Chapter 4: Ghost Town

The drive to Mercy was a bit more eventful than the Gears might have hoped, but they managed to reach the town in one piece. If only someone was there to greet them. The fueling pumps are turned off, and there isn’t a soul to be seen. Just a couple months ago, Dizzy saw Mercy filled with all the hustle and bustle of a refinery town. Something happened here, and whatever it was, it cleared out the city mighty fast.

Township of Mercy

Follow the Pipeline and Investigate the Town

What was supposed to be a quick stop for fuel has turned into a mission to turn on the pumps. Dizzy and Jace watch over the trucks while Marcus, Dom, Anya, and Sam search for the pump controls.

Enter the building next to the pumps via the double red doors. Proceed out back to where the tanks are, swap your spent power weapon for the Gnasher, and then pick up the ammo crate. Note the pipeline on the left and follow it deeper into town.

Disable the Pipeline Charges

Continue through town, over the wooden bridge, and follow the pipeline until you encounter an explosive charge placed on the pipeline. It has a built-in motion sensor that activates with Marcus’ movement.

Walk up to the charge and deactivate it with a press of the button. You must disable two more bombs. Follow the pipeline up the road, and then turn left to spot the next charge. Disable it in a similar manner.

Continue up the lengthy stone staircase to the third charge, next to a pumpkin. A crazy old man fires at Marcus and hits the pumpkin. He has the town rigged to contain something of which he isn’t sure, an epidemic perhaps. He’s crazy and panicked, and he runs off before Marcus can get any information out of him.

Chase the Crazy Old Man

The crazy old man flees into a building, and Marcus leads his squad in pursuit. The direct way out is locked, and the man escapes…for now.

Consider swapping out the Lancer for the Scorcher on the landing down the stairs—keep the Gnasher. Then continue out the building’s far side, toward the deli. Chainsaw (or shoot/burn) the deli’s boarded entrance, and equip the Incendiary Grenades from the room on the right. Continue the pursuit out the hole in the wall on the left.

Marcus thinks the crazy old man fled into the sewers. Drop off the ledge and wade into the sewers to continue the search. There’s only one way to go. Follow the route to the old man’s corpse.

Search the Sewer for Clues

There’s no telling how the man died, but it doesn’t look self-inflicted, nor does he look sick. Something—or someone—got him.

The path through the sewers forks just around the corner from the man’s corpse. Dom and Sam go one way, leaving Marcus and Anya to explore the other. Equip the Gnasher or Scorcher, and continue around the corner to the right. The first of many Lambent humans, also known as Formers, attack.

Gunfire kills Formers quite easily, but flames are the single best way to deal with them. Wait for a large group to approach, and then toss an Incendiary Grenade at the lot of them. Save one Incendiary Grenade for the next large group of Formers. Slaughter this first wave and proceed around the corner to a large trench with a raised ramp. Stay on the walkway on which you enter, and blast away at the Lambent humans as they try to climb out of the water. You may want to use the other Incendiary Grenade here.

Find a Way Out of the Sewers

Kill the remaining Formers and then cross the trench to the other side. Several more Formers break through a barrier in the corner, revealing a large crank wheel. Kill the Formers and then turn the wheel to lower the ramp. This leads up to a pair of ladders. Gather the Incendiary Grenades on the ground near the ladder before you exit the sewers. They’re invaluable in the upcoming battle!

Search for the Fuel Pump

The Gears surface from the sewers into a plaza, out in front of the town hall. Cross the plaza toward the large building where the raised ladders are located. A Stranded calls out to warn you about more Formers approaching fast—a Vulcan and Vulcan Ammo Box are on the stairs beneath him.

Grab the Vulcan and open fire in short bursts as the Formers start to race across the plaza. They attack from the right first, then from the left. The Stranded calls out their points of origin, so pay attention. Watch the ammo counter, and anticipate when to drop the Vulcan. Switch to the Gnasher in time to get those climbing out from the sewers and beneath the buildings on the near right, then the near left and far center.

Resist the urge to leave the town hall’s front steps. The length of the battle is based on enemy count and not time. Don’t even think about trying to outrun the Formers until the battle ends—they catch you in no time if you stray out into the center of the plaza!

Enter the Town Hall via a Ladder

The Stranded up above lower the ladders as soon as the last of the Formers is killed. Gather any remaining ammo and climb up to safety.