Whether they are "Definitive", "Remastered" or "Ultimate" editions, updated versions of older games are here to stay. Customers have shown there is strong demand to see last-gen titles brought to the current gen systems with a new coat of paint, and so far publishers have been more than happy to fulfill their part of the bargain.
But as we've seen, some "remastered" games are anything but. Having the game run at a slightly higher frame rate doesn't justify shelling out another $40 or $60, but that is what gamers have become accustomed to in the past several years.
That's thankfully not the case with Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. One of the Xbox 360's premier franchises has officially arrived on the Xbox One, and it's more than worth the $40 price tag for both fans and newcomers alike.
If you didn't like Gears of War to begin with, don't expect the Ultimate Edition to change your mind. It's the same testosterone-filled, hyper-violent, cover-based shooter that it was before, as Marcus Fenix and the rest of Delta Squad battle against the Locust horde in a fight for survival. The story, voice acting and writing haven't changed; for better or worse.
Gears of War, however, was never really about the story. It's about breathtaking visuals and satisfying gameplay, and that is where Ultimate Edition developer The Coalition has (correctly) decided to focus their efforts.
If you'll think back to the when the original Gears of War released in 2006, the visuals were what everybody was talking about. Running on Epic's Unreal Engine, it was, and still is, one of the best looking Xbox 360 games available, so much that is become part of the game's marketing campaign. The idea of "destroyed beauty" was a major selling point, as players explored shattered cities and abandoned homes in a harsh, violent world that humans had decided to destroy themselves rather than surrender to the Locust.
With the original game holding up so well even nearly a decade later, The Coalition could have slightly updated the textures, made the game run at 1080p/60 fps and called it a day. What they did instead was rebuild Gears of War from the ground up. Featuring more detailed characters (that hair!), visually updated environments, better lighting and redone cut scenes, one of the best looking Xbox 360 games is now one of the best looking games on Xbox One. Aside from a few frame rate drops during some of the game's bigger battles, Gears of War has never looked better.
The gameplay has seen some quality of life improvements as well, mostly taken from later entries in the franchise. Ultimate Edition takes cues from Gears of War 3 for its interface and the ability to spot enemies in multiplayer. Other improvements added in Ultimate Edition include the ability to revive teammates from behind cover and swap weapons while "roadie running" or rolling.
That being said, major features from later installments are definitely missed here. Being unable to take human shields or plant grenades onto surfaces are two major gameplay elements that didn't exist in the original, but once used in Gears of War 2 and 3 are difficult to erase from player muscle memory. Adding these elements to single-player wouldn't have made much sense, but it would have been nice to see those elements added to the game's multiplayer.
Speaking of multiplayer, fans of the series will find plenty to love here. With 19 remastered maps (including three previously PC-only maps and a new 2v2 map), six game modes and plenty of character and weapon skins, it's a pretty comprehensive package. One of those game modes, Gnasher Execution, is brand new, too. It's a 2v2 game type on a special, close quarters map that is sure to be a bloody good time. The game has LAN and split-screen support as well.
In an age when even Halo has given up on allowing players to play on the same TV, it's great to see Gears of War: Ultimate Edition include the feature. Those who purchase the game will also get access to the Gears of War 4 multiplayer beta next year, a fact that is likely to be a major selling point for fans who can't get enough of the game's unique third-person action.
Single-player gamers are also getting some new content. Five single-player chapters previously exclusive to the PC version of Gears of War have been seamlessly integrated into the game's final act here. It's not much, but it's nice to have it all included. If you played the original game, you likely remember stumbling across the COG tag collectibles over the course of the campaign. Though you could pick them up to earn achievements, they didn't add anything else to the game experience. Now finding the COG tags will unlock pages of Gears of War comic books under the "Extras" portion of the menu. It's a nice extra that provides a little incentive for Gears fans who want to explore more about the game's setting and history.
Those looking for a great co-op experience will definitely find Gears of War: Ultimate Edition to be worth picking up. The game is designed with co-op in mind and is still a great time with a friend at your side. While Ultimate Edition doesn't feature the popular Horde mode that made its debut in Gears of War 2, the campaign allows for two players and now allows both players to choose their own difficulty, including a new "casual" setting.
All that helps to make Gears of War: Ultimate Edition one of the better remasterings we've seen. Featuring vastly improved graphics, gameplay tweaks and some extra content new to console players, gamers picking up the game for the first time or the 20th should both be equally impressed.
Story:
★★★☆☆
Design:
★★★★☆
Gameplay:
★★★★☆
Presentation:
★★★★☆
Overall:
★★★★☆
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page
