Back in gear and better than ever
By Paul Hunter
I've spent countless hours enjoying the Gears of War franchise over the years, and it's easily one of my favourite Xbox series. From its early days on the Xbox 360, Gears established itself as a major name in gaming, giving us memorable characters and an identity that few other Xbox franchises could match. It's been seven years since Gears 5, so I've been itching to see what The Coalition would do with the next installment.
Gears of War: E-Day has finally arrived as an Xbox Series X console exclusive. It's an exciting moment to head back in time to an earlier chapter of Gears history to witness the day the Locust horde emerged on humanity. But, is E-Day the comeback story Gears deserves? Let's find out!
At the centre of everything are Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, and I couldn't have been happier to see these two Gears icons back together. The story begins with them mourning the death of Dom's brother Carlos, giving their friendship some emotional history before the world around them falls apart. They eventually form Bravo Squad alongside Mags Carter, a former Gear who has grown disillusioned with the government, and Lucas Reyes, a rookie soldier with a knack for technology. I particularly liked Reyes, whose inexperience provides a nice contrast to Marcus's gruff, no-nonsense personality.
I also loved how the Locust are introduced one-by-one in Chapter 1 of the campaign, especially how they're portrayed as a frightening enemy that humanity doesn't understand. Their ruthless leader, Vraahk, makes that threat even more dangerous, while the destruction unfolding across Kalona shows just how unprepared humanity is for the invasion.
Gameplay-wise, Gears still knows how to deliver one heck of a firefight. The cover-based shooting remains incredibly satisfying, whether you're unloading the Lancer assault rifle into approaching Locust or getting up close with the Gnasher shotgun. Active Reloads also return, rewarding good timing with faster reloads and a damage bonus when you nail the perfect window.
What impressed me most was how much better Marcus handles during combat now that the game engine has moved over to Unreal Engine 5. You can now jump freely, slide underneath obstacles, and climb over environmental objects without attaching yourself to cover first. These expanded gameplay moves are especially useful when Locust start closing in from multiple directions. I found myself climbing up to higher ground alot more often or sliding behind another barricade to avoid getting surrounded. My AI squadmates were surprisingly useful at helping keep enemies occupied or outright killing them.
I really enjoyed exploring Kalona between all the firefights. The campaign mixes traditional linear missions with larger city areas containing a ton of collectables, optional objectives, and supply caches. Those caches provide crucial weapon attachments that improve recoil control, accuracy, magazine capacity, and much more. There's also Tactical Gear, including a Sonic Disruptor that temporarily stuns enemies, along with Armour Mods that provide bonuses such as additional health or new ways to recover health (like close-range kills).
The presentation deserves plenty of praise as well. Kalona looks fantastic on Xbox Series X, with Unreal Engine 5 delivering detailed buildings, impressive lighting, realistic weather effects and plenty of destruction. I was particularly impressed by how dramatically the city changes as the Locust invasion spreads, starting as a pristine place and quickly devolving into ruins. Sound-wise, the weapons have that familiar punch, while the growling Locust and revving chainsaws make the action even better. John DiMaggio and Carlos Ferro are also excellent reprising their roles as Marcus and Dom, and newcomers Mags and Lucas hold their own too.
By the time the campaign wrapped up, I was thoroughly satisfied with the story and combat, and would go so far as to say it's the best Gears campaign yet.
Before deploying, you choose between four classes that specialize in different weapons, equipment, and Tactical Gear. Each class also has its own progression tree, allowing you to unlock attachments and Armour Mods as you continue playing. Much like in previous Horde mode, everyone has a role within the squad and there's plenty of reasons to experiment with different loadouts or classes.
Once you're out in the city, the action gets going quickly. Main assignments include defending R.I.G. devices, which need protecting from attacking Locust, while optional missions have you closing emergence holes, carrying power cores, or hunting down dangerous targets. These smaller objectives are worth tackling because they provide equipment parts and squad bonuses.
There's a satisfying amount of freedom in how you prepare for the bigger fights, too. Defeated Locust drop energy that you can spend at supply caches to obtain equipment for your chosen class. It was fun having access to tools such as machine-gun turrets and spike traps, particularly when the squad needed some additional firepower to defend an objective.
My favourite moments came from the Invasion events, where enormous Locust creatures like Brumaks and Corpsers arrive to cause serious trouble. All twelve participants can join these battles, and bringing down one of these monsters within the time limit earns additional rewards. Match modifiers keep things interesting as well, occasionally changing combat rules or strengthening enemies.
Eventually, your squad needs to reach an extraction zone to secure the area and escape aboard a helicopter. That final scramble is always a thrill trying to get everyone out after a demanding mission.
