Gears Tactics (Xbox One/SX)

Gears Tactics gets a no-nonsense port to Xbox One and Series X|S, feeling at home on console and looking great on Series X in particular. Jack's wide-ranging buffs and abilities give a helping hand through the Jacked campaign, but in either mode, this is a slick turn-based tactical game that should appeal to XCOM and Gears fans alike.

I wasn't expecting to like Gears Tactics this much, and the tactical layer is phenomenally enjoyable. If this is all you want, Gears Tactics is a must-buy. However, a lack of memorable moments and the lack of a grander strategy layer to dig your teeth into could leave some itches unscratched, despite the quality shown by Splash Damage and The Coalition.

Gears Tactics does an excellent job of grafting Gears' signature look and feel onto XCOM's turn-based battle format and looks great doing it.

All my quibbles are on the periphery of Gears Tactics, though. The core -- getting onto the battlefield and agonizing over every move -- is excellent. There's a smart experience here, one that feels both authentically Gears and tactics. That's the best possible outcome. Gears Tactics is a great Gears game and a great tactics game. This 90% doesn't miss.

Unlike most strategy games, playing well doesn't necessarily make you feel like a mastermind, so much as though you've cheated death. Every successful plan, even a last-ditch effort, feels like a small stroke of genius. That's no small feat.

Smart mechanics, aggressive battles, and tight storytelling make this a strong new contender in the genre, even if the campaign's pacing sometimes misses the mark.

There’s a sense that this is Splash Damage and The Coalition playing to the crowd with Gears Tactics. It undoubtedly captures the look and feel of the Gears universe, squeezing it into a slick turn-based tactical game, but while I can see a few genre fans attracted to its more cerebral form of warfare, it’s the series fans who are going to get the most out of it.

Despite its rather shallow endgame and pace-slowing side missions, Gears Tactics is Gears of War like you’ve never experienced it. A blend of excellent gameplay and a compelling story that feels true to the Gears universe is guaranteed to turn the COGS of series veterans and newcomers alike. Gears Tactics should be on the radar of all Gears fans, even those entirely new to the tactics genre.