As a trans woman, I’ve always been hesitant about first-person shooters (FPS) because of the culture that was largely associated with them during my childhood and teen years. However, Gears 5 is a must-play.
Developed by The Coalition out of Vancouver, the Gears games feature deceptively intimate character stories and interactions. Gears 5 perfects this with their new cast of characters succeeding their parents and mentors from the earlier titles.
Characters like Fahz and Del show the developers have a real care for nuanced character interactions, and JD Fenix, the son of the original series’ protagonist, has an interesting light shone on him, his behaviours and choices as a white man—typically a sympathetic hero in this genre.
I would recommend playing the co-op campaign as Kait (a rebellious but compassionate misfit) and Del (a meticulous nerd with big love for robots) for a robust story and thrilling FPS experience.
Stephanie Peloza, also known as Stef Sanjati, is a streamer, dog mom, and Head Narrative Designer at Paidia Gaming.