Gears of War is known for its bulky bros and over-the-top action, but across four games the Gears’ stories have pulled off much more than they often get credit for.
Bombastic battles will always be part of the Gears repertoire, but through excellent use of smart enemy design, comic relief, and defying player expectations, the franchise’s developers have created some of the best moments in any shooter. From all four games, here are the top 11 Gears of War campaign moments.
Full spoilers follow for Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, and Gears of War: Judgment. You’ve been warned!
An ancient worm nearly 10 miles long is burrowing beneath the last remaining human cities and sinking them into the ground. It must be stopped. But what kind of weapon could possibly harm such a monster? This is Gears of War, so the answer is, as always... a chainsaw.
After the Riftworm devours their helicopter, Marcus and his crew navigate through the worm’s acidic digestive system and make their way to its heart. They sever its arteries, and the RIftworm fills with blood and explodes, blasting our heroes back to the surface on a sticky, gooey Slip’N Slide.
One of the coolest enemies in Gears of War, the Berserker is a blind rage-monster gifted with crazy strength and heightened senses of hearing and smell. That last part is probably pretty bad for huge, sweaty men in oversized armor.
Gears makes players feel powerful, but the first encounter with a Berserker turns even Marcus Fenix into scampering prey. Normal weapons won’t damage it, so you have to lure it outside through claustrophobia-inducing hallways and finish it off with the satisfying Hammer of Dawn strike from orbit.
Just when you’re getting the hang of killing Locusts, big bad General RAAM shows up to put you in your place.
When you first see him, it’s clear from his size and armor that he’s in charge. Then he walks through fire and blocks a chainsaw attack with the palm of his hand, so yeah, no worries. In one of the most menacing moments in the series, he impales your leader, Lieutenant Kim, and tosses him aside like a toy.
Cole steps into his old Thrashball locker room, looking around in quiet reverence. Baird makes a quip about the smell, but Cole doesn’t hear. He approaches his locker, finds his helmet... and so begins one of the best moments in any Gears game.
To imaginary cheers and applause, Cole jumps onto the playing field, grabs an explosive device, and plows through tons of enemies to “score a point for the Cougars” by blowing up an enemy Lambent stalk. It’s a funny and surprisingly touching moment for a character we’ve loved since the start.
Say what you will about Dom’s wife and Marcus’ father, but the Marcus and Dom (b)romance is the oldest and most fleshed out relationship we see in Gears of War. This makes it all the harder to watch it end.
In Gears of War 3, Dom, Marcus, and the rest of the squad are under attack by an overwhelming number of Locust and Lambent enemies. Dom sees the writing on the wall and hops into a massive fuel tanker, speeding away and causing a distraction. With a final order for Marcus (they weren’t really the sentimental type), he speeds into the enemy cluster, igniting the truck’s explosive payload and sacrificing his own life to save his friends.
The whole thing is set against the melancholy song “Mad World,” which Epic famously used in its original trailer for Gears of War. I’m not crying. YOU’RE crying.
The Brumak was one of the tougher boss fights in Gears of War. In Gears of War 2, we finally got a chance for some payback.
After finding an unattended Brumak, Marcus and Dom make the questionable decision to hop on board. The decision ends up paying off, as the route ahead is packed with hundreds of enemies, from foot soldiers to Corpsers to massive beast-barges and more. It’s one of the most hectic moments in any Gears campaign.
Much of Gears of War 2 is spent in search of Maria, Dom’s missing wife, who was captured and forced into hard labor in a work camp. When you finally find her pod, Dom says “I can’t believe it Marcus! We finally found her.” The joy and optimism in his voice as he delivers that line is so unlike everything else in Gears that you can’t help but feel for him.
A delusional Dom opens the pod and sees Maria, beautiful and in good health, walking toward him. But as the illusion ends, it’s revealed she is tortured, malnourished, and broken. It’s one of the few moments in any Gears campaign where nobody figures out how to save the day.
Gears of War: Judgment added optional “Declassified” missions into its campaign. Just find the Crimson Omens, accept their tasks, and get ready to play in a whole new way.
The best one, found late in the game, equips your entire squad with the Locust’s massive, three-foot-long, solid metal Butcher Cleaver blades. Sure, Kilo Squad is tough, but even they have no business swinging such a weapon for so long.
The ensuing three-minute gib-fest is bloody good nonsense.
Let’s face it: Kryll are basically piranhas with the power of flight. If James Bond and Gears of War existed in the same universe, the bad guy would definitely have a room full of Kryll. They swarm any prey caught in the dark en masse and strip it to the bone in a horrifying feeding frenzy.
One of the best sections of Gears of War takes place mostly in the dark. Kryll are driven away by light, so the only way to get around is by making a path however you can -- usually by shooting propane tanks. It makes for a level full of tense, tactical fights where falling back can be a deadly mistake.
The Leviathan boss fight feels like Gears of War’s tribute to Jaws. Jaws ends with someone literally stepping into the creature’s mouth and lobbing several grenades down its throat, right?
From the ominous setup -- there’s something moving under the boat! -- to the intense chainsaw vs. tentacles fight that follows, fighting Leviathan is one of the creepiest, most intense fights in any shooter. Gears does crazy action and Gears does unsettling moments, but rarely does it nail them both at the same time.
Like the Redshirts of Star Trek, if your name is Carmine, you probably won’t make it to the credits. Sorry.
Epic realized the affection Gears players had for their lovable Carmine comrades, so for Gears of War 3 they allowed the players to decide the next Carmine’s fate through a “Save Carmine vs. Carmine Must Die” poll. The results, of course, were kept a secret.
Near the end of Gears 3, Clayton is providing cover from his chopper, which is shot down. In a brief cut scene, we see his helmet on the ground. We fear the worst, but then he picks up the helmet, puts it back on, and helps a wounded soldier. The Carmine curse is lifted!
Gears is packed with more great moments than we could hope to fit on this list. Did you favorites make it? If not, let us know what we missed in the comments below. And if single player isn’t your thing, tell us your best multiplayer and Horde moments.
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