The first weekend of the Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer beta has come to an end and after spending numerous nostalgic hours wall bouncing, cover shooting, and chain-sawing everyone in my way, I am excited to share my insights. The first beta weekend began on June 13th and included three gloriously re-remastered classic maps from the series that were carefully updated with enhanced visuals, improved framerate, and subtle gameplay tweaks that allowed for returning fans and new players alike to come together and experience a brief sampling of some of the beauty that is Gears of War‘s multiplayer until June 15th.
Access to the beta for both the initial weekend and the upcoming weekend of June 20th to the 22nd comes with either having a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, owning the previously released Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, or pre-ordering the game digitally which allowed Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC users to all get in on the fun for the first time in the series’ nearly twenty year history. The beta sought not only to give players a taste of what’s to come on August 26th when the full game launches, but also to test the capabilities of the online servers and cross play features.
Initially players, including myself, were met with a seemingly endless loop of finding a match and then getting kicked back to the starting screen (likely due to overloaded servers from the massive number of players attempting to play at once). This issue however was quickly remedied, and gamers came in droves to get into the action.
The only multiplayer game type featured in the first weekend was Team Deathmatch where players were able to engage in team-based skirmishes on Raven Down, Gold Rush, and Gridlock. With the graphical improvements, consistently solid framerate, a host of returning cosmetic weapon skins, playable characters, and even some unlockable characters that came with leveling up, it felt great to return to the classic cover-shooting multiplayer mayhem that Gears of War has always done so well.
I did however notice rather quickly that the multiplayer didn’t have as many of the features that some of the newer Gears games have, most notably the lack of changeable starting loadouts, far fewer weapon specific execution animations, among other quality of life improvements that came later in the series. With that said, I understand that this is a remaster of the original title and not the sequels, and I also recognize that this is just a beta and doesn’t represent the final product that will obviously include much more content and maybe even a few surprises. Regardless, it was just plain fun!
Like riding a bike, I found myself seamlessly slipping back into the gaming shoes of a younger me and picking up right where I left off. Sure, I’m quite a bit older than I was when I originally picked up a lancer and learned the meaning of brotherhood on the battlefield, but with crisp visuals and responsive classic controls, I won game after game with no re-introduction necessary. I made the joke to a friend of mine that the remaster must take place in Texas, because it was a chainsaw massacre!
I ran around each of the three modernized maps trying to soak up the scenery of each environment, while also avoiding gnasher wielding foes that wanted to ruin my sightseeing. I found myself popping smoke grenades and waiting with my lancer-mounted chainsaw like a slasher in the fog, preying on unwitting victims that presumably didn’t know what to expect as many players were likely playing the game for the first time since it has only now become multi-platform.
This may seem like an unfair advantage as I grew up playing the series for countless hundreds of hours combined, but I personally believe that all’s fair in matters of love and Gears of War! I made sure to try out a handful of the cosmetic weapon skins that wouldn’t make me stand out too much in combat and I made sure to switch between a few of the playable characters to appreciate how nicely remastered each of their designs were; Most of which looked better than ever.
As with any of the Gears of War games, I eventually settled on my favorite COG soldier and Locust Grub before putting my nose to the grindstone and racking up some serious eliminations in some the most gruesome, gory, and gratifying gameplay in multiplayer gaming history. It felt great to be back!
To say I had a good time with the first weekend of the Gears of War: Reloaded beta is a gross understatement. I had a nostalgic blast from the past that reminded me of what made online multiplayer shooters so fun in the first place. Akin to the good ol’ days of after-school Halo 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare gaming sessions with friends and strangers alike, playing Gears of War is one of those special gaming experiences that will likely always stand the test of time with little more than a fresh coat of paint and a few modern refinements.
If you’re interested in trying the game out for yourself before the official release date on August 26th, 2025, then I highly recommend you get that beta downloaded and get ready for the weekend of June 20th to the 22nd. Players will be treated to both Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill on Gridlock, Gold Rush, and Raven Down, as well as Courtyard and War Machine! Player progress will also carry over between game systems due to the new cross play features, and playing the beta will unlock returning characters from the story (Adam Fenix and Anya Stroud) as playable characters in the full version of the game.
Whether you’re a returning fan that is hesitant about another remaster or an interested party that has heard about the hype around the series, I would recommend that anyone who is a fan of third-person multiplayer shooter games to hop in next weekend and give this one a go. Whether you fight for the COG or for the Horde, there is a tremendous amount of giggle-inducing, pulse-pounding, joyous combat and strategy to be had by all. What are you waiting for? “We’re not here to sell cookies!” so oil those chainsaws, put on your heaviest armor, and get to handling business!
