Gears of War: Reloaded Review - Screenshot 1 of 4

We've been here before a few times, haven't we? Yep, the first Gears of War returns in a shiny new package for Xbox Series X|S, with Gears Reloaded largely based on 2015's Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. While this is a wholly new experience for PS5 — which joins the platform list this time around — Xbox players are getting a remastered remaster if you will; a triple dip from Microsoft. However, despite a very familiar experience for franchise fans, Gears of War: Reloaded is now the definitive way to play this Xbox 360 classic - and some modern tweaks mean this one should stand the test of time.

On hopping back into the Gears 1 campaign for the first time here in Reloaded, what's immediately apparent is how much the lighting has improved even since the 2015 remaster. Outdoor scenes are a particular highlight with everything just popping in all the right ways. With graphical upgrades bringing in somewhat diminishing returns these days, lighting is one area that can still lift a game here in 2025, and Gears Reloaded's lighting technique does just that.

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Aside from some resolution boosts (with varying degrees depending on your platform of choice), the rest of the visuals feel largely the same as the last remaster - but Gears Reloaded is no slouch. The environments still look pretty darn fantastic, character models are well detailed and the whole experience does look rather modern - and that's despite the game having 2006 roots. Credit to both Epic's original work and what The Coalition has done since; Gears of War has been well preserved over the years, doubly so in Reloaded.

When it comes to the gameplay itself, Gears Reloaded is a bit more of a mixed bag. While I have some amazing memories from this campaign (I've probably played it more than 10 times overall), it's quite a basic affair and does lack a certain level of depth compared to more modern titles. Most of the game's 6-ish hour runtime is spent doing pretty much the same thing over and over. A level opens out into a 'combat bowl' as it was known back in the day, where you tackle a bunch of Locust before the game funnels you into the next story beat. It all works well enough because Gears of War's combat is just so satisfying, but it's probably a good idea that the first game in the series never outstays its welcome.

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I should also mention that this version of the Gears 1 campaign also contains the extended fifth act present in both the PC original and all versions of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and it's a welcome addition to the experience. While the extra few chapters don't add anything revolutionary, they do bulk out the otherwise short fifth act, and the experience feels like it has a more complete conclusion because of it. If you've not played the campaign since the Xbox 360 original you may or may not notice this little extension and I won't spoil it here - just be on the lookout for some differences during the early part of Act V.

The rest of Gears Reloaded is taken up by the multiplayer suite, and this is where I think Microsoft's triple dip is most beneficial. With the influx of PS5 players now descending on Gears MP, the first game's rudimentary but engaging online mode can and will be enjoyed for years to come. Despite the series' more modern releases — and of course, Gears of War: E-Day coming next year — there's still a place for what Gears 1 online delivers on; up-close and personal gunfights in a multiplayer experience that feels tight and focused in the modern era. No battle passes, no in-game store, no overwhelming currencies and just a few weapon skins to add a personal spark to your loadout - Gears Reloaded multiplayer is refreshingly simple and I've been having a blast with it so far.

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There are also a couple of modern touches that I feel make a huge difference to how multiplayer feels here. The first of those is 120FPS support - if you have the display for it, I highly recommend playing Gears Reloaded MP at 120Hz; it just feels so smooth to play. Then — and this is an absolute godsend — The Coalition has added a setting to remove camera shake. This feature may seem quite insignificant, but the earlier Gears games had strong camera wobble, especially when you roadie run which you do almost all the time here in multiplayer. The two of these combined make for a much more modern looking and feeling experience in 2025, and I reckon I'm gonna be playing lots of Gears Reloaded online chiefly because of these modern touches.

While I'm enjoying Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer quite a bit here, I do want to mention that this is very much the same core experience as Gears 1 - and that means there's no offline bots to speak of and perhaps crucially for more modern Gears fans, no horde mode to tackle. Outside of the main story, Gears Reloaded is all about PvP multiplayer with real people online - which does make the experience a little more restrictive in modern day terms, even if it's true to the original release.

Conclusion

Gears of War: Reloaded is an excellent game. Sure, it's quite basic compared to modern Gears games and sure, the core of the experience is very similar to Gears of War: Ultimate Edition - but I still think this release was a worthwhile endeavour, and then some. PS5 players joining the party means that Gears 1 multiplayer will remain alive and thriving, and those quality-of-life improvements to online play are also a massive win in my eyes. Campaign perhaps doesn't benefit quite as much, but boosts to resolution, performance and that lighting upgrade are definitely noticeable - and welcome for those of us who will probably play this campaign another handful of times over the years. Gears of War: Reloaded is a great reintroduction to one of Xbox's most famous franchises, and I'm going to soak it all in as I wait with baited breath for the next Gears installment in 2026.