Microsoft Game Studios and The Coalition have released Gears of War: Ultimate Edition on Xbox One and soon on PC, which means Gears fans will once again be tasked with collecting COG tags throughout their adventure. Fortunately for those who collected all COG tags in the original Gears of War, the tags are in the same locations in this Ultimate Edition. The tags are slightly easier to find this time around as the improvements in graphics means the blue highlight is more prominent.
If this is your first Gears of War experience, you should know the majority of COG tags are located near a bloody Crimson Omen. While the majority of COG tags should be available to pick up in close proximity to the Crimson Omen, sometimes, you’ll need to look around a bit as it could be on the other side of a room or at least somewhere nearby. Be sure to keep this in mind as you read through our guide to collecting all of the COG tags.
In Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, there’s a total of 33 COG tags to collect, just like in the PC version as it contained some new chapters. This time around, collecting these tags does more than offer achievement points for collecting them. The Coalition is rewarding those who take the time to remember their fallen brothers with five digital graphic novels, which we noted in our review. Each retrieved COG tag will unlock a page in one of the comic books, with all books unlocking once all tags are retrieved.
Now that we have all of that out of the way, let’s get down to business. Here are the locations of all of the COG tags in Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. Once you collect them all, you'll earn the Time to Remember, Honor-Bound, and For the Fallen achievements.
Act 1: Ashes
14 Years After E-Day
- COG Tag #1
- Once Marcus is let out of his jail cell, you’ll be asked to choose a path. The path you choose won’t influence the location of this tag as you should see a Crimson Omen in the next room directly in front of you. The COG tag will be located underneath the logo.
- COG Tag #2
- You’ll pick this tag up in the rear of the room that’s cut open by enemy locusts. You should spot the Crimson Omen on a pillar to the right of the room. Proceed underneath that pillar and go behind it to pick up the tag.
- COG Tag #3
- As soon as you enter the courtyard area, take the first set of stairs to your left. Against the wall of the crumbled building, you’ll see a Crimson Omen. This is one of the first logos that doesn’t have the tag located close by as you’ll need to turn to your left to spot them.
Trial By Fire
- COG Tag #4
- This COG tag is really easy to pick up as Lieutenant Minh Kim will point it out to you. The tag will be located behind some cover to the right of the Crimson Omen after you make your way through a church.
- COG Tag #5
- You’ll make your way through another church, but this time, you’ll be fighting off Locust that rise up from two emergence holes. After defeating them, the tag will be located to the left of the exit.
Fish in a Barrel
- COG Tag #6
- When you enter the area with what looks like a dried-up fountain, you’ll be fighting off some Locust that come up from a number of emergence holes again. Once they’re taken care of, look for the Crimson Omen located on one of the sides of the statue. Facing the Crimson Omen, turn left to the stairs, but turn left again when you get close to them. You should see the tag to the side of the stairs just a few feet away from some grenades.
Knock Knock
- COG Tag #7
- You’ll enter an area in front of a building with a lot of steps. Before heading up to begin your battle with the Locust, be sure to spot the Crimson Omen on the side of a van to the left. Head towards the van and go to its left where you should spot the tag in front of a wall.
Hammer
- COG Tag #8
- This COG tag is located in the hallway where you first interact with Wretches. Jack will work on opening a door, which you’ll then need to fight a wave of them. Once they’re taken care of, you can find the tag next on the opposite side of the room behind some display tables.
- COG Tag #9
- Once you defeat the Seeder, you’ll pass through what looks like a small church. As you enter, you should spot a Crimson Omen above the entrance of the back of the church. Passing through that door will take you to a dead soldier. Go to the right side of the soldier and you should find this tag.
China Shop
- COG Tag #10
- At the start of the China Shop chapter, turn around and follow that hallway. Continue down this path towards the flames, and at the end of the corridor, you’ll find this tag.
- COG Tag #11
- While you’re fighting the Berserker, you’re going to be luring her through various doors to access different rooms. Before you head outside, you should collect this COG tag. To find it, stick to the left side of the last room. The tag will be located in a small alcove on the ground.
- COG Tag #12
- The next COG tag is located outside, although you should be careful considering you have a wild Berserker on the loose. A Crimson Omen can be spotted on the left side of the map (right side if you’re facing the door), so try to lure the Berserker to the other side. The tag will be located behind the light post to the right of the omen.
Act 2: Nightfall
Tick Tick Boom
- COG Tag #13
- You’ll regroup with your squad into a small, industrial-looking room. Make your way down the first set of steps and jump over the small obstacle. You’ll see a second set of stairs leading down to another set of obstacles, and beyond that, you’ll see a couch. Jump over the obstacle and you’ll see this tag to the side of the couch.
Grist
- COG Tag #14
- In Grist, you’ll continue to a room with a large turbine in the middle of it where you’ll walk up some stairs onto a metal platform. As you make your way through the platform, you’ll be ambushed by Wretches. You’ll pass through a door to find some more Wretches. Make your way to the bottom of the stairs and then turn around into the small alley. Continue through the alley and find this tag behind the dumpster.
