Weapons of Gears of War

The weapons of Epic Games's bestselling award winning video game, Gears of War, and its upcoming sequel have received substantial coverage in reliable primary and secondary sources. The weapons of Gears of War are reloaded by a specal system named an "active reload". Active reloads allows the player to click the button not only once, but twice to effectively reload the characters gun. If the player times the reload correctly, the gun will reload much quicker. But if the character misses the reload, the character will curse, the gun will jam, and the reload time will be extended. Gears of War actually received better reception because of the "brilliance" of the actve reloads. In addition to their appearances in the games, some weapons from the Gears of War series have also been made into at least two series of toys.

Assault rifles

 * Lancer

The Lancer is a fully automatic assault rifle issued to Gears by the Coalition of Ordered Governments. It is the primary weapon a player begins with in versus mode, with medium accuracy, medium range, a high rate of fire, and excellent melee capability (instant kill). In the game, the Lancer is suitable for laying cover fire down from a secure point without exposing the player to harm. A notable feature of the Lancer is the bayonet affixed to the end of the rifle. The bayonet is a gas powered chainsaw that, when revved, results in instant death for the victim. This takes the place of a melee attack for the Lancer. The well-balanced nature, high rate of fire, and tremendously powerful chainsaw attachment makes this weapon one of the most useful and well-liked pieces of hardware to be found on the battlefield. The maximum amount of ammunition the player can carry for this weapon is 660 rounds. The Lancer weapon was recently featured in an Electonirc Gaming Monthly article that discusses its practicality and historical precedents. "Call of Duty series military adviser and real life war vet Hank Keirsey" criticized this weapon by noting that real "chain saws are heavy", among other things. He noted that "medieval bludgeoning weapons are the closest" historical precedents.

An updated version of the Lancer assault rifle will appear in Gears of War 2 with a new ability described by developers as a "chainsodomy/chainsawdomy". Electronic Gaming Monthly has singled out this particular weapon's upcoming appearance as "good news."

In addition to its use in the games, the Lancer assault rifle will also be sculpted into a purchaseable life-size replica.


 * Hammer Burst

The Hammer Burst is an assault rifle that only fires in six-round bursts. It features medium range with slightly better accuracy than the Lancer. The six-round burst fire setting makes it less suitable for the excellent cover fire that the Lancer is capable of, but contributes to its accuracy. The Hammer Burst features no bayonet. When the melee button is pressed, the player will perform a powerful upper cut with the weapon. The Hammer Burst is the Locust Horde's most used weapon. The maximum ammunition for the Hammer Burst is 780 rounds. The Hammer Burst is not favored in multiplayer games.

An updated version of the Hammerburst assault rifle will appear in Gears of War 2. Game Informer also previewed this weapon both visually and textually.

Shotguns

 * Gnasher Shotgun

The Gnasher shotgun is a single fire spread weapon that is only effective at short range, nearly negating a need for accuracy. A single, close range, well aimed shot will immediately kill most Locust foes that are susceptible to small arms fire. The shotgun will be the player's secondary weapon when playing in versus mode, and has emerged as the weapon of choice for ranked Gears of War players due to its effectiveness. Given the low rate of fire and short range of the Gnasher, it is normally ineffective for cover fire, unless the opponent is very near your location. The maximum loadout for the shotgun is 39 shells.

Sniper rifles

 * Longshot

The Longshot is the sniper rifle featured in Gears of War. It has extremely high accuracy (featuring a zoom scope function) and deals a great amount of damage to the receiver. A single headshot will dispatch most Locusts with ease, although helmets tend to require another well aimed shot. A well-timed active reload automatically takes the opponent down to his knees. The long barrel and range preference of the rifle make it impractical for close encounters, although in a bind, it is melee capable. The single round capacity rifle requires rechambering with each shot. This makes it one of the least useful weapons for blind coverfire. The maximum amount of ammo you can pick up for the sniper rifle is 24 bullets.

Pistols

 * Snub Pistol

The Snub Pistol is a semi-autmatic pistol that the Coalition of Ordered Government issues to the Gears as a standard sidearm. It has a high rate of fire which cycles as quickly as the player is able to pull the trigger, and above average accuracy. These advantages are offset by the relatively low amount of damage the sidearm does. This makes it a weapon of last resort, but effective for midrange headshots. It is the standard sidearm a player starts with in multiplayer versus mode. The Snub holds 72 rounds, but the high fire rate quickly dissipates the reserve.


 * Boltok Revolver

The Boltok Revolver is a high powered revolver. The Boltok cycles very slowly. It is a relatively inaccurate gun, but its medium range, and high power occasionally make it a preference for players who can make practiced headshots. The Boltok has a 6 round cylinder and the player can carry up to 30 slugs on his or her person. One curious trait of the Boltok is its ability to make an enemy explode when shot fatally in the chest.

An updated version of the Boltok pistol that "fires more quickly" will appear in Gears of War 2.


 * Gorgon burst pistol

Is a close ranged, semiautomatic pistol used by Locust in Gears of War 2. The pistol can fire two rounds at once but has a slow relad time due to its requirement to restock both barrels.

High explosive

 * Boom Shot

The Boom Shot is a rocket propelled grenade launcher. It fires an explosive ordnance on a slowly declining arc (as indicated by the targeting reticule), making it relatively accurate, though not entirely so. The single round chamber makes it unsuitable for blindfire covering maneuvers, although the blast radius and autoaim feature do make this a viable last resort. The Boom Shot is a medium to long range weapon with high accuracy in the mid ranges, and higher even still when firing from an elevated vantage point. The damage from a Boom Shoot is such that a close explosion will down the player, while an outright hit will immediately kill the player. The Boom Shot holds only one grenade and must be rechambered after each shot, and the player can carry up to 12 grenades for the gun in total.


