- Don’t rush an enemy that knows you intend to kill him with the chainsaw bayonet. If you get shot while you rev the chainsaw bayonet, you’re forced to lower it. This makes you extremely vulnerable to attack. If you seek a melee brawl, it’s best to fire the shotgun or one of the pistols to render the enemy’s chainsaw useless. Or, if your foe doesn’t have the Lancer equipped, use another weapon, such as the Torquebow, to hit him with it melee-style. Better yet, go for the Frag-tag!
- If you find yourself outnumbered, look for an adequate hiding place and wait for the timer to countdown to a Draw. It might not be the most honorable route, but it just might keep your team in the match. Consider heading back to the spawn point and crouching in a corner, out of sight. If worse comes to worst, at least you’ll see your opponent approaching.
- Know your initial destination before the match begins, and practice Roadie Running to that spot so that you don’t bump into any obstacles. Bumping into something during a Roadie Run slows your character and can make teammates run into you, thereby giving the opponent a decided advantage in the race to acquire advanced weaponry.
- In Assassination mode, do not run off by yourself as the leader! It’s imperative that the leader stay with at least one (and preferably two) teammates at all times. We can’t stress this enough.
- Get acquainted with the characters’ voices, more specifically, their utterances as they attempt perfect Active Reloads. This is especially beneficial in a one-on-on standoff, as there’s nothing better than knowing your opponent’s gun just jammed! Rush him for the win!
- Some of the weapons make easily identifiable noises that are audible through much of the battlefield. These weapons, such as the Torquebow and Boomshot, also have very limited ammunition. Try counting silently to yourself each blast you hear from one of these weapons; you may get tipped off when your enemy runs dry.
- The Execution game type encourages players to rush forward and eliminate downed enemies, but don’t rush in blindly! Many times, players leave a downed teammate out in the open as bait, waiting for an overzealous opponent to move in for the execution. Don’t go in for the kill until you know the coast is clear.
- There are many instances in which it pays to split up the team and send three members straight toward the enemy while the fourth silently flanks the opponent’s blind spot. Avoid splitting into pairs, as your opponents might not take the bait and commit knowing two more enemies lurk the battlefield. Plus, it’s harder for the opposing team to ignore an advancing threesome, which makes them more likely to call in reinforcements. This presents a great opportunity for the flanking player to deliver mass damage.
- Players who always utilize cover and remember to roll often and erratically survive the longest in multiplayer. There’s nothing easier to kill than an enemy who runs in a straight line or stands out in the open.
- Don’t steal kills! There’s nothing more annoying than working hard to down an enemy and then having one of your own teammates snipe him in the head as you go for the curb stomp. Don’t do it unless you agree ahead of time that it’s okay.
- If you get tagged with a Frag Grenade, immediately leap toward the nearest enemy player to take him down with you. Similarly, if you attempt to Frag-tag a player (perform a melee attack while holding a Frag Grenade), quickly roll away from him before the grenade explodes, else you’ll likely get taken out in the blast. And don’t try this attack without warning any nearby teammates.
- Arguably the most important tip of all is to learn the maps and memorize weapon locations. This way, when the HUD indicates that a Torquebow or Longshot has been picked up, you can quickly ascertain where the enemy (or a teammate) is located and react accordingly. Relay this info to your teammates (who may not have noticed) and adapt your tactics.
- Lastly, you must communicate! Your Xbox 360 came with a microphone for a reason—use it! All of the multiplayer games in Gears of War are team-based and, as a result, require cooperation and teamwork to win. A team full of experienced solo players may win for a while, but even a team with average talent that communicates and plans its attacks cooperatively will almost always come out on top.
Gears of War eGuide Multiplayer