Details about Gears of War 4's single-player and multiplayer have been aplenty, but developer the Coalition has kept information about the game's co-op mode, Horde 3.0, a closely-guarded secret. That secrecy is, at long last, at an end, as a new trailer and details on the highly-anticipated mode have been revealed.
Unlike some previous entries in the franchise, Horde mode in Gears of War 4 allows players to set up their base of operations anywhere on the map. Upon beginning a match, up to five players are dropped in the center of the level with a device called the Fabricator. The device replaces predesignated defense areas seen in previous games, and can be set up at any spot on the map.
Once the Fabricator is planted, players can choose to build a variety of defenses, ranging from turrets, sentry guns and more. Like the Fabricator, those defenses can also be set up anywhere a player chooses, which opens up all kinds of defensive possibilities. Lead multiplayer designer Ryan Cleven tells Game Informer that Horde 3.0's focus on freedom takes inspiration from a strategy used by players in Gears of War 2's Horde mode, where players would stack shields on top of one another to exploit the AI and survive longer.
"You can try to exploit whatever you can think of," Cleven says. "You can try to stack them on top of each other, you can build lots of one kind ... you can do all sorts of different things to try to find the best way to manipulate the AI to achieve higher scores. We're super excited to see what players can come up with."
Horde Mode 3.0 will feature a class-based system, allowing players to choose from five different classes: Soldier, Sniper, Scout, Heavy and Engineer. Each class comes with customizable loadouts, skills and unique abilities. Classes level up and can be customized between matches. Players can further power up their characters using Gear Cards, which provide power-ups like extra damage or additional ammo. You can check out the trailer for Horde 3.0 below.
Gears of War 4 arrives on Xbox One and Windows 10 Oct. 11. Those who purchase the ultimate edition of the game will receive the game four days early, on Oct. 7. Players who preorder the game will receive exclusive character and weapon skins, including skins for Old Man Marcus and Zombie Dom for use in the game's multiplayer modes.
