Gears of War: Reloaded Reviews
Is Gears of War: Reloaded the ultimate way to experience Gears of War or is this merely a forgettable stopgap as we wait for Gears of War: E-Day?
Gears of War: Reloaded delivers stunning visuals and smooth performance, with 4K textures, upgraded frame rates, and enhanced lighting, making the experience sharper and more immersive than ever. Yet, despite these upgrades, the lack of new content leaves the game feeling very familiar, and the reasons to revisit are sparse.
Gears of War: Reloaded is a blast of 2000s-era sci-fi, appearing here in better shape than ever before. It's not particularly smart or clever through a modern lens, but it remains a hell of a lot of good old-fashioned fun.
Gears of War: Reloaded is a great way for PlayStation owners to get into the series or for returning players to scratch that nostalgia itch.
One of the most iconic Xbox franchises ever lands on PS5 with somewhat of a graphical thud. On its second remaster, Gears of War: Reloaded won't impress visually. However, with a campaign that still has something to offer despite its dated design, and an excellent multiplayer mode on top, this is a welcome introduction to the Gears of War series. 20 years later, the game that started it all is still more than worth playing.
Gears of War: Reloaded is the best way to play one of the most important shooters ever made, thanks to drastically improved visuals and timeless gunplay. The story is a little thin and there are a few annoying bugs, but this all-time classic has never looked so good.
I wish we had the ability to remap controls, but overall, Reloaded did an excellent job of scratching a nostalgic itch I didn’t even know I had. If there are plans to remaster Gears 2 and 3, I’ll be there, Lancer in hand.
Taken on its own merits some nineteen years since its original release, Gears of War remains a blast to play, only showing its age in minor ways which do little to detract from what is a seminal piece of work. Though not too far removed from 2015's Ultimate Edition, the lower price of entry makes this easier to stomach for PlayStation owners tempted to dive into the series that defined a generation of Xbox fans and that few games have bettered in the proceeding years.
Could it have been more technically surprising? Yes. Could it have taken a few more risks? Yes. But what we have here is a polished, immortal classic, and more enjoyable than ever thanks to the power of Xbox Series X.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Gears of War Reloaded is the absolute best way to experience or relive the adventure of Marcus Fenix and company, now also on PlayStation 5 (and on PS5 Pro it even features extra options that further improve the already excellent quality seen in the Ultimate version). The only problem is that, once you've finished the campaign alone or in co-op, you'll probably want more, and the wait for E-Day seems to be a long one.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gears of War's simple shooting and world design are as strong now as they were in 2007, but Reloaded's more technologically advanced visuals sap away the earlier versions' grimy cartoon charm.
Gears of War: Reloaded is the definitive version of Gears 1, but only by default. A faithful remaster of a remaster that keeps the series alive and opens the door to PlayStation players, but doesn't do enough to feel essential. It's both dated and timeless, clunky and exhilarating, simple and unforgettable. A solid nostalgia trip, but a missed opportunity to make the original shine for modern audiences.
If you’ve played before, the low price point should be enough to either sell you on playing the updated first game and bolstering your digital collation or simply turn you off. There is around 90 minutes of new gameplay compared to the original but if you don’t want to shell out $50 AUD for that, this isn’t for you.
Gears of War Reloaded is a well made remaster, but I was hoping for a whole trilogy. Still, it does not matter as much, I had lots of fun. After all, this is the original Gears of War with all the good and bad that comes with it. And if you own a PS5, you simply have to play.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Gears of War: Reloaded is a great way to experience the original Gears game with a friend if neither of you has played it before.
Gears of War: Reloaded breathes new life into a classic, delivering upgraded visuals, smoother performance, and all the brutal cover-shooting action that made the original legendary. From the chilling horror elements and iconic boss encounters to the witty squad banter, it proves just how well Gears of War has aged nearly 20 years later. With 4K, HDR, high frame rates, and full cross-play multiplayer, this is the best way for veterans and newcomers alike to experience the start of the saga.
Overall, Gears of War: Reloaded is great. It brings Ultimate Edition up to a slightly more modern standard and finally sees it released on Steam and PS5. Aside from the AI issues that I faced, I have no complaints about the game per se. It's still as aggressively grey/brown as it was in 2006, though there's thankfully a lot more colour around to accent things now. Its gameplay is very one-note, but everything it does, it does exceptionally well.
Gears of War Reloaded is a remaster aimed at newcomers, delivering the best way to experience Marcus and Dominic's first adventure. While it adds little beyond the technical upgrade and shows some signs of age, it remains a highly enjoyable classic. If you already own the Ultimate Edition, there's little reason to double-dip, but for everyone else, Reloaded is an easy recommendation, especially at its fair price point.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Undoubtedly the best Gears of War has ever looked, the continuous finessing of the title has only set to highlight some of its eccentricities in an unflattering light. Charming jank of yesteryear is instead jarring to behold by modern standards, even if the gameplay experience still nails the brief in the lofty year of 2025.
If you're uninitiated with Gears of War, Reloaded is simply an unmissable epic that you should play pronto. For everyone else, the suite of technical improvements will allow you to experience Gears of War as it was meant to be, and what you get is a luxuriously gratifying third-person shooter that makes a 19 year-old game feel totally new again.