The Maritime Nerd Gears of War: Reloaded Review

Welcome aboard. I’m The Maritime Nerd, and today we’re charting a course through Gears of War: Reloaded. From gameplay to performance, I’ll be breaking down whether this classic sinks or sails. When PlayStation announced that Gears of War was finally coming to PS5, it hit me with a wave of nostalgia I honestly didn’t expect. The original launched back in 2006—a time that, for me at least, was defined by late nights, energy drinks, and far too many hours glued to a screen. I hadn’t played a Gears title since Gears of War 3, so jumping back into this world felt like revisiting a formative chapter of my gaming life. For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Gears of War originally released on November 7, 2006, for the Xbox 360. You step into the boots of Marcus Fenix, a battle-hardened soldier fighting for humanity’s survival against the Locust Horde—grotesque, subterranean creatures that emerge after a brief period of fragile peace. When that truce collapses, Marcus and his squad are sent in to clean up the mess and try to save what’s left of mankind. The cast remains one of the franchise’s strongest elements. Marcus is the disciplined, by-the-book leader; Dom is his loyal right-hand man; Cole brings heart and comic relief; and Baird delivers sarcasm alongside technical know-how. Together, they form a memorable squad that adds personality and emotional weight to the campaign. At its core, Gears of War: Reloaded is a cover-based shooter—and in my opinion, one of the genre’s best examples. Its standout mechanic is the active reload system. Nail the timing and you’ll reload faster; hit the smaller, perfect window and the reload is nearly instant. Miss it, however, and you’re punished with a slower reload—something that can be fatal in the middle of a firefight. The game occasionally breaks up standard combat with vehicle sections where you man mounted turrets. These moments add variety, but they slightly undercut the intensity of the on-foot combat. Thankfully, they’re brief enough that they don’t significantly hurt the overall experience. Weapon variety is another strong point. Your primary weapon, the iconic Lancer, combines a standard assault rifle with a chainsaw bayonet—perfect for brutal close-quarters takedowns. You’ll also use pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, and grenades, though some weapons can feel a bit scarce at times. Grenades, in particular, are essential, as they’re required to seal Locust emergence holes throughout the campaign. One weapon that truly defines the franchise is the Hammer of Dawn. This devastating tool calls down a focused beam of orbital energy to incinerate enemies—but it only works outdoors or in areas with open sky. When the conditions are right, using it is incredibly satisfying and really sells the game’s sci-fi spectacle. Revisiting the campaign, one thing that stood out more than I remembered was enemy durability. Enemies can feel like bullet sponges, often soaking up nearly a full magazine before going down. It’s not necessarily a flaw, but it’s more noticeable by today’s standards. Unfortunately, I did encounter a few technical issues. In one instance, I fell through the floor during combat, and in another, a vehicle became stuck halfway across a bridge due to terrain clipping. These moments were frustrating, though they didn’t completely derail the experience. When comparing the original release to this remaster, the improvements are subtle but noticeable. Lighting has been enhanced, making environments brighter and more detailed. However, this does slightly soften the darker, grittier tone of the original game. The inclusion of all five acts, along with additional content that was previously exclusive to the PC version, is a welcome bonus and helps round out the package. Overall, Gears of War: Reloaded is a strong return—especially for PlayStation players experiencing it for the first time. It delivers intense action, memorable characters, and a compelling sci-fi story that still holds up today. That said, it’s hard not to question why the entire original trilogy wasn’t included. Packaging all three games together would have significantly boosted the value and appeal of this release. Even so, Gears of War: Reloaded is a welcome addition to the PlayStation lineup, and I hope it opens the door for future releases of the remaining titles. Final Score: 7/10 — Good and fun. Well done to Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios.