If you've spent any time with a Gears game over the past decade-plus, you've probably been on the receiving end of the series' signature lever-action shotgun, the Gnasher. Known for instantly-killing multiplayer opponents at a close-enough range, the shotgun has enjoyed a fearsome reputation over the years, even as some fans have fielded complaints that the weapon is too powerful. For Gears 5, however, developer The Coalition has decided to change some of the weapon's damage numbers in a patch that went live on February 11.

　　"While we feel that the Gnasher is currently in a good spot in Gears 5, we are always looking for opportunities to improve the combat experience," wrote a spokesperson for The Coalition. "As part of our on-going mechanics updates, we’ve made a few changes to the Gnasher to make the game both more fun and more skillful."

　　As part of this patch, the Gnasher's instant-kill distant has been reduced, along with the damage for a direct hit, meaning that players will have to be closer in order to shred their target. However, the weapon's maximum range has also increased, meaning that you can "poke" an opponent for a tiny bit of damage from much further out. The Coalition hopes that these changes will give players a bit more of a fighting chance.

　　If you haven't checked out Gears 5, it's available on Xbox Game Pass on PC or Xbox One. In our review, Phil Hornshaw felt that the game suffered from the same storytelling weakness as its predecessors, but he also said that the new additions to Gears 5 "are all things that seem right at home with the elements that give the series its identity."