Redmond Carolipio: This feels right, having a game that tells the Day One story of the Gears universe. The Gears style of action never really gets old for me. We're getting a new location, and Marcus' ol' buddy Dom is alive. I missed Dom.

Cody Medellin: There's a bit of cautious optimism with Gears of War: E-Day. The Coalition hasn't missed with its treatment of the Gears of War series; both GoW4 and GoW5 were rather good, and even though it wasn't developed by them, Gears Tactics was also surprisingly well done. Then again, with no new footage yet and a Microsoft that hasn't been doing too hot in the gaming space lately, E-Day will need to pull off everything it can to get people excited about another prequel in the game's universe.

Rainier Van Autrijve: Gears of War was a defining moment for me, as it made me jump from real-time strategy titles to shooters. I've played plenty of FPS titles, but the third-person perspective felt more immersive, as if you're moving through the world with the playable character. Gears' cover-based gameplay was intense but felt less twitchy and frantic than an FPS. I'm also a sucker for sci-fi, and the gritty atmosphere and sci-fi flair in Gears of War had my number. Marcus Fenix is my spirit animal. Twenty years and a handful titles later, Gears of War: E-Day (Emergence Day) is set 14 years prior to the original game and tells the story of the Locust invasion. As an origin story, the game focuses on Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago and their war-forged bond. Additionally, E-Day uses Unreal Engine 5, and that gives me hope that we'll be in for a great experience later this year.