Microsoft returns once again with another remaster that shows the competition the proper way to do one of these.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
Developer: The Coalition
Price: $40
Platform: PC (TBA) / Xbox One
MonsterVine was supplied with an Xbox One code for review
Gears of War’s special brand of over-the-top, testosterone fueled brutality is back and looking better than ever. This game is a stupidly gorgeous visual overhaul over the original just as Halo Anniversary was and I only wish you could swap between the graphics in this game like you could in Halo. This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint tossed on a game though; the Coalition straight up tore the entire foundation down and completely rebuilt it. Included in this package are the previously exclusive story chapters from the PC version, two “new” game modes, all the DLC multiplayer maps, and a host of very welcomed tweaks such as a more stable frame-rate and smoother controls.
For anyone who somehow lived under a rock during its original release, Gears of War tells the story of a race called the Locust digging their way to the surface of the planet because the humans were partying too hard and wouldn’t shut up. It’s your job as the super badass soldier Marcus Fenix and his bro-squad to take them out. The super grim plot reeks of clichés and isn’t the most engaging thing in the world, but it does what it sets out to do pretty well.
The campaign itself is still relatively the same besides the inclusion of the new chapters but the main, and very noticeable, difference is that the game is now locked at 30fps. The original game held a pretty solid frame-rate but it’d occasionally dip fairly low which isn’t something you want in your shooter. The movement and shooting controls have also undergone some slight reworking with things such as weapon switching while sprinting, multiple dodge directions, and movement is overall smoother. Multiplayer has gotten some improvements as well with it being locked a very nice 60fps and so far from what I’ve played the launch has gone off pretty smoothly so no horrible repeat of last year’s Master Chief Collection. Besides that the frame-rate bump the multiplayer also features the spotting feature from the third game, dedicated servers, and you can also split-screen it if you want to.
This isn’t a perfect remaster though with problems from the original still apparent here. The companion AI still have the intelligence of a drunk monkey as they run straight into enemy positions, casually walk around when things like Berserkers are running around, get in your way during a firefight, and sometimes just stop moving. These moments really ruin what’s otherwise a great experience. I also wish the developers had implemented more gameplay changes Gears 2 and 3 introduced; the tweaks here are good, but they really had a chance here to make an actual “ultimate edition” of the series. The game also unfortunately reminds you of the poorer designed levels from the original and it would’ve been nice to see a bit of slight tweaking in this regard. Everyone remembers how cool it was using the hammer of dawn for the first time, but nobody ever mentions the god awful segment with the Berserker you have to deal with before you have your fun. Remember the first time you have to deal with the Kryll? You get to experience that fun all over again along with Dom stumbling his way into shadowy areas to offer himself as a sacrifice to the Kryll god.
So the question at the end of the day is whether or not this game is worth double dipping into and it’s more of a “yes and no” sort of answer. If you enjoyed the game (or didn’t) and can wait for Gears 4 without needing to scratch that itch then I’d say it’s not worth your time revisiting the series; with all the games in the series receiving backwards compatibility soon you might even want to wait to just grab all of those for less than $20 if you’re in no rush. On the other hand it’s been nearly ten years since the original came out and the gameplay tweaks, complete visual overhaul, and new content might make it feel like new for you. The game features the five chapters that were originally exclusive to the PC version of the original game and all the DLC multiplayer maps from both versions of the game; you’ll even get copies of Gears 1, 2, 3, and Judgement once backwards compatibility launches for those titles. Saying that there’s a lot stuffed into this game would be an understatement. Obviously anyone who never got a chance to try this game out should absolutely give it a shot, not just because it’s a fantastic package but to also play the game that practically catapulted the third-person shooter craze.
The Final Word
I was expecting a bit more from this game in terms of meaningful gameplay improvements and AI fixes, but that doesn’t stop this trip down memory lane from being a hell of a ride.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
