Gears of War: E-Day is one of my most anticipated games of the year. I grew up with the franchise, and seeing the very first day when the Locust Horde invaded Sera and set the events of the series in motion will be a huge moment. There are some key details from the latest gameplay preview that are really unexpected, though. The first thing that was so shocking during the Xbox Games Showcase gameplay footage was seeing Marcus and Dom in normal clothes. After being used to them suiting up in armor for so long, it just felt wrong to see the duo in casual clothes.
That's a very minor complaint though. Marcus and Dom's wardrobe is superficial and doesn't really matter in the long run. However, there is one part of the game preview that is really a little worrying: Locust Horde i Gears of War: E-Day almost look a little too easy to kill, which is a direct contrast to how they were presented back in the day.
Gears of War: E-Day's Xbox Game Pass launch comes with a good problem
Gears of War: E-Day has Xbox Game Pass on its side, but that ease of access gives the series a tougher job than it might seem.
Fighting Gears of War: E-Day's Locust Horde hopefully doesn't feel as easy as it looks
Yes, Marcus and Dom are skilled soldiers, but this game takes place 14 years before the events of the first entry. They had never faced the Locusts before E-Day, so you'd think they weren't as good at fighting them. Despite this, Marcus cuts them down quite easily on first look at the game. There is no way to know for sure until Gears of War: E-DayThe release date is here and players can experience the game for themselves, but even the original creators of the series have pointed this out.
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Cliff Bleszinski expresses his concerns about Gears of War: E-Day
Shortly after Gears of War: E-Day got its Xbox Games Showcase spotlight, original Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski talked about how easy it looked to kill the Locust variants. He simply tweeted: “Those grasshoppers die very easily, just saying.” Bleszinski expanded on his point in other tweets by explaining that grasshoppers are defined by thick skin and strong armor that should make them difficult to take down. Even if the demo was played on an easier difficulty, it should still at least look like a fight.
Bleszinski has also had a lot of positive things to say about Gears of War: E-Dayalso. How easy the enemies seem to kill is really the only important note he's offered since the game was announced, but it's a note worth considering. Gears of War: E-DayThe Kalona environment is significant. The city was a major battlefield during E-Day, and the fear of the moment must be felt in the battle of the game. After years of hearing about how outrageous E-Day was, it would feel downright jarring if the Locusts felt more like obstacles on a shooting range than any real threat.
The Locust Horde being too easy to kill can make it feel disconnected from the rest of the franchise
This is one of the main reasons why enemy difficulty is so important. The coalition has a really challenging balance to achieve. On the one hand, Gears of War: E-Day has to feel different and distinct, because it's such a different version of Marcus and Dom that we're seeing. But on the other hand, there must also be aspects that feel deeply familiar, especially when it comes to the gameplay.
The Gears of War game has become one of the most notable action series in the industry. There will be plenty of newcomers to the series whose first Gear the game will be Gears of War: E-Daybut longtime fans already have expectations of what fighting Locusts should feel like.
After 20 years Gears of Warto lower the challenge of the Locust Horde in such an anticipated prequel would be a major disappointment that makes the series feel less consistent than it should. It wouldn't necessarily be a dealbreaker, but it would take some wind out of the game's sails. To really capture the atmosphere, Kalona's fall must really feel like a deeply dramatic life-or-death situation. Such an important moment in Gears of War franchise lore isn't easy to bring to life, and The Coalition's gameplay preview is hopefully just a reflection of the difficulty level used in the demo.
To reach a larger audience, Gears of War: E-Day's Combat could have been made more accessible
I want to make it clear that I'm definitely not against making a franchise game more accessible. Video games are meant to be fun, so a variety of difficulty levels is a great way to let people enjoy something amazing. Developers often play game demos while using easy mode. The Coalition has not confirmed that the Xbox Games Showcase demo was played on easy mode, but it is highly likely. However, it may have been the wrong decision in this case. If Gears of War: E-Days simple mode makes Locusts look like a walk in the park, so it might not have been the ideal way to get longtime players excited via the demo.
Despite Locust Horde concerns, Gears of War: E-Day still looks like a blast
To be clear, there's still a long list of reasons to be excited about this prequel. Not only is Gears of War: E-DayThe story length is expected to be the longest in the series, but it will also retain its status as an Xbox console exclusive. After Gears of War: Reloaded came to PS5 last year, there were many expectations that the prequel would also come to Sony's console. Thankfully, Xbox is backtracking on its plans to abandon the exclusivity. Gears of War and Xbox are deeply intertwined, so it's exciting that the game will still find its main home there.
Gears of War: E-Day looks great, but some important changes may take a second to get used to. As the launch date approaches, exactly how different the prequel will hopefully become clearer. Until then wait Gears of War: E-Day getting shorter every day.
