After Skipping Gears of War: Reloaded, One Classic Mode Is…

Gears of War: Reloaded hasn't exactly had a perfect launch, but it helps that the original game is so great: when it works as intended, Gears of War: Reloaded's gameplay holds up remarkably well. At the same time, it's interesting to go back to the first entry in the Gears franchise in light of all the improvements and evolutions the series has enjoyed in subsequent entries. In short, Gears of War: Reloaded can feel rather dated.

And perhaps that's the point; there is certainly a quaintness that comes with Gears of War: Reloaded's narrow, campy action focus, making it feel like a time capsule of AAA, late-2000s design trends. Naturally, one could point to the relative shallowness of the protagonists in this first entry, or its infamous grey-and-brown color scheme, as obvious signs of its age, but these are essential elements of the experience. Things like the drab color scheme, while perhaps less palatable to modern audiences, are part of the Gears of War identity, for better or worse. But the lack of content, especially with regard to one series staple, still stings a little bit, and future Gears remasters ought to keep it in mind.

If There's Ever a Gears of War 2: Reloaded, It Should Stick the Landing with Horde Mode

Horde Mode Is Sorely Missing from Gears of War: Reloaded

Gears of War 2's Horde mode is exactly what it sounds like: up to five players are pitted against fifty waves of Locust infantry, who grow in number and deadliness as players approach Wave 50. Players spawn with basic weapons, but more powerful, more destructive tools can be obtained for moments of maximum domination. It's a rather obvious yet elegant game mode that gels with Gears of War's central combat tenets.

And sadly, it's absent in Gears of War: Reloaded. Horde mode wasn't in the original Gears of War, but considering its undeniable popularity, it wouldn't have been the most outlandish new feature to introduce. Reloaded is a faithful remaster, no doubt, but perhaps it's a little bit too faithful in this respect: it could have incorporated Horde mode and offered a more robust Gears experience for all players. What's more is that, though introduced in Gears 2, Horde mode has been improved over time; Gears of War 2: Reloaded could really deliver on Horde mode, in a way that this first remaster opts not to.

Worth noting is Horde mode's similarity to Call of Duty Zombies: the proliferation of the mode could help future Gears remasters appeal to CoD fans, in this respect.

It May Be Too Late for Horde to Come to Gears of War: Reloaded, but the Next Game Can Make Up for That

Subsequent Gears of War games, especially Gears of War 4 and Gears of War 5, greatly expanded Horde mode with additional mechanics, particularly those focused on progression and nurturing diverse playstyles. Players can choose from a variety of classes for greater team synergy and tactics, they can build fortifications to better prepare for the enemy onslaught, boss-type enemies are thrown into the mix, and the mode is much deeper for these improvements.

Gears of War 2: Reloaded, if it's in the cards, would be the perfect opportunity to introduce some or all of these more modern Horde features, which have been generally welcomed by franchise fans. If one considers Horde to be central to the Gears experience, then it seems like a no-brainer to get it right in the next remaster, especially if it comes to PC and PS5 as well. Newcomers could get the most complete Gears game possible, setting the franchise up for even greater success in the future.

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