Gamescom is now underway, and the first round of Gears of War: E-Day campaign feedback is starting to trickle in. For the most part, it sounds like Gears of War: E-Day has what it takes to be one of the best entries in the series, but there's one issue that could keep it from being a perfect prequel: the open-world segments. This isn't the first time that the Gears of War series has experimented with shaking up the linear levels by adding some open areas. Gears 5 did the exact same things, and by most accounts, E-Day seems to be an improvement on this.
Despite improving the open-world segments, though, The Coalition including more open exploration to the formula could be one of the game's most divisive qualities when it finally arrives this fall. The Gears of War: E-Day campaign previews have a lot to praise, so that's at least a promising sign. These previews are just a small portion of what the final product is, though, and it hopefully leans harder into linear level design overall.
Experimenting with different level designs isn't bad by any means, but Gears of War: E-Day needs to make linear shooting the primary level design focus if it wants to truly feel like an authentic Gears of War experience. The Coalition has been showcasing two Gears of War: E-Day campaign missions at Gamescom. One is a classic linear cover-shooting section on a bridge, and the other is an open level set in the streets of Kalona.
It's very possible that The Coalition wanted to offer a taste of both level designs in order to prepare longtime fans for the more open-ended exploration moments. That only makes sense, really. However, part of me is also nervous that the game will feature just as many open-world sequences as there are linear levels. This is purely speculation, but that would be a big risk when it comes to Gears of War: E-Day's gameplay. It's not that the open-world levels are bad. They just feel out of place to some who have tested the campaign levels. PC Gamer had a few interesting points about E-Day's exploration-focused scenes:
It's like a regular, linear mission has been spaced out for no clear reason – encounters on the streets are "optional" in the sense that you can technically walk past them, but there's no reason to ignore them, because it's not like there's anything else to do besides beeline toward the end of the level.
Granted, even PC Gamer agreed with the consensus that the optional activities to do in these open areas are fun and worth the time. The main issue is that all of these encounters are separated by stretches of longer than necessary traversal that hurt the momentum a little bit. A game like Gears of War benefits from a linear level design because of the action that it pushes players into. Aggressive pacing is important, and having too many open areas might end up causing more frustration than intrigue.
If all the Gears of War: E-Day open zones feature side quests that offer rewards, that's an interesting way to mix up the gameplay. These moments could be a way to entice fans of open-world shooter games to try out Gears of War: E-Day, but the prequel also shouldn't have to be pressured into opening itself up when linear suits its world best. Open levels don't work for every kind of game, and Gears of War: E-Day's bridge level is a great example of why pushing players from Point A to Point B is where the series shines.
The Coalition was smart to use a bridge level as one of the game's two preview missions. Marcus, Dom, and the other squad members are corralled within a confined space that makes the oncoming Locust Horde feel like a true doomsday scenario. Tight corridors like this really add to the sense of helplessness that the story is trying to get across, and that's incredibly important for a core lore moment as major as Emergence Day.
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