First Ten: Gatling Gears

Typically, when a studio’s inaugural effort is a turn-based strategy title, you’d might expect to see some traces of contemplative mechanics in a follow-up title. Yet, beyond a shared setting,  this week’s XBLA release of Gatling Gears seems is an extreme departure from Vanguard Games’ Greed Corp. Set in the same cyberpunk landscape ruptured by a desperate grab for the remaining natural resources, Gears‘ twin-stick bedlam recalls classic action games like Ikari Warriors, Soldiers of Fortune/Chaos Engine, and Total Carnage.

Armed with short and long-ranged weaponry, as well as a arced armaments, the title challenges player’s to surmount its thirty satiated levels. Weighing in at nearly two gigabytes, Gatling Gears seemingly offers enough sumptuously rendered explosions, screen-filling bosses, and cooperative action to warrant it’s fifteen dollar price tag. Return this Wednesday to read our review.