Chainsaws and chaos never felt so smooth
By Paul Hunter
If you loved the original Gears of War, Reloaded does that familiar-yet-better thing: it hands you the same fights, only smoother, faster and with a fresh coat of paint. This remaster builds on the 2015 Ultimate Edition and focuses on what really matters when you jump back in—visuals that are sharper, framerate targets that keep the campaign at 60fps and let multiplayer push to 120fps, and fewer interruptions between fights thanks to quick loading.
The core combat is unchanged in the best way. You’ll still hug cover, nail active reloads and rush out with the Lancer when the moment calls for it. Roadie Run and the cover system give the game its rhythm, and co-op remains the easiest way to get the most out of the campaign. Online Versus modes return with the old maps and match types, and cross-play makes it simple to squad up with friends on different systems. The remaster also keeps the extra material carried over from the Ultimate Edition.
There are traces of age in certain animations and scripting, but mostly those are offset by crisper textures and tighter performance. The result is a welcome way to revisit Marcus Fenix’s opening fight without having to squint through older visuals. So, is Gears of War: Reloaded worth checking out on PS5, or is it just a fond look back? Let’s find out!
Jumping back into the campaign felt like slipping into an old jacket: familiar, broken in, and somehow just right. The story doesn’t dally. You’re part of Delta Squad with a clear task: push into the Locust’s domain and get the job done. The chapters move fast across city wreckage, estate halls, dim mines and claustrophobic tunnels, and that pace keeps you moving through what’s roughly an eight-hour run if you’re not lollygagging.
It’s not a deep dive into anyone’s backstory. Marcus gets a straightforward setup, Dom, Baird and Cole show up with personality, and the script mostly hands off emotional weight to the group’s chemistry. That works. Those small, honest exchanges make the big moments land harder. Throwing a Berserker into a trap or facing down the hulking boss at the end still lands as proper show-stopping beats—they hit the same way they did the first time around.
You will notice some old-school design habits. There are scripted gates that wait for the exact thing to happen before the music cues and you can move on, and sometimes AI teammates will do something head-scratching that turns a neat plan into a blunt object. It’s a minor annoyance when it happens, but it doesn’t ruin the flow most of the time.
What keeps the story working is that it’s built around tight set pieces and squad moments. The campaign knows what it wants to be: a mission-driven sequence of high-intensity encounters with just enough heart in the dialogue to matter. For nostalgia fans or newcomers who like their shooting serious and straightforward, the story still delivers the moments you remember.
The combat in Gears of War: Reloaded feels like returning to a familiar rhythm. You move, you hide, you time the reload and then you make the big play. The weapons hit with a weight that still lands, and those chainsaw and gnasher moments never loses their appeal.
Roadie Run is still part of the dance. It gets you into the fight fast, then the cover system pulls everything back into a tactical groove. Sniping and shotgun fights reward different play styles, which keeps campaign sequences or online matches from feeling same-y.
I had one run where my couch co-op partner and I split duties perfectly: he baited, I circled, and a grenade sealed a Locust hole. We laughed, high-fived, and then dug into the next encounter. That kind of coordination shows how the game shines with a friend beside you.
On the multiplayer side you get the staples: Team Deathmatch, Execution, King of the Hill and compact 2v2 duels. Maps are tight and built for quick, tactical clashes. The Gnasher makes close quarters chaotic and fun.
Cross-play keeps queues alive and means friends can meet on different systems. There’s no modern progression treadmill here—matches are short, sharp and rooted in skill. If you want cooperative planning or direct, messy fights with your buds, Reloaded still does that job very well.
Visually, Reloaded feels like someone went in with a careful pair of scissors and trimmed every scene to show crisp new detail. Textures are higher res, lighting is more focused, and small props that used to blur into the scenery now pop into focus. The Fenix Estate looks sharper while the mines keep their oppressive mood—both sides of the game get a slick polish.
You’ll notice faces and armour look crisper when you push the camera in. Marcus and the squad benefit most from that work; distant NPCs still look a bit flat. Character animations feel fluid and natural, making each firefight responsive and full of impact.
Performance on PS5 was excellent in my sessions. The campaign runs in 4K at 60 frames per second and never dipped even during larger explosions. Multiplayer aims for higher refresh targets, which is obvious in tight fights where timing matters.
Sound design still does a lot of heavy lifting. The boom of an explosion, the echo of a Locust in a tunnel and the chainsaw’s grind all land properly. Little things matter too—comm chatter through the DualSense speaker adds an extra layer of presence during tense moments.
Beyond the tech, Reloaded brings back the Ultimate Edition extras: a concept art viewer, cinematic cutscenes and COG-tag comics to collect. And the three credit sequences that mark the game’s versions feel like a respectful nod to its history. All told, the presentation tightens the original’s rough edges while keeping the game’s gritty tone largely intact.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
If you loved the original Gears of War, Reloaded does that familiar-yet-better thing: it hands you the same fights, only smoother, faster and with a fresh coat of paint. This remaster builds on the 2015 Ultimate Edition and focuses on what really matters when you jump back in—visuals that are sharper, framerate targets that keep the campaign at 60fps and let multiplayer push to 120fps, and fewer interruptions between fights thanks to quick loading.
