Chainsaws, Cover, and Carnage - 60 Minutes With Gears Of War Reloaded
For longtime Gears fans, Reloaded feels like homecoming. For newcomers, it’s a chance to experience the genesis of the franchise — louder, prouder, and optimized for next-gen.
To start off with a controversial opinion, I think the Gears of War series is fine. Just fine. Like other popular franchises that just aren't for me, I can usually respect what a game or series has done, and the first Gears of War is no different in that regard. When Gears of War first exploded onto the scene almost 20 years ago now, it re-defined third-person shooters. Like Resident Evil 4 before it, it shaped third-person shooters, essentially mapping a blueprint for other games to follow. If your third-person shooters wasn't inspired by Resident Evil 4, it was Gears of War. But despite the legacy it created, I just see the Gears of War series as good.
But with Gears of War Reloaded, I am happier with the series and the overall progress in gaming than ever before. For the first time, Gears of War comes to the PlayStation consoles after almost two decades of Xbox consoles exclusivity, bringing the series to a wider audience, some of whom are likely experiencing it for the first time. The more the merrier, in my opinion. I'm also a long-term believer that, like ports, remakes and remasters are good for the industry — they are usually less cost-intensive than new games, garner interest to for a potential series revival, and being new fans into the fold. I can't tell you how many times I've been able to try out a classic game thanks to a port or remake. And Gears of War Reloaded does exactly that for PlayStation players.
Featuring 4K graphics, up to 120fps, and zero loading screens for seamless gameplay through the campaign, Gears of War Reloaded also brings both cross-play and cross-progression to PlayStation 5 and Steam, letting players step into the bulky armour of Marcus Fenix and the rest of Delta Squad in the most polished version of their first outing. Every map and mode, including every DLC is included, further reinforcing it's drive to be the true definitive edition.
The fresh coat of paint is quite nice, but Gears of War Reloaded ends up being more of the same. Setting aside nostalgia, the game performs well from my time with it so far. Not much is as satisfying as revving up the Lancer’s chainsaw bayonet and reducing an unsuspecting Locust grub to nothing more than red mist and miscellaneous giblets, but there's nothing really new here for returning fans. Outside of the absolute die-hard fans, this is more for drawing in new players from the PlayStation side of things in a bid to recoup some of the massive cost for the Activision-Blizzard purchase. At its core, Gears of War Reloaded is still a solid game. If you loved it back then, you'll love it now. And if you didn't, you can always sit this one out.
I've only spent time with the Gears Reloaded campaign, so naturally I'll be focusing on that. I never really got into the multiplayer, even during its original run. After an optional tutorial that provides some backstory and the controls before a last ditch escape from the Locust, I got to team up with the rest of Delta and fight my way through entrenched grubs to join up with Alpha to progress the story. And this is where the core gameplay loop comes into effect, and you'll either love it or find it serviceable.
The controls and gameplay are snappy and responsive, if a little dated. The weapons are incredibly satisfying, with my particular favourites being the chainsaw-equipped Lancer, the Gnasher shotgun, and the Boltok revolver. Any weapon will do the job, however, and staying in cover is life or death, especially on higher difficulties; but don't be surprised if a frag or two comes your way. Being subterranean enemies, the Locust can come from anywhere, but only really during scripted sequences — they'll never pop up behind you once you've cleared an area, so don't worry. But that doesn't mean encounters play out the exact same way every time. Firefights descend into chaos if you get too comfortable.
Gears of War Reloaded shows that a classic game is still that almost two decades later. It's a great starting point for PlayStation players who never experienced the series, but it lacks anything meaningful for returning players outside of some graphical tweaks. It's clear the main focus is to ensure the PlayStation and Steam players get a definitive experience for the Xbox classic, but without anything to keep long-term fans hooked, it will quickly lose its charm. Cross-play will keep it alive longer than the previous iteration, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, but it might not be enough to tide fans over until Gears of War: E-Day.
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