Info about Gears of War: E-Day: Official game description: PRE-ORDER ========= Pre-order Gears of War: E-Day to get early access to the Gears of War: E-Day Open Beta and unlock the Exfil Dom Character Skin and the Exfil Weapon Skin Set in-game at launch.\* PREMIUM EDITION =============== EDITION COMPARISONS =================== About the Game ============== **Emergence Begins** -------------------- Experience the horror and brutality of Emergence Day. Fourteen years before the original Gears of War, join Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in a gripping origin-story campaign as the Locust Horde first erupt from below, igniting a desperate fight for survival. Rally your squad and fight on in multiplayer with a reimagination of Gears’ iconic PvE mode, Horde Siege, or go head-to-head with a refined Versus PvP.\* Built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, Gears of War: E-Day delivers the most immersive Gears yet. **The Story of E-Day** ---------------------- Fight through the chaos of Emergence Day in a gripping origin story campaign. Battle alone or rally up to four players online across Campaign, Horde Siege, and Versus.\* **Horde Siege PvE – Back and Bigger Than Ever** ----------------------------------------------- Survive a city under siege in an evolved take on Gears’ iconic co-op wave survival mode built for larger maps, more players, and bigger battles. Choose your class - Assault, Marksman, Medic, or Breacher - then drop in as a 4-player squad to fight back the Locust. Team up with multiple squads to conquer shared objectives and take down world bosses. Survive to earn rewards, unlock customization and improve your loadout for the next match. **Versus Returns – Refined and Focused PvP** -------------------------------------------- Battle across all-new maps and refined fan-favorite 4v4 modes. Choose your level of competition. Lock in and climb the ranks in Ranked or jump into Social playlists for a more relaxed match. Modernized controls and movement make combat feel more fluid while retaining Gears’ signature cover-based feel. Jump, vault, slide, and flank with intent. **A Terrifying Threat from Below**  ----------------------------------- A darker, grittier tone and reimagined enemies restore fear and dread to the series. Atmosphere and detail are pushed further than ever. The world feels more grounded, believable, and dangerous. Familiar enemies are more threatening, joined by all-new creatures and villains that reestablish a true sense of horror. **Feels Like Gears. Plays Like New.** ------------------------------------- Iconic cover‑based combat returns, enhanced with modernized movement and traversal that add freedom and verticality. Fan‑favorite weapons return and are reimagined, alongside all‑new weapons built for brutal, close‑quarters combat. **Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5** ------------------------------ A new technical foundation for Gears. Built for modern performance with 4K resolution and up to 60FPS across Campaign and Multiplayer.\* **Optimized to Customize** -------------------------- Enjoy a great experience on any setup with smooth performance across a wide range of hardware, with borderless/exclusive/windowed display modes, uncapped frame rates on capable hardware, ultrawide support (21:9 and 32:9) for gameplay and menus, and KBM/controller remapping.\* **Advanced Performance & Graphics\*** ------------------------------------- Play in crisp 4K Ultra HD with HDR10 and hardware ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows. Push performance further with PC features including NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR “Redstone,” optional Frame Generation and Multi Frame Generation on supported hardware, Variable Rate Shading, and a built-in benchmark mode. **Handheld-Ready & Cross-Platform Play** ---------------------------------------- Fully optimized for handheld play on Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, and Xbox Ally devices. Optional account linking lets you carry progress with roaming saves, connect with friends, and send cross-platform invites – then squad up in 2-4 player online co-op or jump into competitive multiplayer for up to 8 players across supported platforms. **\*Important Information** --------------------------- **Pre-Order Offer:** valid with pre-orders made before October 6, 2026 (7:59 am PT) except early access to the Open Beta requires pre-order before the end of the Open Beta early access period (expected to be from August 6-10, 2026; dates may vary by platform and subscription). At participating retailers while supplies last. Pre-order benefits may require redemption of a single-use code. Consult your retailer for details. Limit: 1 offer per person/account. **4K, Ultrawide, HDR, Uncapped, 60FPS & Advanced Graphics:** requires compatible, capable hardware and display. Game requires initial download. May require future updates (additional storage may be required). All downloads and updates require significant storage and broadband internet connection (ISP fees apply). You must accept the