Horde Siege is an absolute blast with friends, and its different classes, class upgrades, changing objectives, and large-scale encounters give it excellent replay value.
The improved movement makes a noticeable difference during competitive matches. Jumping, sliding, climbing, and sprinting around opponents gives E-Day the most fluid multiplayer yet. Even with all these new gameplay options, I still saw lots of longtime fans using wall-bouncing to quickly move between cover positions to get in close for Gnasher attacks.
As far as modes go, there's a good mix of returning favourites with different objectives. Team Deathmatch uses a shared pool of lives, making every elimination important as your team's remaining respawns begin running out. Conquest is an objective-based mode, with teams fighting to capture and control designated areas around the map.
My two favourite modes are Crucible and Demolition. In Crucible, your team needs to retrieve a power core and protect whoever carries it. The carrier has access to an area-of-effect attack, although keeping teammates nearby is important for survival. The scoring zone also shrinks as your team earns points, forcing you to reconsider where to defend.
Demolition offers a particularly tough challenge. One team must carry a detonator to a designated location, and then plant and protect it until it explodes. There are no respawns during the round, so rushing around without a plan can end your game pretty quickly. I enjoyed how much team communication matters as you only get one chance to win the round.
There's certainly a learning curve when playing against experienced Gears veterans, particularly those who have mastered cover-to-cover movement and close-range fighting. The five launch maps provide some nice arena variety, although I hope The Coalition adds more maps soon.
Versus is a great addition to the overall package, delivering plenty of competitive action while retaining the familiar combat that makes Gears multiplayer so much fun.
Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Developer: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
By Paul Hunter
I've spent countless hours enjoying the Gears of War franchise over the years, and it's easily one of my favourite Xbox series. From its early days on the Xbox 360, Gears established itself as a major name in gaming, giving us memorable characters and an identity that few other Xbox franchises could match. It's been seven years since Gears 5, so I've been itching to see what The Coalition would do with the next installment.
Gears of War: E-Day has finally arrived as an Xbox Series X console exclusive. It's an exciting moment to head back in time to an earlier chapter of Gears history to witness the day the Locust horde emerged on humanity. But, is E-Day the comeback story Gears deserves? Let's find out!
Campaign Mode
Set fourteen years before the original Gears of War, the campaign takes place in Kalona, a bustling city on the planet Sera. Life changes pretty quickly when the Locust Horde emerges from underground and begins tearing through the streets. Watching the situation go from bad to downright terrifying gives the campaign a great sense of urgency...and desperation.At the centre of everything are Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, and I couldn't have been happier to see these two Gears icons back together. The story begins with them mourning the death of Dom's brother Carlos, giving their friendship some emotional history before the world around them falls apart. They eventually form Bravo Squad alongside Mags Carter, a former Gear who has grown disillusioned with the government, and Lucas Reyes, a rookie soldier with a knack for technology. I particularly liked Reyes, whose inexperience provides a nice contrast to Marcus's gruff, no-nonsense personality.
I also loved how the Locust are introduced one-by-one in Chapter 1 of the campaign, especially how they're portrayed as a frightening enemy that humanity doesn't understand. Their ruthless leader, Vraahk, makes that threat even more dangerous, while the destruction unfolding across Kalona shows just how unprepared humanity is for the invasion.
Gameplay-wise, Gears still knows how to deliver one heck of a firefight. The cover-based shooting remains incredibly satisfying, whether you're unloading the Lancer assault rifle into approaching Locust or getting up close with the Gnasher shotgun. Active Reloads also return, rewarding good timing with faster reloads and a damage bonus when you nail the perfect window.
What impressed me most was how much better Marcus handles during combat now that the game engine has moved over to Unreal Engine 5. You can now jump freely, slide underneath obstacles, and climb over environmental objects without attaching yourself to cover first. These expanded gameplay moves are especially useful when Locust start closing in from multiple directions. I found myself climbing up to higher ground alot more often or sliding behind another barricade to avoid getting surrounded. My AI squadmates were surprisingly useful at helping keep enemies occupied or outright killing them.
I really enjoyed exploring Kalona between all the firefights. The campaign mixes traditional linear missions with larger city areas containing a ton of collectables, optional objectives, and supply caches. Those caches provide crucial weapon attachments that improve recoil control, accuracy, magazine capacity, and much more. There's also Tactical Gear, including a Sonic Disruptor that temporarily stuns enemies, along with Armour Mods that provide bonuses such as additional health or new ways to recover health (like close-range kills).
