Taking a trip down memory lane is something we all love to do. Remembering the great times and relishing in who we were then as opposed to who we are now is something that everyone can appreciate.
This approach, I feel, is the best way to look at things that were influential in the landscape of gaming from the past and an unparalleled way to appreciate old classics without judging them through the eyes of the “we” in the here and now.
GEARS OF WAR was most certainly a huge and incredibly important title when it first released way back when; not only for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming console, but for the entire industry as a whole. Epic games ushered us all into the “next” generation with a game that was dark, gritty, and unapologetically cliché in its approach to story and characters. The first time you slammed into a wall after roadie running and then popped into and out of cover while blind-firing at the Locust Horde you instantly knew that a franchise was born; one that would go on to influence many cover shooters throughout the generation.
The theme of Destroyed Beauty was central to what GEARS was all about and its this theme that permeated through everything from the graphics, to the sound, and even the story. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is a remaster of this classic game. Much has been done to the pacing of the cut-scenes as well as the overall graphical presentation and sound while remaining faithful to the original experience that the gameplay had to offer and honestly; why wouldn’t you want a faithful recreation of a classic?
It may seem easy to discern problems with A.I. or coming to the realization that much in terms of the mechanics, that this game revolutionized, have been refined over the years since its release, but that would be judging a classic by standards that didn’t exist at the time of its prominence. A great experience, one that we all remember fondly, one that we all look back on and can get a sense of the humble beginnings of some of the most beloved franchises is central to what remastered games is all about. It’s not how thing in the present are, but rather the influence and impact that these games have had in the past that allowed for the progression in gaming that we all can appreciate in the present that’s key to remember.
The experience of playing Gears of War 9 years ago is the experience that you’ll get with this Ultimate Edition, plus extra content in the single player campaign and improved graphics. Again, core gameplay of this classic is untouched, much as it should be as it’s a nod to the past while we all have a keen eye on the future of the franchise. There also is a part of this experience that has been modernized and that’s the multiplayer (MP) component. 60 frames per second and dedicated servers serve to give players an experience in MP that they weren’t able to get 9 years ago. This trip down memory lane in the single player served to remind me how much fun and genuine excitement I felt when this game was new. I remembered patterns in the environment and spots where Locust would attack from and even remembered some of the issues that again have faithfully translated over to this remaster and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Nobody would judge a 69′ Mustang on the evolution of the model all the way up to the 15′ Mustang. It’s a classic, flaws and all and that’s just as important as what’s been fixed since its inception. Same goes for classic games. Gorgeous, Gritty, in a word; GEARS.
Original author: W0RRYWART
