Gears 5 is a third-person cover shooter that puts Kait in the lead, with her strange connection to the Locust driving the story forward. The campaign runs about thirteen hours including the Hivebusters DLC, with two large open regions fully explorable by skiff.
The two open areas, a frozen northern expanse and the Vasgar desert, break up the corridor shooting with genuine exploration. The wind-powered skiff makes traversal a pleasure, driving like the swift sail from Wind Waker across dense maps.
Jack the robot companion and his ability system add real tactical options, with flash, stim, pulse, shock trap, cloak and barrier alongside the standout hijack. Hijacking turns enemies against themselves, and even a Scion can be taken over.
The colour palette finally escapes the series’ brown reputation, with greenery and variety making the world easier to read. The set pieces deliver the expected scale, from the rocket-launch escape to the bridge-lowering train chase and the final hammer strike.
The Hivebusters DLC is short and sweet, with the Scorpio squad’s distinct abilities and the jungle islands giving it its own identity. The voice cast, including Dave Fennoy as Keegan, and the banter keep the tone lively throughout.
The control-scheme reshuffle is a genuine annoyance, with the chainsaw moved to the right bumper for no clear reason. The warden segments control awkwardly, the final boss drags on too long, and the late-game snipers are far more deadly than before.
Overall, the two open areas, the skiff and Jack’s ability system make Gears 5 a really enjoyable entry. The DLC, set pieces and colour palette carry it, while the control changes and the over-long final fight are the caveats.