Gears of War: E-Day Reviews
I had a great time with Gears of War: E-Day, even when the campaign started showing its unpolished edges. The combat is still incredibly satisfying, and the free-roam sections gave me some of my favorite moments; it gave me more time with characters I ended up caring about more than I expected to. That made the campaign's weaker points stand out more, though, with the repetition and occasional technical issues becoming egregious at times. Neither was enough to sour the experience fully. I finished it satisfied, thinking I probably could have used a little less Locust shooting, which is about as Gears of War a problem as you can have.
With enhanced graphics, 'Gears of War: E-Day' successfully implements the heavy and metalic combat characteristic of the series and effectively portrays the horrors of Emergence Day. However, the monotonous game structure and repetitive combat patterns leave a tedious impression in the second half, and the boss fights also become drawn-out battles in later chapters. While it is a welcome title for fans, it is difficult to strongly recommend to newcomers.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is the best game The Coalition made! As it was an exceptional experience and one of the strongest (and the boldest) in the franchise's history, while staying true to its core identity. The game delivered a rich story filled with emotions, heartbreaking moments, and excellent environmental storytelling. Alongside interesting dynamic encounters, masterful weapon and gear handling, and refined movement and gameplay mechanics. All of this blends with top-tier visual effects, exceptional animation quality, stunning graphics, and an expressive, powerful soundtrack. It is truly the greatest third-person action game of all time and the undisputed ruler of the genre.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Playing Gears of War: E-Day felt like playing the original trilogy on the Xbox 360, not in a technical sense, but in the feeling of being back in this world. Getting a new adventure with Marcus and Dom is a real treat, and the story surrounding them is incredible.
Gears of War: E-Day feels like the return to Gears that we’ve all been waiting for, bringing back the brutal cover-based combat, dark atmosphere and Locust while still adding enough new ideas to move the series forward. The story of younger Marcus and Dom hit harder than I expected.
The story mode of "Gears of War: E-Day" is a challenging yet exhilarating experience and undoubtedly ranks among the highlights of the series.
Review in German | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day brings back the series’ brutality from a more human perspective, placing Marcus and Dom at the heart of Emergence Day. The Coalition returns to the beginning while expanding the formula through exploration, upgrades and less restrictive areas, without losing the core identity that defines Gears of War.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ultimately, Gears of War: E-Day is an enjoyable campaign wrapped inside an exceptionally impressive technical package. It is a pleasure to look at, the combat remains satisfying, and the return of Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago is exactly what many longtime fans wanted. Unfortunately, the forced DEI character writing, unnecessary social commentary, excessive dialogue, questionable level-design decisions, technical stuttering, and underwhelming ending prevent E-Day from becoming the definitive Gears experience I was hoping for after such a long wait when it comes to it's single player campaign portion.
Gears of War: E-Day is set during Emergence Day, fourteen years before the events of the original Gears of War, as Marcus and Dom, along with a host of other Gears, face off against the first wave of Locust. They’ll have to fight and survive against the unknown as they scramble to save civilians scattered throughout the city. Gears of War: E-Day is a third person action shooter where players will be able to use a myriad of weapons to take the fight up to the Locust. Returning players will notice that The Coalition have made a few tweaks in terms of controls. Given that our protagonists are younger, their movement is a bit more nimble. Running has been delegated to pressing the left joystick instead of holding A. Marcus and company can now jump and climb up reasonably high surfaces. There’s also a useful slide mechanic to dodge enemy projectiles.
Kalona is the real star of «Gears of War: E-Day», transforming so dramatically throughout the campaign that it feels like the game's main character. The story and characters are less memorable, but the weighty, satisfying gunplay and improved movement make for a solid «Gears» experience. It gets repetitive, but fans of the series should feel right at home.
Review in German | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is not simply the return of a historic franchise, but its definitive consecration in the modern gaming era. The Coalition has pulled off a courageous and surgical feat, stripping away the unnecessary bloat accumulated over the years to return the series to its purest, most ruthless, and visceral essence. The single-player campaign, clocking in at nearly twenty hours, stands as one of the finest narrative achievements in the action genre. It flawlessly blends intimate human drama with a cinematic spectacle of enormous proportions, all supported by an Unreal Engine 5 technical showcase that sets new standards for the entire industry. Coupling this majestic adventure with an incredibly fluid and entertaining multiplayer suite (despite the natural need for fresh content in the short term) and a Horde mode that is deeper and more customizable than ever, the result is an absolute masterpiece. In a 2026 already packed with outstanding releases, E-Day stands tall as one of the best games of the year, rightfully claiming the title of the best shooter of 2026 and finally giving fans back the true Gears of War they have been dreaming of for far too long. The war for survival on Sera has only just begun.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day shines by showing off humanity’s perseverance. Every new character stands out, never overshadowed by the legacy of Marcus or Dom.
Gears of War: E-Day delivers arguably the series’ strongest campaign, combining mature, restrained storytelling with the return of Marcus Fenix’s charismatic presence. Already among the franchise’s finest entries, it could become a serious Game of the Year contender if its content-rich multiplayer matches the campaign’s quality. Regardless, Xbox players should not miss this outstanding return to form.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day not only revives one of Xbox's greatest franchises, but also manages to restore much of the identity that seemed to have been lost in its last two installments. The Coalition understands what made the original trilogy special: the brutality of war, the depth of its characters, an oppressive atmosphere, and spectacular action that doesn't have to sacrifice emotion
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day marks the return of Marcus and Dom in an excellent campaign, with renewed gameplay, impressive graphics, and a few issues that don’t overshadow the game’s major achievements. One of the best Xbox titles of this generation, worthy of all the attention.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Following Marcus and Dom on Emergence Day is an action-packed rollercoaster ride. Gears of War: E-Day shines on the PC with stunning graphics and addictive combat, with the weapon customisation adding an extra touch. Unfortunately, the pace drops off in the final third of the campaign, let down by a dull ending and an uninspired boss.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
E-Day succeeds in telling the story of Emergence Day in a gripping, desperate, and most importantly, fun way. The culmination of 20 years as a franchise, refining everything the series is into a must-play XBOX title that takes you on a gloriously brutal, emotionally-satisfying, and epic, cinematic adventure.
Gears of War: E-Day does not disappoint; the story starts strong and only gets better. For players who have experienced the previous entries in the franchise, there are plenty of easter eggs scattered throughout. Any graphic and audio-related glitches I ran into were very minor and did not detract from the experience overall. For me, this game is in the running for my Game of the Year.
'Gears of War: E-Day' returns to the series' starting point, Emergence Day, bringing back its darkest atmosphere yet and the core appeal of Gears. If you've been missing the explosive, hard-hitting battlefields of the original trilogy, 'Gears of War: E-Day' is sure to be a satisfying choice.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day marks a return to the series’ roots, without, however, feeling like a typical “reimagining” of the past. The Coalition took the core elements that made Gears of War special and rebuilt them masterfully, into a satisfying game that isn’t groundbreaking or the best shooter you’ve ever played, but is certainly capable of entertaining fans of the genre.