Microsoft Services Agreement. May require additional hardware and subscriptions. Content, features, services, online play (if applicable), and support not available in all regions and may vary, change, or terminate. Microsoft Account required. WARNING: Some people may experience a seizure when exposed to flashing lights or patterns in video games. Release date: Oct 6, 2026 Categories: Third-Person Shooter, Cover Shooter, Cooperative Multiplayer, Horde Shooter, Competitive Multiplayer, Campaign, Character Progression, Weapon Customization Feature scans: - MTX: score 30; verdict: Standard Monetization; summary: The reviews confirm a real-money storefront with cosmetic weapon skins, purchase packs, an 'iron' currency, and purchasable DLC characters. At the same time, players explicitly report no pay-to-win and describe the microtransactions as not extreme. The evidence supports standard cosmetic-focused monetization rather than predatory gacha, loot boxes, or power sales. - Proton/Linux: score 45; verdict: Mostly works with Steam Deck performance caveats; summary: Linux/Proton evidence is mixed but leans workable. Direct reports say the game runs smoothly under Proton with FSR4 and smoothly on SteamOS. At the same time, Steam Deck-specific feedback notes poor performance and playability, including one report that it is still far from playable. No anti-cheat, launcher, DRM, or tinkering blockers are described in the relevant Linux/Proton evidence. - Steam Deck: score 78; verdict: Broken on Steam Deck - high friction; summary: User feedback for this UE5 title on Steam Deck and SteamOS is dominated by stability and optimization failures. The most impactful themes are frequent crashes and hard freezes (including co-op host disconnects), shader compilation that reruns on every boot and can take over ten minutes, and an anti-cheat token renewal that fails on a fixed 2-3 hour interval and freezes the game while cutting GPU utilization. Direct Steam Deck impressions describe the game as still far from playable, with UE5 optimization cited as the root cause; the campaign is also always-online. On the positive side, several users confirm it runs smoothly under Proton/SteamOS with FSR4 on capable desktop hardware, showing the compatibility layer works and the blockers are anti-cheat and performance rather than launcher or Proton tweaks. Per the scoring criteria, the presence of frequent crashes and anti-cheat errors places this firmly in the broken tier. - Hardware Profile: - Summary: Performance varies widely by cohort: Linux/Proton and some high-VRAM Windows systems run well, but many Windows configurations report crashes, freezes, stutters, and optimization issues, especially with 8-11GB VRAM and 16-31GB RAM. - Sample size: 460 (35% coverage) - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM. - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (mixed, 204 reports): Reports are split between smooth high-FPS play after patches and frequent crashes or instability, with open areas noted as more demanding and better with Frame Generation. - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (negative, 90 reports): This cohort mostly reports stutters, CPU bottlenecks, hard freezes, and frequent crashes, with even recommended reviews noting the game needs optimization fixes. - Windows 16GB+ VRAM / 32GB+ RAM (mixed, 57 reports): Many users report excellent visuals and smooth 100 FPS performance with DLSS and Frame Generation, but crashes, memory leaks, periodic freezes, and forced frame generation remain significant complaints. - Windows <8GB VRAM (mixed, 54 reports): Some players report surprisingly stable 60 FPS and good optimization on older hardware, while others still encounter frequent crashes, freezes, shader/load-in problems, and audio bugs. - Windows 16GB+ VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (negative, 47 reports): Even on high-end GPUs, this cohort reports poor optimization, stutters, load-in lag, random freezes, and crashes, with only occasional smooth high-FPS reports. - Linux / Proton 16GB+ VRAM (positive, 5 reports): Linux/Proton users mostly report excellent, butter-smooth performance at 4K, with only an isolated first-start crash and one complaint about repeated shader compilation. - Caveats: 460 of 1314 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM. Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $30.00 - $50.00 - Reasoning: The positive reviews show some players believe the game merits a standard paid purchase, with comments like 'worth every cent' and 'worth it.' However, the price-focused negative reviews explicitly reject $100 and $69-$99 price tags as too high and repeatedly advise waiting for a sale or using Game Pass. This pattern places the community's fair base-game value below premium $70-$100 pricing, clustering around a mid-range base price of roughly $30-$50 USD. