Best Weapons in Gears 5

The Coalition's Gears of War franchise is a bastion of pride for third-person shooter fans and Xbox consumers alike, and has single-handedly opened the floodgates for an entire stream of future content. But until the studio formally announces the arrival of Gears 6, however, we're pretty much left to double back and relive Kait's perilous journey from Gears 5 all over again. And that's fine, all things considered.

Like the instalments that rolled out before it, Gears 5 holds out its arm to a wide range of weapons, projectiles, and modifications, many of which have been the COG's bread and butter since Emergence Day. Question is, which of them are the best in the entire arsenal? Here's how we'd slate the highest tier.

5. Torque Bow

A returning favorite that essentially dominated the original Gears of War, the Torque Bow fires on all cylinders as a tool that's not to be messed with. In spite of its relatively slow reload time and ability to only launch one bolt at a time, its power is second to none, and hands down one of the deadliest weapons on the entire board. It's understandable, then, that any member of the COG would want to keep one stashed away as a primary weapon of choice.

The Torque Bow serves as a mid-to-long range weapon that can not only whittle down health bars from a faraway distance, but also from a spitting distance, during which the bolt deals double the damage when framed correctly. It's explosive, irresistibly powerful, and a perfect choice of weapon when going up against any boss encounter that's heavier than Raam himself.

4. Mulcher

As it turns out, being exposed in broad daylight when taking on enemy fire is actually a perfectly good excuse to use the Mulcher, an explosive canon-like weapon that bears the raw power to annihilate targets in a matter of seconds. The only downside to using such a monster, of course, is that you're willingly volunteering to be the bullet sponge of the pack, which also means taking the brunt of the damage instead of your teammates. Target your enemies properly, though, and the Mulcher can very well wind up being your closest ally out on the battlefield.

There are plenty of pros and cons to acquiring the Mulcher, to be honest. On one hand, it's powerful enough to crunch down hordes in mere moments. But on the other, if your aim isn't too great and you're within range of a number of opposing turrets, then you'll come to find that no amount of armor-piercing ammunition will protect you from the consequences that lay in wait. It's a hit-and-miss weapon, yet one that you should at least consider using whenever locked in a sticky situation.

3. Gnasher Shotgun

Much like the Lancer or the Overkill, the Gnasher Shotgun performs best when hurled into close quarters combat, and inflicts more damage when pressed up against an enemy at point-blank range. It's also incredibly effective in any situation that involves larger groups of enemies, too; the Swarm Holes, being just one of the times the Gnasher outperforms the vast majority of its alternatives.

Unless you're chiselling away at a chapter that features a lot of ranged combat, you should always aim to keep a Gnasher stowed away as your second primary weapon. Besides a Lancer, which should always be locked to your inventory regardless of the situation, the shotgun should be a first port of call whenever the opportunity to flesh out your loadout arises. It's sturdy, reliable, and can punch holes in walls faster than a rogue wrecking ball.

2. Longshot Sniper Rifle

Like in any game that features long-range combat, the sniper rifle is pretty much always a first-class choice, regardless of the enemy type or wielder's skill level. The Longshot, in particular, packs one of the hardest punches in the whole series, and can quite easily eliminate even the most beastly foes with one well-placed headshot.

Of course, bringing a sniper rifle to a knife fight is a lot like onboarding an irreversible death sentence—its lack of speed in close quarters will lead you down a route that has no positive outcomes. For anything else, though, the Longshot is a perfect choice, and quite frankly a soldier's best friend out on the battlefield in any ranged scenario with a good vantage point.

1. Lancer Assault Rifle (Post-Retro Model)

There's no doubt about it—the Lancer is hands down the best weapon in the entire Gears of War saga. Not only does it have a bigger clip for storing more ammunition, but also a razer-sharp and wickedly rapid shot, too. Oh, and not to mention the fact that its later models also come equipped with the chainsaw, which, of course, makes it a perfect melee weapon for facing enemies up close, too.

The Lancer has a variation of modifications that can help boost your odds in battle; the grenade launcher, being just one of the many attachable perks, is a boon in itself. Bottom line is, if there's a lancer knocking about at any point during the campaign, then it's always worth keeping one on hand. Or better yet, it's worth keeping one with you from the beginning of the story to the bitter end. The general rule of thumb is simple, really: you should never entertain the idea of letting one slip in place of something less powerful and dynamic.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there are any weapons you'd recommend using in Gears 5? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.