Gears 5: Hivebusters Beginner Tips - Abilities, Co-op, and Collectibles

Gears 5: Hivebusters is a compact campaign expansion built around Lahni, Keegan, and Mac, the Scorpio Squad characters introduced through Escape mode. It keeps the familiar Gears cover-shooter rhythm, but the shorter campaign and fixed trio make every ability, side path, and co-op role matter more than in a long main campaign.

Content warning: Gears 5: Hivebusters is a Mature-rated game with blood and gore, intense violence, and strong language. This guide keeps its advice non-graphic and focused on play decisions.

Use these tips if you are starting the DLC, returning for collectibles, or playing with two other people.

Essential Tips

1. Treat Scorpio Squad as Three Jobs, Not Three Extra Guns

Hivebusters is built around Lahni, Keegan, and Mac, so learn what each character brings before you fall into default rifle play. Lahni’s Electroblade pushes her toward aggressive close-range moments. Mac’s Barrier lets him create safer shooting windows and protect forward movement. Keegan’s Resupply supports the team when ammunition or ability rhythm starts to drag.

That does not mean you should spam abilities as soon as they light up. Think of them as answers to specific problems. Use Lahni when the fight rewards a committed push, Mac when the team needs protected pressure, and Keegan when keeping the squad supplied matters more than chasing one extra kill.

2. Upgrade Abilities Before You Chase Perfect Routes

Character ability upgrades are one of the DLC’s main progression hooks. Some are near the route forward, but others sit in side rooms, behind interactions, or near spots that look optional. A first run should still move at a good pace, but do not charge from marker to marker without checking the surrounding space.

The better habit is simple: after a fight, reload, scan the room edges, check side doors, and look near exits before leaving. Upgrades improve the tools that define the campaign, so missing several of them can make later encounters feel flatter and less flexible.

3. Use Co-op to Divide Responsibilities

Hivebusters supports up to three-player co-op, which fits the fixed squad well. If you are playing with friends, assign responsibilities instead of letting everyone improvise at once. One player can call ability timing, one can watch for side rooms and pickups, and one can keep the team from overextending during transitions.

This matters because co-op can make fights faster but also messier. Three players sprinting toward separate pickups or sightlines can create awkward revives and missed opportunities. A quick callout before big pushes keeps the campaign moving without turning every arena into a scramble.

4. Save Mac’s Barrier for Forward Pressure

Mac’s Barrier is most useful when the squad needs to move, shoot, or stabilize under pressure. Do not think of it only as an emergency button after the team is already trapped. A timely Barrier can let the team take ground, deal damage from a safer angle, or cross a dangerous lane.

When playing solo, use it before committing to a risky position. In co-op, the Mac player should tell the others when the Barrier is going up so they can take advantage of the window. The ability is much stronger when the team is ready to move with it.

5. Use Lahni’s Electroblade With a Way Back Out

Lahni’s Electroblade rewards aggression, and the DLC even tracks kills with it for one of its ability goals. The trap is treating every close enemy as an invitation. Before activating it, check whether Lahni will finish near cover, near the squad, or exposed in the middle of the arena.

The cleanest Electroblade use comes after the squad has thinned ranged threats or created a safer lane. If Lahni can push through a vulnerable enemy and return to cover, the ability feels decisive. If she dives alone while enemies still hold the room, the same move can turn into a rescue problem.

6. Use Keegan’s Resupply Before Ammo Becomes a Crisis

Keegan’s Resupply is easy to undervalue because it is less flashy than a blade or shield. In practice, it supports the entire tempo of the campaign. Use it when teammates are about to burn through heavy pressure, when a long fight has drained key weapons, or when the squad needs to keep pushing without breaking rhythm.

Do not wait until everyone is empty. A proactive Resupply can keep the team aggressive and stop players from taking bad positions just to scavenge. In co-op, call it out so teammates know they can commit to the next exchange.

7. Watch for Environmental Hazards

Hivebusters uses more than standard cover lanes. Environmental hazards can turn an arena in your favor if you notice them before enemies force the pace. Cracked ice, sand columns, steam generators, explosive pipes, and containers are all worth checking when a fight begins.

The key is to look for hazards while enemies are still grouped or moving through predictable lanes. If you wait until the arena is nearly clear, the hazard may no longer matter. Fire one careful shot at the right object and you can save ammo, break pressure, or clear space without spending an ability.

