Gears of War is Following in Halo’s Footsteps, But It Should Eventually Stray From the Path

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As a dedicated fan of the Gears of War franchise since its inception, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming installments in this epic saga. Having grown up with Marcus Fenix and his comrades battling against the Locust Horde and later the Swarm, I have witnessed the evolution of this franchise from its gritty beginnings to its current state as one of the most iconic military shooters of all time.

The announcement of Gears of War: E-Day has filled me with a renewed sense of hope that the storylines of Gears of War 4 and 5 will not be left hanging, but instead will be brought to a satisfying conclusion in what I believe will be the final chapter of this beloved series.

The idea of facing off against a terrifying Swarm, even more horrifying than ever before, fills me with a mix of dread and anticipation. The thought of seeing Marcus Fenix once again standing on the brink of extinction, desperate to save humanity from annihilation, gives me chills.

I eagerly await the release of Gears 6, hoping that it will be as thrilling and emotionally impactful as its predecessors, and that The Coalition will do justice to the legacy of this iconic franchise. And who knows, maybe they’ll even throw in a few surprises along the way – like a cameo from the infamous General RAAM, or perhaps a hidden MacGuffin that ties everything together.

But let’s not forget, this is Gears of War we’re talking about here. So let’s hope they don’t pull a Locust on us and leave us hanging again!

Back in the late 2010s, I was a dedicated fan of Xbox’s iconic series, Gears of War and Halo. But things took an unexpected turn when these beloved franchises shifted course following a massive wave of fan backlash. In 2015, 343 Industries dropped Halo 5: Guardians, a game that didn’t quite live up to the hype in my opinion. It seemed like they had missed the mark with the storyline; Cortana was supposed to be dead, but instead, she was brought back, all bent on taking over the galaxy!

Towards the end of 2019, The Coalition brought out “Gears 5”, which carried on the story of the Swarm but shifted more attention away from the Fenix family, with Kait Diaz as the central character. This change in direction and focus on Kait didn’t sit well with many fans, prompting Xbox to put aside these plotlines initially with “Halo Infinite” and now with the upcoming “Gears of War: E-Day”. Instead of leaving the Swarm’s story unresolved, it would be better for The Coalition to wrap up this narrative in “Gears 6”, rather than having it concluded off-screen.

The State of Sera Following Gears 5

Approximately 42 years following Emergence Day, Sera finds itself embroiled in a worldwide conflict due to the emergence of a new faction known as the Swarm. Comprised of reborn Locust remnants, genetically altered creatures, and humans who have been transformed into Swarm drones, the Swarm aims to fulfill the Locust’s objective of annihilating humanity and claiming Sera for their own dominion. In the finale of Gears 5, Diaz uncovers her familial link to the Locust Queen Myrrah and unwittingly revives her consciousness within her mother Reyna Diaz’s now Swarm-mutated body. While COG forces managed to reactivate the Hammer of Dawn satellites, they were only able to momentarily repel the Swarm forces, but not before Myrrah either killed JD Fenix or Del Walker.

In the final chapter of Gears 5, Diaz and Marcus Fenix work tirelessly to eradicate the Locust threat once and for all. The storyline DLC titled Hivebusters, released in 2020, introduced a new conflict: the Swarm. Players join Scorpio Squad, consisting of Jeremiah Keegan (a former Onyx Guard member), Lahni Kaliso Kaliso (Tai Kaliso’s cousin and a Locust War hero), and Leslie “Mac” Macallister (a former Outsider). Retired Colonel Hoffman and Augustus Cole’s daughter, Hana Cole, assigned Scorpio Squad to find an effective method to destroy Swarm hives on the South Islands of Pahanu and Galangi. During their mission, they discovered that the toxic green venom from a giant Wakaatu bird could be utilized to create a gas capable of annihilating any Swarm material within a hive.

The Eventual Gears 6 Following Gears of War: E-Day

Right after the reveal of Gears of War: E-Day at the 2024 Xbox Showcase, The Coalition officially announced that not only is E-Day set to be the next major installment in the Gears of War series, but they will continue the narratives from Gears of War 4 and Gears 5. Since Gears of War: E-Day doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, fans might need to be patient before playing Gears 6. However, the sequential order of games in the series could change based on the conclusion of E-Day. If E-Day releases around 2026, the Swarm Invasion storyline could even be concluded past the 10th anniversary of Gears of War 4‘s release.

Although the launch of Gears 6 is yet to be announced due to the ongoing development of Gears of War: E-Day, the latter could potentially foreshadow plotlines for the conclusion of the second trilogy. In E-Day, characters like Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago may discover an old artifact (MacGuffin) that could later resurface in Gears 6, possibly aiding Diaz in putting an end to the Swarm conflict. The narrative structure of Gears 6 might also resemble that of Gears of War 3, with humanity facing extinction once more, scrambling to find a cataclysmic weapon to obliterate the Swarm – similar to how the Imulsion Countermeasure Weapon was designed to destroy both the Locust and Lambent.

Gears of War: E-Day’s Potential Gameplay Influence on Gears 6

In “Gears of War: E-Day”, the Locust will once again take on the role as the main adversaries, but they’ll be portrayed as truly terrifying “living nightmares” compared to the grubs players have become accustomed to in the initial trilogy. In “E-Day”, the Locust will appear more horrifying than ever before. This chilling revelation might lead The Coalition to make the Swarm equally as frightening in “Gears 6” to create a nerve-wracking apocalyptic feel during the end of the Swarm Invasion. Regardless of how “Gears of War: E-Day” is perceived by fans, it’s crucial that The Coalition wrap up the Swarm’s storyline effectively in “Gears 6” to bring a fitting conclusion to the “Gears of War” series.

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2024-12-29 02:34