I remember this
When it was a platform game
Back in ’93
Intestinal teeth? That fish boss? A lot of times I felt like I was playing some dusty old mechanics in this game, and not equipped to fight back. I often didn’t know what my target was or how to work around a problem, so it led to a lot of repetition. I found that pattern-guessing frustrating, with moments of rewarding story. (They handled the Maria storyline very well.) Last level was really satisfying, definitely felt like a good payoff for the more frustrating bits. The whole third act was exciting, but often more confusing than it needed to be — a little more intel, Dom?
For that matter, am I fighting as a Delta or as a lone wolf? I felt like I wanted more info or more assistance from my squad. We are supposed to be a crack military squad working together in the ultimate fight — but I’m the only one who can throw switches and pull levers? It felt like I was the star of the show, which is cool, but it felt like everybody else was simply programmed to be robotic buddies. (They did help shoot things, though.)
I enjoyed it, and I still like the Gears universe more than Halo, but it felt like homework. Curious. I wonder where this is going.