Gears of War 4

This fast-paced action title is super fun -- but that's more to do with the multiplayer modes than the solo campaign. The game's story campaign introduces new heroes and threats and a quick tutorial on controls, and it eases you in with fast but dim-witted enemies you can take down. But fans of the franchise will no doubt be in awe at the stellar presentation this time around, both in its visuals and its sound effects/music. The dialogue is still campy and shallow, even though there's an attempt at some emotion. While there's still quite a bit of "rinse and repeat" as you make your way through environments -- clearing away enemies before approaching another skirmish a few moments later -- this time around there are a few new twists, include mini bosses that require a different strategy than what you've relied on in the past. This keeps the gameplay fresh, but the lack of smart enemies puts a damper on things.

The real fun in Gears of War 4 is the awesome multiplayer modes, including a few new ones. Horde mode is back and better than ever. This mode pits you against wave after wave of creatures, but you can now buy weapons and defenses to build strongholds around the map (through an in-game currency called Power you pick up after defeating enemies). There are even new (and upgradeable) character classes as well as brand-new maps to test your skills on. There's also a deadly game of Dodgeball, a fast-paced mode called Arms Race, and split-screen co-op on both Xbox One and Windows 10, if you prefer to run through the storyline together with PC or console friends. For fans of the series, and lovers of multiplayer action games, Gears of War 4 won't disappoint, especially If you can get past some predictable enemies and cheesy dialogue to fully sink your boots into the story and the multiplayer action.