Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Full Campaign Walkthrough

Two hosts play through Gears of War: Ultimate Edition in co-op on Hardcore difficulty (for achievement purposes). The remaster is praised for its visuals and stable 60fps — a significant improvement over the original 360 version. The hosts note a recurring issue where cutscenes reset the framerate to 30fps until the next death. This is a full-game run covering all five acts.

General Observations

• Weapon variety is limited compared to Halo or CoD: the core loadout consists of the Lancer (chainsaw rifle), Hammerburst (semi-auto), Gnasher (shotgun), and Longshot (sniper). Hosts consider the Hammerburst the worst weapon in any FPS.
• The active reload system rewards precise timing with boosted damage; botching it jams your weapon — a common frustration throughout.
• COG tags (collectibles) are scattered throughout. The hosts attempt to find all 30 for the associated achievement, occasionally backtracking when they spot the icon.
• Jack (the support drone) opens locked doors throughout the campaign. Sections requiring Jack to breach doors often double as ambush setups.
• Chainsaw executions with the Lancer are frequent but sometimes unreliable — the enemy can counter-chainsaw you if the timing is close.

Act 1: Ashes

Prison / Guards Quarters (Opening)

• Two route options at the start: Guards Quarters or Prison Blocks. Hosts go through the Guards Quarters.
• First enemies encountered — basic Locust Drones ("groundmen") emerging from emergence holes.
• Turret enemies (Troika gunners): Shooting them in the head does nothing — aim for the torso.
• A Boomer appears early; large, slow enemy that fires explosive rounds. Can be chainsawed once weakened.
• The squad (Delta) reunites with Cole Train and Baird here.

House of Sovereigns

• Multi-floor building with Locust on walls and ceilings, including Wretches ("minimon") — small, fast melee enemies that climb surfaces. Easy to punch or melee.
• Hammer of Dawn used against enemies in an open courtyard section — requires clear sky and a lock-on. Works fast once the satellite acquires.
• COG tags found on several dead soldiers throughout the building.
• Cole Train (AI) tends to sprint into danger and get downed frequently.

Act 2: Nightfall

Tomb of the Unknowns

• Urban ruins; mix of Drones and Boomers.
• A Berserker (blind, female Locust) is introduced: immune to conventional weapons. Must be lured outside for Hammer of Dawn exposure. She smashes through walls — let her chase you to an open-sky area, then triangulate and fire. Aim for her belly/front when she charges.
• Important: Hammer of Dawn does not work indoors — you need clear sky for the satellite uplink.

Embry Square / Fenix Estate Exterior

• Long outdoor section fighting through streets toward Marcus's childhood home.
• Torque Bow enemies appear — they fire explosive bolts that stick to surfaces and players. Kill them fast or roll away from tagged positions.
• Flame Drones are standard Drones carrying a flamethrower — engage at range.
• Multiple Boomers defending approaches; Boom Shot (their dropped weapon) is useful but limited ammo.

Fenix Estate (Interior)

• Marcus's family mansion — multiple floors, wine cellar, weight room.
• COG tags hidden inside a desk (use chainsaw on the desk to reveal).
• Another Berserker encounter occurs here; lure her to the greenhouse skylight for Hammer of Dawn.

Act 3: Belly of the Beast

Underground / Krill Sections

• Enter the Locust underground network.
• Krill (bats) are introduced: swarms that kill instantly in darkness. You must stay within UV spotlight coverage — either from fixed lights or a mounted UV turret on a vehicle.
• Key tip: turn on electricity at junction boxes to power static UV lights and keep paths safe.
• Vehicle section: one player drives while the other operates the UV turret. Hosts recommend calling out enemy positions as clock directions.
• The fuel station must be activated to progress — find the generator/valve before entering the dark zone.

Minecart Section

• COG tags found on ledges above the main path — risky to grab.
• The minecart ride involves shooting enemies while moving on rails. Some enemies run on the tracks — they die instantly if hit by the cart.
• Two separate cart controls need to be activated by splitting up.

Act 4: The Long Road Home

Lethia Imulsion Facility / Factory

• Industrial interior; emergence holes spawn Drones continuously until sealed.
• A mounted Troika covers a key corridor — flank from the opposite side rather than engaging directly.
• Bloodmounts appear (Drones riding beasts) — target the rider first.
• Gas canister mechanic: shoot canisters to create explosions against clustered enemies.

East Barricade Academy

• Enemies use multiple floors — watch for fire from above.
• A sniper nest covers the courtyard. The Longshot is the best counter at range.
• COG tags in this area are on upper-floor ledges.

Train Approach

• Linear outdoor section; Reavers (flying Locust on winged creatures) attack from the air. Use the Troika turret to shoot them down.
• Hosts strongly recommend getting on the turret — trying to fight Reavers on foot is very difficult on Hardcore.

Act 5: Desperation

Fenix Research Facility

• The section with rotating valve puzzles — each player turns a valve simultaneously to unlock doors.
• More Torque Bow Drones in tight corridors — prioritize them.
• Large emergence hole spawns a sustained wave; recommended to hold a chokepoint doorway.

Bridge / Final Approach

• Extended combat across an open bridge. Boomers on both flanks.
• A Brumak (giant Locust war machine) appears as the final boss:
  • Phase 1: Shoot the weapons/arms to disable its rocket pods and chain gun.
  • Phase 2: Shoot the legs to expose the underside.
  • Final phase: Target the driver in the cockpit (visible on top). The Boom Shot is highly effective here.
  • The Hammer of Dawn does not appear to be usable under the bridge — get to an open area.
  • Hosts went down multiple times during this encounter on Hardcore.

Achievement Notes

• Hardcore difficulty completion — unlocks a difficulty-related achievement.
• COG tags: 30 total across the game. Hosts collected approximately 22 by end. Missed tags can be replayed per chapter.
• Chainsaw / melee kills — a chainsaw kill achievement is possible; hosts attempt to chainsaw frequently.
• Combat achievements accumulate naturally on a full playthrough.

Overall Impressions

The hosts enjoy the first half of the game but find the second half increasingly frustrating on Hardcore, citing inconsistent chainsaw collision, frequent curb-stomp executions by enemies, and the framerate dropping after every cutscene. The remaster visuals hold up well — described as looking like a modern game despite the 2005 original. The hosts plan to continue with Gears of War 2–5 and Judgment.