Review: Gears of War Ultimate Edition

2005 was the most brilliant of times in the videogames industry. A time full of new promise; new games that delivered so much more of everything. Better graphics, a full cinema sound experience, better A.I, larger worlds, more alive with detail. Gears of War was one of those games that excelled at showing us what this new (now old) generation of games were to deliver; bigger and better games that swallowed us whole into their universes and spat us out salivating for the next adventure.

The original gave us more than Cliffy B’s dude-bro persona would suggest from the pre-release reveals (In real life, Cliffy is very American, but an ultimately likeable guy who cares about his work). It gave us the ‘roadie run’, ‘active reload’ and the genre defining cover mechanic that forms the basis of so many run-and-gun stories we continue to devour, week-in, week-out.

The ultimate edition does an incredible job of reminding us why Gears was such a huge hit, because it recreates the original for the most part, but it does so in a way that doesn’t detract from your memories of the decade old game. It doesn’t look terrible for a start. So many remakes remind you that what you once thought was the height of graphical fidelity was actually pretty bland and uninspiring. Fortunately, that isn’t an issue for the Ultimate Edition.

While initially, it looks sharp, with a little upgraded texture work, there’s so much more going on that when you start to peel away the layers, you really start to appreciate the work done by The Koalition. For the tech savvy among you, there’s the addition of a physically based lighting solution, specular effects, ambient occlusion, revised and ramped up geometry and entirely new lighting styles, particularly as you begin act two, changing the player’s perception of the level completely from the original.

All of this is pretty impressive when you consider the game is effectively running on a ten-year-old engine, but the achievement of a native 1080p resolution at 30fps throughout the campaign and 60fps during multiplayer is laudable. Where the original Xbox 360 version spit and spluttered with torn frames consistently, the Xbox One version’s consistency is an absolute joy – with dropped framed occurring very rarely –you’ll hardly notice it happens, if at all.

From a gameplay perspective, Gears excels as it always did, offering sublime pacing through, with each act exploring the Locust back story, the introduction of the Krill, and changing gameplay elements with the same thrust that made the original so enjoyable. Xbox One players have the intended experience only previously playable in the PC version, though, with the five missing chapters seamlessly integrated into the final act. This simple addition makes the finale a perfected affair, casting a shadow over the original that increases the appreciation for the remake and raises the bar for not only what is achievable technically, but from to improve a game from gameplay perspective.

As a standalone product, Gears of War set the tone for many a game in the decade since its release, and while others have continued to pioneer the genre with innovations of their own, Gears was the game that introduced simple, yet effective elements that made firefights enjoyable, and pacing through the use of cover an enjoyable experience. It wasn’t quite a tactical revolution, but very much so a revelation. What the Ultimate Edition does so well, is remind you how much of a revelation it was.

Rose tinted glasses is a term often used to describe the slight disappointment when playing older games, but Gears of War Ultimate Edition would be a game that stands on its own two feet, even in today’s slew of copycat shooters. It’s a reminder of the golden days of the Xbox 360; on par with Halo in many respects in how synonymous it was with Microsoft’s consoles. A love letter to fans, and a brute-force introduction to Epic’s design prowess. While these days, Epic might focus on its engine, it would do well to remember the effect this console exclusive series had not just on its fans, but in the shaping of a genre, and some might say, games like Mass Effect, the Uncharted Series and many more.

Those who delve into the rich world of Gears of War prior to the end of 2015 will also get access to Gears of War 2, 3 and Judgement. For the price, and most importantly, the memories, Gears of War Ultimate Edition is the best remake money can buy. You’d be a fool to miss.