After years of waiting, Xbox Game Studios is finally gearing up for the release ofGears of War: Reloadednext month, bringing the original entry in the series to a wider audience of brand-new players. While it’s the second time the originalGears of Warhas been remastered for modern audiences, it’s finally introducing the franchise to PlayStation for the very first time. There’s no doubt thatGears of War: Reloadedis an excellent way to experience the game for the first time, but it still feels like something of a missed opportunity.
Although it feels strange to release another remaster of the originalGears of War, it’s not hard to imagine the incentive given the upcoming release of its prequel,Gears of War: E-Day. Despite the excitement of playing such a classic experience on both PC and PlayStation for the very first time,there have been mixed reactions to theGears of War: Reloadedbeta, resulting in bothextension and a new mode. For a series that helped redefine third-person shooters, the nextGears of Warremaster would have been put to better use with its revolutionary successor instead.
Gears of War 2 Elevated The Series More Than 1 Did
Helping Solidify The Future Of The Series For Decades To Come
While there’s no denying that the originalGears of Warlaid down an excellent framework for the franchise,Gears of War 2is bigger and better in practically every way, setting an even higher bar for future entries to follow. With greater character development, gorgeous environments, and excellently revamped combat to keep the story engaging from start to finish, it’s little surprise thatGears 2is ranked as one of thebest entries in the series.
Even if it could have been a poor financial decision to release the second game in theGears of Warseries on new consoles for the first time,this problem could have been avoided by porting over the originalGears of War: Ultimate Editionwithout theReloadedupgrades. Having gone 17 years without a re-release, hopefully, the renewed interest in the series followingE-Dayand the upcoming film adaptation meansGears of War 2is up next for a much-needed remake.
The Biggest Upgrade For Replayability In Gears of War
Making its debut inGears of War 2,the fan-favorite horde mode offers a more arcade-like experience with unrelenting waves of enemiesthat get more difficult as you progress. Although the Horde mode inGears of War 2is far from the refined version seen in later entries likeGears of War 3orGears 5, it can still provide countless hours of fun.
Even with the greatest strengths ofGears of War: Reloadedcombined,the absence of the series' Horde Mode is easy to feel given its inclusion in every mainline entry after the original. With the long wait left to see whetherGears of War: E-Daycansolve the series' biggest issues, remasteringGears of War 2and its horde mode would’ve added even more longevity to the series' online aspects.
