The classic action shooter game War Machine: Fully Armed and Engaged (Gears of War: Reloaded), crafted by a renowned game designer, has recently launched a high-definition enhanced version. This marks the second upgrade for the series, featuring stunning visual enhancements and, for the first time, making its debut on the PS5 platform, aimed at introducing new players to the prologue of this thrilling series. However, for veteran players who have invested in multiple installments, this return feels somewhat lacking in surprise.
As a classic IP with nearly two decades of history, its storyline and game mechanics remain vibrant to this day. Many iconic systems of this game, such as the Golden Bullet QTE reloading mechanism, quick cover proximity movement, and positional switching techniques, still captivate players. However, for battle-hardened veterans, these new features may struggle to spark significant interest.
The storyline remains exceptional, illustrating the enduring war between humanity and subterranean creatures. It tells of the perseverance of the resistance and how the protagonists search for the lost Resonator to turn the tide of battle. This design philosophy undoubtedly resonates emotionally with players, and while the novel adaptation might be hard to come by, it still embodies a rich world-building.
This latest update further enhances the visual technology. Back in 2016, the remastered version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition was released, which already supported 4K on PC. The newest Rearmed and Ready for Action achieves 4K at 60 or 120 FPS on both PS5 and Xbox Series X. However, the decision to use Unreal Engine 3 means that the visual performance still lags behind today's standards, making it an unfortunate shortcoming for the game.
While the battle mode still retains the play experience of the original game, relying solely on cover-based shooting feels a bit outdated in today's gaming landscape. There are market rumors that considering War Machine will celebrate its twentieth anniversary next year, Microsoft might be planning to release a series that includes remastered collections of the first, second, and third installments, which is undoubtedly a step that long-time players are eagerly anticipating.
As for the online battle aspect, the smoothness has improved, supporting cross-platform play and 120FPS. However, for PS platform players, mastering Quickly switch cover techniques is essential to gain an advantage. In contrast, players on the XB and PC systems have richer experiences, which may leave new players feeling overwhelmed when facing challenges.
While the performance of the console isn't particularly standout, we discovered through testing that it can run smoothly on the Steam Deck, maintaining 1280 x 800@60FPS. In terms of portability and gaming experience, it's quite impressive. As for the crashing issue that has appeared on Steam, we didn't encounter it during our tests, and other bugs were similar to those on the console version.
Overall, War Machine: Fully Armed and Engaged seems to lack sincerity towards veteran players. Despite the updated Netcode, issues like high ping and inaccurate hit detection still persist. For players unfamiliar with this game, it’s definitely worth a try; however, for those who rely on high-level skills in multiplayer battles, the learning curve might pose a challenge for newcomers.
It's reassuring to finally be able to enjoy this game on a handheld device, and overall, its performance falls within an acceptable range. I'm looking forward to the future releases of the second and third remastered versions, which would bring an entirely new level of fun.
