Ever since the first installment back in 2006, Gears of War has been known for its fun, cover-based combat. But it wouldn't be so enjoyable if you didn't have interesting foes to fight. This is an area where the series has always excelled. Each game includes varied enemy types, all with different looks and weapons. And Gears 5 is no different.
This recent entry in the series introduces several new adversaries for the COG to face during the campaign, some of which are like nothing fans have ever seen before. In fact, their inclusion helps make Gears 5 one of the better entries in the franchise. Here are all the new faces.
12 Swarm Elite Sniper
The Swarm wasn't one of the things Gears 5 added to the series, but they did introduce some new variants of the race. For instance, the Elite Sniper.
As the name suggests, these adversaries serve as stronger versions of the regular sniper. And they can be extremely deadly on harder difficulties. It's a bit surprising that they weren't included in Gears of War 4 as Elite versions of enemies is a staple of the franchise.
11 Swarm Elite Hunter
Another Elite variant to make their debut in Gears 5 is the Hunter. These enemies are some of the most annoying to face. This is because they're armed with Torque Bows.
No matter how good of a player you are, Torque Bows are always threatening. All it takes is one bolt to severely hurt or kill you (depending on the difficulty setting). And often, the bolt can seemingly come from nowhere.
10 Swarm Elite Grenadier
Shotguns have long been a favorite for Gears players as their ability to one-hit kill people from short-range is very useful. Unfortunately, they're just as deadly in the Swarms' hands. And their Grenadiers always carry them into battle, along with some grenades.
The base versions of these creatures were already annoying, but Gears 5 made things even worse by adding the Elite variety. When one of these bulking enemies is approaching, you need to focus your fire as they're pretty tough to kill.
9 Popper
Gears 4 introduced the Juvies, who are small creatures that charge at their opponents. Poppers are pretty much the same, except they also explode.
Yes, these little agile creatures are armed with grenades and try to self destruct at your feet. It does massive damage too, so if you're not paying attention to them, several of the game's best characters could be in trouble.
8 Reject
What the game calls 'Rejects' are humanoid DeeBees who have been possessed by the Swarm. Technically one of them appears in Gears of War 4, yet it was only in a cutscene, so it doesn't really count as an enemy type. They make their true debut in Gears 5 in some of the more unique sections of the game.
Fans know Gears for its high octane action, but there are several sequences with Rejects where you're encouraged to use stealth. In these moments, you can sneak up behind them and rip out their power cells.
7 Stump
Stumps are some of the most unusual looking enemies in the game. They're DR-1s who have been possessed by the Swarm. A combination that somehow leads to a Resident Evil-like creature with a gun on the top.
The beasts fight like mobile turrets as they remain stationary when shooting. Not always on the ground though, they sometimes enjoy hanging upside down too. Regardless of their position, they're a threat as they arm themselves with some of the most destructive weapons in the franchise.
6 Swarm Leech
Perhaps the least threatening enemies in the title are the Leeches. The little creatures are really easy to kill — even with the series' worst weapons — and they don't tend to hurt you too much. Although, they are still really annoying because it's easy to get distracted by them while a bigger adversary is attacking.
Plus, they're the ones who take over the DeeBees to create other enemies such as Rejects and Stumps. So they're not useless to the Swarm.
5 Swarm Flock
While individual Leeches aren't a problem, a Flock of them is a huge concern. They can withstand an unbelievable amount of punishment as a group. So much so that when you first fight them, it's hard to know if you're really doing damage.
What's more, the Flock flies all over the place and inflicts serious pain. They're among the most annoying enemies that Gears 5 added.
4 Bastion
When the Swarm possesses Guardians, it transforms them into Bastions.
However, instead of becoming stronger versions of the DeeBee drones, these new units have no offensive capabilities.
Yet, they are still a nuisance because they are excellent supporting players. They provide their teammates with impenetrable kinetic shields. And whoever receives their protection instantly becomes a major threat until the Bastion is taken down. If only the regular Guardians could do that for the COG.
3 Warden
There are some fantastic weapons in Gears 5, and they are needed against the Wardens. Few enemies in Gears history are as tough as these brutes.
Their bodies are virtually impenetrable, meaning you have to knock their helmets off to deal damage with conventional weapons. Luckily, they're more vulnerable to explosives, but even with frag grenades, it takes some time to kill them. All the while, they're approaching you armed with two giant maces.
2 Kraken
In typical video game boss fashion, The Kraken is insanely huge and immensely powerful. And it takes a couple of battles and several different strategies to kill the creature. In contrast, the beast can kill you very easily by grabbing you with its tentacles and dragging you into its mouth.
The monster isn't a Swarm creation; it was another victim of their possession abilities. How they actually managed to infect the giant creature is never made clear.
1 Matriarch
Berserkers have given fans a few grueling boss battles throughout the franchise. And Gears 5 provides another one, only this time it's against a different version of the monster. The Matriarch is the original Berserker and a very tough one at that.
As is always the case with these types of monsters, most of its body can't be damaged. What's more, it's got a flurry of devastating attacks, including incapacitating screams, explosive spikes, and physical strikes. Thankfully, it's blind and has a large weak point on its back. Without those faults, the heroes would stand no chance against it.