The presentation deserves plenty of praise as well. Kalona looks fantastic on Xbox Series X, with Unreal Engine 5 delivering detailed buildings, impressive lighting, realistic weather effects and plenty of destruction. I was particularly impressed by how dramatically the city changes as the Locust invasion spreads, starting as a pristine place and quickly devolving into ruins. Sound-wise, the weapons have that familiar punch, while the growling Locust and revving chainsaws make the action even better. John DiMaggio and Carlos Ferro are also excellent reprising their roles as Marcus and Dom, and newcomers Mags and Lucas hold their own too.
By the time the campaign wrapped up, I was thoroughly satisfied with the story and combat, and would go so far as to say it's the best Gears campaign yet.
Horde Siege Mode
I've always enjoyed Gears of War's cooperative Horde mode, so the brand new Horde Siege was something I was especially excited to try. This expanded PvE experience brings twelve gamers into the same match, divided into three squads of four. Instead of spending the entire match defending one location, you're moving across sections of Kalona, completing objectives and helping other squads fight back the Locust.Before deploying, you choose between four classes that specialize in different weapons, equipment, and Tactical Gear. Each class also has its own progression tree, allowing you to unlock attachments and Armour Mods as you continue playing. Much like in previous Horde mode, everyone has a role within the squad and there's plenty of reasons to experiment with different loadouts or classes.
Once you're out in the city, the action gets going quickly. Main assignments include defending R.I.G. devices, which need protecting from attacking Locust, while optional missions have you closing emergence holes, carrying power cores, or hunting down dangerous targets. These smaller objectives are worth tackling because they provide equipment parts and squad bonuses.
There's a satisfying amount of freedom in how you prepare for the bigger fights, too. Defeated Locust drop energy that you can spend at supply caches to obtain equipment for your chosen class. It was fun having access to tools such as machine-gun turrets and spike traps, particularly when the squad needed some additional firepower to defend an objective.
My favourite moments came from the Invasion events, where enormous Locust creatures like Brumaks and Corpsers arrive to cause serious trouble. All twelve participants can join these battles, and bringing down one of these monsters within the time limit earns additional rewards. Match modifiers keep things interesting as well, occasionally changing combat rules or strengthening enemies.
Eventually, your squad needs to reach an extraction zone to secure the area and escape aboard a helicopter. That final scramble is always a thrill trying to get everyone out after a demanding mission.
Horde Siege is an absolute blast with friends, and its different classes, class upgrades, changing objectives, and large-scale encounters give it excellent replay value.
Competitive Multiplayer Mode
E-Day also delivers a new version of the competitive multiplayer Gears fans have enjoyed for years. Versus sticks with familiar arena-style battles, where controlling power weapons, using cover effectively, and coordinating with teammates are essential to winning. If you've spent any time playing Gears online, you'll be right at home here.The improved movement makes a noticeable difference during competitive matches. Jumping, sliding, climbing, and sprinting around opponents gives E-Day the most fluid multiplayer yet. Even with all these new gameplay options, I still saw lots of longtime fans using wall-bouncing to quickly move between cover positions to get in close for Gnasher attacks.
As far as modes go, there's a good mix of returning favourites with different objectives. Team Deathmatch uses a shared pool of lives, making every elimination important as your team's remaining respawns begin running out. Conquest is an objective-based mode, with teams fighting to capture and control designated areas around the map.
My two favourite modes are Crucible and Demolition. In Crucible, your team needs to retrieve a power core and protect whoever carries it. The carrier has access to an area-of-effect attack, although keeping teammates nearby is important for survival. The scoring zone also shrinks as your team earns points, forcing you to reconsider where to defend.
Demolition offers a particularly tough challenge. One team must carry a detonator to a designated location, and then plant and protect it until it explodes. There are no respawns during the round, so rushing around without a plan can end your game pretty quickly. I enjoyed how much team communication matters as you only get one chance to win the round.
There's certainly a learning curve when playing against experienced Gears veterans, particularly those who have mastered cover-to-cover movement and close-range fighting. The five launch maps provide some nice arena variety, although I hope The Coalition adds more maps soon.
Versus is a great addition to the overall package, delivering plenty of competitive action while retaining the familiar combat that makes Gears multiplayer so much fun.
The Verdict
Gears of War: E-Day is a fantastic return to form for the franchise, and I had an excellent time with all three of its major modes (Campaign, Horde Siege, Versus). The campaign delivers the best story in series history, and the new faster gameplay is the modernization Gears needed. Combine that with the most impressive presentation I've seen from a Gears game yet and you really do have the total package. The Coalition has done an incredible job bringing this Xbox favourite back, and I highly recommend E-Day to longtime fans and newcomers alike.Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Gears of War E-Day details
Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: The Coalition
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer