Gears of War: Ultimate Edition: A Classic with a New Coat of Paint

 Recently, I have been inspired to return to the Horror-esque Shooter series, Gears of War. This inspiration came from watching Ray Narvaez Jr. stream the first two games with Andy Cortez on Twitch. So thanks for that. And to put it bluntly, the experience so far has been phenomenal. These games about the war on Sera and the horrors that have come out of it are truly ones that stand the test of time. With only minor issues in gameplay segments, the Gears of War franchise was able to be this standout franchise during its heyday because of the heart and emotion that exists within. And I think that all starts with the first game in the series. 

So, I decided to play Gears of War: Ultimate Edition over the original because I have actually never played the Ultimate Edition, despite having access to it. While some elements may differ, it has also been over ten years since I touched the original. And from what I remember, the stuff that felt familiar was correct, and the changes made for the Ultimate Edition were noticeable for the most part. With extensions to the story being prevalent and new cutscenes in order to bridge some gaps, the Ultimate Edition plays exactly like you would want it to. 

I had a great time for the most part, with the only hiccups coming in regards to companion A.I. behavior and some nitpicks. Which I will talk about later. But for now, I want to discuss my love for this series. The start of a blossoming brotherhood between Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. Two characters that I think could be in contention for one of the best pairings in media. Two soldiers that are constantly sent on these suicide missions by their Commanding Officer, Hoffman, in the war against the Locust threat. 

And it's not just the banter between them that makes Marcus and Dom great. It's the humanity that they display. Their interactions with the Stranded are evidence of this. They understand the hatred toward the government and the COGs in general. They don't shy away from it. And they go out of their way to make sure that the Stranded can keep on living in most cases. But this does not always end well, with many becoming displaced or killed in their presence. Which goes into one of my favorite parts of the first game, the focus on horror. 

In the Second Act, Nightfall, you have the objective of getting to the Junker. And along the way, you are having to find sources of light, mostly in the form of exploding propane tanks, in order to avoid getting minced by the Kryll. As a fan of horror games, this section was way cooler now. You have the Locust and Wretches bombarding you in hallways and on the residential streets, while trying to make sure that you advance with the limited light sources. Not to mention the score in Gears games have always played to the intensity of the situation, which is one of its many strong suits. While I think that these sections may be a little slow for many players, I think that the execution was really good. 

That feeling of being alone in the dark, while having to defend yourself from an impending threat is so well executed. And they continue to build on this strength in the next Third Act, Belly of the Beast. I am specifically talking about the Lethia Imulsion Facility portion. An abandoned factory that is filled with Wretches that explode when killed. Along with tight corridors that create this claustrophobic  environment which is not normally present in the wide-open firefights the series is more known for. Like with the previous act, I think that they nailed horror aspect while still maintaining its identity as a cover-shooter. 

So, it's these little things that make the whole package function to a near perfection. Yet, that doesn't mean that this game is without flaws. As much as I like the series, there are some pretty big gaffes that bring it down. The big one is definitely A.I. companion behavior. Every single one is broken and stupid beyond repair. They don't listen to the commands, and they are actually useless in specific sections. Oftentimes hindering the player, or making certain sections more difficult than they need to be.

They also can't win fights. They're unable to jump on turrets, or even climb ladders. Like, I understand that the game was designed for co-op. However, they never even bothered to make sure that your A.I. companion would be capable of helping you out at all. It made the RAAM fight feel nearly impossible unless his A.I. broke. To preface this a bit more, I was playing on Hardcore. I know better than to attempt Insane, but that made my decision feel more vindicated. The spike in difficulty made me feel like I misremembered the fight. Like, I remember it being difficult, but was it really that bad, or was I just lucky.

My only other real issue also comes from the RAAM fight. And that comes in the form of the Kryll. They were well designed in the previous sections of the game, as I have discussed. Yet in this fight, they were stronger than RAAM. Anytime he sent them out was a death for me. There was really no in-between. I wanted to jump on the turret so many times, but he Krylled every time. And I died every single time. There was no margin for error. You couldn't time a dodge, they would hit you and then you would be dead. The solution was to just never leave the first barrier and hope he didn't start attacking. I wish it could have been better, but the worst parts of the game were at work to make sure that you never had fun in this fight. 

But this is not as big of a deterrent as you might think. The game as a whole is functioning really well and is definitely worth it to play. Marcus, Dom, Baird, and Cole are not just typical soldiers that love war. They're characters that are imbued with human qualities. Qualities that allow them to know when they are getting sent off to die. They are constantly lamenting every order they are given. Never given a time to relax, not until the job is done. And it's also what makes the comedy in this game hit so well. It's relatable and timely. Especially for those making the most of an awful situation. 

That's what makes Gears of War a cut above the rest. This is not just another game about glorifying war. Characters like Marcus detest it, but he knows that he has to do it. So, that no one else has to. To me, that is the mark of a well written character. One that has motivations and is understanding of the situations that directly and indirectly involve them. While he may be crude and unlikable for the most part, I can tell that the character cares. 

I recommend that people play these games. They never disappoint and the multiplayer is extremely fun, but sometimes can be really toxic. But that is par for the course with most games. Yet, I know that it can get pretty bad with this series, considering the games high skill curve. Regardless, all of them have something likable within them. And I think that's special. 

Remember to Free Palestine.