The last time we played through a new mainline Gears of War game was 2019, which feels like a lifetime ago. In that time, The Coalition has been churning away at Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel story to the original Gears of War games. Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago stepping back into the spotlight after serving as the anchors for the original trilogy may feel like developer The Coalition waving the white flag on trying to innovate on the franchise following the division surrounding Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, but once you play through the campaign, it's apparent the studio hardly rested on its laurels.

Gears of War: E-Day tells the story of perhaps the most pivotal event in the Gears of War universe. Following the conclusion of the Pendulum Wars, Marcus and Dom are in the city of Kalona when the ground shakes and opens to reveal the Locust horde. Watching civilians futilely run for their lives as Locusts rip them apart adds an immediate horror vibe to the overall tone.…