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 19.0h - Story completion: 12.5h - Session length: 7.0h - Endgame: 40.0h - Reasoning: One review directly states a 100% run took about 19 hours, supporting gameCompletion = 19. The same review states main story plus side content took roughly 10–15 hours, so storyCompletion is set to the midpoint 12.5. A session report says the first play session lasted 7 hours without stopping, supporting sessionLength = 7. Another review reports about 40 hours in Horde Siege during the beta, supporting endgame = 40. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Broadly, players report fun from the start, especially in campaign, co-op, and early Act 1, with the first hour explicitly called jaw-dropping or amazing. Multiplayer and Horde draw vocal criticism and technical friction, so the immediate hook is strongest for campaign and co-op players rather than a universal PvP-first experience. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: First hour / early act 1 gameplay - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: Shader compilation/loading creates an early delay.; PVP is sweaty/intense and not for all players.; New movement controls require adjustment.; Bugs and technical issues remain.; Campaign travel between fights can feel slower than the combat.; Co-op free-roam can teleport players back if they stray too far. - Unlock drivers: Helpful tutorial for new jump/climb/mantle controls.; Casual bot matches and co-op online modes provide XP/progression.; Playing with friends/co-op improves the experience.; New Horde Siege mode won over initial skepticism.; Campaign and early Act 1 provide an immediate hook. - Conditions: Buying mainly for single-player/co-op campaign increases likelihood of immediate enjoyment.; Buying mainly for multiplayer may require waiting for fuller assessments.; Tolerance for sweaty PvP affects enjoyment.; Playing with friends or co-op changes the experience.; Hardware performance and shader compilation affect early access.; Campaign pacing preferences affect enjoyment.; Prior attachment to Marcus and Dom affects story appeal.; Whether friends join multiplayer determines value for some. - Player Archetypes: - Gears Franchise Veteran (buy) - Motivation: Nostalgia and seeing the series return to its classic Gears identity after uneven recent entries. - Playstyle: Compares E-Day against older Gears titles, plays campaign and multiplayer modes, and expects classic Gears pacing, modes, and tone. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: long time Gears fans - Reference games: Gears 1; Gears 2; Gears 3 - Competitive PvP Sweat (buy) - Motivation: Competitive multiplayer mastery, ranked play, and the familiar sweaty Gears PvP rhythm. - Playstyle: Plays aggressive, movement-heavy 5v5 PvP, cares about ranked, map design, and shotgunning duels. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Ranked Player - Reference games: N/A - Co-op Horde/PvE Grinder (buy) - Motivation: Cooperative PvE progression, earning cosmetics and weapon parts, and enjoying Horde Siege with friends or solo. - Playstyle: Focuses on Horde Siege and PvE, often solo or with one friend, grinding progression and unlocking free cosmetics. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Gears 3; Gears 5 - Newcomer/Modern Shooter Fan (buy) - Motivation: Accessible modernized Gears action, casual co-op, and a fresh online multiplayer experience. - Playstyle: Starts with campaign or casual co-op, may use mouse and keyboard, and looks for a familiar shooter feel without prior Gears history. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Space Marine 2; Helldivers 2; DOOM; Halo Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Game praised as fun and beautiful (weight 0.28): Players frequently describe the game as fun, beautiful, and visually incredible. Many highlight the gameplay mechanics as really fun and the overall experience as a banger. - Stunning and impressive visuals (weight 0.2): Visuals are repeatedly called stunning, graphically impressive, and top tier. Animations and scenarios look amazing, contributing to a visually great experience. - Solid gameplay and smooth handling (weight 0.17): Reviewers find the gameplay good, smooth, and solid overall. The handling feels good, and many are enjoying the game so far. - Return to form for Gears series (weight 0.16): Fans consider this a good return to form, with some calling it the best Gears since Gears of War 3. The return to the 'Gears of War' title is appreciated. - Feels like classic Gears of War (weight 0.16): The game captures the old Gears feeling while modernizing gameplay. Many say it feels like a proper Gears of War game and a return to form. - Beautiful and vibrant graphics (weight 0.16): Graphics are frequently praised as beautiful, vibrant, and eye-popping. Many reviewers highlight the wonderful and very good visual quality. - Horde Siege mode is fun (weight 0.16): The Horde Siege mode is described as pretty fun, a lot of fun, and peak fun. Players enjoy the strong co-op feel and entertaining gameplay. - Awesome campaign experience (weight 0.14): The campaign is called fantastic, gorgeous, and really enjoyable. Many find it impressive and excellent, making it a highlight of the game. - Amazing Horde mode (weight 0.13): Horde mode is