I played two missions of Gears of War: E-Day's campaign: One rocked, but the other did not

I recently tested the E-Day campaign for Gears of War, and while one mission was excellent, the other did not quite meet expectations. The first half of the demo showcased linear, spectacular moments typical of the series, while the second half attempted a move toward an open-world experience in Kolona City. Both missions were enjoyable, but I now believe that Gears of War excels when it remains on a linear track.

The demo began with Bravo Squad preparing for evacuation, and the crew's goal was to lower a bridge leading out of the city. The level design proved ideal for a Gears mission, featuring waves of Locust drones and a hive of enemies that required players to cross the bridge. The Coalition's Breechshot rifle was a standout feature, offering a versatile weapon option between the Lancer and Longshot sniper rifle.

Later, players were given a map and an open section of Kolona to explore, with optional objectives scattered throughout the city. While exploring the city streets provided some neat moments, it felt like a linear mission had been stretched out for no clear reason, with encounters often optional and accompanied by squadmate chatter that felt less engaging.

Overall, my impression of E-Day is that its traditional linear missions will be its strongest aspect, and I am curious to see how much open-world content will be integrated into the full campaign.