The Game That Made Xbox Feel “Adult” Hits Differently 20 Years Later

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From the beginning, Xbox has felt like a console built for the 21st century. Unlike Nintendo and PlayStation, which both have roots going back decades, Xbox arrived after 2000 with a fresh, modern feel. Its launch title, Halo: Combat Evolved, immediately established Xbox as a prime destination for exciting action games. A lot has changed in gaming since then. The traditional console wars seem to be fading, and Xbox Game Pass has become a popular way to discover and play many different titles. Even long-standing exclusive franchises like Halo are now appearing on other platforms. Xbox is entering a new phase, and it’s still unclear whether this will be a positive or negative change.

When I remember the beginning of Xbox, I immediately think of the first Halo games and all the Mountain Dew commercials. With the Xbox 360, Gears of War stands out just as much. These two exclusive game series – Halo and Gears of War – really made Xbox the go-to console for shooter fans. Gears of War especially helped Xbox mature and attract a younger audience.

I vividly remember first seeing the trailer for Gears of War. I was just ten years old, but the combination of Gary Jules’ haunting version of “Mad World” and the bleak imagery of Marcus Fenix exploring the ruined world of Sera instantly captivated me – I knew it was going to be something special. When the game finally launched, my friends and I huddled around an Xbox 360 to experience Gears of War together for the first time. As a kid, playing this mature-rated game felt like stepping into an adult world. At the time, my immediate thought was simply, “This is what grown-ups play.” But looking back after twenty years, my perspective has completely changed.

I Still Hold a Special Place in My Heart for Gears of War, But There’s a Reason I Thought it Was Deep as a Kid

When Gears of War: Reloaded came out last year, I decided to revisit the original game after about 15 years. Playing as Marcus Fenix again, I quickly realized how much my tastes had changed since I first experienced it. Gears of War was incredibly influential, but the story didn’t feel as profound as I remembered. I still had fun replaying it, but after twenty years of advancements in game design and storytelling, it doesn’t quite have the same mature impact it had when I played it with friends as a kid.

Looking at Gears of War now feels like revisiting a middle school mindset – and not in a good way. It reminds me of what a teenager might think a serious war story should be, which isn’t necessarily a criticism, considering I grew up as a tomboy and enjoyed that kind of energy. Over the years, I’d built up Gears of War in my mind as something more complex and mature, like a video game version of Saving Private Ryan. Seeing it again with a fresh perspective was a bit of a shock. The characters – Marcus, Dom, and the others – are pretty simple and stereotypical tough guys. Thankfully, the series has evolved with later games. The early installments were really just the foundation for something greater, and the writing and characters have noticeably improved over time.

Image via The Coalition

It’s happened to me before when revisiting games I used to love. It’s not always the story itself, but also things like how the game plays. You realize your memories are colored by who you were and what you understood at the time. For example, a ten-year-old might think a game like Gears of War had an amazing story – I hadn’t experienced much of life yet!

Gears of War Being a Product of Its Time Isn’t a Bad Thing

I was hoping for a really deep story, but honestly, fighting aliens in Gears of War is just plain fun, no matter what. Revisiting the game after a long break showed me it’s not as amazing as I remembered, but the gameplay is still incredibly strong. Even with some older controls, Gears of War remains one of the best action games out there.

While the game attempts to explore meaningful themes, they don’t quite come across effectively. Gears of War touches on ideas like the strength of camaraderie and the psychological impact of war. The names – the Coalition of Governments becoming COG, and soldiers being called Gears – clearly represent a central metaphor, which is a positive. However, I’ve grown a lot since I first played this game as a child, and my ability to connect with stories has changed significantly – thankfully so.

After Revisiting Gears of War, Gears of War: E-Day is Hopefully the Gut-Punch I’m Craving

I’m a sucker for games that really pull at your heartstrings. Ever since the original Gears of War, video games have become as capable of telling powerful stories as movies or TV shows. Some of the most memorable games I’ve played recently, like The Last of Us Part 2, God of War (2018), and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, have been incredibly moving. When Gears of War: E-Day was announced, I felt a similar emotional impact to when I first saw the “Mad World” trailer for the original Gears of War. It has a really somber and thoughtful atmosphere, and as a prequel focusing on the devastating E-Day event, it feels like the perfect chance to tell the most emotionally rich Gears of War story we’ve seen yet.

Gears of War: E-Day doesn’t have an official release date yet, but it’s expected sometime in 2026.

E-Day is a crucial turning point, particularly for characters like Dom Santiago. The game Gears of War: E-Day, set during this event, promises a lot of emotional impact. With twenty years of experience in game storytelling, this prequel aims to recapture the strong feelings I experienced playing the original Gears of War as a child.

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2026-01-14 14:06