described as amazing, cool, and the best it has ever been. Players are having an absolute blast and find it thoroughly enjoyable. - Well-told and entertaining story (weight 0.11): The story is phenomenally well done, really good, and entertaining. Reviewers praise the storytelling as great and well told. - Multiplayer feels classic and good (weight 0.11): Multiplayer feels like the original and is well done, not disappointing. It feels really good, better than the beta, and is considered good overall. - Fun and open campaign (weight 0.09): The campaign is pretty fun, really good, and thoroughly enjoyable. Some note it feels open, adding to the experience. - Fun and competitive Versus mode (weight 0.09): Versus mode is very fun and intense as always, still a blast. It remains fun and competitive, with players calling it strong. - Brutal and heavy combat (weight 0.09): Combat is described as brutal, heavy, and punchy with gore. The fast-paced combat and sheer brutality are on overdrive, enhancing the experience. - Renewed but familiar gameplay (weight 0.07): Gameplay is new while still feeling right, familiar but subtly renewed. It balances innovation with the classic feel. Common complaints: - Performance and Optimization Issues (weight 0.3): Many players experience poor performance and frame rate drops regardless of graphics settings, even on low settings. The game requires significant optimization improvements to run smoothly. - Voiceover Language Restrictions (weight 0.21): Voiceover language is tied to the text language, preventing players from selecting English voice acting separately or changing voiceover without changing the entire language setting. - Versus Mode Matchmaking Issues (weight 0.14): Versus mode lacks proper matchmaking options and ranked mode, with only a quick play list available. Players cannot search for specific game modes, leading to a poor multiplayer experience. - Poor AI Teammates (weight 0.12): AI teammates in solo campaign and Horde mode are criticized for being dumb, unhelpful, and often getting stuck or failing to revive quickly. This significantly detracts from the solo experience. - Unmemorable Campaign (weight 0.12): The campaign is considered not as epic as previous Gears of War titles and lacks memorable moments, failing to live up to the series' standards. - Numerous Bugs and Glitches (weight 0.11): Players report an overwhelming number of bugs and glitches throughout the game, affecting various aspects of gameplay and stability. - Horde Mode Downgrade (weight 0.1): The new Horde mode is considered a downgrade from previous versions, feeling slower and less enjoyable. It is seen as needing significant work to match the original experience. - Forced Ray Tracing and Driver Updates (weight 0.09): The game forces ray tracing to be enabled and prompts a graphics driver update on launch, which players find intrusive and problematic. - Clunky Movement and Controls (weight 0.09): Movement feels clunky, especially when jumping over cover, sliding, and transitioning. Keyboard and mouse controls are also reported as atrocious. - Weapon Balance Issues (weight 0.08): The Lancer is underpowered and does little damage, while the Gnasher has poor aiming and out-of-control range, leading to unbalanced gameplay. - Missing Features and Modes (weight 0.08): Private matches, grenade tagging, and separate language settings are missing. These omissions limit player choice and customization. - Audio Problems (weight 0.08): Sound is buggy, muffled, or described as 'like playing in a trash can', indicating significant audio quality issues. - Steam Initialization Error (weight 0.07): Some players encounter a 'Steam is not running or failed to initialize' error upon launching the game, preventing them from playing. - General UX Clunkiness (weight 0.05): Some user experience elements are not as smooth as the rest of the game, making gameplay feel clunkier and less precise in places. Gameplay feedback: - Campaign and Multiplayer Modes (weight 0.33): The game includes both a story campaign and multiplayer components. Campaign can be played solo or cooperatively, while multiplayer offers competitive and cooperative experiences. - Horde Mode Variants Available (weight 0.25): A Horde mode is present, with some references to a classic Horde mode possibly missing. It allows different squads to assist each other and includes buildables, AI teammates, and objectives. - Four-Player Cooperative Campaign (weight 0.17): The campaign supports co-op play for up to four players, including online co-op and playing with friends. This is a key feature for team-based gameplay. - Horde Siege PvE Mode (weight 0.17): A specific PvE mode called Horde Siege is included, where teammates can leave and be replaced by AI. It features maps, customization options for builds and playstyles, and large maps with boss fights. - Semi-Open-World Campaign Areas (weight 0.11): The campaign includes semi-open-world areas with repeating zones. This structure allows for exploration within the story missions. - Versus Mode with Bots (weight 0.09): The game features a