The core combat is unchanged in the best way. You’ll still hug cover, nail active reloads and rush out with the Lancer when the moment calls for it. Roadie Run and the cover system give the game its rhythm, and co-op remains the easiest way to get the most out of the campaign. Online Versus modes return with the old maps and match types, and cross-play makes it simple to squad up with friends on different systems. The remaster also keeps the extra material carried over from the Ultimate Edition.
There are traces of age in certain animations and scripting, but mostly those are offset by crisper textures and tighter performance. The result is a welcome way to revisit Marcus Fenix’s opening fight without having to squint through older visuals. So, is Gears of War: Reloaded worth checking out on PS5, or is it just a fond look back? Let’s find out!
Jumping back into the campaign felt like slipping into an old jacket: familiar, broken in, and somehow just right. The story doesn’t dally. You’re part of Delta Squad with a clear task: push into the Locust’s domain and get the job done. The chapters move fast across city wreckage, estate halls, dim mines and claustrophobic tunnels, and that pace keeps you moving through what’s roughly an eight-hour run if you’re not lollygagging.
It’s not a deep dive into anyone’s backstory. Marcus gets a straightforward setup, Dom, Baird and Cole show up with personality, and the script mostly hands off emotional weight to the group’s chemistry. That works. Those small, honest exchanges make the big moments land harder. Throwing a Berserker into a trap or facing down the hulking boss at the end still lands as proper show-stopping beats—they hit the same way they did the first time around.
You will notice some old-school design habits. There are scripted gates that wait for the exact thing to happen before the music cues and you can move on, and sometimes AI teammates will do something head-scratching that turns a neat plan into a blunt object. It’s a minor annoyance when it happens, but it doesn’t ruin the flow most of the time.
What keeps the story working is that it’s built around tight set pieces and squad moments. The campaign knows what it wants to be: a mission-driven sequence of high-intensity encounters with just enough heart in the dialogue to matter. For nostalgia fans or newcomers who like their shooting serious and straightforward, the story still delivers the moments you remember.
The combat in Gears of War: Reloaded feels like returning to a familiar rhythm. You move, you hide, you time the reload and then you make the big play. The weapons hit with a weight that still lands, and those chainsaw and gnasher moments never loses their appeal.
Roadie Run is still part of the dance. It gets you into the fight fast, then the cover system pulls everything back into a tactical groove. Sniping and shotgun fights reward different play styles, which keeps campaign sequences or online matches from feeling same-y.
I had one run where my couch co-op partner and I split duties perfectly: he baited, I circled, and a grenade sealed a Locust hole. We laughed, high-fived, and then dug into the next encounter. That kind of coordination shows how the game shines with a friend beside you.
On the multiplayer side you get the staples: Team Deathmatch, Execution, King of the Hill and compact 2v2 duels. Maps are tight and built for quick, tactical clashes. The Gnasher makes close quarters chaotic and fun.
Cross-play keeps queues alive and means friends can meet on different systems. There’s no modern progression treadmill here—matches are short, sharp and rooted in skill. If you want cooperative planning or direct, messy fights with your buds, Reloaded still does that job very well.
Visually, Reloaded feels like someone went in with a careful pair of scissors and trimmed every scene to show crisp new detail. Textures are higher res, lighting is more focused, and small props that used to blur into the scenery now pop into focus. The Fenix Estate looks sharper while the mines keep their oppressive mood—both sides of the game get a slick polish.
You’ll notice faces and armour look crisper when you push the camera in. Marcus and the squad benefit most from that work; distant NPCs still look a bit flat. Character animations feel fluid and natural, making each firefight responsive and full of impact.
Performance on PS5 was excellent in my sessions. The campaign runs in 4K at 60 frames per second and never dipped even during larger explosions. Multiplayer aims for higher refresh targets, which is obvious in tight fights where timing matters.
Sound design still does a lot of heavy lifting. The boom of an explosion, the echo of a Locust in a tunnel and the chainsaw’s grind all land properly. Little things matter too—comm chatter through the DualSense speaker adds an extra layer of presence during tense moments.
Beyond the tech, Reloaded brings back the Ultimate Edition extras: a concept art viewer, cinematic cutscenes and COG-tag comics to collect. And the three credit sequences that mark the game’s versions feel like a respectful nod to its history. All told, the presentation tightens the original’s rough edges while keeping the game’s gritty tone largely intact.
The Verdict
Playing Reloaded feels like coming home while seeing everything fresh. The campaign still hits hard with cover mechanics and chainsaw action, and teaming up with a friend makes fights even better. Multiplayer is quick, smooth and cross-play keeps it easy to join friends. Visually, the game pops in 4K, and the sound design really sells each firefight. Extras like collectibles and cinematic cutscenes add a little something extra, making Reloaded a remaster that’s fun to jump into.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Gears of War: Reloaded details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
A key was provided by the publisher.