While the Gears of War franchise has seen a number of alterations over the years, The Coalition and Splash Damage storm into totally uncharted terrain with their tactical spinoff on the series, Gears Tactics.
The game contains much of that same appealing flair fans have come to love from the series – satisfying finishers, explosive shooting mechanics, and a nuanced cover system. Though at its core, the game adheres to the more methodical pacing and tactics of games like XCOM and SWAT.
Taking this fusion of themes and mechanics into account, this list will highlight ten gems that fans of the Xbox and Windows turn-based shooter should enjoy.
10 Steamworld Heist
This spin-off to the indie hit Steamworld Dig draws from the same imaginative steampunk themes of that series and reconfigures it as a tactical shooter. Despite its differences visually and dimensionally, the game plays and feels much like Gears Tactics or XCOM – with a more colorful 2D twist.
This shooter emphasizes skill, strategy, and precision, as players will fight their way through rustic settings and take out robotic foes. Being a tactical shooting romp, this is a game of utilizing cover points and angles moreso than raw strength.
With tons of unique weapons, equipment, and consumables – and a robust 20-hour campaign – Image & Form ensures this heist will be fun and plentiful.
9 Gears Of War: Judgment
The inclusion of this rather lukewarm Gears spinoff may raise an eyebrow – though there’s a degree of overlap that warrants it which goes beyond just the themes.
This prequel from People Can Fly brings a number of twists and gameplay tweaks that make the experience unique – partly by shifting the focus from Marcus to the tech-whiz Baird. The game takes a slightly more strategic approach with its challenge-laden campaign mode.
But the real highlight is the enjoyable “Overrun” mode, a thrilling multiplayer showdown that adds some tactical elements. Players are tasked with either defending or attacking points of interest and can slot into different roles – from structural repairmen to giant Locust bugs.
8 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
If there was a colorful, Nintendo-themed variant on the XCOM or Gears Tactics formula, this charming crossover would be it. Though, despite the fact that Mario and friends take center stage here, this is actually a Ubisoft effort – and one regarded as one of the Switch’s best third-party games.
The plumber hero teams up with a slew of Rabbids cosplaying as Mario and his crew, as they face off against other Rabbid foes. The game eases players into the experience with a simple interface, but ups the ante with increasingly complex battlefields, stronger weapons, and satisfying abilities.
Ubisoft draws from the foundations of classic tactical shooters by stressing turn-based fights, angles, and hit percentages. At the same time, the game maintains that Mario feel with inclusions like pipes and jumping moves.
7 Empire Of Sin
If a colorful Mario romp can work as a tactical shooter, surely a Prohibition-era mobster game can, right? While this one is a bit rough around the edges – as indicated by the mixed review scores – fans of the similarly dark, gritty shooter that is Gears Tactics should find some appeal in Empire of Sin.
The game combines epic scale and flashy, cinematic moments with complex point-and-click gameplay more reminiscent of a classic PC title. Players take on the role of a crime boss circa 1920, seeking to gain control of Chicago and manage his crime empire.
Despite some shaky mechanics, the themes and concepts behind them prove imaginative and interesting.
6 Gears 5
The Gears series has seen a variety of tweaks and shifts in gameplay styles since its breakout debut in ’06. The Coalition’s second effort in the mainline franchise revs up the scale and depth as well as the fun compared to Gears 4. The addictive multiplayer modes are more expansive and varied than ever, with a revamped Horde mode and the new co-op romp called Escape.
The game sprinkles in tactical and even light RPG elements that should be a draw to fans of the more strategic Gears Tactics. Even the campaign experience is more tactical this time around, with its semi open-worlds, various challenges, and a robotic companion that can be customized and upgraded.
5 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
There’s been no shortage of games inspired by the works of the late Tom Clancy, which include the stealth-shooter Splinter Cell and online action romp The Division. Yet this more tactical-based FPS proves a particularly fitting complement to the subject matter of his material.
Since its release in ’15, Ubisoft has worked to polish, deepen, and enhance the experience – which received mixed reception for its lack of depth and fairly crude mechanics. Since then, the multiplayer gameplay’s become a fun go-to for FPS gamers looking for an element of team-based strategy. The abundance of operators, unique maps, and gadgetry allows for an impressive level of depth that doesn’t sacrifice in terms of thrilling action.
4 Battletech
It’s hard to deny the sheer satisfaction of wreaking havoc in a giant mech – as this turn-based strategy from 2018 establishes. The game combines fun shooting mechanics with procedural moves and light micromanaging. Battletech allows for countless options for players to customize and deck out their monstrous mechs while commanding multiple units to coordinate assaults.
Players gain advantages through effective equipment and skills, along with targetting optimal areas of enemies based on positioning and percentages.
3 UFO: Enemy Unknown
For many fans of strategy games, this MicroProse title – also known as X-COM: Enemy Unknown – remains a timeless gem and a significant part of gaming history. Indeed, this cult classic from ’94 has been regarded by some as one of the best games of all time. It’s understandable, as it’s helped shaped the tactical-shooting genre and spawned an entire series, including a flashier 2012 remake.
With some immense depth and range of options at one’s disposal, this tactical-sim feels as much like a military command center as it does a video game. Enemy Unknown brings a truly unique gameplay experience that allows the player to take charge as an astute alien-fighting tactician.
2 SWAT 4
This tactical gunner from Irrational Games takes players to a fictional locale for the first time in the Police Quest series, centering around the hostile city of Fairview.
This storied series has seen a number of releases since its debut in 1987, taking significant evolutionary strides along the way. And despite releasing in ’05, it holds up surprisingly well with its dynamic lighting, detailed gameplay, and super-smart AI – all of which takes full advantage of Unreal Engine 2.
SWAT 4 is reminiscent of a more tactical – and law-abiding – version of Payday 2 with its range of unique missions and its refined, enjoyable co-op options.
1 XCOM 2
When it comes to the esteemed series that is XCOM, this is often considered the best of the best – certainly when it comes to its flashy visuals and cinematic flair. Unlike earlier entries, the odds are stacked against the player – in terms of both the grueling difficulty and underdog premise. Aliens have occupied earth, relegating human squads to a small resistance force.
Still, this David vs (alien) Goliath showdown is all the most exciting and rewarding for its punishing gameplay.
Even if one doesn’t succumb to countless restarts, XCOM 2 bombards the player with countless hours of addictive, in-depth gameplay – with a range of rotating factors, collectibles, and challenges. This ensures an experience that’s both distinct and thrilling each time.
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