The Gears of War 4 multiplayer beta is finally live and players have already been jumping into the action and getting reacquainted with the bloody gore the franchise is renowned for. While Gears of War 4 keeps the multiplayer basics very familiar to previous entries in the franchise, there are a few new additions to help keep things feeling fresh. So without further ado let’s jump in and check out everything you need to know about what’s new in the Gears of War 4 multiplayer.
Bounties
After playing your first game in either the full multiplayer when the game releases, or the beta that’s open for a couple of weeks, is the introduction of Bounties. A Bounty is essentially a challenge that you can choose to activate before starting a match that tasks you with completing certain criteria. For example, one might be to score over 1000 points in a multiplayer match, while another might task you with getting over 7 kills. For completing these bounties you’ll either get a large chunk of XP, or it’ll give you a 50% bonus on whatever XP you earn if you complete it.
This can be particularly useful for leveling up quickly, something you’ll definitely want to do during the beta to ensure you grab the vintage Kait reward pack. This includes vintage skins for both the pistol and lancer, as well as for Kait. Bounties won’t affect how you play the game, but they will have a big effect on how quickly you level up and gain access to even more customization options.
New Game Modes
One of the biggest new additions in Gears of War 4 are the new game modes. Two have made their way into the beta, the first of which being Dodgeball. Dodgeball pits two teams of five against one another but, unlike in Team Deathmatch where you have 15 respawns to share between your team, you will only respawn when an opponent is killed. The best way to explain it is with the actual Dodgeball rule. By catching a ball that someone throws at you, your opponent is out and you get to bring someone back in. So it’s that, except gory kills replace catching a dodgeball.
This new mode is incredibly hectic and real good fun. You can’t take victory as a given at any time, because all it takes is one well-placed frag grenade in the middle of you and your team to completely turn the tide of the game.
Co-Op Versus is also in the beta and allows you to join other players and take on a team of Hardcore difficulty AI bots. This is the perfect game mode to get to grips with the basics of the game before you jump into the real action against other players online.
Finally, there’s Escalation. This mode puts Power Weapon placement in the hands of the players, which will only end up one way- in a ton of chaos.
New Weapons
Alongside this new game mode are a bunch of new weapons just waiting to be tested in Gears of War 4. While only one of them makes an appearance in the multiplayer beta, there is another one confirmed. First off we have the Dropshot. This allows you to fire a drill-bit with an explosive head on it. When you fire it, you’ll hold down the trigger button and guide it just above your opponent and then let go of the trigger to drill into your enemy and blow them up. This is particularly handy when you’ve got an opponent who just refuses to come out of cover as the Dropshot will simply sail on over it.
The other new addition comes in the form of the Buzzkill. This bad boy will shoot sawblades that can ricochet and turn your enemies into a meaty, bloody paste. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Gears game if you couldn’t really show these new Power Weapons off up close and personal somehow …
New Gory Moves and Executions
With these new power weapons comes new and exciting ways to get seriously gory. Both of the new power weapons have their own executions. For example, the Dropshot is shown off in this new trailer shooting an enemy into the air via Dropshot to the back of the head.
Gears of War 4 also brings some new close quarters combat moves. You’ll be able to yank your enemy over cover that they’re hiding behind if you’re on the other side, and give them a rather brutal knife to the face as seen in the image above. Delightful!
Skill Ranks
Gears of War 4 also brings in a visible ranking system with skill ranks. These skill ranks will determine your skill level and assign you to a particular bracket.
With the introduction of skill ranks, you should no longer get matched against a team of players way more experienced than you and your multiplayer experiences should be that bit more even. The skill ranks are as follows:
- Bronze – 1, 2, and 3
- Silver – 1, 2, and 3
- Gold – 1, 2, and 3
- Onyx – 1, 2, and 3
- Diamond
Gear Crates
Gear Crates are another new addition that can be purchased with credits. Credits are earned in every game mode that you play in Gears of War 4’s multiplayer.
Gear Crates are kind of like the Sticker Packs in Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2. They’ll contain weapon skins, character skins, and consumable cards that increase the ability of players. There will be three different types of crate available- the operations crate, the standard crate, and the elite crate.
The Operations crate has nothing but consumables in it, the Standard ups the game a little and has a mixture of permanents and consumables, and finally, the Elite crate contains more permanents and fewer consumables.
Any cool skins you obtain from these Gear Crates can also be equipped and used during the main campaign mode for the game. Of course, just like a lot of other games out there, you can always buy Gear Crates with real money if the credits aren’t coming in fast enough.
New Maps
Last but certainly not least of the new additions in Gears of War 4’s multiplayer are the new maps. Currently showcased in the beta are three new maps: Dam, Harbor, and Foundation. However, you can expect plenty more in the full game when it releases this October.
Have you been playing Gears of War 4’s multiplayer beta? What do you think of the new additions? Let us know in the comments below.
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