Gears of War: Reloaded Multiplayer Beta Review (2025) | Brutal Action Done Right

Gears of War: Reloaded is a remaster of the original Gears of War, which first launched in 2006. The full game is coming out on August 26, 2025 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

Right now, players can try the Multiplayer Beta. This is a great way to test the new graphics, gameplay, and features.

In this review, I’ll cover what’s good about the beta, what’s not so good, and if this remaster is worth getting.

A Classic Returns With a Modern Look

Gears of War: Reloaded brings back everything that fans loved about the original. You still play as Marcus Fenix, a soldier trying to save humanity from the Locust Horde.

The game now runs in 4K resolution at 120 FPS. This makes the action look sharp and smooth. You can also play with friends online with full cross-play. That means Xbox, PlayStation, and PC players can all team up or fight each other.

The controls are improved, too. New players can use a modern control layout. Older fans can switch to the classic style if they want.

First Impressions of the Beta

I spent many hours playing the Gears of War: Reloaded beta. I played mostly Versus Mode, since the full campaign wasn’t in this build.

When I heard the chainsaw bayonet roar to life for the first time, I got chills. It was just like I remembered. The beta feels just like old-school Gears—heavy, brutal, and intense.

The core gameplay is still here. You run for cover, shoot from behind walls, and use teamwork to survive. The famous “roadie run” also feels great. Sprinting across the map between cover is still one of the most fun parts of Gears.

Multiplayer Modes

The beta has two main playlists:

• Social Match
• Competitive Match

Social is casual play. Competitive features ranked modes like King of the Hill and Execution.

I noticed that Social Match filled up faster. Competitive lobbies sometimes had longer wait times.

Factions and Characters

One small change: you don’t pick a faction anymore. The game randomly assigns you as either a Gear or Locust.

This didn’t bother me, since you still get to choose your character. There are many classic choices like:

• Marcus Fenix
• Dom Santiago
• Hoffman
• General RAAM
• Theron Guards

For my first match, I chose Anthony Carmine. He’s always been a favorite in my family.

Loadouts and Customization

Your starting loadout is simple:

• Lancer rifle
• Gnasher shotgun

Even in the beta, there are many cosmetic skins for your weapons and characters. I hope the full game has even more customization.

Map Design and Feel

My first match was on the classic map War Machine. The nostalgia hit me hard. The map is tight and forces you into close battles.

This is very different from faster shooters like Call of Duty. In Gears, you must think and move carefully. Every fight feels personal and brutal.

At first, I was rusty. I died a lot. But after a few matches, I found my rhythm again. The fun of sliding into cover and pulling off perfect shotgun kills came back fast.

One of my favorite maps in the beta was Courtyard. It has lots of flanking routes and places to snipe. Grabbing the sniper rifle and locking down the middle lane was thrilling.

Game Modes

King of the Hill is one of the main modes. It feels like a chaotic mix of capture-the-flag and shotgun fights. Matches last about 10–15 minutes.

Execution is also excellent. You can only finish enemies with headshots or brutal kills like chainsaws. This adds a lot of tension and strategy. Do you risk going for the execution or fight off the enemy team first? These moments make Gears so fun.

Cross-Play is Impressive

Cross-play in this beta works very well. I played with friends on both Xbox and PlayStation. No lag, no big bugs. It was smooth.

You’ll want a Microsoft account to unlock all features if you’re playing on PC. But even without it, you can still join games.

Sometimes players dropped out mid-match, causing uneven teams. I hope this gets fixed before the full release.

The Shotgun is Still King

If you know Gears, you know the Gnasher shotgun dominates multiplayer. One well-aimed shot and—BOOM!—you blow enemies apart.

At close range, almost every fight turns into a shotgun duel. Some matches became nonstop shotgun battles. It’s chaotic, gory, and fun… but sometimes a little repetitive.

Learning how to counter the shotgun meta is part of the game. Using smoke grenades or sniper rifles helps keep things fresh.

Limited Weapon Pool in Beta

The beta only has a few weapons:

• Lancer
• Gnasher shotgun
• Some map pickups like the Torque Bow and sniper rifle

Sadly, I didn’t see the Hammer of Dawn in this beta. Hopefully, more weapons will appear in the full version.

It Feels Older Than Newer Games

One thing to keep in mind: this is a remaster, not a full remake.

If you’ve played newer Gears games like Gears 5, you will notice the older feel. Movement is a bit slower. Wall-bouncing is less smooth. Aiming is less snappy.

It still plays great—way better than the 2006 original—but it lacks some quality-of-life upgrades from newer games.

It would’ve been nice if the devs added some modern touches. For example:

• Faster movement
• Better hit detection
• Team outlines

Even so, after a few matches, I adjusted to the old-school style. The fun is still there.

A Promising Return

The beta shows a lot of promise. Cross-play is a huge win. The graphics are sharp and the game feels very faithful to the original.

If the full version adds Horde Mode, improves matchmaking, and offers free DLC (like Gears 5 did), this could be one of the best Gears experiences yet.

I’m excited for the full release in August. If you loved the original or want to try the series for the first time, Gears of War: Reloaded is shaping up to be a must-play.

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