Not counting Gears Tactics (which is incredibly underrated), it’s hard to believe we haven’t had a mainline Gears game since Gears 5 in 2019. While that was also a fantastic experience in its own right, it was hard to tell exactly where the franchise would go next. And in the years that followed, the conversation changed from the franchise’s next direction to just the return of the franchise in general.
Gears of War: E-Day certainly kept us waiting; the decision was to take things back one step further, back to the very beginning of Emergence Day, was ultimately well and truly worth it.
In many ways, this prequel feels like a traditional blockbuster romp for the franchise, but with the right gameplay tweaks, some much-needed horror elements and an awesome friendship between Marcus and Dom at the core of it all, it really does make for one of the best entries we’ve actually seen this far.
Guys, the Ground is Trembling
Gears of War: E-Day puts us firmly within the events of, well, you guessed it, E-Day. Better known as Emergence Day, it marks the day that the Locust Horde arose from beneath the surface, waging war on mankind for control of the Earth.
Protagonist Marcus Fenix and fan favourite best friend Dominic Santiago have just finished fighting in the Pendulum Wars, which were waged for a whopping 79 years between the Coalition of Ordered Governments (or COG) and the Union of Independent Republics (or the UIR, which in the broader Gears lore, essentially functions as a smaller resistance group).
After winning that war, mere weeks before E-Day, Marcus and Dom return home to the planet Sera, and more specifically, the industrial town of Kalona, to not only celebrate, but discuss their next steps in life. Dom aims to go back home to his family to raise his kids, while Marcus feels there’s more work left to do as a COG soldier.
But before anything is set in stone, the ground shakes, and the rest is history. While we all know where E-Day is going, it’s actually awesome to see this taking place in real time.
But what I do want to point out, however, is the game’s opening hour. As Marcus and Dom head out to see what all the fuss is about, Wretches crawl from massive holes in the ground, littering the streets with blood and terror. Without any weaponry and in casual clothes, Marcus and Dom, with fellow COGs Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes, grab some spare lead pipes and proceed to beat the life out of these incoming creatures.
This introduction is incredible. The addition of melee combat isn’t necessarily new to the franchise, but the feeling of dread and terror is. Previous Gears games have left Marcus and crew in plenty of sticky situations, but you always feel armoured up and armed to the teeth, in order to get the job done. Here, however, you’re scrapping like you never have before.
Gears of War: E-Day soon evolves into the traditional cover shooter we know and love, but I wish we got more of this. Darkened corridors covered in blood, the screams of nearby civilians being torn to shreds, and a dressed-down Marcus to save the day. That being said, when we do lock into the action, there’s a generous amount of incredible set pieces that make it all worthwhile, so I can’t be too mad.
I will say, though, that the game’s main antagonist, Vraakh, feels a little one-dimensional. He is certainly brutal and intimidating, but I feel as though the Locust Horde in general feel like the main threat, given the recency of E-Day itself.
Supporting characters Mags and Reyes feel well-rounded and unique as COGs, with Mags being a little rougher around the edges and Reyes being a timid rookie. But the relationship between Marcus and Dom is really at the core of the experience. I can’t really tell if it’s because we already know how special this friendship will become, or if E-Day is doing the characters justice. I like to think it’s both.
Either way, the story here is well-paced for the most part, even if I wanted some of the more open-ended areas to be packed with a little more excitement, or to simply lead us back into the more linear, focused action set pieces. Too often, you approach an open area, complete various side missions, and then have to rescue the same NPCs or defend a particular area. That being said, when Gears of War: E-Day is firing on all cylinders, it’s the best it’s ever been.
Lock and Load
From a gameplay perspective, Gears of War: E-Day will feel familiar for fans of the franchise, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Gunplay still feels incredibly responsive, but some new mechanics make everything feel that much better. Marcus is now able to jump at will, and clicking the left stick now allows Marcus to sprint normally ( I never liked the Roadie Run; it felt too stiff and clunky).
He’s also now able to virtually lie down and take cover behind much lower objects, including small steps and walls, and even slide while sprinting. For as bulky as these COGs are, it does help Marcus feel much more agile and nimble.
Secondly, Mods can now be added to both weapons and armour to help improve their effectiveness in combat. These Mods can be found in hard cases out in each level, and they’re not too hard to find. Upon heading to a Supply Cache, you’re then able to not only apply these Mods, but also unlock slots for up to three Mods per weapon, down the track.
