The first Gears of War: E-Day reviews are in, and the prequel is landing well with critics. The game sits at 88 on Metacritic and 87 on OpenCritic ahead of its October 6 launch on Xbox Series X/S and Windows, with early access already live for Premium Edition pre-orders. Here is what reviewers liked, where they pushed back, and what you should know before you jump in.
What Critics Are Saying
Scores so far range from solid to excellent. IGN gave the game a 9/10, GamingBolt also landed on 9/10, Voxel scored it 90/100, and VGC went with 4 out of 5. GameSpot was the cooler voice at 7/10.
Reviewers repeatedly point to the combat. GamingBolt praised "some of the tightest combat and one of the series' most excellently paced campaigns," and several outlets describe the game as a return to the fundamentals of the franchise.
Where the Reviews Push Back
The common complaints are narrow but consistent. Critics found the open-world style segments dull and said they interrupt the pacing of the campaign. Boss encounters also drew criticism for being uninteresting.
GameSpot called the story disappointing, and VGC noted that the campaign leans toward action over narrative depth, which limits how much development Marcus and Dom get. The general read is that E-Day refines the formula rather than reinventing it.
What to Know Before You Play
E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the original game, on Emergence Day in the industrial city of Kalona, when the Locust Horde first invaded Sera. It is developed by The Coalition and People Can Fly and published by Xbox Game Studios.
Key Details
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S and Windows, with Play Anywhere cross-progression
- Game Pass: Available at launch
- Cast: John DiMaggio as a younger Marcus Fenix and Carlos Ferro as a younger Dominic Santiago, plus squad members Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes
- Co-op: 4-player online or 2-player split-screen campaign
- Multiplayer: Competitive 4v4 and a 12-player Horde Siege mode
- Tech: Built on Unreal Engine 5 with ray-traced graphics
Gears of War: E-Day looks like a confident return to form, with great combat held back mostly by pacing and story complaints. The real test will be the multiplayer modes once the wider player base arrives on October 6.
