If there's one quality the Gears of War series is renowned for, aside from its in-your-face gore and cool chainsaw-laced weaponry, it's the enemies. From the Locus Horde to the slithery Swarm to the more recent addition of robotic DeeBees, this slew of awesome foes adds some character and color to the grey, gritty backdrop of Gears.
Staying true to that distinct Gears style, the 5th iteration of this beloved 3rd-person shooter adds some crazier, more intimidating baddies to the roster than ever. Many of these menacing monsters make the old Locust seem like small potatoes; often requiring grueling sessions of military precision to overcome them.
So let's load up our Lancers as we take a look at the 10 most powerful enemies in Gears 5.
10 Reject
Taking on the form of a mutated, Swarm-possessed version of the robotic Sheperd, these militant foes require alertness and persistence to take down.
If there's one thing they've got going against them, it's their dormant state, which allows you to play the stealth game and sneak up behind them, giving you a prompt to take out their cores. If you happen to draw their attention, however, Rejects can really be a handful. They come at you alarmingly fast, take quite a few shots, and explode upon death.
9 Guardian
These pesky flying bots, like their DeeBee brethren, are a product of DB Industries, who cranked out a variety of robotic fighters to aid them in battle during the Locust War - and to help humanity rebuild in its aftermath.
Though most of these bots aren't too much of a hassle to take down, they're pretty aggravating for a number of reasons. They can move swiftly through the air, making it tough to aim at them with precision. Not only this, but they pack a punch with their tri-shot chaingun, and also whip out a shield, which takes awhile to whittle down. As long as you're in cover, you'll be fairly safe, but these Guardians still usually take a lot of time and effort to destroy.
8 Swarm Flock
While these insect-like Swarm leeches are a new addition to Gears 5, they largely resemble those super annoying Kryll that wiped you out if you wandered out of lit areas too long in Gears 1. The only difference is that you can kill these pests, though it takes quite awhile to do so.
They fly is a sort of bird-like formation pattern that's not unlike those deadly "Squiddies" from the Matrix movies. And just like in those films, shooting at groups of these makes for a pretty slow process that only chips away at the group, as individual leeches drop dead from the main pack. What's most frustrating is that you can hightail it to safety or seek shelter, and these things will often still drop you if you aren't quick enough.
7 Pouncer
A Gears of War 4 debut, these swift, intimidating creatures are back and more brutal than ever in Gears 5. Unless you're constantly aiming at their vulnerable, soft underbelly, these Swarm monsters will take time to defeat. More often than not, they'll cause you and your squad problems, thanks to their projectile quills they fire from their tails.
Even if you manage to dodge these quick attacks, Pouncers will frequently blindside you or your teammates by living up to their name, tackling targets with their large bodies. This will instantly down you and - if you don't start tapping the prompted button like a madman - will quickly result in you being turned into a meal. They can at least be chainsawed, but with how fast they move about, it's no easy feat.
6 Snatcher
Gears 5 makes it clear that it means business pretty early on - a mere hour into Act 1, you'll have to square off against this larger, more powerful version of the Pouncer, known as a Snatcher. As the name implies, these things don't just jump at you and tackle you like a football player - they'll actually consume the player and carry them off. If your comrade is carried away, you'll want to be sure to fire away at its stomach, which causes it to spit out its prey, leaving them down and out.
This Gears 5 mini-boss comes with a health bar that seems to take forever to whittle down, even when aiming at the glowing belly of the beast; it's weak spot.
5 Warden
You wouldn't think these things would present heaps of trouble, given their close-range nature, and their weapon of choice amounting to a couple of large blunt objects. But this notion is quickly proven wrong once you've tangled with one of them. Wardens duel-wield with one of Gears 5's more amusing new weapons, the Breaker Mace.
Problem is, these weapons are massive in size and can really pack a punch. Just a couple of well-placed hits and you're gone. These caped beasts are heavily armored, making them tough to take down; and their frequent, erratic movement and charges present challenges in landing clean shots at their heads. These things force you to keep moving, and to fire with frequency.
4 Stump
This strange, monstrous blob resembles a hideous offspring of a mechanical weapon and a mutant insect - which is because that's more-or-less what it is. Taking its place as one of the more unique new monsters in Gears 5, the Stump is a DR-1 that's been corrupted and mutated by a Leech; a large, slug-like Swarm monster.
The huge chaingun fastened to the back of these (if you can call it a back) will absolutely melt you if you don't seek cover immediately. Moreover, they come with an absurd amount of health, which almost requires a potent weapon like the Mulcher or Boomshot to really get anywhere. While this thing is sluggish and massive, making it a fairly easy target, its combination of power and defense makes it a very tough kill.
3 Swarmak
Remember those massive, tank-like Brumak monsters in early Gears entries? Yeah, they're back, and more menacing than ever in Gears 5 as they return with a new Swarm-infested body.
These beasts, called Swarmaks, are an even more devastating form of Brumaks that sport crystalline bodies, resembling a monstrous pile of rubble more than a living being. An early boss fight involves a showdown with one of these; and it's quite a challenge to take down, thanks to its heavy armor and duel-wielding machine gun arms. You'll need to move swiftly and wisely, and make sure you hone in on its weak spots; bulging blisters that aren't easy to hit.
2 Kraken
Considering this gigantic burrowing monster is about as large as a train, the Kraken is a natural pick for our number two spot. It's a sort of mutant offspring of a Riftworm and a dragon, with its long, slithering body and huge mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. This monster is certainly one of the biggest in Gears; and one that essentially has the power to take out COG ships and sink cities Jacinto-style.
The Kraken boss fight in Act 3 and 4 aren't overwhelmingly tough, but you need to take a methodical approach and target the right areas with regularity. Otherwise, this beast - and the Swarm Flocks that emerge from it - will run you over.
1 Matriarch
With an ominous name like "Matriarch," we know we're messing with the real deal here.
This foe is essentially a juiced-up version of the Berserker; which are themselves pretty damn tough. Like the Berserker, she's thankfully blind, but this is about her one Achillies Heel, as she's an absolute beast in just about every other area. Getting charged by one will end you on the spot, and it has a range of devastating close and long-range attacks, including ear-ringing screams and projectile spikes.
Her armored body cannot be punctured by normal firearms, and since you won't have a Hammer of Dawn to bail you out, you'll have to get creative. Use either the Cryo Cannon or break the ice beneath her to freeze her. Then you'll want to make a mad dash to the glowing region in her back. Shooting this will slowly but surely chisel down her health.