Gears of War: Reloaded review – An all-time classic just got even better

Gears of War: Reloaded brings a nearly 20-year-old classic back to life in stunning fashion. The remaster sharpens the action and polishes the visuals, but while the gunplay is timeless, clunky AI and a barebones story remind you this is still a product of its time.

Gears of War is one of Microsoft’s tentpole franchises, spawning five mainline games, plenty of spin-offs, and, hopefully, a movie starring Dave Bautista. It’s become such a staple that it’s hard to believe that there was a time when Gears was an unknown series. 

But, all the way back in 2006, when the Xbox 360 was just a baby and the word ‘Fortnite’ meant two weeks, that’s exactly what it was. Gears of War: Reloaded is a nostalgic journey back to the series’ E-Day, and reminds us exactly why it became so successful in the first place.

Gears of War: Reloaded screenshots

What is Gears of War: Reloaded about?

Gears of War: Reloaded is a remaster of the 2015 Ultimate Edition, which was itself a remaster of the 2006 original. It follows a group of soldiers in the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COGs), looking to repel the Locust, an army of genetically-altered humans that suddenly emerged from underground. 

You play as Marcus Fenix, a former COG who’s rescued from prison to rejoin the cause. Along with best friend Dominic Santiago, Augustus Cole, and Damon Baird, he is tasked with mapping the Locust’s underground stronghold and detonating a Lightmass Bomb to wipe it out. 

Bloody beautiful

The Coalition

Just a few minutes into Gears of War: Reloaded, one thing becomes clear – this is the only way the game should be played. The Gears games have always been beautiful, and this puts many modern titles to shame once the bullets start flying. Every last-minute scramble into cover, perfectly timed reload, and brutal curb stomp is more cinematic than ever before. 

The environments are also stunning thanks to improved textures and lighting, capturing the splendor of the Fenix Estate and the dank darkness of the mines in ways that just weren’t possible nearly two decades ago. 

It’s not just pretty to look at, either. The OG Gears is as savagely fun to play now as it ever was. The Lancer Rifle’s iconic chainsaw remains one of the best video game weapons of all time, instantly turning grubs into a pile of meat, and I challenge you to find headshots that are more satisfying than the distinctive ‘pop’ of a perfect Longshot sniper hit. 

The gory kills are even slicker than before, too, as Reloaded now runs at 60 FPS, making the action buttery smooth no matter how much chaos is onscreen. 

The Coalition

One area that hasn’t aged as well, however, is the story. It’s not that it’s bad, far from it, there just isn’t much of it. While all of the elements that would take the series to much greater storytelling heights are there, I’d forgotten just how uninterested the first game was in actually exploring them. 

If you’re a newcomer wondering why Marcus was in prison to begin with, why his father is so important to the war effort, or who Dom is looking for, you won’t find answers here. This story is about the mission first and foremost, so it’s a good job that the mission is such a blast that the paper-thin narrative isn’t as much of an issue.

Scratch one bug

Although Gears of War: Reloaded does a great job of bringing the classic shooter up to date, its AI was a major letdown.

Teammates will often run full steam ahead into enemy fire and immediately get knocked to the ground. I lost track of how many times I saw my allies (mainly Dom) try to go head-to-head with a turret and inevitably lose. 

It made the early encounter with a Berserker, a hulking, blind Locust that you need to trick into charging at you, a misery. My squadmate aimlessly wandered into its path and inevitably got turned into a red streak time and time again, forcing me to retry the fight five or six times. Dom, I love you, bro, but just stay back. 

Other times, my entire squad would mysteriously vanish altogether, leaving me to find my way to the next objective solo. There were also a couple of occasions where the music would drop out completely, resulting in some pretty eerie fights where only the gunshots broke the silence. 

The Coalition

Party like it’s 2006 

On the multiplayer side of things, the experience is much the same as it was in 2015, which, in turn, is the same as it was in 2006 – for better and for worse. The fights are snappy, the maps are well-designed, and the modes are solid but not groundbreaking.

I had a great time hunting opponents down on maps I haven’t played in maybe 15 years and blasting them to bits with the Gnasher Shotgun, which is still hilariously overpowered. 

However, while it was a nostalgic way to spend a weekend, the lack of noticeable improvements on that 20-year-old formula, such as a meaningful progression system or even an announcer to add a little life, leaves it feeling like a relic of its time that I’m unlikely to return to outside of the occasional match. 

Still, it’s a hell of a good time if you can find a group of friends to play with, and a welcome throwback to a time when multiplayer shooters weren’t trying to consume your entire life. 

Verdict 

Gears of War: Reloaded is the definitive version of one of the best shooters ever made. Developer The Coalition has brought the legendary shooter into 2025 while retaining all of the bloody magic that made it special in the first place. 

Sure, the story is nothing to write home about, and you might spend a little too much time fighting the wrong kind of bugs, but this is an otherwise perfect introduction to Marcus and his muscly band of misfits. 

Whether you’re a COG veteran looking for a reason to replay, or a PlayStation fanboy coming to the series for the first time, do yourself a favor and enlist, soldier.