A faithful remaster with sharper teeth, faster frames, and the rarest sight of all: Gears on PS5
If you can hear the Lancer’s motor revving just by reading that headline, congratulations: you are part of a very specific generation of gamers who learned to fear the click‑click‑perfect reload as much as they craved it. Gears of War: Reloaded is Microsoft and The Coalition’s full remaster of the original 2006 blockbuster, now out on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC for $39.99—with day‑one Game Pass, cross‑play, and cross‑progression in tow. It’s also the first time a mainline Gears has officially chainsawed its way onto a PlayStation box, which still feels wild to type.
What Reloaded Actually Changes (and What It Doesn’t)
Reloaded is pitched as the “definitive” version of Gears 1: 4K assets, remastered textures and lighting, a 60fps campaign with quick loads, and up to 120fps in Versus. On the audio side, you get HDR/Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. There’s a modernized control layout option for new players (the classic scheme is still here), and all post‑launch content—including the once‑PC‑exclusive bonus campaign act, all multiplayer maps, characters, and cosmetics—comes bundled at no extra charge. Cross‑play works across Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam, with cross‑progression if you sign in with a Microsoft account.
A few value notes: it’s $39.99, included with Game Pass, and there’s even a thank‑you for long‑timers—if you bought the digital Gears of War: Ultimate Edition before May 5, 2025, you get Reloaded as a free upgrade. That’s the kind of goodwill that keeps COG tags polished.
The Campaign: Weighty Boots, Nastier Teeth
Almost twenty years on, Gears 1 still hits like a sandbag. The roadie run remains gloriously awkward‑but‑purposeful, the cover system still defines the rhythm of every encounter, and the Lancer—the only rifle that doubles as a home improvement tool—still makes you cackle when a Locust rounds a corner at the wrong moment. The remastered materials add contrast and grit without sanding off the series’ industrial‑horror identity; the lighting and reflections do a lot to pull detail out of what used to be a uniform muck of browns and grays.
Set‑piece pacing also holds up: the terrifying introduction of the Berserker, the Hammer of Dawn puzzle‑combat beats, and the late‑game sprint make for a campaign that still hums along. The writing is clearly of its era (big shoulders, bigger quips), but the staging and readability of fights are as clean as ever. If you bounced off cover shooters because they felt sticky and samey, this is the reason they all copied this one.
But Let’s Not Pretend It’s a New Game
Reloaded is a remaster, not a reimagining. The Coalition hasn’t layered on new missions, re‑cut the story, or added major modern systems. Some critics argue the visual facelift occasionally smooths out the original’s grungy aesthetic too much, while others say the glow‑up is exactly what they wanted—cleaner, sharper, faster. In other words: expect the original’s strengths (encounters, weapons, co‑op) and the era’s quirks (clunky traversal moments, occasional checkpoint grouchiness).
Co‑Op & Split‑Screen
Good news for couch co‑op loyalists: the campaign supports two‑player split‑screen and online co‑op, just like old times. (Do note the asterisk—split‑screen isn’t available on PC or handhelds.) This is still one of the best “let’s blast through it in a weekend” campaigns out there, especially if you’ve got a friend who’s never played Gears and you want to witness their first Lancer introduction in the wild.
Multiplayer: Old Meta, Fast Frames
Versus supports up to 8 players and, crucially, targets 120fps. It brings back the classic maps and modes, now with modern matchmaking and cross‑play so your crew doesn’t need to be on the same plastic box. The fundamentals remain extremely tight: the Gnasher still defines close‑quarters dance‑offs; the Torque Bow still sings; and the cover‑to‑cover angles still reward map knowledge over raw twitch. If you’re here for Horde mode, temper expectations—this entry sticks to the original’s Versus suite. That said, for a remaster that aims to unify a player base across platforms, the core PvP is robust and surprisingly timeless.
The PS5 Experience
The PS5 version lands with DualSense goodies—haptics, trigger resistance, and controller‑speaker touches—to give the Lancer and Gnasher distinct feel. On PS5 Pro, it touts PlayStation Super Spectral Resolution support and improved shadow/reflection quality. Online requires PS Plus for multiplayer, supports up to eight players, and the package is labeled “PS5 Pro Enhanced.” It’s surreal, sure, but Gears fits right in on Sony’s hardware—and if your primary ecosystem is PlayStation, this might be the definitive way to discover what Xbox players yelled about in 2006.
