There is no doubt that Gears of War is one of the most influential video game franchises of all time. Microsoft’s shooter helped popularize the Unreal Engine, which is still widely used today. Its striking cover mechanics were virtually inescapable for an entire generation, and eventually influenced series such as Uncharted and The Division. Gears of War 2 and its spectacular scenery may be one of the best action games ever created, and it’s challenging to imagine a world without Horde mode. Would we even have games like Fortnite Isn’t it Epic Games’ success with Gears of War? But if there’s one aspect of Gears of War that’s never been appreciated, it’s lively reloading.
Most shooting games ask the player to periodically refill their magazines, but Gears of War turned reloading into a minigame. Click once to reload and your mighty soldier will play a full reload animation. Reloading never takes more than a few seconds, but you also have the option to reload a bit faster. Gears of War indicates this with a line through the reload animation. There is a marker in this part of the UI that tells the player when to press the “Reload” button again. The timing varies slightly depending on the weapon you’re using, with some of your arsenal requiring faster reflexes and some progressing at a more leisurely pace. Click “Reload” at the right moment and your clip will not only reload faster: it will also hit harder than typical bullets. However, if you do not notice this, your character will lock his weapon.
Active reloading is a petite detail that’s uncomplicated to miss, even if you do it hundreds of times throughout the game. That’s part of what makes him brilliant. The mechanics offer a tempting risk versus reward game – without ever interrupting the action. If you get it right, lively overload becomes a reinforcer that satisfies a primal, compulsory need, much like a fidgeting toy can. Not having an lively reload is frustrating, but not enough to stop you from trying again the next time you need to reload.
Here and there, mechanisms similar to lively reload appeared, as in the remakes of Star Wars Battlefront or Enter the Gungeon. But almost 20 years after the original Gears of WarI am constantly shocked by how scarce this idea has become. In my opinion, lively reload is similar to the optimal timing mechanics found in RPGs Claire Obscur: Expedition 33 or the Mario and Luigi series. Not every RPG needs to have a mechanic where attacking or defending will be slightly better if you press a button at the right moment. But it’s also an idea that has never completely gone out of fashion, and for good reason. It’s great fun! Why don’t more shooters maintain lively reload?
With the upcoming Gears of War prequel and the ongoing crisis at the heart of Xbox’s future, discussions about the legacy of the third-person gaming franchise seem more relevant than ever. But while people debate options for modernizing mechanics like cover shooting or revamping venerable gaming icons like Marcus Fenix, I sit here and hope that more games will try to salvage an idea that will be as good in 2025 as it was in 2006.
