Gears of War E-Day is the standout game from the Xbox Games Showcase. With countless titles at the event, the Microsoft-owned studio decided to end the presentation with its well-known third-person shooter.
Emergency Day is an iconic war for the franchise because it kicks off the conflict humans have with the Locust Horde. Because the team is going back in time, a certain weapon from the series will not make an appearance but will have its origins revealed.
Gears of War Without What Gun?
Xbox Wire did an interview with Creative Director Matt Searcy and Brand Director Nicole Fawcette at The Coalition. The team has been working on the Gears of War series since Gears 4, was last seen in 2019 with Gears 5, and assisted with 2020’s Gears Tactics.
In the discussion, the studio has been quiet on purpose to figure out where to take the franchise next. While the story in Gears 5 is not yet finished, The Coalition wanted to bring players back to where it all started: Emergency Day.
The words the team used to describe the series were the same ones fans would use too: brotherhood, brutality, pathos, and awe. Searcy said Emergency Day is where all of that comes together, where the Gears universe is at its heart.
However, this is where going back in time may be detrimental for some players. The iconic weapon, the Chainsaw Lancer, does not exist at the start of Emergency Day but the game will show its origins at some point. Hence, Marcus Fenix is shown using a retro Lancer in the trailer.
No Chainsaw Lancer = Deal-breaker?
While players won’t start off with the iconic Gears of War weapon, this new game builds up to the events of the first game from 2006. Fawcette confirmed that we will see the origins of the Chainsaw Lancer alongside the beginnings of Marcus and Dom.
Chainsawing enemies is always one of the best parts of any Gears of War title, so it won’t be gone forever. God of War (2018) had the Leviathan Axe take center stage as opposed to the Blades of Chaos. Furthermore, the Energy Sword from Halo wasn’t usable for players until the second game.
It will be sad to not have the Chainsaw Lancer from the jump of Gears of War E-Day but let’s hope when it does appear, it’s another moment to share in Gears history.
The Retro Lancer is still a dope weapon to use with the bayonet impaling enemies as a one-shot kill, just like the chainsaw. As a prequel game, it’s re-entering old territory narratively but gameplay will take advantage of the new technology.
Starting 14 years before the first game, fans are very excited to jump back into the Gears universe, with Marcus and Dom taking center stage. Very young in their eventual veteran careers as Gears in the COG Army.
What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments what you think!
