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Games : Highly Recommended
Ranking:
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Release Date: August 25th, 2015 Movie Release Year: 2015

Gears of War - Ultimate Edition

Overview -

'Gears of War' is a seminal Xbox 360 title from 2006, and it led to a series of popular third-person shooters, all published by Microsoft (as well as some imitators). In January 2014, Microsoft purchased the IP and tasked their new studio, The Coalition, with remastering the first 'Gears', with additional work being conducted by British indie dev Splash Damage. Rod Fergusson, producer of the original game, is currently employed at The Coalition and continues to oversee the franchise.

With 'Gears of War - Ultimate Edition,' Microsoft is not only bringing back a modern classic, but there is an expectation that 'Gears' multiplayer will take hold on the Xbox One, enthralling a player base of old and new 'Gears' players, and ultimately leading up to 'Gears of War 4.'

OVERALL:
Highly Recommended
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Release Date:
August 25th, 2015

Video Review

Ranking:

Just as the first 'Gears' turned heads on the 360 with its visual quality, so too does its successor on the Xbox One. The Coalition rebuilt the game from the ground up in 1080p, recycling only audio assets. The result is one of the prettier games on the One; not quite up to the level of 'Ryse', but still impressive. The single-player runs at 30fps with nary a hiccup, while the fancy 60fps rate is reserved for the multiplayer.

The changes are most evident in the character models and animations. Skin, hair, and clothing are very detailed. The ruins of Sera are grandiose in their destruction; even the rubble looks nice. Lighting is realistic and, especially in the case of imulsion and lambent Locust, used to great effect. One side effect of the redraw, unintended or otherwise, is the difference in facial features. Some characters like Marcus and Hoffman remain more or less the same, while Cole and Anya look markedly different. Also, the game on the whole is very dark, particularly when not on the surface.

Audio Review

Ranking:

As the game uses the original voice acting and score, there are few changes in the audio department, which was good to start with. Of note is the inclusion of Dolby 7.1 surround.

Final Thoughts

'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' is not a mere port, but a labor of love a long time in the making. The price tag is a bit steep with much of the new content geared towards multiplayer aficionados, but this is a lovely showing of Delta Squad on the One.