The last time we played a new mainline Gears of War game was in 2019, which feels like a lifetime ago. In that time, The Coalition has been working on Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel story to the original Gears of War games. Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, returning to the spotlight after serving as hosts of the original trilogy, may seem like developer The Coalition was waving the white flag in trying to innovate the franchise following the split surrounding Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, but once you play the campaign, it’s evident that the studio hardly rested on its laurels. Gears of War: E-Day tells the story of perhaps the most pivotal event in the Gears of War universe. Following the conclusion of the Pendulum Wars, Marcus and Dom are in the city of Kalona when the ground shakes and opens to reveal the Locust horde. Watching civilians run futilely for their lives as the Locusts tear them apart adds an immediate horror vibe to the overall tone. And even if you’re essentially a walking soldier, that vibe never diminishes. Watching the city of Kalona fall in real time as humanity’s every Hail Mary attempt is thwarted by the invading force establishes the Locusts as a true threat. Even as an armored and armed-to-the-teeth COG, an overwhelming sense of helplessness colors the entire experience; No matter how many waves of enemies you take down, there is no end in sight and no salvation for humanity. The action scenes are impressive and frequent; A sequence on an airstrip stands out as one of my favorite shootouts of this decade, while some less curated areas involving traversing the streets of Kalona city break up the non-stop action with minor exploration elements and side missions. Most of the campaign takes place in central Kalona, and when you’re out on the streets, you’re free to make your way as directly or indirectly as you see fit. I couldn’t help but stop and help the stranded platoons or look for nearby collectibles. Uncovering difficult cases became my favorite side activity as they reward your weapon mods. I did my best to collect as many mods as I could for each individual weapon in the game; Playing with the arsenal to suit my play style became my favorite pastime between gunfights. Breaking through the relentless hordes is as fun and intense as ever. Whether I was blasting enemies to pieces with my Lancer, picking them off from afar with my Hammerburst, or melting them with an acid-exploding Incinerator, I actively sought out even the optional conflicts. But you don’t just fight standard larvae; Gears of War: E-Day features so many special mini-bosses that can completely upend your best-laid strategies at any moment, that you’re almost trained to expect the unexpected. Fortunately, you can use new tactical abilities, such as a healing injection or an enemy-marking drone, as well as new traversal and cover mechanics to level the playing field. And even if they stop following you out of nowhere, occasionally get in your way and shout one-liners, you’ll always have your squad of four with you even when playing alone; If you are downed, a squadmate can revive you a limited number of times per conflict. Those squadmates are compelling components of the overall narrative. Marcus and Dom are dealing with the loss of Carlos, Dom’s brother and Marcus’s best friend. Mags is a strong-willed former soldier who reluctantly finds himself drawn into the fray when the Locusts attack. The weak link is Lucas, a newly enlisted soldier who tells random facts and likes to follow the COG manual. For much of the story, Lucas is underdeveloped, but a late story involving the rookie really elevated him to stand shoulder to shoulder with Marcus, Dom, and Mags; I just wish it happened sooner. The Gears of War: E-Day campaign is one of my favorites of 2026. The characters, action, and story come together in something I won’t soon forget, thanks in large part to The Coalition’s clever use of Kalona. Unfortunately, the multiplayer servers weren’t up before the embargo was lifted, but if I enjoy the PvP and PvE modes on offer so much, Gears of War: E-Day could easily jump to the top of my list of favorite games in the series.
