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The critical difference is that Gears 5 also learned from Dead Space 3 ’s major structural failing: the repetition of its last sandbox region. You’re often rewarded with additional tools that expand your arsenal in unique ways instead of just gaining experience points. Instead of a copy-pasted sidequest format, each story feels like a mini-adventure with a uniquely written beginning, middle, and end. No one forces you to explore, and each sandbox has just enough limits to ensure the number of encounters remains handcrafted. Gears 5 makes use of the semi-open world design of Dead Space 3, letting players poke around a set area with a few side objectives along with your primary goal. In fact, Gears 5 is an amalgam of lessons learned from two of modern gaming’s most divisive titles: Dead Space 3 and Halo 5: Guardians.
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The game has been nearly universally hailed as a major step forward for the Gears of War series, but many of its bold new features are built on the bones of past failures.
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Gears 5 has been a significant win for Microsoft.
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