Review roundup: Gears of War 4 could be one of Xbox One’s best exclusives

Gears of War 4 drops tomorrow for people who bought the Ultimate Edition and Tuesday for everyone else, so to help you justify your purchase, we have rounded up some reviews from all over the web both good and bad.

Gears of War is returning after a 3 year long break (5 if you are only counting main entries in the series), and this time it'll be in the hands of an all new studio. So, how well did the studio do for their first game ever and for their first shot at a beloved series? Pretty damn well if reviews are anything to go off of.

The game is being praised in reviews, both for its campaign and multiplayer. The game has a much more personal story, rather than it being centered around a squad trying to save the world. While Gears has had themes of personal stories, Gears 4 seems to make it the main focus. The new entry in the ultra-violent Microsoft exclusive series has some of the most polished graphics and gameplay in the series. You can view some of the reviews below. At the time of writing this, the Metacritic score is at an 85/100 so it's fairing pretty well!

Windows Central, 10/10:

Gears of War 4 just feels great. It feels like the return of an old friend, and The Coalition masterfully weave that nostalgia into the game without smothering us in it exploitatively — which is something they very easily could have done. Gears of War 4's greatest moments can be found in between the lines. They're in the shadows of familiar silhouettes, in the tones of nostalgic sound effects, in every COG tag you find scattered around the battlefield, and every ridiculous, over-the-top set piece.

Game Informer, 9.25:

Even with a new studio leading the development charge, Gears of War 4 is a return to form for the series, and is continual delight, even if it does unnecessarily cling for dear life to the past.

XboxAchievements, 8.5/10:

A barnstorming debut for Gears or War on Xbox One (bar the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, obviously), Gears 4 has its flaws, but excels as a third-person action game with some dazzling visuals and superlative set-pieces. Horde 3.0 is hard-as-nails and multiplayer is fast and frantic, while the campaign is great fun, with some neat twists and turns along the way that will make any Gears fan grin like a loon. Gears of War 4 is a fantastic action game, and just the beginning for a whole new saga. It's good to have Gears back, at long last.

The Guardian, 8/10:

Gears of War 4 may adhere to a seemingly old-fashioned template but, in practice, it feels anything but archaic. Its single-player campaign is much more varied and engaging than those of its predecessors and the online mode is exhilarating, catering for all shades of gamers, from the less adept to those with pro-gamer aspirations. The horde thoroughly deserves its 3.0 designation upgrade and as a whole, the fourth iteration gives the Gears of War template the rejuvenating shot in the arm it sorely needed.

GameSpot, 7/10:

This is a shooter teetering on the edge of something greater, but despite the improvements it makes to the storied franchise, its missteps hold it back. There is inspiration here, and creativity in the way Gears of War 4 rethinks its multiplayer modes. But the lackluster campaign and technical issues are blights on an otherwise exhilarating shooter. The result is a whole that doesn't reflect the quality of its often stellar parts.

The Jimquistion, 7/10:

I’ve done a lot of complaining about Gears of War 4, but my complaints come from a position of love. I have a deep fondness for Gears of War as a series, even if I’m an atypical fan who loves it for the campaign rather than the multiplayer. I’m aware this may color my personal perception of the production since the campaign is not up to par and weaker even than Gears 3‘s, but I certainly consider the perspective a valid one.

Is it a good game overall? Sure.

The combat of the campaign is fundamentally sound, the multiplayer is well crafted as always (despite the usual shotty problem), and Horde mode is great entertainment. As a complete package, the game is worthy, if only for the fact it’s a Gears game and the true heavy lifting was already done by Epic in 2006.

Nevertheless, the campaign is flimsy, and despite claims of signifying a new generation for the series, Gears of War 4 is ultimately an upholder of the status quo.

Although the game has a few middling reviews, it has an overall great reception! If you're a Gears fan, you're probably going to want to pick this one up! In related news, fans will be happy to hear that a live action Gears of War film is in development at Universal Studios!