Gears of War: E-Day Campaign Review: A Triumphant Return to Form

Our review-in-progress of Gears of War: E-Day's campaign praises its detailed city, intense cover shooting, and emotional story, but notes melee combat feels soft. Multiplayer review coming later.

Ever wondered what it'd be like to witness the end of the world through the eyes of Marcus Fenix? Gears of War: E-Day drops you right into the chaos of Emergence Day, and based on our review-in-progress of the campaign, it's a return to form that fans have been waiting for.

The game launches under a dark cloud, with developer The Coalition hit by more Xbox layoffs. But the campaign itself is a triumph—a big-screen action ode that restores Gears to the cutting edge of third-person shooters. You can play it solo or with up to four players, and it's a ride worth taking.

Set in the industrial city of Kalona, the campaign builds a world in excruciating detail, only to tear it down around you. Gothic streets, dockyards, and military forts set the stage as Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago ditch a military ceremony for drinks—just as the earth cracks open and Locust hordes spill out. The horror is awfully believable, with civilians slaughtered and sinkholes laying waste to the city. You'll link up with fellow Gears Carter and Reyes, fighting a desperate defense.

What makes E-Day stand out is its unflinching focus on Kalona's destruction. The camera rarely leaves Fenix, grounding every firefight in a city you grow to know. One setpiece, Legacy Bridge, is revisited multiple times, and with the full-throttle pacing, it feels like lifetimes have passed between visits. It's reminiscent of Halo 3: ODST's New Mombasa—you ache for the world that was. The bleak tone complements Gears' larger-than-life action and personalities, and even the load-bearing use of the word "fucker" adds to the story. In quieter moments, bravado is stripped back to explore grief, trauma, and humanity. The fact that you can go long stretches without a shootout in a Gears game speaks volumes.

But make no mistake: this is an action game first. E-Day is the best cover shooter since the series' Xbox 360 heyday. An adaptive cover system means nearly anything can be used—car bonnets, concrete corners, even shin-high rubble—making Kalona feel like a city, not a level. The Locust are smart, pressing advantages with twitchy crawlers and well-armed Drones that flank rather than charge. Unique enemies, like acid-spitting toad-creatures and "floating ballsacks" that rain fire, are deployed sparingly, making each encounter an 'oh shit' moment.

Weapon variety is excellent. Precision and brute force are equally viable, and limited ammo forces you to adapt. You might grow attached to the Gnasher shotgun, especially with mods like slug rounds that let you pop Drone heads from meters away. The Longshot sniper can be transformed with an over-the-shoulder reticle and a headshot-reload mod. The iconic Lancer returns, but melee feels a little soft and weightless. Still, with so many impactful mods and weapons, you'll struggle to pick favorites.

Our full review will come once multiplayer is online. For now, the campaign alone is a triumph. Will you be picking this up? Let us know in the comments!