versus mode, including a versus bots mode with difficulty settings. Versus multiplayer is part of the game. - Multiple Game Modes Included (weight 0.09): Beyond the campaign and Horde Siege, the game includes other modes such as Versus and PvP. It offers a variety of gameplay experiences. - Classic Weapons Present (weight 0.07): The game includes classic weapons such as the Gnasher shotgun, Lancer rifle, and sawed-off shotgun. These are iconic to the franchise. - Locust Enemies (weight 0.07): Combat against Locust hordes is a core element, with Locust enemies present. This aligns with the series' traditional antagonists. - PvP and PvE Modes (weight 0.07): The game includes both PvP and PvE modes, offering competitive and cooperative gameplay. It is described as a PvP game by some. - Campaign with Acts (weight 0.07): The campaign is divided into acts, providing a structured narrative. It is a central part of the game. - Third-Person Shooter Mechanics (weight 0.07): The game is a third-person shooter with movement, gunplay, and map traversal. These mechanics define the core gameplay. - Solo Play on Insane Difficulty (weight 0.07): The campaign can be played solo on Insane difficulty, with AI companions available. This option caters to players who prefer a challenging solo experience. - Main and Side Objectives (weight 0.07): The game features main objectives and side objectives, adding depth to the campaign. This includes secondary missions. - Lancer Chainsaw Weapon (weight 0.07): The Lancer assault rifle features a chainsaw bayonet, a signature weapon. This includes the chainsaw attachment. - New Movement and Mechanics (weight 0.07): The game introduces a new movement system, control scheme, and other new mechanics. These changes aim to refresh the gameplay. - Boss Fights Require Strategy (weight 0.07): Boss fights are present and require strategic approaches. They are a challenging aspect of the game. Performance notes: - Frequent crashes reported (weight 0.31): Many players report constant crashing across different hardware and game modes. Issues include random crashes, crashes during campaign, versus, and horde siege, and crashes after a few hours of play. - Mixed optimization feedback (weight 0.28): Opinions on optimization are split: some find the game well-optimized and smooth, while others report poor performance and stutters. Performance varies widely depending on hardware and settings. - Variable performance across hardware (weight 0.26): Performance varies greatly depending on hardware: some achieve high FPS at 1440p or 4K, while others struggle even on high-end rigs. Specific configurations yield a wide range of results. - Freezing requires restart (weight 0.17): Players experience intermittent freezing that forces a game restart. Freezes occur after set playtime, during cutscenes, or randomly every 10-25 minutes. - FPS drops and stutters (weight 0.16): Sudden FPS drops and hard stutters are common, even on capable systems and low settings. Drops can be severe, such as from 200 to 40 FPS or 80 to 7 FPS. - Poor performance on low settings (weight 0.12): Several players report that the game runs poorly even on the lowest graphics settings, sometimes with DLSS enabled. Rendering problems and low FPS persist despite reducing settings. - Launch and driver issues (weight 0.1): Some players encounter launch errors related to Steam not running or initialization failures. Others are forced to update graphics drivers to boot the game. - Shader compilation takes long (weight 0.09): Initial shader compilation takes an excessively long time, often around 10 minutes, delaying players from starting the game. - UE5 demanding on hardware (weight 0.08): Players note that Unreal Engine 5 is very demanding, causing poor optimization on older computers. However, some report it runs well on UE5. - High CPU usage noted (weight 0.05): CPU usage is reported to be brutal, indicating potential optimization issues with processor utilization. Recommendations: - Strong recommend for Gears fans (weight 0.31): Many reviewers say any Gears of War fan or third-person shooter fan will love this game and should not miss it. These recommendations are enthusiastic and tie enjoyment directly to the franchise. - Buy it, easy recommendation (weight 0.28): A large number of brief review comments simply say to buy the game or highly recommend it with no serious reservations. These are concise, enthusiastic endorsements. - Great entry point for newcomers (weight 0.19): Reviewers repeatedly call this a good gateway for players new to the Gears of War universe. It is recommended for those trying the series for the first time and for sampling the shooter portion. - Nostalgic return to roots (weight 0.15): Longtime fans describe the game as a return to the good old days and a throwback to the original trilogy. Nostalgia for Gears of War 1 and 2 is a recurring reason for recommending it. - Refund and do not buy (weight 0.14): A notable group of reviewers explicitly say do not buy, refund the game, or instantly refund it. These are strong negative purchase recommendations, sometimes