Gears of War: E-Day Already Side-Steps One of Halo: Reach’s Biggest Prequel Pitfalls

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As a dedicated fan of the Gears of War series who has lived through the Locust War alongside Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, I am genuinely excited about The Coalition’s upcoming prequel, Gears of War: E-Day. Unlike Halo: Reach’s prequel pitfalls, I believe that E-Day will be a smashing success due to its focus on the classic duo.

In the upcoming instalment from The Coalition, titled “Gears of War: E-Day“, players will journey back to the early stages of the Locust War and take on the roles of the renowned duo, Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago once more. Although The Coalition is stepping out of their comfort zone by producing a prequel rather than “Gears of War 6“, the return of the series’ iconic characters might boost its popularity compared to other Xbox prequels. Unlike “Halo: Reach“, the standout prequel in the “Halo” series, “Gears of War: E-Day” could potentially appeal to a broader audience, particularly dedicated Gears enthusiasts who have eagerly anticipated more Marcus and Dom-centric action.

Halo: Reach’s Prequel Pitfalls Explained

In 2007, when Bungie finished the original Halo trilogy with Halo 3, they were obligated by contract to create two more Halo games for Microsoft. This led to the production of Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, initially planned as Halo 4 with Master Chief returning as the main character. However, Bungie aimed to complete their Halo series on a circular note, making the final game echo themes from Halo: Combat Evolved while depicting the devastation of the Covenant War on humanity. Instead of Master Chief leading, Bungie allowed players to take on the role of the customizable Noble 6, joining forces with the charming Noble Team comprised of Spartan 2s and 3s.

Although the majority of reviews for Halo: Reach were favorable, a significant number of fans remained dissatisfied about different elements within the game, chiefly because it was Bungie’s final Halo title. Players found themselves disappointed upon reintroducing health packs and removing features like dual-wielding, as they felt that this made the gameplay of Reach seem regressive rather than progressive for the latest installment in the Halo series. Furthermore, many players expressed annoyance over the absence of Master Chief, finding it challenging to empathize with Noble Team during the campaign. However, others held contrasting feelings about this aspect as well. Moreover, several fans were frustrated by how Halo: Reach contradicted previous established canon, particularly the book Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund.

Apart from Halo: Reach, only one other Halo title takes place prior to the Battle of Installation 04, and that’s Halo Wars.

Gears of War: E-Day’s Potential Prequel Success

Despite Gears of War: E-Day not expected for quite some time, The Coalition has a golden opportunity to make it a well-balanced success rather than another contentious addition to the series. Unlike its predecessors, Gears of War: Judgment led by Baird and the strategy-based Gears Tactics, E-Day is a prequel. Both previous games had their merits and drawbacks, with the main criticism focusing on their storylines and gameplay. However, The Coalition can use these past experiences to shape E-Day into an engaging prequel that takes us through Sera’s rich history.

Instead of primarily introducing new characters like Reach and Tactics, or side characters such as Baird and Cole in Judgment, E-Day will stick to the main series protagonists, which might attract more players to play the game compared to a less familiar cast. Although this approach may limit the story of Gears of War and leave certain mysteries and aspects of Sera unexplored, the Gears of War series has always revolved around the Fenix family and their interactions with those around them. In essence, E-Day continues the mainline series tradition by presenting conflicts through the lens of the Fenix family, whether it’s the veteran Marcus or his son JD during the Swarm Invasion.

Gear of War: E-Day’s Prequel Gameplay

Generally speaking, prequel video games like Reach and possibly E-Day, differ from their modern counterparts because weapons, technology, and other gear often advance or improve over time. For instance, in Reach, health packs were reintroduced since the Mjolnir Mark 6 armor shields hadn’t been developed yet in the storyline. Similarly, E-Day might play differently from other Gears games, but this could be due to its new horror focus rather than being strictly a prequel. However, you may not see some traditional franchise elements early in the game, such as the chainsaw lancer, which didn’t become popular until 14 years after E-Day.

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2024-10-29 00:23