8. Slow Down After Every Major Fight

The campaign is short, which makes it tempting to sprint between combat arenas. Resist that urge. Several collectibles and upgrades are placed around side paths, rooms near exits, and interactable spaces. After the last enemy drops, take a brief sweep before triggering the next transition.

This habit is especially useful if you care about completion. The DLC has goals tied to campaign collectibles and character ability upgrades, and cleaning them up later can mean replaying sections. A steady post-fight check costs less time than realizing you left an upgrade behind.

9. Let Chapter 3 Be the Exception

Completion-focused players should know that not every chapter demands the same search pattern. Available guide data marks Chapter 3 as having no collectibles or ability upgrades, while other chapters include multiple pickups. That makes Chapter 3 a good place to focus on clean combat, ability practice, and co-op flow rather than combing every corner.

Do not use that as an excuse to rush the entire DLC. Treat it as a reminder that each chapter has a different purpose. Some chapters are pickup-heavy, some are more about set pieces, and the best pace changes with the structure.

10. Plan Achievement Runs Before Insane Difficulty

Hivebusters includes goals for finishing the campaign, completing it on Insane, using each character’s ability, finding upgrades, collecting campaign items, and finishing in three-player co-op with the proper squad setup. Those goals overlap, but not always comfortably.

For a first clear, prioritize learning encounters, grabbing obvious upgrades, and understanding ability timing. Save strict completion cleanup, Insane difficulty, and coordinated three-player requirements for a run where everyone knows the route. That keeps the first playthrough enjoyable and makes later attempts more efficient.

11. Keep the Team Together During Transitions

The tropical islands and facilities in Hivebusters encourage forward motion, but separation is rarely worth it. If one player rushes ahead while another searches side rooms, the squad can miss callouts, pickups, or combat setup time. Move as a group, then fan out briefly after arenas are safe.

In solo play, the same principle applies as a habit: finish the room, sweep the edges, then proceed. In co-op, regroup before doors, ladders, elevators, and obvious encounter entrances. A few seconds of patience can prevent messy starts.

12. Use the Short Runtime to Replay Smarter

Hivebusters is not a sprawling campaign, and that is useful. If you miss collectibles, want ability achievements, or plan an Insane clear, the shorter structure makes replaying less painful than a full campaign rerun. Take notes on chapters where you missed upgrades or where a fight felt rough.

The second run should be more deliberate: assign co-op roles, call out ability goals, check known side areas, and use hazards early. The campaign’s length works in your favor when you treat the first pass as scouting and the next pass as cleanup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Do not treat Lahni, Keegan, and Mac as interchangeable soldiers - each character’s Ultimate Ability changes what they should be doing in a fight.

2. Do not burn abilities just because they are ready - save them for pushes, protection, supply needs, or dangerous enemy pressure.

3. Do not send Lahni deep without an exit plan - aggressive Electroblade plays still need cover and squad support.

4. Do not wait until everyone is empty to use Resupply - Keegan is strongest when he keeps the team moving before the fight stalls.

5. Do not drop Mac’s Barrier after the best shooting window has passed - use it early enough for teammates to act behind it.

6. Do not ignore side rooms after combat - collectibles and ability upgrades often reward a quick sweep before moving on.

7. Do not assume every chapter has the same pickup density - adjust your search pace when a chapter is known for fewer or no pickups.

8. Do not overlook hazards in the arena - environmental damage can solve enemies that would otherwise cost ammo or abilities.

9. Do not split the co-op squad during transitions - regroup before pushing into the next arena or objective space.

10. Do not combine your first clear with every hard achievement goal - learn the campaign before stacking Insane, cleanup, and co-op restrictions.

Summary

Category	Top Tip
Squad Roles	Use Lahni for pressure, Mac for protection, and Keegan for team supply
Abilities	Spend Ultimate Abilities when they answer a specific combat problem
Co-op	Assign responsibilities so three players do not scatter or duplicate effort
Collectibles	Sweep side rooms and exits after fights before moving forward
Upgrades	Prioritize Character Ability upgrades because they improve the campaign’s unique tools
Hazards	Look for ice, sand columns, steam, pipes, and containers at the start of fights
Achievements	Separate first-clear learning from Insane and strict completion runs