E-Day Brings Back Gears of War’s Most Terrifying Game Mode: Beast

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In the forthcoming installment of The Coalition’s Gears of War series, titled Gears of War: E-Day, players will momentarily step away from the contemporary Swarm conflict and delve into the initial stages of the Locust War on Emergence Day. Within E-Day’s campaign, gamers will assume the roles of young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as they bear witness to the devastating onslaught of the Locust Horde for the first time. Few details have been disclosed regarding E-Day’s gameplay, other than the Locust will be depicted as more fearsome than ever before; however, it is anticipated that the game will still incorporate a version of Gears’ celebrated multiplayer. With E-Day marking the return of the Locust in full force, The Coalition may want to reintroduce an old fan-favorite mode: Beast.

Gears of War’s Beast Mode Explained

Ever since I first stepped into the multiplayer arena of Gears of War back in 2006, it’s been a thrill to fight alongside the COG forces. But let me tell you, there was always this longing to switch sides and join the Locust Horde. That wish came true partially in Gears of War 1 and 2 with the playable Locust drones and Kantus warriors, but it wasn’t until Gears of War 3 that I finally got my chance to embody the beastly might of the Locust.

Epic Games must have sensed the desire shared by many gamers like me, as they introduced a new game mode called Beast in Gears of War 3. Inspired by the intense Horde mode from Gears of War 2, where we defended against waves of Locust Horde, Beast mode was designed as an exciting counterpart that lets us step into the roles of these monstrous creatures, waging war against human forces instead!

At E3 2010, Beast mode was initially unveiled, sharing similarities with Gears of War 3’s Horde 2.0 as they both use the same maps and mechanics. In Beast mode, a team of up to five players assumes different ranks and roles within the Locust Horde, battling progressively challenging waves of human forces, including Stranded scavengers, COG troops, Onyx Guards, Silverback mechs, and tough COG Heroes. Unlike Horde, Beast does not allow for the construction of defenses; instead, players begin with funds to choose from tiers of increasingly potent Locust creatures, each equipped with unique weapons and abilities. In Beast mode, only 12 waves are accessible, but these must be completed within a specified timeframe or the game ends in defeat.

A total of fifteen Locust creatures can be played in their Beast form, with each one costing more than the previous one. These include:

  • Wild Ticker
  • Ticker
  • Wretch
  • Savage Drone
  • Butcher
  • Kantus
  • Bloodmount
  • Mauler
  • Giant Serapede
  • Savage Corpser
  • Savage Grenadier
  • Boomer
  • Berserker
  • Armored Kantus
  • Savage Boomer

The Potential Return of Beast Mode in Gears of War: E-Day

In essence, Beast mode, a popular gameplay feature from earlier Gears games, only appeared in Gears of War 3 and had a similar successor in Overrun (Gears of War: Judgment’s PVP mode). However, this mode didn’t fully return in any other mainline Gears titles after Gears of War 3. Players couldn’t control the Swarm creatures or DeeBees in games like Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, except for more humanoid Swarm Drones and Scions, DeeBee Shepard variants, and JACK players who can take temporary control of some Swarm beasts in Horde 4.0 of Gears 5.

Many enthusiasts of the game “Gears of War” were disappointed when their favorite modes, Beast and Overrun, didn’t appear in later mainline titles. Now that we’re getting a new game, “Gears of War: E-Day“, it could be an excellent chance to reintroduce the Beast mode with more depth and detail. Although “E-Day” is a prequel, its campaign, Horde mode, can still incorporate all sorts of Locust creatures that have appeared in the series so far, including rarely seen ones like Ragers and Serapedes, as well as new types never seen before. This updated Beast mode could also let players briefly control some of the larger Locust creatures, such as Brumaks, Hydras, Seeders, and Siegebeasts, in multiplayer.

Gears of War: E-Day’s Beast 2.0 Potential Mechanics

Just as Horde mode in the Gears of War series has evolved over time, Gears of War: E-Day’s Beast mode should be an enhanced version of its predecessor. Let’s call it Beast mode 2.0. This updated version would still involve five players battling against waves of human forces, but with the addition of UIR troops and small hostile vehicles. Unlike the original, time limits on each wave would no longer apply; instead, waves would end only when all enemies are defeated. Every ten waves could include a boss wave, offering the player with the highest score a brief stint as a colossal Locust creature like the Brumak. Additionally, Gears of War: E-Day might introduce a variation called Overrun Beast, where a team of three can join forces with human AI against other Locust players.

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2025-02-26 02:25