“Gears of War 4” begins a chilling new saga featuring an epic battle between humanity and a monstrous new enemy originating from beneath earth’s crust.

This third person shooter game was released on Oct. 11 and is available only on the Xbox One and Windows 10 PC platforms.

The story takes place 25 years after the extinction of the villainous Locust Horde. The protagonist, JD Fenix, is on a important mission alongside his teammates Kait and Del to rescue their loved ones after their village was ravaged by an unknown enemy force.

After completing the campaign on “Insane” (the highest difficulty level), I realized that the game is frustrating but also engaging at the same time. Mission after mission, there are intense combat situations against either weaponized mechanical robots or the overwhelming numbers of mutated beasts called the Swarm.

It may take many attempts to surpass an enemies’ attack but each attempt will surely push you to strategize or develop a technique to overcome them, which is an incredible experience.

To balance out the action phases, each phase is followed by intriguing cinematic cutscenes giving veteran players nostalgia from recognizing familiar faces in the past games in the “Gears of War 4”.

The other two game types in “Gears of War 4” are online player vs. player (Versus) and an online player versus environment survival game type (Horde). The multiplayer PVP modes brings both close and long range combat to a new level.

Competing against people online to complete an objective is a different experience than fending off programmed enemy bots. You just don’t know who you’re up against, as each match can turn out well or end in a heartbreaking defeat depending on how you and your teammates play.

The Horde survival mode is the best way to practice the basic shoot and cover skills needed in order to be successful in the battlefield. Since players now have the ability to place barricades, turrets and decoys anywhere on the ground, it offers a more creative way to fortify their position.

After each wave, the enemies grow stronger and it is imperative that you and your teammates build a defense in order to ensure each other’s safety.

“Gears of War 4” is an adrenaline rushing video game that is worth playing mainly for its story. Throughout the campaign, there are emotional moments that truly mark the uniqueness of this enthralling tale about family.