Gears of War: Reloaded Review

Delta Squad’s Gritty Return

When Gears of War stormed onto the Xbox 360 in 2006, it redefined third-person shooters with its visceral cover-based combat and cinematic bravado, courtesy of Epic Games and designer Cliff Bleszinski. Nearly two decades later, Gears of War: Reloaded, developed by The Coalition with support from Sumo Digital and Disbelief, brings this iconic title to a broader audience, including a historic debut on PlayStation 5. Set on the war-torn planet Sera, the game follows Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad as they battle the subterranean Locust horde, delivering a campaign that’s equal parts gritty action and heartfelt camaraderie, with a story that still resonates despite its testosterone-fueled exterior.

The narrative remains untouched, preserving its blend of bombastic set pieces and surprising emotional depth, as Marcus and Dom’s brotherhood anchors a tale of survival against monstrous odds. Reviewers, like those at IGN, praise its ability to defy its “meathead” stereotypes with sharp writing and memorable voice acting, a sentiment echoed across platforms like Reddit where fans celebrate its timeless charm. However, the lack of new story content means veterans will find no fresh plot twists, though newcomers will be swept up by its cinematic pacing and iconic moments, like the berserker chase, that still pack a punch.

This remaster builds on 2015’s Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, incorporating all its additional content, including the PC-exclusive campaign act and multiplayer maps. While the core experience is faithfully preserved, some dated elements, like the simplistic AI or occasional clunky animations, highlight the game’s age, as noted by Polygon. Yet, the raw energy of its firefights and the thrill of cooperative play ensure Reloaded remains a compelling revisit to a genre-defining classic.

Cover, Shoot, Chainsaw: Gameplay That Endures

The heart of Gears of War: Reloaded lies in its revolutionary cover system, which still feels intuitive and engaging. Players snap to walls, vault over obstacles, and unleash a barrage of bullets or the iconic Lancer’s chainsaw bayonet, creating a ballet of blood and strategy that’s as satisfying now as it was in 2006. The Coalition refines controls with modern sensibilities, offering smoother aiming and movement, though the core mechanics remain untouched, preserving the deliberate heft that defines the series, as Kotaku highlights. The campaign’s 8-10 hour runtime is packed with varied encounters, from turret sequences to vehicle chases, ensuring no two fights feel the same.

Multiplayer is a cornerstone, with eight PvP modes like Team Deathmatch, Warzone, and King of the Hill across 19 remastered maps, all supporting cross-play and cross-progression. The beta, as reported by ScreenRant, revealed some initial server hiccups, but The Coalition’s use of 60Hz dedicated servers (up from 30Hz in Ultimate Edition) ensures smoother online matches. The AI, while competent in most scenarios, occasionally falters, with enemies getting stuck or failing to react intelligently, a flaw noted by Windows Central that could’ve benefited from modernization.

Co-op remains a highlight, with split-screen and online options making it a blast to team up against the Locust. The game’s difficulty scales well, with four levels challenging even seasoned players, while collectibles like COG tags and unlockable comics add replay value. The variety of enemies, from hulking Boomers to agile Wretches, keeps combat dynamic, though some players, per Metacritic, wish for more significant gameplay tweaks to align with modern shooters’ fluidity.

Sera’s Visual and Sonic Overhaul

Reloaded transforms Sera’s bleak landscapes with a stunning visual upgrade, leveraging Unreal Engine 3 (heavily modified) to deliver 4K resolution, HDR, and enhanced lighting. Environments pop with vibrant skies and detailed rubble, while improved textures and post-processing effects, like realistic blood splatters during chainsaw kills, elevate the gore-soaked aesthetic, as IGN notes. Compared to Ultimate Edition’s already impressive overhaul, Reloaded adds subtle polish, better shadows, reflections, and particle effects, though some textures, particularly in less-traveled areas, feel dated, as PC Gamer points out.

The audio design is equally immersive, with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support enhancing the chaos of shootouts and the tension of quiet moments. The iconic Lancer rev and booming voice lines, like Marcus’s gruff quips, remain untouched, preserving the game’s personality. However, minor audio glitches, such as occasional voice dropouts reported by TheSixthAxis, slightly mar the experience, though they’re rare and likely patchable.

