Gears of War Hints, Tips

Insane mode

Successfully complete the game on the Casual or Hardcore difficulty setting to unlock Insane difficulty setting.

Secret gamer picture

Successfully complete the game on the Insane difficulty setting to unlock a secret gamer picture. It has the Red Gear's Symbol behind Marcus.

Faster reload times

When you press RB to reload, there will be a clear bar with a small white segment somewhere along it. It will appear where your bullets used to be. There will also be a smaller white bar moving across the clear bar. As soon as the white bare gets inside the white segment, press RB again. This will reload your weapon much faster, and if timed just perfectly, will give your gun an extra boost in fire power. However, if you do not time it correctly, the clear bar will become red and it will take even longer to reload than if you had not attempted it.

Emergency holes

When an emergence hole opens up, toss a grenade into it. This will automatically close the hole, and therefore keep the locusts from coming out.

Finding C.O.G. tags

In Campaign mode, look for the dead soldier symbol (red gear with skull inside) painted on a wall, floor, or other location. This indicates that the Locust have killed some Gear soldiers in the area. Because Gear soldiers wear C.O.G. tags, you should be able to find one nearby.

C.O.G. tag location in Act 2

When you reach the part with the spotlight, instead of going straight, go to the left. You should find a C.O.G. tag there.

Defeating Berserker

In the final level, you first need to get the Berserker's attention; Berserkers are blind. They only go off smell and sound. Lead her all the way back to the very first train car. While she is still on it, quickly run off and press the button to release the car. The train car will collapse and the Berserker will go with it.

Defeating Boomers

Boomers have rocket launchers that can usually kill you with one hit. In order to kill them safely, take cover and wait until they shoot at you before you start shooting back. Just as they start reloading is the best time to shoot them, because their gun has a very slow reload. After they reload, hide again and let them fire. Repeat this a few times to kill them.

Defeating Corpser

In Act 3, you are in the Locust tunnels and must plant the Resonater in the building behind a lava filled lake. There are rocks on top of the lava, allowing you to walk across; however, it is not that easy. About one third of the way across an intermission sequence starts, with a giant spider creature, the Corpser. All you need for this battle is a shotgun and machine gun. This will be a fairly long range fight. It is an easy fight but the Wretches that come from everywhere complicate it. When the Corpser raises all his legs and slams them down, your teammate will probably yell "Wretches!". This is your cue to take out a shotgun or use your machine gun. At the beginning you should have a point of interest on the stomach, which is your cue to shoot it. You can always get a shot on it, even when the Corpser shields itself; or you can wait until it tries an attack then shoot its stomach. After that there will be another point of interest, which is in its mouth. When you shoot the stomach it will cringe and its mouth will open as it screams. Then, shoot it in the mouth. While you are doing this, watch out for the Corpser's Ground Pound. It not only brings Wretches (watch the ceiling), but also takes away part of the arena in the back. If your character dies in the back he might be lost. Your ammo cases may also be lost. Keep repeating the process of shooting the stomach and the mouth until the Corpser backs up as far as it. It can no longer be hurt. There will now be a point of interest around the smashable latches. There are two of them. Shoot both of the latches so that they pop, and the platform that the Corpser is on will be sent into the lava.

Defeating General Raam

Once you reach General Raam at the end of the last Act, he will have a Gatlin type gun and will be surrounded by the bird locust. There will also be flying locusts attacking from the side of the train (ignore them). You can only damage General Raam when the bird locusts leave him and go after you. Stay in the light or the birds can kill you. When you start fighting him, hide behind the first rectangular block that is directly in front of the doors you came from. He will start walking towards you and shoot. When the birds leave him, start shooting. After a while he will get directly in front of where you are hiding. When he does, run around him and hide on the other side of the platform. Stay in the light as you run. Hide, then continue shooting him until he dies.

Get General Ramm off the Gatlin gun. When he starts walking towards you, let Dominic get his attention. Then, run towards the Gatlin gun and shoot him with it. This should kill him in seconds. This is easier in Co-Op mode.

If you are having trouble accessing the second Troika-gun, try the following specific gun-combo. At the beginning of the level, ensure that the Lancer Rifle and the Torque Bow are in your inventory. Collect the extra ammunition from the train car and enter the next area. When the intermission scene ends, proceed to the vault over the cement slab. Enter cover behind any of the cement blocks. You must hit Raam with the Torque Bow to drive off the Kryll. When they fly away, immediately switch to the Lancer Rifle to execute as many headshots as possible. This may require at least a clip of ammunition each time. When the Kryll regroup, reload the Lancer Rifle immediately, and switch to the Torque Bow. Depending on various timing-issues, Raam will advance to your location, requiring that you use the "switch cover" action to force Raam to adapt his path-finding. Whenever Raam's AI pauses to change direction, repeat the use of the Torque Bow/Lancer Rifle combination. This method may require at least five combos to defeat Raam. If you run out of Torque Bow arrows, the grenades may be used as a means of "scaring off" the Kryll.