After 2 Hours, Gears of War: E-Day's Campaign Goes BRRRR In All the Right Ways | Preview

Upon diving into the beginning of Act 2 of Gears of War: E-Day's campaign, I found myself immersed in all the aspects I adore about the series. Weapon and combat mechanics have been polished through the introduction of the weapon mod system. Gears 5's open-world elements have been streamlined into a more manageable multi-path downtown area, featuring optional secondary objectives and numerous hidden collectibles.

As a lifelong fan of the Gears of War franchise, I must admit that I wasn't as thrilled as I expected to be after the campaign reveal at the Xbox Showcase. However, after playing the early parts of Act 2, my excitement turned into pure joy within minutes.

In the one-hour preview, covering Act 2's early parts, I experienced a delightful mix of what I love about Gears of War, such as Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago, engaging story cutscenes, a blend of old and new weapons (including a signature firearm's origin story), evolved gameplay mechanics, killer setpieces, new Marcus Fenix one-liners, subtle references to beloved characters, and the memorable "Nice" moment from the demo complete screen.

It's clear that The Coalition achieved their goal of delivering the reaction they wanted from me, leaving me eager to continue playing. Now, not only am I more enthusiastic about completing Gears of War: E-Day's prequel story, but I'm also confident that the game strikes the perfect balance of familiar and compelling new content.

The game picks up with Marcus and Dom in civilian clothes, armed with Mark-1 Lancers, alongside fellow COG soldiers Carter and Reyes. They arrive at a makeshift command center with the mayor of Kolona, presumably rescued from Act 1. COG officer Colonel Trench confronts the heroes about the situation and orders them to put on armor. The moment arrives when Awesome Moment #1 unfolds: Marcus and Dom suit up in their familiar COG gear, flanked by Carter and Reyes in the newly christened Bravo Squad.