Gears 5 (PC / Xbox ONE)

About the Game

The overall series arc has followed a band of characters resisting the inexorable advance of the Locust Horde, subterranean reptilian hominids, who waited until human civilisation was exhausted and demoralised after a protracted and apparently unwinnable civil war to pounce, easily overwhelming the fatigued and depleted armies.

The game series timeline means that while most of the early games were from the same character’s point of view, later ones tend to jump around, exploring different viewpoints and offering changing perspectives on previously unemphasised story elements, filling in backstories for a rich narrative tapestry.

General Gears Info

Your health bar will decline if you come under heavy fire for a time, and may deplete entirely. If subject to only minor damage, it will recover by itself as long as you stay safely undercover for a bit, but if you sustain heavy damage, you will need to be healed by a teammate. There are some hits – such as being subject to explosive attacks – that are instantly lethal to the player and from which you cannot be recovered or revived.

You can only carry four weapons in most of the Gears games, but these cover a wide range from grenades (of various types including, eg, smoke, incendiary etc), assault rifles, hand-guns and even weapons as diverse as bows and grenade launchers. Used weapons can be reloaded or swapped for those belonging to fallen foes.

You can play the game in a number of ways, from solo single-player to co-operative play with up to two or four players, depending on the game, and in multiplayer games of up to eight players. The more players in the game, the more fun you can have, unless you are partial to playing along the story campaign without any interference from others!

What’s New for Gears 5?

These are just some of the new features to look out for in the game, as you play through:

• This game features the largest and most comprehensive playing terrain of the series, ranging from glaciers to deserts and everything in between – all beautifully realised and detailed enough that you might easily mistake it for photography of real places

• You have a choice of ways to play. You can play solo, or go co-op with one friend, or you could try online multiplayer which allows up to eight of you to play cooperatively. Or you could try out the brand new three-player co-op mode, called Escape, in which you and two friends must place an explosive in an enemy stronghold and then get out again safely before it detonates

• The game is rated AAA, which is the video game equivalent of a movie being styled as a blockbuster – meaning lots of action, a good budget having been used in the production, and play that is entertaining and player friendly

• There are plenty of accessibility features to ensure all players enjoy a great playing experience, no matter their abilities

Gears 5 for PC and Xbox One is available for purchase on Instant Gaming for a fraction of its retail price. You will receive an official key and be able to play the game in seconds. Play smart. Pay less.