We analyzed for Xbox Series the expected, Gears Of War: Reloaded, which would be the definitive version of the first game of the saga, now better than ever.
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When I say that the king is back with the return of Gears, I mean it very seriously. Right now, and although a lot has changed since 2006, Epic made a game so well-rounded back then that even with just a facelift, it still feels as fresh and rewarding as it did back in the day on the veteran Xbox 360. When I think of Gears of War, I automatically think of the Xbox 360, that golden era when Marcus Fenix, Dom, and company blew our minds with a brutal campaign and a multiplayer that hooked us like few others. It’s been almost 20 years since that first shot as Marcus, and honestly, I still remember the first time I pulled the Lancer’s trigger.
Now, with Gears of War: Reloaded, Microsoft invites us to take that journey again. And I won’t deceive you: the feeling I had when I started the game was almost the same as back in the day. Yes, there are technical improvements, you can tell it’s had a facelift, the frames and all that, but the campaign is still a blast… but in essence, it’s still the same Gears that marked me back then. And maybe, precisely because of that, it’s so enjoyable, it improves with age like fine wine.
Technical Section
First thing I want to make clear: this Reloaded looks and moves luxuriously. Playing the campaign in 4K and 60 FPS (it also has a mode to play it at 120 FPS in multiplayer, as long as you have a TV that supports it) is a real treat. Everything flows with great naturalness, making each confrontation much more intense than in the original.
I remember well what the Ultimate Edition meant back in the day, which already gave us a good graphical overhaul on Xbox One. At the time, it seemed good enough to me to relive the campaign. And although it may sound strange to you, trying Reloaded on Xbox Series X, the difference is clear: sharper textures, better worked shadows, realistic reflections, and an HDR that gives life to each scenario. It’s not just that it looks prettier, it’s that there’s more depth in every corner, and with an OLED TV, it really looks brutal, considering it’s still the same game.
A detail that surprised me a lot is that there are no loading screens between chapters or transitions. Everything is instantaneous. It may seem like a small thing, but I remember perfectly having to wait between missions in 2006, and now the campaign flows like a single action movie. These are small improvements, but they’re noticeable and refine the experience.
As for sound, with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, the experience is more immersive than ever. Hearing how a Locust approaches from behind, listening to the echo of the shots, or feeling how the explosion of a grenade rumbles is something that made me lower the volume in the middle of the night so as not to wake up the whole house. And that’s good: Gears was always visceral, and now it’s even more so.
Video Analysis
The only “but”? That, being honest, it didn’t surprise me as much as I expected. Maybe because the original game was already a spectacle in its time, and because the Ultimate Edition set the bar very high. Here we have a very good technical leap, but without that “wow effect” that the first one had in 2006, and even less after having had the aforementioned Ultimate Edition in between.
Gameplay
We can’t play hide and seek here, there’s no trick or cardboard: Gears of War: Reloaded plays exactly as you remember it. The cover system is still just as solid, that feeling of sliding from one wall to another to find the perfect angle hasn’t aged at all. And executing an enemy with the Lancer’s chainsaw is still as brutal and satisfying as the first time. The same goes for blowing a Locust’s head off, it still has that satisfying “blowing up” sound.
The campaign, sincerely, I know it by heart, I’m sure like all of you. Not because I’ve played it a thousand times (which I have), but because it’s one of those that stays with you. The battle in the mansion, the first time a Berserker appears, the tension of fleeing from the darkness with the Krill lurking… all those moments are still intact. And the best part is that, playing them now at 60 FPS and with all these improvements, it’s still very enjoyable. I’ve played it on Xbox Series X and on PC, I’ve also tried it on Xbox Series S, and it doesn’t matter which option you choose, you’ll be right, it plays perfectly on all three.
One thing I love about this remake is that they’ve left the gameplay just as it is. There are no weird changes or unnecessary additions. And although I recognize that compared to modern games it may feel a bit rigid (Marcus doesn’t move like Kait in Gears 5), I prefer that they’ve kept it faithful. That rigidity is part of its identity.
Multiplayer, of course, is still an essential addition. Jumping into matches with 120 FPS stable is a completely different experience from what we had on Xbox 360. The confrontations are faster, more precise, and, above all, more just. Plus, with cross-progression and cross-play, it doesn’t matter if you play on console or PC: you’ll always find a match, and your progress goes with you.
The only thing I will say is that if you’ve already played the original several times, you won’t find anything new in terms of gameplay here. It’s the same formula, with the same intensity. And for me, that’s enough.
Duration
The campaign of Gears of War: Reloaded can be completed in around 8 to 10 hours, depending on the level of difficulty you choose and how meticulous you are when exploring and facing combat. It’s an intense, direct story, without filler, that knows how to keep the pace from start to finish. The truth is that it doesn’t matter how many times I play it, it’s always just as satisfying, whether alone or in co-op. We remind you that the game maintains co-op play, even in split screen, so you can add this mode as another way to extend the duration in company.
But, as always in this saga, the real “hook” is in multiplayer. Here, time multiplies: you can spend tens of hours without realizing it. With 120 FPS, cross-progression, and cross-play, it becomes a virtually endless experience for the most competitive players. It’s the typical case where you say “one more match” and end up chaining entire nights.
Conclusion
After so many years, playing Gears of War again has reminded me why I got hooked on this saga in the first place. Yes, it’s a technical remake, there are no big surprises, but the formula is still just as fun and addictive. And, sincerely, sometimes that’s all you need: to feel what you felt the first time, but with the technical level that 2025 demands.
For those who never played it, this is the best opportunity possible to discover a mythical campaign. And for those who already know it, Reloaded is like watching your favorite movie in a remastered cinema: you know what’s going to happen, but it still captivates you.
Could it have surprised more on a technical level? Yes. Could it have taken more risks? Also. But what we have here is a polished classic, immortal, and more enjoyable than ever thanks to the power of Xbox Series.
And that, at least for me, is enough.
We thank Xbox España for the material provided to carry out this analysis.
Founder and editor of SoloXboxOne and Generación Xbox. He is also one of the owners of the GX Group, Samsung Universe and the Reflotes forum. Adrian has reviewed over 200 games on the web and has an average score of 85 according to Opencritic. Among his expertise as a writer and analyst, he has interviewed Microsoft personalities and participated in private gaming events.
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