Available now to season pass holders and available to all players on January 17, Gears of War 4 brings back Gears of War 2‘s “Blood Drive” and the original Gears of War‘s “Clocktower” maps, redesigned to more closely align with the aesthetic and themes of the new game.
“Blood Drive” features the dilapidated “Diner of the Morgue” structure, a burger joint, and a pharmacy, which have now been all but destroyed by the ravenous Swarm. Outside, piles of red leaves line the corridors where the majority of battles will take place. Several raised structures and stairways allow for players to get the drop on enemies — possibly with the “Dropshot” weapon introduced in last year’s game.
“Clocktower,” first seen in the original game, has a somewhat steampunk-influenced design, with the enormous tower standing on top of decaying streets that have been completely overtaken by the Swarm. The “Bank of Bronn,” with large ATMs and concrete pillars, is the perfect place to hunker down and blast away at a few enemies.
In addition to the new maps, this month Gears of War 4 was also be adding 280 new customization cards. These include new character choices such as “Zombie Minh” and “Armored Anya,” as several new weapon skins — some of which are actually animated. Season pass holders will also be receiving twenty extra Gear Packs containing 60 random cards from the aforementioned new collection on January 13.
Gears of War 4 is available for Xbox One and PC. The latest title update also adds penalties for quitting matches as well as a spectator mode for esports lovers.
