Gears of War: E-Day Reviews
Gears of War: E-Day is an absolute masterpiece and the perfect return to form for the franchise. Xbox and The Coalition made the brilliant decision to plug a massive narrative hole that fans have been wondering about for nearly two decades: how did Emergence Day actually happen? E-Day answers that question flawlessly. Thanks to smart mechanical tweaks and new traversal options, the gameplay is never dull; it is constantly engaging, always pushing you to see what horrific set-piece comes next. Because of all this, I firmly believe this is yet another massive win for the Xbox exclusive lineup.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Fans that played the original games on launch will appreciate just how dark and gritty Gears of War E-Day is, and the way the campaign develops with the Locust Horde gradually becoming more of a problem, the environmental destruction and level of detail around every bend definitely cements this game as one of the best looking exclusive Xbox titles
The longest Gears of War Campaign succeeds in entertaining gameplay, intriguing open world chapters with side objectives, and plenty of content to enjoy. The Campaign embraces co-op like no other game does these days and you could argue it's one of the best games that we have witnessed in the series. E-Day understands that Gears of War has always been about more than shooting monsters. It is about the people standing beside you while you do it. Whether that person is sitting beside you on the couch in split screen, joining you online from across the country, or simply standing beside Marcus as an AI companion, E-Day constantly comes back to the idea that surviving this world is easier when you never fight alone.
Gears of War: E-Day was my first encounter with this popular series, and to be honest, it didn’t encourage me to check out the other games in the series. Don’t get me wrong—it’s not a bad game. Not at all. It’s just incredibly uneven. It’s a game full of extremes, where great, well-thought-out solutions are interspersed with ideas that are outright bad or suffer from poor execution. The latest Gears game offers a spectacular, almost cinematic adventure, accompanied by superb graphics and an incredible, dark atmosphere. Unfortunately, behind all of this lies, well, a terrible story and poorly written characters. Moving on, on the one hand, we have beautiful, detailed locations; on the other, however, we have tedious exploration and places that, despite their polished appearance, are completely forgettable. The same goes for the gameplay, which can be a lot of fun but at the same time grows tiresome due to its repetitiveness and, at times, is downright frustrating because of its uneven difficulty.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is a shot in the arm for the franchise. It pushes the franchise while returning to its roots and finding what is core to the heart of the series.
Gears of War: E-Day is more than just an attempt to revive past glories or recreate previous successes; it is a heartfelt tribute to the fans that lives up to their expectations. A cinematic and tactical experience that brings together all the right elements, cementing the franchise’s place among the best shooters of this generation and successfully marking the rebirth of a legendary combat saga.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is a must-play title because it recaptures the essence of the series while introducing significant improvements to its formula. Its campaign is the perfect way to experience E-Day firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of how the relationship between Marcus and Dom began to take shape, all set in a world brimming with detail and in constant flux. It may feel a bit repetitive at times, but beyond that, this is a game that proves that going back to the roots doesn’t have to mean getting stuck in nostalgia.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is exactly the prequel the franchise needed. The Coalition harks back to the horror, the tension and the brutal action of the first games. But they’ve tweaked the gameplay with smarter enemies and more verticality. The story surrounding Emergence Day also delivers a wealth of emotion, whilst Kalona emerges as one of the most impressive locations the franchise has ever seen. At its core, it remains good old Gears, but this E-Day is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most impressive Gears games ever. Full stop.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
E-Day is the Gears game newcomers and hardcore fans have been waiting for, with a spectacular city-wide collapse and real heart.
Gears of War: E-Day is a brutal, atmospheric return to form that reminds us why this franchise became legendary in the first place. It may not reinvent the formula, but its terrifying take on this war’s bitter beginning makes for one hell of a comeback.
Gears of War: E-Day delivers a powerful return to the franchise’s roots, combining intense combat with a darker, horror-inspired atmosphere and an emotional story about Marcus and Dom. The campaign offers satisfying gameplay, well-designed semi-open environments, and impressive visuals, while its expanded movement mechanics modernize the classic formula. Although enemy variety is limited and some exploration elements become repetitive, The Coalition delivers a memorable adventure that captures what makes Gears of War so compelling.
Review in French | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is a bloody, confident return to the series’ roots, turning the city of Kalona itself into the real star while its human cast, caught in the shadow of a scene-stealing newcomer, never quite rises to the occasion.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is a solid prequel that gets a lot of things right. The characters, the combat, and the visuals all mesh together into a must-play adventure for any Gears of War fan, but it’s also an excellent starting point for those new to the series.
Gears of War: E-Day takes the things that made the original games so good, throws in some modern bells and whistles, and reminds us why this series became such a big deal in the first place.
Gears of War: E-Day feels less like another attempt to modernize Gears and more like a reminder of why the series became important in the first place. It keeps the heart of Marcus and Dom's relationship, brings back the fear of the Locust, and adds enough new ideas to make another trip through Sera worthwhile.
In the end, I believe that Gears of War: E-Day has largely succeeded in recapturing an important part of the series' spirit that we loved in the original trilogy, whether in terms of atmosphere, the feeling of combat, or that distinct character that defined the series in its early days. Although it is not the best game in the series, its true value lies not in merely being a return of the Gears of War franchise after an absence, but in its ability to bring back that feeling that made us love the series in the first place, and reminding us of what made Gears games special and beloved by players from the very beginning.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is an extraordinary production and a powerful return to a world I have loved since that time when I finished the first Gears in that arcade place. Its characters, atmosphere, and collapsing city stayed with me, even when its combat outlasted my enthusiasm. Fans who still love that rhythm will find plenty to celebrate. I came away wishing it had pushed further, but also deeply impressed by how much care went into bringing this nightmare to life.
The way it masterfully tells the story of Emergence Day with its devastation and destruction, watching as the city of Kalona gradually becomes more war-torn was amazing. It was also amazing to have Marcus and Dom back in action again without it feeling like nostalgia bait, and the character development of Mags and Lucas was well paced and meaningful. While I do have a few nitpicks here and there, and I would have liked to see more Versus launch content, there aren’t many AAA games giving this much content with this much quality.
An atmospheric, beautifully optimized return to the series’ roots, E-Day pairs a memorable Emergence Day story with satisfying co-op, detailed environments, and excellent PC performance. Its familiar cover-based combat still hits hard, but bullet-sponge enemies, an underwhelming arsenal, and unreliable squad AI hold the campaign back. Even so, it’s a strong prequel and an easy recommendation for Gears fans—especially through Game Pass.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day takes the franchise back to its roots with a brutal, emotional and spectacular experience that reminds us why the Locust War remains one of gaming’s most memorable conflicts.
Review in Spanish | Read full review