Gears of War: E-Day launched October 6 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it’s on Game Pass from day one. This prequel takes Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago back to Emergence Day, when the Locust first broke through the surface.
So how did it land? We rounded up the critics.
The scores
- Metacritic: 87 (“Generally Favorable”) from 73 critic reviews
- OpenCritic: ranked in the 98th percentile of all games it has scored
- IGN: 9/10
- GameSpot: 7/10
What critics loved
Almost everyone agrees on one point: Gears has never played better. Game Informer’s Brian Shea praised its “astonishing collection of shootouts.” Reviewers also highlighted:
- improved traversal
- new tactical abilities
- a deeper arsenal
Several reviews say E-Day goes back to the original trilogy’s horror-tinged tone, and at least one critic called it the best game in the series. The visuals, writing and performances also drew praise.
Where it stumbles
The pushback is mostly about the campaign’s structure:
- Mid-game pacing. TechRadar, despite liking the game overall, said the story drags in the middle because of its length. PC Gamer’s review-in-progress went further and called the campaign “a slog,” while still saying Gears has never felt better to play.
- Open areas and side content. GameSpot found the story disappointing and the open areas fairly dull. Another outlet scored it 7.4 and felt it was a step back from Gears 5 in places.
Multiplayer caveat
Most reviews covered only the campaign, because multiplayer wasn’t live during the review period. Day-one patch notes added co-op campaign and a Horde siege mode, so expect updated multiplayer verdicts over the coming weeks.
Pixelgamer verdict
If you’re on Game Pass, this is an easy recommendation. The moment-to-moment combat is the best the series has offered.
If you’re paying full price and you mainly care about story, just know the campaign has a saggy middle on the way to its high points.
Sources
- OpenCritic — Gears of War: E-Day
- Windows Central — E-Day review round-up
- PC Gamer — review in progress
- TechRadar — E-Day review
- Metacritic
Header image: Gears of War: E-Day © Xbox Game Studios
