Gears 5

No matter which mode you approach it from, Gears 5 is an incredibly fun and polished game.

The Coalition adds a lot of smart new ideas to the Gears of War formula in Gears 5.

Mixed multiplayer and a depressing grind can't dim the light of a superb new Gears campaign.

A polished and surprisingly varied campaign married to stalwart PvE and PvP modes which gently refine, rather than revolutionise, the classic Gears experience.

Gears, as a franchise, suddenly feels balanced in a way that it hasn’t in the past. I looked around. I paused. I tried to take it all in.

Gears 5 biggest changes don't reinvent the series, but give the classic shooter more room to breathe. Let Gears be Gears.

Gears 5 delivers plenty of excitement in its encounters and story, and offers nearly endless thrills in its excellently crafted multiplayer experiences

A female protagonist, more comedy and increased tactical options bring subtlety without sacrificing adrenalin

Though a tad slow to get going, Gears 5 has reinvented itself in ways many of us didn't dare dream was possible, blending what we loved about the franchise with a fresh story, personable protagonists, and some of the best visuals and shooting mechanics we've seen.

Gears 5 left my belly nice and fat, and keen for the next course.