The hype train is running at full speed for Gears of War: Reloaded, and Game Pass went ahead and posted yet another teasing tweet reminding us that there are just fourteen days to get on that train with Marcus Fenix and his squad. By the way…those reactions? Utterly priceless. The backlash goes from showering nostalgic fans with praise to cursing it as just a lazy port, whereas the comments section is jam-packed with opposing views like Gears multiplayer.
And what hype? Some players can barely contain the excitement. @DCUfanboyGabe dropped dozens of hype gifs with them shouting at the top of their lungs to the world, “ALMOST THERE!!!!” as if they were about to chainsaw some Locust in half. Then there’s @ArtiFi0 who says he has “high hopes” for this release, and I totally agree; with the newest Gears entries having had that mixed-to-negative reception, a Reloaded might be just what the franchise needs to step back into the spotlight.
But the champagne bottles were not popping for everybody. Oh no. @Sonnie_Slim came right out with the harshest opinion, saying it was “a fairly lazy port tune up of Ultimate edition,” and complaining about the achievements being the same. Ouch. They might as well have been screaming for it to get the full UE5 glow-up like Oblivion’s recent remaster. And honestly, that would’ve been sick. Just imagine those gritty Gears environments now in next-gen lighting. Someone at The Coalition really needs to take some notes.
The nostalgia warriors were also fairly swift to leap. @WeLoveYouStan_ chimed in with a heavy ending to the feels: “nobody will ever understand what the original trilogy means to me.” So true. The original Gears trilogy was lightning in a bottle-that perfect clash of bro-tastic dialogue, weighty combat, and legit emotional moments. @cheewalcott was just outright stating, “anything after the 3rd one just sucks” and basically should have kept with the OG crew. Harsh but… not entirely wrong?
More drama erupts with the physical copies. @emiya_ze is steamed mad that there is no physical release for Xbox players, which is extra ironic because the PS5 version for some reason has the full game on-disc. @OldGamerGuy23 called this out as “pretty ironic considering it’s an Xbox game.” The plot, it thickens. Meanwhile, @JebadiahS83 is screaming out for an ultimate collection on the PC like… yesterday. Microsoft is really leaving money on the table.
Competitive players are gearing up (pun wholly intended), too. @EARTHRAlNS laid down the recruitment post, looking for pro teams with LAN experience, going as far as threatening to host their own tournaments if there is no comeback from @GearsEsports. That is the kind of energy we want to see. @RisingPhoenixTV will be streaming the old games for some laughs, which… probably means Gears 3 again tonight.
The funniest replies came from @chill_Squid admitting he is that squad member that frequently lied about enemies being “almost down”. @AntiWokeWar_ calling the game “existential dread, now with better graphics” was downright accurate. Also, @canestim calling it “when games were good and crusty” might just be the most perfect description of early 360-era shooters ever.
What we can say is that there remains a place for Gears in gamers’ hearts while drowned out by the opinions surrounding this release. Whether it’s a lazy cash grab or a glorious return to form remains to be seen, but Locust better watch their backs as soon as launch day hits. Two weeks and counting Soldiers. Time to oil up those Lancers!