PC Performance & Features
On PC, Reloaded brings welcome quality‑of‑life options: ultrawide support, a built‑in benchmark, VRR, and upscalers (FSR 3.1, DLSS 3.5). Performance is encouraging—desktop GPUs from the last several years chew through the Ultra preset, though handheld PCs will need compromises. If you’re chasing 120Hz in Versus, the upscalers do a clean job of pushing frames while keeping the image crisp.
Suggested Settings (PC)
- Campaign: Aim for native (or reconstructed) 4K/60 with high‑to‑ultra textures and shadows; enable HDR if your display supports it; let FSR/DLSS do the last 10–20% heavy lifting.
- Multiplayer: Prioritize frame rate. Drop volumetrics and shadow quality a notch; turn on DLSS/FSR to lock 120. The readability boost in gunfights is worth it.
Accessibility & Modernizations
Reloaded adds a streamlined control layout option, faster loads, and smarter UI readability without bulldozing the original’s cadence. It won’t suddenly become The Last of Us Part I in remaster ambition, but it doesn’t need to. Gears lives and dies by its feel; the tweaks here make that feel more immediate while preserving the “thunk” that makes every movement deliberate. (If you’re a purist, the classic layout’s a toggle away.)
How It Stacks Up to Ultimate Edition
You might be wondering, “Didn’t we already get a remaster?” We did: 2015’s Ultimate Edition was a great uplift for its time, including the PC bonus act. Reloaded goes further in resolution, frame rate, lighting, and modern cross‑everything support—plus it lands on PS5 and Steam with feature parity. Some reviewers feel it plays it safe visually; others praise the sharper presentation and performance. The through‑line: this is the best‑playing, most accessible way to experience Gears 1 in 2025.
The Conversation Around Identity
A recurring critique in early reviews is whether Reloaded sands down the original’s grimy, weighty charm. One camp says the new lighting and materials occasionally read as “too clean,” softening the series’ brutalist edge; another argues the higher contrast and clarity make firefights more legible and cinematic without losing mood. We land in the middle: the remaster’s art pass is largely respectful, occasionally glossy, but the tone and tempo remain unmistakably Gears.
Value Check
At $39.99 with cross‑play, cross‑progression, and all post‑launch content included—not to mention day‑one Game Pass access—Reloaded delivers a strong value proposition. The free upgrade for digital Ultimate Edition purchasers before the cutoff is a classy touch. If you’re a veteran who already replayed Gears 1 in UE and don’t care about 120fps PvP or new platforms, you might wait for a sale. But for PS5 players who’ve never touched the series, this is a layup.
The Verdict
Reloaded is both a time capsule and a tune‑up. It doesn’t reinvent Gears 1, but it doesn’t need to. The campaign is still a gauntlet of crunchy firefights and perfectly staged set pieces; the co‑op remains a weekend‑killer; and Versus at 120fps, with cross‑play and a unified player pool, gives the old meta fresh legs. If you’re new to Sera, this is an easy recommendation. If you’re a veteran—especially one chasing sweaty lobbies—Reloaded is the cleanest, fastest way to lace up those COG boots again.
Play it (newcomers and multiplayer fans).
Wait for a sale (if you’ve done the campaign several times and don’t care about 120fps or cross‑play).
Skip (only if you bounced off cover shooters entirely the first time).
Early critical sentiment mirrors that split: broadly positive on feel and performance, mixed on whether the facelift is bold enough—but almost universally glad the game is widely available, including on PS5, at last.
Alternate takes, facts & footnotes you might care about
- First time on PlayStation in franchise history, with PS5‑specific DualSense features and PS5 Pro enhancements. Online play supports up to eight players and requires PS Plus.
- Tech kitchen‑sink on PC: ultrawide, benchmark, VRR, FSR 3.1, DLSS 3.5. Desktop GPUs from the last six years handle Ultra well; handhelds struggle at that preset.
- Multiplayer at launch focuses on classic Versus across restored maps; Horde (a Gears 2 invention) isn’t included.
TL;DR
A respectful remaster that modernizes visuals and performance, unifies the player base across platforms, and preserves what made Gears 1 sing—weighty movement, razor‑edged cover gunfights, and a co‑op campaign that still slaps.
