Gears of War: E-Day Reviews
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 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
Gears of War: E-Day delivers arguably the franchise's finest, most atmospheric campaign, brilliantly balancing pulse-pounding action with genuine horror roots. By pairing breathtaking Series X visuals and refined combat with a deeply emotional return to Marcus and Dom, The Coalition has delivered a masterclass prequel that restores complete faith in Xbox's future. A triumph from start to finish.
Gears of War: E-Day is a brutal and visually spectacular return to the series, combining incredibly satisfying gunplay, excellent audiovisual feedback, oppressive atmosphere, and strong environmental storytelling with some genuinely effective horror elements. Its larger areas occasionally dilute the campaign’s pacing, enemy AI can be inconsistent, and a few encounters frustrate more than they challenge, but the relentless action and polished presentation make this one of the year’s biggest surprises. Jsem Gamer
Review in Czech | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is a fantastic experience from beginning to end, regardless of whether you are a fan of the series or not. The storytelling is deeply compelling thanks to the great cast of characters and aptly bleak tone. The gameplay is brought together by satisfying combat and gorgeous visuals. Despite the frame drops, if this is the quality fans and newcomers can expect from Gears of War going forward, then the future of the franchise is bright.
I love the linear segments of E-Day, they deliver on rioting action and awesome set-pieces. This gets derailed by the dull open zones in the map and some to spongy enemies. But the highs outweigh the lows for sure.
Review in German | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day understands perfectly that going back to the past doesn't mean living on nostalgia alone. The Coalition uses characters, enemies and elements that any fan recognizes right away, but places them in a completely different moment. One where the Locust are still terrifying and where Marcus Fenix is not yet the practically indestructible soldier we all know.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is an excellent-feeling third-person shooter. It's gorgeous, runs well (even in split-screen), and is a ton of fun when it focuses on firefights. It lacks an interesting take on being both a prequel and an invasion day story mechanically, slipping back into classic Gears a little too quickly. The open zone levels are dull, checklist-filled areas that create unnecessary downtime. Multiplayer is sharp and well executed, but also doesn't rise above being more Gears. Horde Siege takes on the faults of the open campaign levels and becomes too focused on meta upgrades, losing sight of having fun in the current match, not the next one. It's well-crafted, but ultimately feels at its best when it's trying the least.
Gears of War: E-Day is, as expected, a real treat, both in single-player and in co-op mode for 2 to 4 players.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Gears of War E-Day achieves exactly what it set out to do: breathe new life into a legendary franchise without betraying its essence, while giving it something new to say. It does so with an opening act that hits like a punch, technical prowess that sets new standards for the generation, and gameplay that’s finally more in-depth, blending verticality with loadout customization. The only real drawbacks lie in an open world that’s still a work in progress and exploration that’s too guided, which dampen the sense of discovery but don’t undermine the beating heart of the experience. The result is an exceptionally solid game that will satisfy the hardcore community and throw open the door to newcomers; by the time the credits roll, you’re left with the feeling that The Coalition and People Can Fly have rebuilt an excellent foundation from which to move forward. It remains to be seen where the series will go from here, and to find out, it will likely take another two or three years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is arguably one of the best Gears games in the decorated franchise, portraying Emergence Day as both terrifying and spectacular, capturing humanity's darkest moment through unforgettable set pieces, emotional stakes, and a renewed focus on Marcus and Dom's brotherhood. While the narrative occasionally treads predictable ground, the game's exceptional presentation, stunning visuals, and atmospheric depiction make for a compelling campaign from start to finish.
E‑Day is the good old Gears we know, but pushed to its peak. With the best gameplay in the series, an atmospheric story, and an excellent Horde Siege mode, this is the return to form the franchise has been waiting for.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day pulls off a feat that seemed impossible: looking back without missing a beat, delivering a prequel of the highest quality.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day doesn’t try to be anything else. It’s the same old formula, but executed with confidence and solidity. The campaign is intense from start to finish, finds room for moments of terror that remind us just how frightening the Locust can be, and provides more context for the relationship between Marcus and Dom. New features, such as the open-world sections and the customisation of weapons, armour and abilities, add to the experience without detracting from its essence. And with Horde, Multiplayer and co-op campaign with open lobbies, the package guarantees hours of gameplay long after the final credits roll. Those looking for a revolution in the genre won’t find it here. But for those seeking Gears of War at its best, look no further.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Gears of War: E-Day is just fun comfort food to go back to shooter-wise; like a village hometown dish you grew up with back again in your mouth after years of abstaining. The best kind of beef rendang and hearty rice combo if we're talking literal Malaysian comfort food.