Gears of War: E-Day is currently in review, focusing on its campaign while multiplayer awaits further testing. The game is set to officially launch on October 6, with early access beginning October 1 for purchasers of the Premium Edition. E-Day will also be available on Game Pass.
This prequel to the Gears of War series introduces a significant mechanical overhaul, notably excising the frustrating dodge-roll-into-certain-death scenarios that plagued earlier titles. Marcus Fenix and his companions now exhibit more acrobatic movement, and button remapping has streamlined controls, making the core third-person cover-shooting feel more responsive and fluid.
Hardcore difficulty, in particular, elevates the experience by punishing static play. It encourages constant repositioning and strategic risk-taking, transforming the cover-based combat into a fast-paced tactical challenge. New weaponry further complements this dynamic. The acid-spewing Goreshot and a revitalized torque bow, with its satisfyingly ominous sound design, add visceral new options for dispatching the Locust horde. The game also revamps familiar mechanics, like the spike trap, with heightened impact and sound.
A Familiar Story
Despite these improvements, E-Day's campaign falters in its narrative and pacing. As a prequel set on Emergence Day, the day the Locust emerged from underground, the game revisits a story already glimpsed in the original Gears of War's opening. The narrative struggles to offer fresh insights into Marcus Fenix's origins, presenting him as largely the same cynical, traumatized soldier seen in later installments.
Early sections attempt horror elements, drawing comparisons to Resident Evil with sequences in a panicking city and a police station. While some moments, like the introduction of the Drone enemy, are effective, others fall flat due to clumsy exposition. The game also explores the origins of iconic elements, such as the chainsaw bayonet, but by Act 2, the player possesses sufficient weaponry and support, causing the game to settle into standard Gears of War combat loops.
Repetitive Encounters
The campaign's structure predominantly consists of shootouts and survival waves, lacking the variety seen in Gears 5. While Gears 5 explored diverse environments and mechanics, E-Day's campaign often resorts to slightly remixed combat encounters. The extended 20-plus hour length becomes taxing, with the core shooting mechanics being just barely sufficient to carry the repetitive structure. Some brief vehicle turret sequences offer minor diversions but do little to break the monotony.
Modest Enhancements
E-Day introduces weapon and armor mod slots, offering incremental upgrades like reduced recoil or faster chainsaw revving. While functional, these additions lack significant impact. More engaging is a gadget that can stun enemies with shockwaves, especially when combined with a mod that adds a burning effect. However, the game's delivery of these collectibles is heavy-handed, with intrusive on-screen text and map markers guiding players directly to loot cases, undermining the incentive for genuine exploration.
This approach contrasts unfavorably with Gears 5's more elegant system, where exploration felt organic and rewarding. E-Day's ruined city setting, a common trope, further contributes to the feeling of a lack of inspired design. Frustrations also arise from dated design choices, such as checkpoints placed before unskippable dialogue sections and Normal difficulty that remains too easy, while Hardcore presents boss encounters with excessively long health bars that diminish the satisfaction of defeating them.
Damage feedback against some elite enemies also feels weak, making prolonged firefights less impactful until the enemy finally falls. New enemy types, like one with a prominent weak spot, offer more satisfying interactions. Nevertheless, the campaign's overall pacing and narrative justification remain questionable, feeling like an attempt to recapture the past rather than forge a new path.
A final score will be provided once the multiplayer component has been thoroughly reviewed.