Gears 5 Insane Difficulty Tips

Gears 5's Insane mode isn't easy. Most enemies kill you in 1 hit and you cannot be revived since there's no down but not out option. After completing the mode on Insane I've constructed some helpful tips of how to survive the Swarm on Insane.

1. Boltok

The Boltok Pistol is a powerful weapon but in past Gears of War, games were ineffective against enemies on Insane. In Gears 5 this pistol is an absolute must-have. It can take out Juvies in 1 active reload shot and Drones in a couple of headshots.

The weapon is accurate and can be shot from a long distance. Easily shredding through enemies.

2. Respec Jack

Jack comes with an array of abilities but you can respec Jack at any time for any battle. For the most part, Stealth and Stim serves as the most helpful tools against the Swarm but if you need to respec into different skills you can do so at any time.

When in a stealth situation, respec to for increased speed and duration for stealth. This will allow you to thin the enemy forces and since they walk in a specific path you can exploit this to clear entire rooms. Just be aware that Rejects can sense you, even in stealth, if you try to take them down from the front.

3. Stumps

Stumps are infected DR-1 Deebees with mounted machine guns or rocket launchers. When Jack gains the ability to Hijack the Swarm minds during Act 3's beginning, you should always hack the Stumps.

These creatures will easily take down surrounding forces and weaken powerful Scions. If killed, you get the benefit of not having to fight the thing. Stumps are one of the most powerful enemies in the game and using them can turn the battle in your favor. Just be aware, that damaging Hijack Swarm creatures will cause them to revert back to their originals status regardless of how much time is left.

4. Meatshield Allies and Player Distractions

Your allies are not wise. They'll often stand in front of you and sometimes refuse to fire their gun, but they can take a hit. Using them as cannon fodder when defending sections where you have to wait at a specific location is key to survival. When being chased by a Warden or if enemies are focus firing on you, have your allies attack by marking an enemy. They'll focus fire on the marked target while that same target shoots at you.

Your allies, for the exception of a few moments, won't die and can be revived by hand or using Jack's Stim if upgraded. 

5. Ammo Over Power

Explosive weapons such as the Boomshot and Torque Bow do lots of damage but they shouldn't be your primary weapons. Ammo for those guns are rare but that doesn't mean you should just pick any high ammo count weapon. The traditional Lancer isn't ideal, despite having a chainsaw that can kill most targets in 1-hit, as it takes more than 1 clip to kill an enemy even when actively reloaded. The risk of getting close enough can often be too dangerous to use the chainsaw is too great.

Instead, opt into weapons like the Hammerburst and Lancer Grenade Launcher. The Hammerbusrt does large amounts of damage, has a big ammo count, and can be shot from mid and long-range. In addition, the Tri-Shot should always be taken as this weapon can kill most targets easily or eliminate large portions of Snatchers, Prowlers, or Scions. 

6. Stealth Kills

While Jack's defensive abilities should be reserved for emergencies, if you need to thin out a horde of enemies stealth is the best option. You can trigger this at any time and use stealth kills against any humanoid enemy. This includes Elite Drones and Elite Hunters but nothing bigger or small than those humanoid Swarm.

Have any more tips? Let us know in the comments below.

Adam Siddiqui,
Senior Editor, NoobFeed
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