tied to performance or value concerns. - PC optimization and hardware advice (weight 0.13): PC players mention the need for optimization but call it a solid experience with replayability. Others advise checking current reports for your hardware or using DLSS and Frame Gen for better performance. - Wait for sale or Game Pass (weight 0.12): Some reviewers recommend waiting until the game is cheaper, on sale, or available through Game Pass. Others advise against paying full price, suggesting a 10-euro price point or Game Pass level value. - Positive but with caveats (weight 0.11): Several reviewers give qualified praise, noting annoying issues or initial problems but still finding the game worthwhile. The experience is described as solid and worth playing despite the drawbacks. - Franchise fan disservice not to play (weight 0.11): Some reviewers strongly assert that skipping this game would be doing yourself a disservice if you like Gears. The tone implies it is essential for fans of the franchise. - Game modes and multiplayer variety (weight 0.1): Reviewers appreciate the variety of game modes and playstyles, recommending versus mode and mixed PvP and PvE. The game is described as good for quick action or long sessions. - Story and campaign praised (weight 0.09): Reviewers highlight the story, detail, and single-player or co-op experience as major strengths. Some say the story alone makes the game worth playing or recommend it specifically for its campaign. Other player notes: - Favorable comparison to classic Gears (weight 0.31): Many reviewers compare the game favorably to Gears of War 1, 2, and 3, often calling it the best since Gears 3. Some consider it on par with the original trilogy or even superior. - Improvement over Gears 4 and 5 (weight 0.13): Several reviewers state the game is a huge improvement over Gears 4 and 5, describing it as miles better. The story is seen as a step up from those entries. - Prequel covering E-Day (weight 0.11): The game is a prequel to the original Gears of War series, telling the origins of E-Day. This event is a defining moment in the Gears universe. - Early access availability (weight 0.08): Reviewers mention that the game was available in early access and that they purchased the early access version. This indicates a phased release. - Movement system compared to Gears (weight 0.05): Reviewers compare the movement system to Gears 1 and note that Gears 5 has better movement. This suggests the movement may feel dated or less refined. - Not better than original trilogy (weight 0.05): Some reviewers state the game is not better than the original trilogy. They compare it to the classics but find it lacking. - Less epic than Gears 1 and 2 (weight 0.05): Some reviewers find the game less epic when compared to Gears 1 and 2. They consider it a lesser entry in the series. - Less customization than Gears 5 (weight 0.05): Reviewers note that Gears 5 offers more customization options than this game. However, the game is still considered better than Gears 5 overall by some. - Premium edition season passes (weight 0.05): The premium edition grants 5 season passes and bonuses, but they must be claimed manually in the in-game store. This process is noted by reviewers. - Compared to Halo Reach (weight 0.05): The reviewer compares this game to Halo Reach, describing it as that game but for Gears of War. This suggests it serves a similar role in the franchise. - Runs well on high-end hardware (weight 0.05): The game runs great on a 5070 laptop and on RTX 5070ti with i9 and 32GB RAM. Performance is praised on these configurations. - In-game store present (weight 0.04): The game has an in-game store and shop available at launch. This is a standard feature for modern games. - Multiplayer beta held (weight 0.04): A beta period for the multiplayer was held. Reviewers describe participating in this beta. - Japanese voice acting returns (weight 0.04): The game features Japanese voice-over with the original Japanese cast. This is a positive for fans of the Japanese dub. - Request for more Gears on Steam (weight 0.04): Reviewers request that future Gears of War installments also release on Steam. They also ask for Gears 2-4 and Judgement to be brought to Steam. - Chinese version lacks English voice (weight 0.04): The Chinese version of the game forces Chinese voice-over and does not offer a separate English voice option. This is a complaint for some players. - Developed by The Coalition (weight 0.04): The game was developed by The Coalition. This is noted by reviewers as a point of information. Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.22): Players are frustrated by frequent crashes, freezes, and poor optimization that often prevent them from progressing or completing matches. Many also cite bugs in Horde Siege, bad AI teammates, forced language and control settings, and technical issues that persist despite patches. - Disappointment (weight 0.14): Disappointment stems from missing features such as private lobbies, classic game modes, and customization options, as well as a campaign that feels unmemorable and unfaithful to the series. Poor optimization, technical problems, and a lack of expected content make the game feel unfinished and overpriced. - Excitement (weight 0.13): Excitement is driven by the return of classic Gears elements like dark tones, gore, and familiar characters, along with new gameplay mechanics and modes. Players praise the fun campaign, engaging Horde mode, and enjoyable multiplayer, feeling that the franchise is back in top form. - Satisfaction (weight 0.12): Satisfaction comes from smooth performance, solid gameplay, and a return to the series' roots with satisfying combat and a compelling story. Many players feel the game meets or exceeds expectations, especially after past disappointments, and runs well on their systems. - Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment is attributed to fun gameplay, engaging campaign and multiplayer modes, and strong atmosphere. Players have a great time with friends in Horde Siege and PvP, and appreciate the new mechanics and cooperative experience. - Nostalgia (weight 0.04): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's return to classic Gears atmosphere, characters, and gameplay, reminding players of earlier titles and their gaming memories. Elements like Marcus and Dom, the original cast, and familiar mechanics bring back feelings of the series' glory days. - Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance is caused by poorly written characters, technical issues like sound bugs and crashes, and forced language settings. Players also dislike microtransactions, repetitive side objectives, and AI teammates that feel useless or disruptive. - Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation focuses on the developers' efforts to listen to the community, provide unlockables without extra cost, and return to a darker, grittier tone. Players value the game's horror elements, accessible story, and combat that feels rewarding and faithful to the series. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed at the game's stunning visuals, art design, and technical achievements like real-time rendering and UE5 Megalights. Players consider it a high-quality reboot with unmatched environment design and visceral effects. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is fueled by smooth performance, excellent movement and shooting mechanics, and smart enemy AI. The game is seen as a return to form with a strong prequel concept, gore horror roots, and the return of iconic characters. - Love (weight 0.02): Love is expressed for the Gears franchise, the game's visuals and gameplay, and the horror-like atmosphere. Players enjoy fighting as a Gear again, the campaign, and new mechanics, feeling a deep connection to the series. - Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed by crisp movement, fluid gameplay, and high-quality campaign. The visuals, attention to detail, and E-Day atmosphere stand out, with graphics, blood effects, and cutscenes described as jaw-dropping. - Relief (weight 0.01): Relief comes from experiencing no crashes or broken issues, or from crashes being reduced after troubleshooting. Players are also relieved that initial concerns about movement and sound bugs were alleviated, and that the franchise may have been saved by a quality prequel. - Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is centered on future improvements such as patches to fix crashes, potential private lobbies, and narrative development. Players look forward to more Gears games and hope the developers continue to support the title. - Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is driven by the return of a beloved childhood franchise, with classic elements like drones and grenadiers back. Players enjoy the multiplayer and feel the game stays true to the series, especially with the return of Dom and nostalgic characters. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is caused by terrible performance and campaign, inability to choose game modes, and lack of regional server settings. Players are also frustrated by clunky movement, audio issues, crashes, and forced narrative elements. - Awe (weight 0.01): Awe is inspired by beautiful graphics, epic endings, and phenomenal art design, sound, and gore. Players are struck by the visual fidelity and brutal combat, especially on high-end displays. - Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom arises from repetitive Horde mode and a campaign that feels like chores, with little variation and depth. Players find Siege mode dull and dynamic missions lacking, leading to a sense of tedium. - Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt by those who bought early access, paid a high price for a technically flawed game, or did not enjoy the campaign they primarily purchased the game for. The numerous technical issues compound the feeling of wasted money. - Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is expressed toward forced voice-over language binding, a perceived forced DEI narrative, and preachy characters. Some also find the opening cringeworthy and the price tag unjustified.}