Gears of War 3 Active Reload Guide: it's more than just a mini-game

Written by Alex Roth on September 19, 2011

Gears of War 3 tips and guide: With the Gears of War 3 release date of September 20 almost upon us, Gaming Target offers you this walkthrough on a GoW trademark, the active reload.

With the Gears of War 3 release date of September 20 almost upon us, Gaming Target offers you this walkthrough on a GoW trademark, the active reload.

The active reload is a signature part the Gears of War 3 gameplay. Everyone knows that when you first pick up a Lancer it's a stumbling block, something to adapt to or die from. But elite Delta Squad warriors know that strategic use of the active reload will boost your combat effectiveness big time.

Hotshots
First, the obvious: In Gears 3, when you ace a reload, whatever bullets you've jammed in the clip become Уhot.Ф They flash, and for a LIMITED amount of time, they'll do extra damage. The key then becomes getting them out of your rifle and into your enemy's hide before they Уcool.Ф

However, hot ammo doesn't Уstack,Ф meaning reloading before you've spent it all is a waste.

1. Hold off on reloading for as long as possible- Drain that clip as much as you can. When you do reload, you'll get more hotshots to dump into your enemy.

2. Don't reload until you have a target- That way you can start firing those hotshots before they cool.

3. Ace that freaking reload- If you're going to run around with your guns nearly empty, you have to be ready for an active reload at anytime. Reloading in Gears is quick, and the boosted damage from acing it will more than make up for your slight delay in firing. However, if you bungle the reload, you will be meat.

Be ready for these guys

The active reload is a gamble, you're betting on whether or not you can pull it off in the moment. Don't go all in on the first hand, start with these small wagers:

Stop Уtopping offФ- Once you've downed an enemy, the instinct is to fill your rifle back up before reinforcements arrive. Fight that urge, drain the rest of your clip on the first grub you see, and then nail the reload for some extra firepower.

Don't just waste ammo- Again, no shooting perfectly good bullets just so you can reload. It's always more effective to put rounds in the enemy rather than the ground. Bottom line, this is an apocalypse, you need all the bullets you can get.

Don't be overeager- Your own survival is always priority number one, so don't get killed trying to drain your hotshots. This means no going Rambo to unload a hot clip, or charging headlong looking for targets. Remember rule number two and wait for a target before reloading. That way you're not desperately searching for a target while your shots cool.

Reload activated

Opening with a reload would be a ludicrous strategy in any other game, but it's a great move in Gears of War 3. The active reload is more than a mini-game; it's a game changer.

We hope you liked this Gears of War 3 reload guide. Share your personal tips in the comments.