Gears of War: Ultimate Edition

Gears' strong style and great gameplay make it enjoyable even today, nine years after the original was released.

The Coalition has crafted a faithful homage to a great nine-year-old game, but hasn't completely erased the blemishes of the past.

Ultimate is the best possible demonstration of Gears of War's classic shooter bonafides

Damn near essential if you've yet to experience the horror that followed Emergence Day, and very heartily recommended to those who've forgotten just what a special time that was.

A fun and visually impressive trip down memory lane, even if some of the shooting mechanics feel dated

Microsoft has a lot riding on the continued prosperity of Gears; after all, it is one of the publisher's largest properties. Gears of War Ultimate Edition effectively reminds why that's the case, just as it reminds why this is the game that partially influenced an entire generation of gaming. It just took a makeover to help us appreciate it again.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is anything but a lazy remaster. With a bunch of new content, a massive visual overhaul, mechanical improvements, and other subtle modernizations, Ultimate Edition has earned the right to be referred to as the definitive version of Gears of War.

While the inclusion of all Xbox 360 versions of the Gears of War series could be seen as a sweet deal, I'm certainly torn by Microsoft's decision to do this. It's a nice touch to allow Xbox One owners to be able to play any Xbox 360 Gears of War game through backwards compatibility, but I feel this to be more of a cop out as The Coalition really should have offered the complete collection in what they consider to be the "Ultimate Edition" of the game.

Although some aspects have aged, this Ultimate Edition is solid. The Coalition has done an amazing job, rebuilding one of the best shooters ever made. The game looks incredible, and the framerate upgrade offers a perfectly smooth experience. For $ 40.00, you can't really go wrong with this one.

It feels good to finally get back into Gears of War. People Can Fly experimented with Judgment, but it ultimately didn't work as well as it could with the series formula.