Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic -88 average -89% recommended - 31 reviews
MetaCritic - 89/100 - Based on 15 Reviews
OpenCritic -88 average -89% recommended - 31 reviews
MetaCritic - 89/100 - Based on 15 Reviews
Critic Reviews
A Gaming Network - Marcel Dee - 9 / 10Gears of War: E-Day delivers a visually stunning and emotionally intense campaign that captures the chaos of Emergence Day. With brutal combat, organic exploration, strong side content, and some of the best visuals Xbox has delivered in years, it deserves serious Game of the Year consideration, even if the Marcus and Dom connection could have been stronger.
Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 9 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day feels like the first true Coalition Gears of War game. It's a shift away from Gears 4 and Gears 5, and it feels like the game the studio genuinely wanted to make, capturing what made the original trilogy special while finally pushing the series forward in its own way. They've taken the horror, brutality, brotherhood, and incredible gunplay that defined those games and used them as the foundation for something more modern. Expanded movement gives combat more freedom, while perks and modifications add another layer of experimentation, and the larger environments make Emergence Day feel like a genuine catastrophe happening around you.
Gears of War: E-Day is incredible. Despite a handful of frustrations keeping it from perfection, it's one of the best games I've played this year.
DayOne - Jesse Norris - 10 / 10
The Coalition have elevated the franchise to new heights, crafting an engaging, brutal and surprisingly intimate campaign that’s full of smart gameplay mechanics and wonderful surprises. It’s the best Gears has ever felt to play, and the best it’s ever looked and sounded on the big screen. Gears of War: E-Day? It's a fucking masterpiece.
Echo Boomer - David Fialho - Portuguese - No Recommendation
Gears of War E-Day may have the best gameplay the series has ever delivered, but between bullet-sponge enemies, co-op-focused design and a story with little to say, this may well be the weakest Gears campaign to date.
GRYOnline.pl - Zbigniew Woźnicki - Polish - 8 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day successfully fulfils its mission of returning to the roots of the series, whilst offering noticeable improvements over all previous instalments and reminding us once again of the horror of the Locusts. Unfortunately, it also suffers from issues with pacing and enemy AI, while pushing Marcus into the background in favour of a new character. Nevertheless, this dynamic, emotional and extremely brutal shooter should appeal to fans of the series – and many others as well.
GameBlast - Alexandre Galvão - Portuguese - 8.5 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day returns to the series' roots with an intense, well-executed campaign and refined combat. It plays it safe rather than innovating, but it's an easy recommendation for veterans and newcomers alike.
GameOnly - Michał Marasek - Polish - 7.5 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day’s campaign is a real emotional rollercoaster when it comes to gameplay, but a major disappointment in terms of its story. No wonder Marcus Fenix wasn’t the focus of the game’s marketing.
Gameliner - Bram Noteboom - Dutch - Unscored
The Gears of War: E-Day campaign is a true blockbuster, but it doesn't necessarily come without a fight. (review in progress)
Nexus Hub - Sam Aberdeen - 9 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day is firing on almost every cylinder - a fantastic back to basics prequel that makes the Locust Horde scary again while delivering weighty, brutal gameplay that keeps you hooked.
Oyungezer Online - Engin Vural - Turkish - 8.5 / 10
It's definitely a step in the right direction for the franchise. With its story, the way it's presented, and the gameplay, a solid GoW game is waiting for us. They've kindly reminded us once again why we love this series. We can easily overlook a few minor flaws.
PPE.pl - Wojciech Gruszczyk - Polish - 9 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day marks a brilliant return for one of Xbox’s most iconic franchises, allowing players to experience E-Day and witness the beginning of Marcus and Dom’s story from a completely new perspective. The Coalition isn’t revolutionising the familiar formula, but in a way it’s building on it – improving mobility, shooting and exploration, offering a varied campaign, and in the process showcasing the immense capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. It’s a modern Gears game that never forgets its roots.
Pizza Fria - Lucas Soares - Portuguese - 8.5 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day is a good shooter and an excellent introduction to this universe for those who, like me, have spent years following the franchise only from the outside. There's a long, very well-produced campaign, visually impressive, and one that probably gains another dynamic when shared with friends.
RageQuit.GR - Giorgos Dempegiotis - 85%
Gears of War: E-Day marks a return to the series’ roots, without, however, feeling like a typical “reimagining” of the past. The Coalition took the core elements that made Gears of War special and rebuilt them masterfully, into a satisfying game that isn’t groundbreaking or the best shooter you’ve ever played, but is certainly capable of entertaining fans of the genre.
Rectify Gaming - Will "FncWill" Hogeweide - 9 / 10
The longest Gears of War Campaign succeeds in entertaining gameplay, intriguing open world chapters with side objectives, and plenty of content to enjoy. The Campaign embraces co-op like no other game does these days and you could argue it's one of the best games that we have witnessed in the series.
E-Day understands that Gears of War has always been about more than shooting monsters. It is about the people standing beside you while you do it. Whether that person is sitting beside you on the couch in split screen, joining you online from across the country, or simply standing beside Marcus as an AI companion, E-Day constantly comes back to the idea that surviving this world is easier when you never fight alone.
Region Free - Joonatan Itkonen - 4 / 5
Gears of War: E-Day combines everything Gears fans love about the series into an overwhelming and immensely earnest celebration that stands proudly alongside the original trilogy.
SavePoint Gaming - Jake Su - 8.5 / 10
Gears of War: E-Day modernises the series without losing its trademark weight, pairing brutal combat and meaningful weapon customisation with strong character work, smart exploration and only a handful of frustrating solo-play shortcomings.
Saving Content - Scott Ellison II - 4 / 5
Even in a silo, Gears of War: E-Day delivers a rollercoaster of action and emotion that ranks alongside the series’ best campaigns. The Coalition grounds the global devastation of Emergence Day in a deeply human story, letting players watch Marcus and Dom’s friendship forge into an unbreakable brotherhood. It retains the franchise’s signature brutality while completely reinvigorating the moment-to-moment combat. While the narrative plays it safe compared to the tragic finality of Halo: Reach, it sticks the landing and beautifully sets the stage for a new trilogy. Gears of War: E-Day serves as the perfect entry point for newcomers, and explores the devastating, series-haunting history veterans have waited twenty years to experience.
VIDEO REVIEWS
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