Performance is a high point, with the campaign running at a smooth 60fps and multiplayer hitting 120fps, supported by variable refresh rate (VRR) for fluid gameplay. Some frame rate dips occur in busy scenes, as Digital Foundry observed, but fast load times and zero loading screens during the campaign keep immersion tight. The result is a technical showcase that makes Sera’s destruction feel more vivid than ever, even if it doesn’t push the boundaries as far as a full remake might.

Locust-Slaying Extras and Modes

Reloaded packs in all of Ultimate Edition’s content, including the extra campaign act, multiplayer maps, and cosmetics, ensuring a complete package. The 19 remastered maps, enhanced with better lighting and effects, provide diverse arenas for multiplayer mayhem, with modes like Annex and Assassination offering strategic depth. The Coalition’s commitment to cross-play and cross-progression, as lauded by PC Gamer, makes it easy to squad up across platforms, a feature that feels revolutionary for a series once exclusive to Xbox.

No new campaign content is added, a missed opportunity noted by Kotaku, but the robust multiplayer suite and co-op options compensate. The split-screen co-op, running flawlessly, evokes couch-gaming nostalgia, while collectibles like COG tags encourage exploration. The promised Fox Hunt multiplayer mode, delayed to post-launch per ComicBook.com, hints at future updates, but its absence at release slightly tempers the package’s ambition.

The game’s replayability is bolstered by four difficulty levels and unlockable comics, though some fans, per Reddit discussions, wish for new modes like Horde to refresh the experience. Still, the variety of enemies, berserkers, Boomers, and explosive-wielding Corpsers, ensures encounters remain thrilling, with each fight demanding tactical shifts that keep players engaged, as Windows Central emphasizes.

The Legacy of Marcus Fenix

Gears of War: Reloaded reaffirms why the original was a cultural touchstone, its cover-based combat and cinematic flair still influencing modern shooters. The narrative’s mix of gritty heroism and subtle heart, particularly in Marcus and Dom’s bond, holds up, with moments like the Kryll-dodging sequence delivering unforgettable tension. Reviews from GamesRadar highlight its ability to feel fresh despite its age, thanks to its tight design and iconic weapons like the Gnasher shotgun.

However, the conservative approach draws criticism. The unchanged AI and occasional dated animations, as Polygon notes, reveal the game’s 2006 roots, and the lack of new content beyond Ultimate Edition feels like a missed chance to innovate. Community feedback on Reddit expresses excitement for the PS5 debut but laments minor bugs, like checkpoint oddities, that could’ve been ironed out.

The game’s arrival on PlayStation, a first for the series, signals Microsoft’s evolving strategy, with cross-platform play breaking down console barriers, as PC Gamer celebrates. As a prelude to 2026’s Gears of War: E-Day, Reloaded serves as both a nostalgic tribute and a reminder of the series’ enduring strengths, even if it doesn’t push as far as fans might hope.

Gearing Up for the Future

Gears of War: Reloaded is a polished love letter to one of gaming’s greats, delivering a visually stunning, technically robust remaster that preserves the raw thrill of its cover-based carnage. Its campaign remains a rollercoaster of memorable moments, while multiplayer and co-op ensure hours of replayable fun. The technical upgrades, 4K, 60fps campaign, 120fps multiplayer, and no loading screens, make it the definitive way to experience Marcus Fenix’s debut, despite some dated textures and AI quirks.

The lack of bold new content or significant gameplay overhauls, as ScreenRant critiques, keeps Reloaded from reaching remake territory, but its fidelity to the original is both its strength and limitation. It’s a testament to the 2006 game’s design that it still feels current, with diverse enemies and varied encounters keeping the action fresh. For veterans, it’s a nostalgic blast; for newcomers, it’s a masterclass in shooter design that holds its own in 2025.

Ultimately, Reloaded succeeds in bringing a classic to new platforms and players, setting the stage for the series’ future while honoring its past. It’s a bloody, chainsaw-revving reminder of why Gears became a phenomenon, offering enough polish and accessibility to justify diving back into Sera’s chaos.

We prepared this review with a review code of Gears of War: Reloaded for the PS5 version provided by Microsoft Corporation.