These include things like a Laser for the Lancer MK.1, or a bayonet for the Gnasher shotgun, which is a nice touch. While I don’t want to spoil the rest, it helps you get the most out of your favourite weapons and encourages experimentation, with more than a handful of mods available for each weapon.
There’s even the inclusion of Tactical Gear, a more specific ability, which, in the multiplayer modes, is usually based on your class. It has a 45-second cooldown timer, but in the campaign, you’re able to swap them out at each Supply Cache. They include abilities like an Adrenaline Injector to restore health, or a Pulse Drone, which highlights enemies in the area that you might not otherwise be able to see from behind cover.
I’m not trying to shortchange Gears of War: E-Day for not having much new to offer in the way of gameplay, because it is worth noting just how well these more standardised mechanics have aged. Of course, they have also each had their own tweaks and adjustments, but it’s simply so much fun to slide behind cover, blast a Locust Drone and slide out of cover again.
I will admit that the bosses, many of them new, can feel like bullet sponges, but encounters with them are used somewhat sparingly.
Finally, there’s also first-person scopes for snipers, and a round-by-round reload system for weapons like the Gnasher shotgun, which means you’re not only trying to hit a perfect reload, but also get a shot off if you’re in immediate danger. Again, none of these additions is revolutionary for gameplay, but they all feel important enough that you won’t want to go without them moving forward.
Take the Fight Online
At the time of writing, only casual multiplayer matches are available, with ranked multiplayer modes to open next week, on the 13th of October. The biggest addition available now, however, is the Horde Siege mode.
What is otherwise described as an evolution of the previous wave-based Survival mode is a more refined, 12-player PvE experience that sees you working as a team to complete objectives and ultimately extract. You’ll be able to select classes and customise loadouts to your liking. You’ll then be able to choose from Blitz, Siege and Horde missions, each of which is longer in length, providing additional objectives and a greater challenge overall. You are also able to adjust the difficulty settings in each if you are finding it too gruelling, which I’m a fan of.
You might have to secure an area, calibrate, repair or defend a R.I.G. to help locate enemy Locusts, all while fending off waves of them in the process. Finally, you’ll need to extract with all your squadmates. Players can also add Mission Modifiers for an extra twist, and certain Squad Perks can be purchased to give everyone the edge in combat. Overall, it’s a fun and robust mode that I’ll be playing more of down the track.
The second multiplayer offering is your standard Versus modes. These modes are as traditional as ever, with four individual modes to take part in: Team Deathmatch, Conquest, Demolition, and Crucible. Conquest is like King of the Hill, while Demolition plays out more like Search and Destroy. Finally, Crucible is the newest mode of the bunch where players have to acquire and hold the Power Core within a certain area for a certain amount of time. Holding the Power Core will score you points, but also paint a massive target on your back.
There are six new maps, all set within the city of Kalona, and they generally provide a good blend of versatility and verticality, with some added gaps and traps to encourage the use of the new dedicated jump button. It once again feels very familiar, but I’m absolutely loving it so far.
Look the Part
I honestly can’t believe how good Gears of War: E-Day looks. Character models and environments alike are incredibly detailed, complete with fantastic lighting and textures. It might be the best-looking game I’ve seen on the Xbox Series X, short of something like Forza Horizon 6.
It is worth noting that Xbox Series X users are getting three distinct modes: A 1152p resolution at 30 FPS, a 1000p resolution at 40 FPS and a 936p resolution at 60 FPS. I would recommend the latter option, simply for its smoother frame rate, which is incredibly solid. Even then, the upscaled resolutions look nice too.
I am aware that Xbox Series S users are getting options for a 729p resolution at 30 FPS, a 648p resolution at 40 FPS and a 576p resolution at 60 FPS, which may affect the overall fidelity. Even on PC, you are going to need some beefy hardware to get this running as intended.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Gears of War: E-Day might seem like it’s playing it safe by settling for a prequel, but I would argue that sentiment could not be further from the truth. An engaging story, tied together with some nifty new features that make for smoother gameplay, and more robust PvE and PvP multiplayer modes make this an absolutely irresistible package.
It might not be just one of the best games of 2026. It just might also be one of the best Gears of War games.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Engaging narrative; Solid gameplay; Slick visuals; Gameplay improvements are small, yet meaningful
Lowlights: Main antagonist feels a little bland; I wish this leaned a little more into horror
Developer: The Coalition, People Can Fly, Xbox Game Studios
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: Now
Review conducted on Xbox Series X with a code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image also provided by the publisher.
