Chris InglisThe wait is almost over for Gears of War fans thanks to The Coalition and Xbox Game Studios, and the recent multiplayer beta for Gears of War: Reloaded held over the weekend offered a teaser for what’s to come. There is another chance to play the beta this weekend across all platforms, for Game Pass Ultimate/Game Pass PC members, owners of the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those with Gears of War: Reloaded preorders. Having cut my teeth on the original Gears of War campaign back on the Xbox 360, the prospect of revisiting that iconic story with a fresh coat of paint and performance is exciting.
Visually, Gears of War: Reloaded is excellent and the in-built benchmarking system performed well even on my 2019-specced PC with a RTX3080. The two action screenshots below were hard to capture the level of detail mid-battle, but the graphics are crisp and the framerate was super smooth, even in close quarters combat. While Gears of War: Ultimate Edition was a fantastic remaster in its own right, Reloaded takes the landscapes of Sera to another level. The difference in clarity and detail is noticeable, suggesting the jump to full 4K resolution, 120 FPS, and the implementation of modern lighting and effects are impactful.
From a gameplay perspective, the core Gears of War experience of slow, bulky units and cover-based combat remains. For newcomers or those accustomed to more agile shooters, the movement and controls, whether on console or keyboard and mouse, can feel somewhat sluggish and difficult to master. This steep learning curve was evident in my initial matches. Interestingly, while Ultimate Edition incorporated some newer mechanics like spotting, the fundamental weighty feel of combat that defined the original returns in Reloaded.
The shotgun seems to reign supreme by players in this first beta weekend. While the trusty lancer assault rifle can certainly net you kills, the majority of my eliminations, and my own deaths, came from frantic close-quarters encounters involving dodge rolls and precise shotgun blasts to the face. It’s a rhythm that took some getting used to, with spacebar being sprint on keyboard by default but once I started to adapt, I found myself able to replicate those aggressive, high-risk, high-reward plays.
During this first beta weekend, my playtime was exclusively on the familiar, snow-laden streets of Raven Down. However, the beta also showcased Gridlock and Gold Rush as available maps, all within the confines of Team Deathmatch. These maps, faithfully recreated with enhanced visuals, will surely be a welcome sight for returning players. Looking ahead, next weekend promises more action with the addition of the competitive King of the Hill mode, bringing with it the classic Canals map, alongside Courtyard and War Machine for Team Deathmatch rotations.
While my personal excitement largely hinges on experiencing the enhanced co-op campaign, the Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer beta offered a promising taste for those dedicated to the competitive arena. The classic Gears feel is beautifully presented with a significant visual overhaul that surpasses even Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, now even including PlayStation players thanks to the game’s cross-platform ambitions. Multiplayer fans are definitely in for a good time, and I, for one, am now even more eager to see the full extent of the visual upgrades when I finally jump back into the campaign that started it all.
This preview utilised a Steam key provided by Microsoft/Xbox and Gears of War: Reloaded is set for release on August 27, 2025, on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation 5. Xbox fans who own the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition receive a free upgrade to Gears of War: Reloaded.
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