Chapter 1
The blueprint of the cover shooter
Chapter 2
Going back to day zero
Chapter 3
Rebuilding the cover
Chapter 4
Brotherhood and the horde
Ch 1 · The blueprint of the cover shooter
diegoplays Gears of War Horde Mode
Five players stand, fifty waves of fight, Horde mode takes flight!
diegoplays Real combat footage inspired the heavy run, which simulated moving under fire and became a standard for third-person action games.
Quiz
Which real-life visual style inspired the low-camera angle of the roadie run in Gears of War?
Quiz
Which game mechanic was significantly influenced by the success of Gears of War's cover system?
Quiz
What term did developers use to describe the core cover-based gameplay loop of Gears of War?
Fun Fact
Chainsaw bayonet design: The iconic Lancer weapon was originally designed with a traditional bayonet, but developers swapped it for a chainsaw to make close combat feel more visceral and unique.
Quiz
What is the penalty if a player misses the timing on an Active Reload in Gears of War?
Quiz
What is the main gameplay benefit of perfectly hitting the sweet spot of an Active Reload?
Glossary
cover shooter (noun)
A subgenre of shooter video games in which players must utilize environmental obstacles to shield their characters from enemy fire. Epic Games popularized this design in 2006 with the release of the original Gears of War.
A subgenre of shooter video games in which players must utilize environmental obstacles to shield their characters from enemy fire. Epic Games popularized this design in 2006 with the release of the original Gears of War.
Quiz
How many waves of enemies did players have to survive in the original Gears of War 2 Horde Mode?
Quiz
In which Gears of War installment did the iconic Horde Mode make its very first appearance?