Improvements to combat make it a way more enjoyable affair than Gears 1-2. Nearly all changes and new enemy types are here to force you out of cover and throw you out of position, which coupled with better level layouts make for more dynamic and interesting shootouts. Lambent aren't that different from locust as an enemy to fight, but even their presence alone often creates interesting encounters where you get ambushed by both enemy powers from opposing sides. It still is not like astonishingly great, with yucky dialogue bringing down some actual striking moments of loss and dread. Nonetheless: easily the most likeable game out of the first trilogy.

Four levels in. Weapons felt great to shoot and old enemies look pretty fresh, but everything else is just in such a rough alpha state it bogs my mind how this game was released to the public. The writing is dang awful. The levels are either linear claustrophobic hallways or football fields of absolutely nothing, there's just no sense of space and pacing in level design. There wasn't a single fight that got me excited by its intensity and scale. The "fresh" things so far are some new terrible enemy types, and unnecessary skill tree that only serves to gate you from abilities that should be in your base kit. There's just nothing new and interesting the game brings to the table which leaves me wondering why the heck SS4 even needed to exist. But even more pressing question is, what the hell happened to Croteam for the game to release in this state? And how it bodes for the supposed The Talos Principle sequel?