Early reviews for Xbox's upcoming prequel, Gears of War: E-Day, have been largely positive, with critics praising developer The Coalition's work on the campaign. However, aggregate scores may not reflect the final reception as many reviewers have yet to assess the game's crucial multiplayer and horde modes.
As of this writing, Gears of War: E-Day holds an aggregate score of 88 on Metacritic and 87 on OpenCritic. This puts it in strong company, surpassing the initial reception of other anticipated titles like Control Resonant and The Blood of Dawnwalker, which currently sit at 83 on Metacritic. The final scores, however, are expected to adjust once the multiplayer components are fully evaluated.
Several outlets have offered high praise for the campaign's narrative and atmosphere. IGN's work-in-progress review awarded a 9/10, with reviewer Ryan McCaffrey highlighting the emotional weight and the compelling backstory for Marcus and Dom. He noted the game's success in conveying the characters' uncertainty and horror, even when players are aware of the broader narrative.
Screen Rant's Chris Carter also gave the campaign a 9/10, commending the shooting mechanics and story. Carter specifically called out the city of Kalona as a believable and characterful setting that contributes significantly to the prequel's effectiveness.
Despite the strong campaign reception, some critics suggest tempering long-term expectations. Several major publications have not yet issued final scores, and early impressions indicate potential drawbacks. PC Gamer's Abbie Stone described the campaign as a "slog," despite acknowledging that the core shooting gameplay remains strong. Stone criticized the campaign's repetitive shootouts and felt the 20-hour length was excessive given its perceived narrative simplicity, noting a regression from Gears 5.
GameSpot's Richard Wakeling echoed these sentiments in a 7/10 in-progress review, finding the game too rooted in the past and missing opportunities for innovation. Wakeling also felt the story's efforts to reintroduce familiar elements to newcomers felt uninspired, suggesting E-Day might be uninterested in surprising longtime fans or engaging with the series' established history.
Other outlets, including Kotaku and Polygon, have also expressed mixed feelings, with Polygon's Ford James noting the campaign's intensity eventually becomes exhausting, particularly due to pacing issues stemming from its open-world segments. Given these early critiques, it's likely that Gears of War: E-Day's final reception will settle closer to that of Gears 5 rather than the original trilogy, especially once the full scope of its multiplayer offerings can be assessed.