Gears of War: E-Day Hands- On Multiplayer Preview

Matthew Rondina
3 days ago
6 min read

Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer is bigger, better and even more brutal offering intense Versus action and a dynamic 12-player Horde Siege mode, my full preview.

Armored soldiers battle amid explosions and wreckage; Dapper Tux x Gears of War E-Day text below in a smoky orange war scene.

I’ve been a Gears of War fan since the very first game arrived on Xbox 360; I was there from the start and played every game in the franchise since. From its gritty world and brutal combat to its unique characters and tense cover-based firefights, the series quickly became one of my favourite gaming franchises. That long history made going into Gears of War: E-Day incredibly exciting, and within moments of taking control in the latest multiplayer build, I felt right at home. The familiar weight, powerful weapons, and reliance on cover are all intact, but new, smoother movement mechanics and greater verticality give the experience a welcome modern edge. It feels heavy without becoming sluggish, immediately familiar, but agile enough for a modern multiplayer experience.

I played both Versus and the new Horde Siege mode, but Horde Siege was my personal favourite. It captures the teamwork and escalating pressure of classic Horde while expanding the action across larger, more vertical environments. Based on my time with it, Horde Siege could become one of E-Day’s defining modes and a major reason I’ll keep returning long after the campaign is complete.

Armored soldiers battle a giant monster in a ruined city street outside Bank of Tyrus, amid red explosions and chains.

Gears of War: E-Day Feels Familiar but More Mobile

The Coalition has rebuilt E-Day’s movement around a smart idea: preserve the identity of Gears while offering more ways to move through its battlefields. Sliding helped me reach cover faster, while jumping allowed me to clear small gaps between streets and buildings. I could even leap from rooftops to create shortcuts or gain a strategic advantage, although longer drops caused some fall damage.

"The Coalition has rebuilt E-Day’s movement around a smart idea: preserve the identity of Gears while offering more ways to move through its battlefields."

These abilities complement the more vertical multiplayer maps. During Horde Siege, I rappelled between floors, climbed exterior staircases, and searched rooftops, balconies, and damaged interiors for better positions. The smoother movement reduced travel time without making the action feel more kinetic. Snapping into cover still feels grounded and impactful, and the added mobility fits naturally into the familiar Gears combat rhythm. Despite the added agility, the game never loses its signature physicality. Movement carries momentum, snapping into cover feels great, and every encounter has a satisfying sense of impact. It’s overall much smoother movement, and it fits into the Gears combat rhythm.

Empty sunlit square with ornate stone buildings and winged statue, with parked cars under a cloudy sky.

Horde Siege Expands the Fight Across Kalona

The early hands-on preview gave me an opportunity to dive into the new Horde Siege mode. The new 12-player PvE mode sends three squads of four into the districts of Kalona. Each squad receives its own objectives, but everyone operates on the same active battlefield. Your group may be securing or repairing COG equipment while another squad fights several streets away, only for both teams to cross paths when a larger event erupts.

The individual missions help each squad maintain a sense of purpose, while the shared map makes the conflict feel much larger and more dynamic than a traditional Horde match. Squads are constantly moving, collecting resources, and deciding whether to help nearby allies. Seeing several squads converge on one major threat makes the action feel larger and more cinematic without diminishing the importance of my four-player team. What I loved most is that Horde Siege’s scale and shifting objectives create a more unpredictable interpretation of Horde.

The Golden Quarter map featured in my session was incredibly detailed with plenty of nooks and crannies. Its city blocks, elevated routes, and interconnected buildings created so many spots for big showdowns. I was shocked by how much ground there was to cover and how naturally its paths folded back into shared spaces.

Horde Siege classes menu with four armored soldiers on a red backdrop; Breacher selected, showing class details and Adrenaline Injector.

Four Horde Siege Classes With Distinct Roles

During the playtest, I was able to play as four different classes: Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic. Each class has their own starting equipment, combat bonus, progression path, and Tactical Gear ability. I found myself leaning toward the Assault class more than any other, but each did offer its own unique attributes:

Assault felt closest to classic Gears combat, and I naturally gravitated toward that. I held the frontline from cover and used the Sonic Disruptor to stun advancing Locust when my squad needed room to recover.

Breacher class encouraged me to fight aggressively at close range. The Adrenaline Injector restored health and reduced damage, making it easier to push into crowded encounters.

The Marksman class worked especially well with Horde Siege’s vertical map. I used the Pulse Drone to scout and reveal enemy locations to my squad, then took advantage of rooftops and balconies to target threats from a distance.

Medic let me heal and revive nearby players without remaining on the sidelines. I could support my squad while still contributing effectively during mid-range firefights.

Each class can grow through weapon, armour, and Tactical Gear customization. Class progression was capped at level 10 during the preview period, but each class will have 30 levels at launch. So it sounds like there is plenty of content for "day one" players.

Soldiers fire from a vehicle at a giant spider-like monster in a ruined city, with a red glowing core and smoke.

Different Missions for Different Sessions

Horde Siege is divided into three main mission lengths. The first is Blitz, which offers one or two objectives and is designed for a quicker 15-to-20-minute run. Siege provides more objective variety and movement across the map, with my sessions generally lasting between 20 and 40 minutes. Horde has you and your squad defending one position through ten increasingly demanding waves, making it the closest option to the traditional Horde structure. I love Horde, and it was great to have so many options, with "quick hit" shorter sessions all the way to full-fledged, uncut traditional Horde mode.

"I love Horde, and it was great to have so many options, with "quick hit" shorter sessions all the way to full-fledged, uncut traditional Horde mode.

Neon Kalona Public Market sign glows over a dark, smoky city plaza with string lights and old stone buildings at dusk.

Versus Remains Pure Gears Competition

During the playtest, I also got time with Versus mode. It returns as a focused 4v4 experience built around fair starts, map control, teamwork, and mechanical skill. Everyone begins with the same standard equipment, keeping the opening moments balanced before teams compete for pickups positioned around each map. The movement improvements were apparent in my first match and should have a major impact on the overall longevity of competitive play.

"The movement improvements were apparent in my first match and should have a major impact on the overall longevity of competitive play."

Cover slips, blindfire, elevated routes, and quicker transitions create new flanking possibilities, but the fundamentals remain intact. My early Versus matches felt immediately recognizable, and I am excited to dig in even further with the full game.

A Strong Debut for Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer

Gears of War: E-Day already feels remarkably confident in what it wants to preserve and where the series needs to evolve. The heavy movement, cover-based tension, explosive weapon feedback, and constant pressure that define Gears are all intact. However, faster mobility, greater verticality, larger battlefields, and the ambitious 12-player Horde Siege mode give the action a fresh sense of scale and unpredictability.

I entered the preview wondering how far The Coalition could expand Horde without losing the intensity and teamwork at its core. I left convinced that Horde Siege is not simply a larger version of a familiar mode; it feels like a natural evolution of it. When squads converged, objectives overlapped, and the streets filled with Locust, E-Day delivered the kind of chaotic, cinematic battles I had hoped to see from a modern Gears game. Most importantly, it still feels unmistakably like Gears of War. I finished the preview wanting to jump straight back into Kalona, experiment with every class, and see how much deeper the full experience goes.

https://youtu.be/rsk_MoqtcaU?si=lNIbm4s_huOSHWV5

Xbox provided early access to the Gears of War E-Day BETA in order to conduct this preview.

About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina

Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a video game and tech industry veteran who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. In addition to being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on multiple social platforms with the handle @dapper_tux via X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and join in on the fun!

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