- COG Tag #15
- You’ll come across a Stranded Settlement as you progress. Before heading into the settlement, a Crimson Omen can be seen to the left of the gate. Head back there before you go towards the gate where you’ll find this tag located behind a tree and some newspaper vending machines.
Lethal Dusk
- COG Tag #16
- In Lethal Dusk, you’re tasked with shooting propane tanks in order to generate light. The reason for this is so the Kryll don’t attack you in the dark. Shortly after being introduced to this game mechanic, you’re going to be ambushed by an emergence hole between two cars. Once you deal with that, look to the left where a Crimson Omen can be spotted near a shed. Shoot the propane tank inside of the shed to light it up, then roadie run your way over there for this tag.
- COG Tag #17
- Marcus is tasked with helping Dom make his way down a road that’s completely dark. After he’s safe, lanterns will light up allowing you safe passage. Point the spotlight at the rubble and cars close to where you entered. Head back down to the street and head over to the spotlight and pick up the tag in front of the wrecked car.
Dark Labyrinth
- COG Tag #18
- You'll exit through a house to the street. Once you exit, turn right to see a Crimson Omen on a wrecked car. Look further right to find this tag.
Act 3: Belly of the Beast
Downpour
- COG Tag #19
- Marcus and Dom are instructed to head towards an elevator. As they make their way to it, there will be some buildings to the right. The building with a large “3” on it is where you need to go. Go behind it and you’ll see a long pier. Go take a short walk on that long pier to pick up this tag.
Evolution
- COG Tag #20
- You’ll come across a room with rotting wooden floor boards which you may or may not fall through, depending how light you are on your feet. The tag can be found in the far-right corner of the room. Don’t worry if you fall as there’s a ladder that allows you to get back to that level.
- COG Tag #21
- After you exit the mine cart control room, go down the stairs and turn right. You’ll find this tag next to the stair case. Be fast, though, as you’ll want to get it before the cutscene starts.
Darkest Before Dawn
- COG Tag #22
- As you progress through the stage, you’ll be presented with a split path. Going left will continue the story, but if you go right, you’ll find the tag just a few feet in front of a Crimson Omen.
- COG Tag #23
- The squad will fall down a waterfall where they’re ambushed by Locust. Once you defeat them, you’re going to want to stick to the right to where there’s some blue lighting illuminating a platform. Make a right prior to the stairs of that platform to find this tag.
- COG Tag #24
- Once Marcus and Dom reunite, you’ll progress to an area that’s glowing yellow because of imulsion. Turn to the right to find two vehicles. Walk behind the closest vehicle and head over to a small platform where this tag is located.
Act 4: The Long Road Home
Campus Grinder
- COG Tag #25
- Once you enter the campus, stick to the right and climb up a small platform. Walk past the first building and come around to the second building. This tag will be located just behind that building’s staircase.
Bad to Worse
- COG Tag #26
- Once you start this chapter, head straight towards the car where you can spot a Crimson Omen on the wall. This tag is sitting right below that omen.
Imaginary Place
- COG Tag #27
- You’ll need to make some progress through the Fenix Estate for this one as there will be a room with four pillars and a desk at one end of it. This tag can be found by destroying the desk with either revving up your Lancer or just attacking it with any of your weapons.
Act 5: Desperation
Comedy of Errors
- COG #28
- You’ll progress through what looks like old Stranded homes where you’ll be ambushed by Wretches. Once you kill all of them, you’ll make your way through an open garden. Look directly to your left where a Crimson Omen can be seen. Walk towards the omen and behind the broken gate. Walk past the gate to find this tag and some ammo.
Window Shopping
- COG #29
- At the start of this chapter, you’ll be walking through a garage. You’ll go through a door and have to go upstairs to progress the story. Instead, walk past the first set of stairs and go to the second that go down. Taking those stairs will get you to this tag.
Jurassic Proportions
- COG #30
- We recommend you destroy the Brumak’s guns located on his arms prior to attempting to picking this one up. Once you feel comfortable with the Brumak’s inability to kill you so suddenly, head towards where the Brumak first spawned to see a Crimson Omen. Head over to the omen and find the tag located behind two concrete guardrails.
Train Wreck
- COG #31
- At the start of this chapter, Jack will rip open the door to a passenger car. Walk into the passenger car and look to the left of the entrance to find this tag.
- COG #32
- You’ll come across a passenger car with two turrets propped on top of it. Instead of progressing the story by climbing a ladder to access them, head inside of the car where you’ll spot a Crimson Omen on the left side. The tag is located on the opposite side of that omen just below a window.
- COG #33
- Marcus will need to release a bunch of cylinders from the fifth passenger car. Once they’re cleared, you’ll see a Crimson Omen against the car. Turn left to go inside that car and proceed to a door with a green button to its side. Push the button and you’ll find this final tag.
