Gears is back, and quite possibly bigger than ever. For nearly 20 years, Gears of War has been a staple of Xbox in the never-ending "console wars", but for the first time in the series' history, a Gears of War game will also be released on a PlayStation console. What a time to be alive.
Gears of War: Reloaded is a remaster of 2015's Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, which was a remaster of the original that started it all in 2006, Gears of War, mouthful right? More to say about that in a bit. If you're a returning seasoned vet or newly enlisted COG soldier who needs a reminder on what the story is about, let me offer you a not-so-quick rundown.
Gears of War: Reloaded takes place on the planet Sera, a place with a history of near-constant conflict that pushes its world to the brink of destruction. Just mere weeks after the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) claimed victory in a 79-year war (Pendulum Wars) against the Union of Independent Republics (UIR), a reptilian/humanoid species dubbed the "Locust" emerged from under the planet's surface and declared war on humanity. A quarter of the human race population was slaughtered on "E-Day", and humanity's only goal now is to survive.
Now, 14 years later, you step into the boots of Marcus Fenix, a disgraced war hero, court martialed for defying orders to save his father, condemned to a life sentence at a maximum security prison. Childhood best friend and fellow soldier, Dominic Santiago, breaks him free as the prison is being overrun by Locust. Now, Marcus is tasked with leading Delta squad to deploy a weapon that will save humanity.
If you have ever played the 2015 remaster, this game is nearly identical in terms of content. There's the campaign where you can take the Locust Horde on alone or have a buddy jump in and tackle it together through online play or couch co-op. A variety of weapons will be at your disposal, including the iconic chainsaw bayonet Lancer, and the original classic Hammerburst. You will fight your way through an overrun prison, the underground Hollow, and face off against some of the Hordes' fiercest creatures, including the big bad General Raam and the devastating Berserker.
Online versus is also available, featuring dedicated servers, multiple game modes, and 19 remastered maps to compete on, with my favorite mode being the objective-based King of the Hill. If you have been a long-time fan of the series, it's difficult to speak for everyone on whether the multiplayer feels balanced, as each player has their own personal opinion on how strong weapons should be, alongside their preferred playstyle. I was very limited in finding a ton of matches during early access, though the few that I did get into, I quite enjoyed. The matches were smooth, played at a decent pace, and had plenty of Gnasher shotgun fights that we Gears fans grew to love.
The game features plenty of upgrades from the Ultimate Edition that include the following.
Now, for the elephant in the room, why are we getting a remaster of a remaster? This isn't The Last of Us. Why Gears 1? Why not 2 or 3? The answer is simply because Gears of War is finally making its debut on PlayStation, and with that comes an all-new audience to fall in love with the series from the very start.
The addition of crossplay means you can finally show that one friend (everyone has one) the series you always wanted to play with them. With a larger pool of players, the quality of life in the game becomes strengthened in an era of live-service games.
Although the multiplayer is highly regarded by fans as the main selling point, at its core, Gears is still a hard-hitting, emotional, story-driven game. I'm positive that if Reloaded exceeds expectations on PlayStation, the demand will be at an all-time high for the sequels to follow suit. Plus, this is a great refresher to get both new and old fans ready for the release of Gears of War E-Day sometime in 2026.
Gears of War: Reloaded delivers exactly what it set out to do, by polishing and adding a fresh coat of paint on a beloved classic, and uniting console players together for the first time in nearly two decades. This is the same story you know and love, the same band of brothers you'd go to hell and back for, and the same chaotic multiplayer that you love to hate, yet still keep coming back for more.
If you're a returning player, there's never been a better time to jump back in. And for those experiencing it for the first time, welcome to the army soldier. This series is very special to me, filled with characters and moments that will stay with you long after the credits roll. I'm excited that more people will now have the chance to create their own lasting memories while playing.
A huge shout-out and thank you to Gears of War and Xbox for providing me with an early copy to review.
Will you be picking up Gears of War: Reloaded? Whether you’re jumping straight into Campaign or gearing up for Versus, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us know in the comments, and be sure to stay tuned here for all the latest news, updates, and insights from the world of Gears.
