begin to build and enhance the abilities of these characters in line with their category with skills found on the skill tree. You are then laden with the responsibility of building your characters to meet the specific needs of your team. Putting together a well-balanced strike team – through level-ups and weapon purchases or upgrades – becomes paramount as you progress in the game. There is always the chance that you become attached to your characters. As you build a character and watch it grow into a formidable soldier, you might also feel the pang of separation if and when such a soldier falls in battle. 

There are some downsides to the game. One of which is the lack of a “fixed end.” This means that the game may start to feel like a recycling of previous fight scenes. Similarly, the absence of a multiplayer option takes away the thrill of testing your tactics and strategies against another player. But not to worry, these fears have been taken care of by the developers. For instance, the game features some by-the-way missions and objectives which can help liven up the game. Also, the AI-generated Locusts and monsters can pose such a challenge you may not even mind not being pit against an actual person. One of such interesting missions is the Boss fights, where you are pitted against large monsters whose attacks are so ferocious you may be forced out of hiding. This mission is so challenging you might need to play them countless times before you can have a breakthrough.

Generally speaking, Gears Tactical is a very well thought out turn-based tactics game. The game gracefully transitions the player from being a shooter into becoming a military strategist without losing touch of the excitement and catharsis of video gaming. Even though the game kind of starts to get boring towards the end, but this doesn’t measure up to the joy of a well-deserved victory after a long interface with repeated defeat.