Vanquish
Games Like Gears 5
Vanquish uses practically the exact same pop-and-shoot cover system that Gears of War does, but puts one gigantic spin on third-person combat, the ability to rocket around the battlefield at high speed using thrusters; and is definitely one of the better games like Gears 5.
Developed by the action masters at PlatinumGames, Vanquish takes place on a futuristic Earth where nations fight over scarce resources. You play as Sam Gideon, a DARPA agent sent to stop a terrorist threat from destroying New York.
Vanquish’s combat is seriously unlike anything you’ll ever play in video games, as its speed and maneuverability are off the charts. Sam’s futuristic suit can be used to jet around the environment in the blink of an eye, and you can combine it with the game’s slow-mo ability to cause serious damage.
The story is super campy sci-fi, kind of in line with the first Gears of War, but it’s the combat of Vanquish that’ll really shine for any fan of third-person shooters.
Spec-Ops: The Line
Games Like Gears 5
Spec-Ops: The Line is easily one of the most brilliant stories ever told in video games, using mechanics and the entire idea of what a video game is to drive home a theme. On two fronts Spec-Ops should appeal to Gears 5 fans, with its story about the horrors of war and its third-person cover-based combat.
The game takes place in Dubai, after the city has been annihilated by the worst sandstorms in recorded history. With the situation downplayed by politicians and the elite, the 33rd Infantry Battalion of the United States defies orders and executes a “rescue mission” for those trapped in the city, instead implementing martial law and committing countless atrocities.
You play as Captain Martin Walker, the leader of a three-man Delta Force sent into Dubai to figure out what’s been going on.
Spec-Ops is a pretty standard third-person shooter in terms of gameplay. It’s not bad in any way, but its gameplay doesn’t particularly excel either. Still, you can issue squad commands to your two squadmates giving you more control over combat, and there are some neat sandstorm effects that can influence battles.
Again combat is totally fine, but story is where Spec-Ops shines, asking serious questions about the horrors of war and how we glorify it in entertainment, like video games.
It’s honestly a game that anyone and everyone should experience at least once.
Mass Effect 2 & 3
Games Like Gears 5
Mass Effect has forged a legacy for itself as one of the greatest sci-fi video game series ever, and for good reason. While technically you should play the first Mass Effect to start with, its gameplay has not aged well at all, and Mass Effect 2 makes huge strides over it.
You can honestly pick things up with Mass Effect 2, which once again casts you as Commander Shepard, a heroic human trying to save the universe from extinction at the hands of a sentient mechanical race called the Reapers.
Mass Effect 2 is a fantastic action-RPG with incredibly strong writing and characters. Combat plays very similarly to Gears of War, but with more of an RPG stint, giving you different abilities to use.
You can also choose from different classes which can totally change your focus in combat, like the weapon-heavy Soldier that’s focused on running and gunning, or the Adept which focuses on weakening and devastating enemies with psychic powers.
You can then supplement your own abilities with that of two teammates, giving you a lot of strategic options in combat.
Mass Effect may not have quite as tight of gunplay as Gears of War, but if you’re looking for a third-person sci-fi shooter Mass Effect fits that bill to a tee.
Binary Domain
Games Like Gears 5
Binary Domain takes some serious inspirations from the Gears series, especially in terms of gameplay. It’s a heavily squad-focused shooter with an emphasis on cover. Like in Gears of War you can pop between cover, and even blind fire.
Binary Domain is probably the best-controlling third-person shooter out there, next to Gears of War, which is surprising considering it comes from the studio behind the Yakuza series.
The game takes place on a futuristic Earth, where Global Warming has caused massive flooding and left much of the planet uninhabitable. Due to the death of a large amount of the population, humanity now uses advanced robots as a labor force.
When concerns grow about the creation of humanoid robots, the UN creates the New Geneva Convention and Rust Crews, to investigate and deal with breaches of the convention.
You play as Dan Marshall, a former Special Forces member of the U.S. military who’s now part of a Rust Crew launching a secret mission in Japan.
On top of tight shooting mechanics, Binary Domain has an interesting relationship system with its various party members. Actions you take and responses you choose can affect your team’s trust toward you, which in turn affects both the story and gameplay.
If a teammate doesn’t trust you they may not be as willing to help you in combat, or revive you if you’re downed.
The robotic enemies you face also have some interesting mechanics, like continuing to crawl toward you if you shoot their legs off.
Binary Domain is a seriously underappreciated shooter, and if you’re a fan of Gears of War you should consider giving it a try.
Uncharted Series
Games Like Gears 5
Uncharted may not sport the same sci-fi aesthetic and story as Gears, but in terms of gameplay, its about as close as you can get. While the first Uncharted is probably worth skipping these days, all three of the other games in the main franchise are fantastic in their own right, with strong storytelling and shooting mechanics.
You play as Nathan Drake, an ambitious treasure hunter who has a tendency to not look before he leaps, literally.
The gameplay of the series revolves around both taking cover and staying mobile, as enemies will quickly flush you out if you stay in one place. Each game makes improvements on the gameplay formula, and Uncharted 4 even gives you a grappling hook that lets you swing around the battlefield.
What Uncharted games might be best known for, however, are their intense over-the-top set pieces that really up the ante and get your pulse pounding. Oftentimes the game even puts shootouts into these set pieces, like the crazy sequence in Uncharted 2 that has you fighting enemies in a building being blown to pieces by a helicopter.
Uncharted has a great way of pacing its shootouts with character moments, and by the end, you’ll come to care about Nathan Drake, Sully, Elena, and the other characters.
Outside of Gears, Uncharted is the finest third-person shooter franchise you can find.
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