 * Torque Bow

The Torque Bow appears to be an average compound bow. It fires arrows or bolts that have an explosive head on them, causing instant death for most characters in the game. It features a laser sight that shows an the arced flight path of the arrow being fired. The longer the fire trigger is held, the straighter the line becomes, and the truer the arrow will fly. If the trigger is not held long enough, the arrow will not stick in the victim (or whichever surface it contacts). The Torque Bow bolt has a blast radius upon detonation that can damage all nearby characters. The limbs of the torque are sharp blades that add to the damage it delivers with a melee attack. Although it does not show the laser aim when blind-fired, it does actually fire and hence can be used for coverfire. The Torque Bow's laser sight makes it accurate at all ranges, though impractical at close range due to the explosive nature of the bolts. Its high damage potential and excellent accuracy are balanced by the fact that a new arrow must be notched with each firing. The player is capable of carrying a total of 12 Torque Bow bolts.

Flamethrowers

 * Scorcher

Electronic Gaming Monthly described this weapon, set to appear in Gears of War 2, as a "'got to get'" weapon.

Grenades

 * Frag Grenade

The frag grenade is a fragmentation explosive device with a two-second fuse. It is on the end of a medium length chain that facilitates aiming and throwing over longer distances. The frag grenade is most effective at medium distances. The game provides an arced trajectory line showing where the grenade will land and what obstacles it will hit to cause it to land there. The blast radius will kill most characters that are too close and damage others nearby. An effective feature of the frag grenade is that it will cause nearby characters to put their arms over their heads, to protect them from the explosion. While in this state, they are vulnerable to small arms fire, and are not able to dodge or cover. The grenade can be blind thrown, but the player sacrifices all accuracy, and the grenade will be thrown in the general direction the player is looking. Unlike most games, the grenades in Gears of War feature a melee option. The casing of the frag grenade is spiked. If a player is close enough to another character, and the player has a grenade equipped and performs a melee attack, the spikes will cause the grenade to stick to the victim making it impossible to get away from the grenade. One grenade may be thrown at a time. The player is able to carry a total of four in campaign mode and a total of two in multiplayer.


 * Poison grenade

This weapon will appear in the upcoming Gears of War 2. Game Informer also previewed this weapon both visually and textually.


 * Smoke Grenade

The smoke grenade functions identically to the frag, with the exception of the output. Instead of explosive ordnance, the smoke grenade emmits an opaque smoke screen to allow players to cross open areas without opponents having a clear shot at them. It is only available in the versus multiplayer mode. Of note, players play humorous pranks on opponents "smoke tagging" them with a smoke grenade. In this, the player melee attacks an opponent with a smoke grenade equipped. This causes the victim to emit smoke for the duration of the grenade. This makes it hard to hide form other players, making them a good target. The player starts with one smoke grenade in multiplayer versus mode, and may carry up to two.

An updated, more powerful version of the Smoke grenade that can stick on walls will appear in Gears of War 2.

Mounted emplacements

 * Troika

The Troika is a mounted heavy machine gun emplacement. It is not moveable, with the exception of General RAAM, who uses one as his primary weapon in the final boss battle of the game. It is a rotary chain gun that takes approximately one second to rev to firing speed then rapidly fires high caliber bullets. It is effective from medium to long range, but features poor accuracy. The poor accuracy is compensated for by the sheer number of bullets it can fire without stopping to reload, and unlimited ammunition. It is not moveable, and requires the player to stand stationary, making the player vulnerable to enemy fire, but the Troika features a small shield to help compensate for this inconvenience. It is very effective for cover fire.


 * UV Cannon

The UV Cannon is an ultra bright, ultra-violet light emitting apparatus on top of the junker apc in the Gears of War game. It can only be used in the driving section of the game. It has medium range for a short amount of time until the junker has to recharge the light. The UV Cannon is apparently only effective against kryll, and immediately incinerates any kryll the light touches. It is highly accurate, as it is a beam of ultra-violet light.


 * Chain Gun

The Coalition Gears' answer to The Locust Horde's Troika machine gun turret is similar, except there is only one barrel. It can only be found in Act 5.

Shields
A shield will appear in Gears of War 2.

Weapon of mass destruction

 * The Hammer of Dawn

The Hammer of Dawn is the WMD that the human population of Sera used to obliterate the planet's surface, other than the Jacinto Plateau. The player gains access to it at various points throughout the game. The Hammer of Dawn is only usable with an aligned satellite and a clear sky. To utilize the Hammer, the player paints the target with a laser from a portable pistol-esque device. Once the satellite has had sufficient time to receive the targeting information, an extremely powerful laser hits the target area and will move wherever the laser device is pointed. It is usable for a short time before it has to recharge. Some enemies in the game are only vulnerable to the Hammer. It has unlimited uses, unless the aligned satellite passes, or the sky is covered by something opaque (i.e. a roof, or a Nemacyst's "ink"). The Hammer of Dawn has been made into an accessory for an action figure. Game Informer also said that the hammer may have been the best weapon they had ever seen.

Reception
Game Informer noted that of all the elements of the game, that the active reloads was one of two of the standouts of the game. 1up noted that the system of throwing gernade enterupts gameplay at takes to long to throw. They also said that killing enimies with the chiansaw is rather cumbersom and inconsistent. Although many areas of the game was critcsied, the active reloads was one of the most likable elements in the game.