I‘ll admit to being skeptical when it was first announced, but after the latest Xbox Games Showcase, there’s no two ways about it – Gears of War: E-Day looks fantastic. It’s out on October 6th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, with pre-orders now available. And yes, you read that right – no PS5 version. XBOX is pivoting back to console exclusives, at least on a case-by-case basis.
But that’s a discussion for another time. For now, here’s what you should know before pre-ordering E-Day, starting with one of the more surprising reveals…
Story Set-up
For a long time, Marcus and Dominic have been best friends – brothers, almost inseparable, through the good times and the bad. However, as it turns out, Carlos, Dom’s older brother, was closest to Marcus at first. Following his sacrifice in the Battle of Asphos Fields, Marcus and Dom have been somewhat distant, but E-Day will show how they grow close.
Returning to Urban Warfare
The one line that stood out to me throughout the entire E-Day Direct and cemented that this prequel is the best idea yet: “Gears plays best in a city, and Kalona is the ultimate battlefield.” The tightness of the streets, interspersed with destroyed vehicles and buildings, is sometimes broken up by more open spaces, leading to all kinds of encounters. For all intents and purposes, this is a return to the urban warfare that made the first game so memorable.
Kalona’s Districts and Character
E-Day’s story unfolds in a single city this time around. No traipsing across the world and different regions, or going underground (that we know of), which also makes Kalona the most detailed city in the series yet with multiple layers, leading to more verticality and varied districts, whether it’s the nostalgia and architecture of the Historic Center to the more modern Downtown. It’s both setting and spectator to what’s essentially a prolonged street fight, and Bravo Squad has front-row seats.
Bravo Squad
It wouldn’t quite be a Gears of War game without the squad, so joining Marcus and Dom are two new characters: Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes. The former is a Gears veteran who’s seen some things and is thrust back into the line of duty, while the latter is a fresh recruit – eager to prove himself, but also having seen nothing quite like the Locust invasion. The dynamic of all four evolves as the story progresses through its three-phase campaign, with shock and awe turning to outright desperation.
Low-Ground Cover, Sliding and Jumping
The cover system is another mandatory component of a Gears game. Cover is love, cover is life, and E-Day is taking that to an interesting new level with low-ground cover. Marcus can essentially lie low against such places, popping out for over-the-shoulder precision. It may not seem like much, but it opens up a whole new range of positioning decisions, and ensures more complex environments that feel more realistic than before. In addition to this, you can now slide from a sprint, ducking under vehicles like trucks to get the drop on enemies and – step aside, Laufey – Marcus can jump too. It seems more context-sensitive, really coming into play during certain places, but it still opens up your options significantly, whether it’s hopping into an abandoned truck or crossing gaps to shotgun some unsuspecting Drone.
New Locust Enemies
Despite never being classified as a horror game, the original Gears of War had that unmistakable atmosphere. Besides creating overwhelming odds and stressful situations, E-Day is bringing that back by making the Locust scarier than ever. It’s encapsulated in the cutscene where Marcus is slowly choked out by a Drone, unable to do anything, and saved at the very last second. Of course, there are also new Locust enemies, including that giant creature with chains that’s rampaging around, and you’ll even see Bravo Squad’s nicknames for each type becoming the actual names as the campaign rolls on.
Incinerator and Gut Puncher
Lest you thought it was all Lancers, Gnashers and Longshots, Gears of War: E-Day introduces new armaments to spice things up, starting with the Incinerator. Carrying Imulsion rounds, it burns through Locust with each shot (and even has an axe on the handle for close encounters). Then there’s the Gut Puncher, an armor-piercing grenade launcher that offers two modes: Rapid fire for your usual widespread explosive destruction or manual detonation, which can be triggered by holding the trigger after firing. It’s likely other weapons will be revealed over time, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store.
Optional Objectives
Despite the emphasis on urban warfare and the first game’s look and feel, The Coalition hasn’t completely abandoned the optional objectives of Gears 5. While traveling through Kalona, you might happen upon survivors in a building or a squad readying for an ambush. You can provide assistance or ignore them entirely. The choice is yours.
60 FPS Campaign, 120 FPS Multiplayer
So how will all of this play out in terms of performance? The Coalition says the campaign will run at 60 frames per second with hardware ray-tracing, while multiplayer runs at 120 FPS. It didn’t get into specifics on whether the latter applies in all modes or only Versus (which looks to be the case), but all that visual fidelity in the campaign, running at 60 FPS, feels right for this franchise.
Overhauled Destruction and Fully Dynamic Ray-Traced Lighting
You know what else feels right? The destruction. Oh, the destruction. Bullets realistically breaking glass in the supermarket, cover crumbling under heavy fire, entire buildings collapsing – it’s a sight to behold. All of this is supported by native HDR10, Ultra HD resolution visuals, and fully dynamic ray-traced lighting for the most immersive experience.
Revamped Facial Animations
But that’s not all – even the facial animation system has seen a massive upgrade. Over 350 facial shapes for each character’s head ensure a range of complex emotions, and in terms of detail, there’s more in Marcus’s eyelashes than the very first game’s character model from the Xbox 360 era. We’ve certainly come a long way in 20 years.
Versus Returns
Versus is back with its 4v4 format and new maps set throughout the various districts in Kalona. There are new modes, but The Coalition is remaining tight-lipped on what they could offer. For now, you can expect the classic map design of the series with its symmetrical locations and fresh kill opportunities courtesy of the new mechanics.
2-Player Split-Screen and 4-Player Online Co-op
Yet another staple of the older titles that’s making a very welcome return in E-Day is split-screen co-op, where you can experience the entire campaign alongside a friend (and hopefully, that applies to PC as well, unlike Reloaded). For larger groups, there’s online co-op for up to four players, with each controlling a Bravo Squad member.
Horde Siege
But the pinnacle of the social experience is arguably Horde Siege, a revamped version of the iconic PvE mode, where up to 12 players split into three squads fight together. It sounds insane, especially since you’ll be fighting across “larger city maps” in what’s described as a “bigger, more connected scale.” I’m curious – giddy, even – about how everything we’ve seen thus far – the destruction, the movement, and the new weapons – will add to the chaos.
Premium Edition Benefits
The Standard Edition will cost $69.99 and nets you the base game, while the $99.99 Premium Edition offers up to five days of advanced access, so you can start playing on October 1st. It also includes five Seasonal Customization Packs, with the Emergence Pack available at launch, but the seasonal roadmap – which has yet to be detailed – promises a lot of content, with almost all of it earnable by completing challenges and events.
