The Coalition’s upcoming prequel,Gears of War: E-Day, will see players return to the beginning of the Locust War and once again embody the dynamic duo of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. While The Coalition is taking a riskby makingGears of War: E-Daya prequel instead ofGears of War 6, having the series’ classic protagonists return could help ensure the game’s success compared to other Xbox prequels. UnlikeHalo: Reach, the most prominent prequel in theHaloseries,Gears of War: E-Daymay achieve a wider appeal, especially with longtime Gears fans who have long sought to see more of Marcus and Dom in action.
Halo: Reach’s Prequel Pitfalls Explained
When Bungie completedthe originalHalotrilogywithHalo 3in 2007, they were still contractually required to produce two moreHalogames for Microsoft. This ultimately resulted inHalo 3: ODSTandHalo: Reach, the latter originally being conceived asHalo 4with a returning Master Chief as the lead. However, Bungie sought to go full circle with their lastHalotitle and have the game reflect elements ofHalo: Combat Evolvedwhile showcasing the devastation of the Covenant War on humanity firsthand. Instead of having Master Chief be the lead, Bungie had the players themselves be the protagonists in the form of the customizable Noble 6 alongside the charismatic squad of Spartan 2s and 3s, Noble Team.
DespiteHalo: Reachreceiving mostly positive reviews, many fans were still upset over various aspects of the game, especially with it being Bungie’s lastHalotitle. Many players were frustrated by the return of health packs and the disappearance of features such as dual-wielding, which madeReach’s gameplay feel a step back instead of a step forward for the latestHalogame. Additionally, many players were upset over the lack of Master Chief and felt they couldn’t connect with Noble Team during their limited time in the campaign, though the opposite is also true. Others expressed frustration with howHalo: Reachconflicted with prior established canon, particularly with the bookHalo: The Fall of Reachby Eric Nylund.
BesidesHalo: Reach, only one otherHalogame is set before the Battle of Installation 04, that beingHalo Wars.
Gears of War: E-Day’s Potential Prequel Success
Gears of War: E-Daymay still be years away from release, but The Coalition has a lot of opportunities to ensure thatE-Daybecomes a well-rounded success instead of a controversial entry in the franchise.E-Dayisn’t the first prequel in the series, being preceded bythe Baird-ledGears of War: Judgmentand the turn-basedGears Tactics. Both of these games had their fair share of strengths and flaws, with most criticism being towards both games’ stories and gameplay, but The Coalition could build off these experiences to craftE-Dayinto a fine prequel journey through Sera’s past.
Instead of focusing entirely on new characters likeReachandTacticsor side characters with Baird and Cole inJudgment,E-Daywill remain true to the series' core protagonists, which may entice more players to try the game than if it starred a lesser-known cast. While this could narrowGears of War’s story and leave other mysteries and features of Sera unknown,theGears of Warseries has always focused on the Fenix familyand their relationship with the people around them. In that sense,E-Daykeeps with the series’ mainline tradition of focusing on conflicts through Fenix’s eyes, whether that be with the veteran Marcus or his son JD in the Swarm Invasion.
Gear of War: E-Day’s Prequel Gameplay
Typically, most prequel video games play somewhat differently from their present-day counterparts as weapons, vehicles, and other equipment typically change or increase in quality over the years. That was one reason why health packs were brought back inReach, as the Mjolnir Mark 6 armor shields weren’t introduced yet in the timeline.E-Daymay play slightly differently than otherGearsgames, though that may be primarily due toGears of War: E-Day’s new focus on horrorrather than simply being a prequel. However, some classic franchise elements are expected to not appear early in the game, such as the chainsaw lancer as that weapon wasn’t popularized until 14 years after E-Day.
Gears of War: E-Day
WHERE TO PLAY
The Story of E-DayFourteen years before Gears of War, war heroes Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago return home to face a new nightmare: the Locust Horde. These subterranean monsters, grotesque and relentless, erupt from below, laying siege on humanity itself. New FoundationsBuilt from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5, Gears of War: E-Day delivers unprecedented graphical fidelity.
