Summary
It’s been almost five years since the lastGears of Wartitle hit Xbox, and thankfully, fans won’t have to wait too much longer to jump back into its dark military Sci-Fi world. Announced during the June Xbox Showcase,Gears of War: E-Daywill take players all the way back to the titularEmergence Day event, which predates everyGears of Warentry that’s been released so far.
Emergence Day is the first time the Locust Horde is sighted, and it’s probably the most pivotal event inGears of War’s timeline, with it marking the start of the Human-Locust War, the conflict that runs through the entire franchise. Being a prequel to everything that’s come before it,Gears of War: E-Dayis sure to feature a few differences from the series' other entries in terms of characters, story, and gameplay, and that could potentially include a new, “nerfed” version of protagonist Marcus Fenix.
Gears of War: E-Day Might Need to Feature a Weaker Marcus Fenix
Marcus Fenix Has Seen a Lot By The Time of Gears of War: E-Day
Despite his father’s clear disapproval, Marcus Fenix joins the Coalition of Ordered Governments at age 17 and quickly becomes an infantryman alongside his childhood best friend, Carlos Santiago. Together, Marcus and Carlos fight side by side inthe Pendulum Wars, a conflict that lasts for almost eight decades and sees the COG go up against the Union of Independent Republics in a bid to secure the world’s dwindling supply of Imulsion.
Marcus Fenix experiences a great deal during the Pendulum Wars, including his first real firefight on the Imulsion Fields of Acastu, and the Battle of Irohma Island, where he recruits thenative Tai Kalisofollowing the UIR’s massacre of his home village. One of the final major battles of the Pendulum Wars that Marcus Fenix fights in is the battle of Aspho Fields. During the battle, Carlos Santiago is mortally wounded, and to prevent Marcus from trying to risk his life to save him, he blows himself up with a grenade, destroying a bridge the UIR was using to extract their forces in the process. Marcus is left distraught by Carlos' death, but he finds solace in taking Carlos' brother, Dom, under his wing.
Gears of War: E-Day’s Marcus Fenix is Still a Greenhorn Compared to His Future Appearances
While Marcus Fenix sees a lot of brutal and bloody action during the Pendulum Wars – and is even promoted to Sergeant for his valiant efforts – he’s only 21 years old by the time Emergence Day rolls around. And the Pendulum Wars seem like a walk in the park compared to the horrors that follow Emergence Day.
ThefirstGears of Wargametakes place 14 years after Emergence Day, putting players in the heavy boots of a 35-year-old Marcus Fenix. By this point in theGears of Wartimeline, Marcus Fenix has survived some truly horrific things and faced off against some terrible foes. The Marcus Fenix players meet inGears of Waris experienced and formidable. The Marcus Fenix inGears of War: E-Day, however, doesn’t have quite as much experience or skill.
Based onGears of War: E-Day’s announcement trailer, it seems as though developer The Coalition is going to focus on Marcus' inexperience, with the trailer showing the hero having a tough time killing just one Locust soldier. It’ll be interesting to see ifE-Day’s gameplay echoes Marcus and the COG’s lack of experience with this new threat, such as making the Locust act more aggressively than they have been in previous games.
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.
