Almost 20 years since the legendary franchise debuted on Xbox 360, Gears of War is back and on PlayStation with Reloaded! Does the classic hold up or are you left reminiscing about the good old days?
Never Thought Gears Would Be on PlayStation Huh, Maria?
As I booted up Gears Of War: Reloaded on PS5, it truly felt like an historic moment. Witnessing the Xbox Studios logo burst onto my screen, followed by developers The Coalition, felt like a true full circle moment. For almost 20 years Gears Of War, along with Halo have been Xbox’s flagship series, selling millions of copies and accumulating critical acclaim. Therefore, to see Microsoft allow this storied franchise to land on rival consoles is truly extraordinary. Gears Of War: Reloaded serves as a remaster of a remake so to speak, as this version is essentially a remaster of the Ultimate Edition that launched back in 2015. But by no means is this a bad thing, this is Gears Of War and my god, it is still absolutely brilliant!
For players experiencing the franchise for the first time, Reloaded is the perfect introduction. Reloaded remasters the original game in all its glory. Set 14 years after Emergence Day (the day the Locust army emerged from underground to wipe out of millions of humans on the planet Sera), you control Marcus Fenix. Fenix is a former war hero for the COG (Coalition Of Ordered Governments) who became imprisoned after abandoning his orders. This is where the story begins, as Marcus is broken out of prison by best friend and fellow soldier Dom, who explains the COG need all the soldiers they can muster due to the Locust overwhelming them. Strap in, because this is still an absolute rip roaring adventure.
The five act campaign, which can be played in Co-op, is the perfect example of never judge a book by its cover. You may think at the start that this is a mindless military shooter but it’s so much more. It’s an emotional adventure of brotherhood with themes of desperation and hope at the forefront. Gears has now become known for its emotional weight and the first game is no different. The wonderful cast of characters helps to keep the story feeling grounded and this is thanks to the phenomenal voice acting on display. As this is a remaster, all cutscenes have been updated for modern day consoles, making every shot look absolutely gorgeous. The additional campaign content is also included as it was in Ultimate Edition, a great action set piece that I can’t believe did not make the original game.
For veterans of the franchise, this is the same seminal campaign that birthed the now iconic series. For newcomers, you’ll experience an action adventure rollercoaster full of emotion, laughs and some very cheesy lines. (I’m looking at you dickwad!) Add in a robust multiplayer playlist, along with the option of co-op campaign, making a true plethora of content on display for both new and returning players. There isn’t much added that isn’t available in Ultimate Edition, bar new comics for collecting COG tags. This may put off some players, which is why I suspect Microsoft made Reloaded free for anyone who purchased the Ultimate Edition. That being said, it’s so wonderful to see a game as good as this finally reach more players. PlayStation players have never had it so good!
Bloody Brutal Brilliance
In many ways, Gears Of War is now the blueprint for modern third person cover shooters, thanks to its incredible gameplay loop. The Coalition have elected to keep the core gameplay loop of the original intact, for better and for worse. If you haven’t played this series before, it’s an easy to grasp system yet hard to master, particularly in online modes. The main loop consists of bouncing from cover to cover and utilising your surroundings to gain a combat advantage. This is both addictive and wildly frustrating at times. Playing this game truly felt like being sent back in time. I can appreciate The Coalition wanting to remain faithful to the original title but after playing more recent Gears games, the movement feels slightly disjointed and not as free flowing. That said, mostly, it’s still a blast to play as you shoot, punch or chainsaw your way through enemies. The haptic feedback on PS5 feels awesome and a great addition for this new platform. It’s wonderful to see great accessibility options on offer as well – thank god I can turn camera shake off!
Gears is known for its brutal multiplayer and this is no different. If you are brand new to this franchise, prepare to die, over and over. The multiplayer hasn’t changed in content from the Ultimate Edition which isn’t a bad thing as the game launches with 20 maps, countless characters to unlock and all weapon skins available from the get go. The Coalition has upgraded the 30Hz servers to 60Hz dedicated servers – a much welcomed addition. Whilst the maps have not been altered in geometry, they have all received updates in lighting and visual effects, making them look more gorgeous than ever.
However, there are some frustrating issues when it comes to Gears Of War: Reloaded. Currently, weapon tuning is wildly inconsistent, in particular the gnasher shotgun being hideously erratic. Hopefully this will be ironed out in the coming months. Server issues have also plagued the game at launch, which is hugely frustrating, I would be saddened for the player base to nosedive because of issues like this. The AI is also extremely wonky at times in campaign. If you have a friend to play through the story that is the optimum way to go! The one major gripe I have with the multiplayer, besides the tuning, is the lack of a true ranked system. The competitive playlist is so bare bones that a ranking system like the later games would keep a consistent player base for years to come.
Reloaded And Looking Damn Good
There’s no doubt about it, Gears Of War: Reloaded is visually drop dead gorgeous. Every level, character and set piece looks dripping in glorious detail. Whilst I’d have loved to see the original game remade in Unreal Engine 5, the improvements the developers have made help to modernise this classic game. 4K visuals and HDR make wandering through the cities on Sera an absolute joy. Character models look as detailed as ever, with Marcus and General RAAM the particular standouts. As previously mentioned, all multiplayer maps have been updated with new lighting and a wonderful new updated colour palette, making executions look particularly disgustingly brilliant! A solid effort in visual presentation.
Similarly, sound design and score in this game absolutely rule! Every rev of a Lancer chainsaw sounds so satisfying, whilst every execution or headshot sounds completely disgusting! Sound design is a huge aspect of Gears multiplayer and this is no different, with every booming footstep of your enemy heard as clear as day, making it tense and exhilarating. Epic Games and now The Coalition have truly mastered sound design in this franchise. Of course, the original score returns from the first game, making emotional moments in the campaign even more poignant. Original composer Kevin Reipl’s score still hits as hard as it did almost 20 years ago with its orchestral themes. A wonderful effort across the board in the audio department.
Verdict
As a fan of the series since its inception, it is so good to see the original Gears Of War return in all its glory. In my wildest dreams I never believed this wonderful title would ever end up on PlayStation, but I stand so happily corrected. A superb campaign and brutal, yet brilliant multiplayer will endear itself to a brand new generation of players for years to come. Whilst some returning players may not see enough new additions and balancing issues to warrant returning, this game still absolutely rules! See you on Gridlock!
