Gears of War: E-Day – Preview
Crush the Locust properly!
After a relatively disappointing remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, which I generously gave a solid 7 in my review, as is my Xbox fanboy nature, I was absolutely convinced that things were once again going in the wrong direction for Microsoft. In the case of the Halo series, my impression remains the same: Halo Studios will run it into the ground. But when it comes to Gears of War, things are completely different.
For me, Gears of War isn't just a series of games. It's a religion, and I'm cultist number 1. It's undeniably my favourite franchise and I've replayed every title multiple times, both on PC and consoles — from Xbox 360 and Xbox One to Series S. I've collected the games, the books, and closely followed the franchise's evolution over the years, just as Darwin observed the Galapagos iguanas.
That's why, when Gears of War: E-Day was announced, I viewed the project with a mix of excitement and fear. Fear for the future of the series, which after CliffyB's departure became the problem child of the Xbox family – and like any rebellious teenager, it suffered under the pressure imposed by the Microsoft mums, while being protected by the Coalition dads. It remains to be seen if it manages to emancipate itself and reach maturity without lasting trauma.
Open Beta, you sapient!
I had the chance to play the Open Beta a few days before its official opening, thanks to a key slipped under the door. Yes, we have connections and backing from some shady bigwigs. Anyway, no need to flex, I honestly tell you that after the first few matches, I came to a rock-solid conclusion: Gears of War: E-Day is, at least in terms of PVE multiplayer, phenomenal. Insane. It absolutely slaps. It's one of the best multiplayer games I've ever played, and I say that without reservation.
One of the main attractions is the Horde Siege mode, an experience built around cooperation. Three squads of four human players fight AI-controlled enemies on a considerably sized map, and the map isn't just a static backdrop: the squads' actions influence the course of the match, and objectives follow one another at a pace that forces you to constantly pay attention to what your team is doing and what the others are up to in some blasted zone or another.
You have side missions, boss fights, and main objectives, such as securing and maintaining control of a sector. All of this creates the feeling of a constantly evolving battle, instead of a simple series of confrontations between teams and the Locust.
I unlocked almost everything that could be unlocked in the Open Beta and went well beyond the level needed for some rewards. I particularly liked the progression system, which I found fast and well-balanced. You don't feel like you have to spend hard-earned money to access content: everything unlocks through gameplay, just the way God intended.
Gears never fight alone
There's a reason the "Never fight alone" campaign concept works so well here, because in E-Day, cooperation isn't just a suggestion. It's a necessity.
I played both shorter Blitz-style matches and full battles, and I liked the latter an unhealthy amount. You have almost no moment to breathe easy. Something is constantly exploding near you, you have to move, attack, and at the same time defend yourself using the cover system that defined the series. Only E-Day adds a new dimension to this established formula.
Now you can jump and climb over certain environmental elements, and the combination of running, jumping, and sliding into cover makes battles much more dynamic. You no longer feel like you're trapped in a two-dimensional structure, where the only option is to move from one cover to another. In E-Day you have to be constantly on the move, in all directions.
If you stay in one place too long, the AI surrounds you with bloodlust. Enemies come from all directions, trying to push you into dead ends and forcing you to go directly through hordes of Locust to escape. With a Lancer that isn't performing too well in the beta, the Gnasher remains the main solution, along with grenades and automatic mortars.
At higher difficulty levels, the situation becomes even more complicated. Especially if you end up in a squad without chemistry, where if everyone tries to solo the map, you're not going to get far, mate. In Gears of War, "never fight alone" isn't just a slogan – it's an inviolable rule of survival.
You have to stay aware alongside your teammates, help out, heal, and not leave comrades isolated or blocked by enemies. In certain situations, you can get them out of trouble using extremely brutal melee attacks — exactly the kind of spectacular violence I expected from a true Gears of War.
Motorised and Furious
Graphically, the game is impressive, especially on PC. However, I played the Open Beta on Xbox Series S, where the technical compromises are a bit more visible. The console has to reduce graphical quality when you want a high frame rate, and in a game with E-Day's pace, a high frame rate is imperative.
When you're caught in a dramatic confrontation, where absolute violence is directly manifested, the last thing you want is for the game to slow down your experience. The battles are fast and intense enough that any slowdown can be your last. A common situation with Unreal Engine.
Funnily enough, it was precisely this intensity that made me return to the Open Beta again and again, like an obsessed maniac. E-Day seems correctly engineered, with decent performance even on the console that's as big as a Boomer emulsion canister.
I swear on the Octus Canon!
The Open Beta experience has greatly raised my expectations for the final version. I can't wait for the October release, because I'm convinced I'll spend hundreds of hours in multiplayer. At the same time, as a fanboy, I'm also eagerly anticipating the campaign.
After everything I've seen so far, I'm confident that The Coalition understands how important this project is. Gears of War: E-Day isn't just any title for the studio. It's an important piece – perhaps even the last – in the history of a team that took over the series from Epic Games and carried it forward as best they could. The stakes are colossal!
Honestly, right now it's the only game I'm eagerly anticipating. I've completely forgotten about GTA 6 and the other releases that should have interested me. Even the disappointment caused by Halo: Combat Evolved has started to seem sweeter.
Because, after stepping back into the world of COG vs. Locust, I remembered why I love this series with all my heart. E-Day is ultra-brutal, super-fast, fully cooperative, and unimaginably spectacular. But, more importantly than anything else, it understands what thoughtful progress and respect for the series' history mean.
And for me and for you, until the full release, that has to be enough.
Played on: Xbox Series S
Release date: 6 October 2026
Developer: The Coalition, People Can Fly
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
