Gears of War 4 is a 2016 military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by The Coalition, published by Microsoft Studios, and released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One.  Serving as the fourth main installment in the Gears of War series, it is set 25 years after Gears of War 3, and focuses on the son of Marcus Fenix and Anya Stroud, J.D. Fenix, who, alongside his friends Delmon “Del” Walker and Kait Diaz deal with a new threat to humanity’s survival.

Positives:

• Extensive campaign
• Awesome soundtrack
• Great characters
• Graphics are terrific
• Great cinematics
• Great voice performances
• Gameplay is pretty challenging
• Addictive multiplayer modes
• AI is actually competent
• Good amount of replayability
• Tons of unlockables
• Tons of customization

Negatives:

• Lackluster ending
• Story could’ve been more fine tuned
• Campaign is pretty linear

Campaign: Gears of War 4 features a pretty extensive campaign, broken up into 5 main Acts, each consisting of several chapters.  The main story follows J.D., Del, and Kait who are thrust into an adventure battling a new enemy called the Swarm.  Honestly, the story is actually really thrilling, with a lot of memorable moments.  It has its share of twists and turns that lead to an awesome climax.  The main characters, J.D. Fenix, Del Walker, and Kait Diaz are actually pretty likable characters, although there could’ve been more done with Del.  I have to admit that the ending leaves so much to be desired.  I can’t tell if developers cut it out, ran out of money, or just threw their hands up because they couldn’t come up with a solid ending. (4 out of 5)

Gameplay: GOW4‘s gameplay mechanics remain similar to that of its predecessors. Enemy types are more diverse and the AI is actually pretty challenging in an already fast paced combat system. A new feature introduced is the affect weather can have in combat and weapon usage.  Shots fired can be diverted with the strength of the wind.  New weapons introduced are Dropshots (fires explosive drills) and Buzzkill (ricochets sawblades at enemies).  I couldn’t wait to pull enemies from cover, performing awesome takedown but learned the hard way that enemies can do the same to you. Players gain experience from progression of the campaign, the multiplayer modes, and various medals and ribbons with specific conditions.  Earning levels unlocks the use of special character skins and weapons in the multiplayer modes. (4 out of 5)

Graphics:  The graphics are the best in the series, especially the cinematics which are highly detailed and intense.  The environment, background, and level designs are well done with great textures and shading.  Some of the best scenes in the game are when windflares and stormwalls can be seen in the distance and man do they look awesome.  The character and creature designs are definitely on point.  (5 out of 5)

Score:  The score deserves a total thumbs up.  The music is completely epic, especially for some of the more intense action sequences.  The sound effects is done really well, weapons, the environment, and creatures have unique sounds.  The voice performances are actually pretty solid. (4 out of 5)

Replay Value: The game does feature a decent amount of replayability.  Like it predecessors, most of the replayability focuses on the multiplayer modes consisting of Horde 3.0 (players team up to battle wave after wave of increasing difficult enemies) and multiplayer (players take on other players in competitive matches).  The Horde 3.0 is similar to regular Horde Mode in previous games but what makes it standout is the various combat classes, that can be leveled up with continuous gameplay.  There, of course, are little tidbits in the campaign for players to find.  I found about half of them in my initial playthrough.  Also, along with the two-player co-op campaign are the difficulty levels that can make the campaign experience more challenging.  There are a ton of unlockable character and weapon skins that can be achieved by numerous conditions within the game. (4 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Gears of War 4 is actually one of the best GOW games in the series.  It has its share of flaws, especially when it comes to the story.  However, the game does feature awesome characters, fantastic visuals, fantastic voice performances, great soundtrack, awesome combat, awesome multiplayer, and an awesome gameplay experience. Gears of War 4 gets 4 out of 5.