Cover Shooter
Ongoing coverage on Cover Shooter.
Latest coverage
Gears of War E-Day is a competent, retro-modern shooter, and bloody good fun - but it's telling that a successful Xbox exclusive looks the same in 2026 as it did in 2006
Gears of War E-Day offers a competent and fun retro-modern take on the cover shooter genre, blending familiar mechanics with new elements like the expansive Horde Siege mode. While the campaign and Versus modes have some minor issues with pacing and balance, the game successfully captures the essence of the series while feeling fresh.
Kill.Switch - Det bortglömda spelet som Gears of War snodde sitt bästa trick från
The article discusses how the 2003 Namco game Kill.Switch, largely forgotten today, was the true originator of the cover-based shooting mechanics popularized by Gears of War. While Kill.Switch received mixed reviews and was not a commercial success, its innovative 'Offensive Cover System' directly inspired Gears of War and later titles like Uncharted and Rainbow Six: Vegas, fundamentally changing the third-person shooter genre.
Gears of War: E-Day Metacritic score places it as The Coalition's best take on the series amid layoffs and reported…
Gears of War: E-Day has achieved a Metacritic score of 88, making it the best-reviewed game in the series since Epic Games' involvement and The Coalition's highest-rated title. Despite critical acclaim for its gameplay, the studio faces internal turmoil with reports of layoffs and withheld bonuses, including the game's story director.
For every two seconds of frustration, there are 10 seconds of euphoria: the Gears of War E-Day campaign is a satisfying, meaty return to form for The Coalition
The campaign for Gears of War E-Day is a satisfying and meaty return to form for The Coalition, successfully recapturing the magic of the original trilogy with improved combat mechanics and engaging setpieces. While the game excels in its curated, bombastic moments, some open-ended sections detract from the overall pacing and tension. The review also notes the recent layoffs at Microsoft, including the story director, impacting the development context.
Gears Of War: E-Day’s Campaign Is Buried In The Past
Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel to the original game, fails to offer a compelling narrative or surprising twists, feeling superfluous for longtime fans. While the core cover-based shooting mechanics remain satisfying with new weapon mods and improved player agility, the open areas are tedious and disrupt the game's pacing. The Coalition's latest entry delivers classic Gears action but ultimately disappoints as a prequel.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn swings for the Mass Effect crown, but struggles to match my enthusiasm for the TV show
Despite Owlcat Games' pedigree, an hour with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn failed to impress, struggling to showcase its RPG elements and instead focusing on combat and TV show ties. The demo highlighted solid cover shooting mechanics but lacked depth in role-playing choices and character interaction, leaving the reviewer unenthusiastic about its potential.
Gears of War: E-Day Campaign – Brotherhood and Hope in a Hopeless World | Official XBOX Podcast
The Official Xbox Podcast features an in-depth discussion with The Coalition's Matt Searcy and Raul Figueroa about Gears of War: E-Day. They delve into the campaign's themes of brotherhood and hope amidst the brutal Locust invasion, highlighting new enemy designs like Vraahk and enhanced enemy AI. The conversation also touches on the game's setting in Kalona, the introduction of weapon modding, and the impressive audio design, alongside the reveal of custom Xbox controllers.
Gears of War: E-Day devs want to be known for "all the things that made Gears resonate in the first place," without "looking outside at other franchises"
The Coalition, developers of Gears of War: E-Day, aim to be recognized for the core elements that made the original Gears of War a success, focusing on tight action and impactful combat. Creative director Matt Searcy emphasized building a modern game around these foundational pillars, drawing inspiration from within the franchise rather than external titles. The studio also highlighted their commitment to avoiding aggressive monetization, returning to the series' roots.
Gears of War: E-Day somehow feels exactly like a direct continuation of the original Xbox 360 trilogy, for better and for worse
Gears of War: E-Day aims to recapture the classic feel of the original Xbox 360 trilogy, focusing on Marcus Fenix's early days against the Locust horde. Despite changes in developers, the game promises a return to the series' roots with familiar cover-based shooting mechanics and visceral combat. The preview suggests that players who enjoyed the original Gears of War games will find E-Day a satisfying continuation, while those who didn't may not be swayed by its adherence to established tropes.
I played Gears of War: E-Day's campaign, and it's bleaker than I expected
Gears of War: E-Day's campaign, set during the devastating Emergence Day, presents a bleak and desperate struggle for survival. The preview highlights adaptive cover mechanics and intense combat against the Locust, while also emphasizing the human element and character interactions amidst the chaos. The Coalition aims to revitalize the series with a focus on modern shooter ambitions and a deep dive into the cost of war.
Gears Of War: E-Day preview - sandbox spectacle meets linear action
Gears Of War: E-Day, developed by The Coalition and published by Xbox Game Studios, offers a preview of its story mode set on Emergence Day. The game features impressive open-world areas with personal side quests and linear action sequences, running on Unreal Engine 5 for enhanced visuals and destruction. It will be available on PC and Xbox Series X/S on October 6, 2026.
Gears of War: E-Day Beta Crosses 20,000 Concurrent Players on Steam
The multiplayer beta for Gears of War: E-Day has achieved over 22,000 concurrent players on Steam, significantly surpassing previous entries in the franchise. Analyst Rhys Elliot estimates 1.2 million Xbox players participated, with a strong majority having played Gears 5. Pre-order figures on Steam have also doubled following the beta's success.
Not So Massively: The Division Resurgence’s PC version is a very solid port
The Division: Resurgence, a mobile-first entry in Ubisoft's cover shooter franchise, has been ported to PC and offers a solid and enjoyable shooter experience. The game revisits New York after the Dollar Flu outbreak, featuring familiar environments from the original The Division but with deeper character customization and build options inspired by The Division 2. Despite some narrative and technical quirks, the PC port is a near-perfect adaptation, retaining all core features and feeling like a natural fit for the platform.
Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer is so old, it feels new again
Gears of War: E-Day aims to recapture the feel of classic multiplayer experiences from 20 years ago, focusing on core cover shooter mechanics without modern trends like battle royale or extraction. The preview highlights changes to movement, the return of classic PvP modes, and a new 8-player Horde Siege mode inspired by games like Helldivers 2, featuring class-based progression and objective-based missions.
Gears Of War: E-Day multiplayer preview – the once and future Xbox exclusive
Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set 14 years before the original game, focuses on its competitive multiplayer modes for longevity. The game introduces enhanced parkour abilities and a refined active reload mechanic, set in the war-torn city of Kalona. While the multiplayer offers an entertaining experience with solid movement and impactful weaponry, the game's core cover-based shooter mechanics, while refined, add little new to the established genre.
Gears of War: E-Day Direct – everything we now know
Gears of War: E-Day will focus on the events of Emergence Day within the single city of Kalona over three days, featuring Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. The Coalition is building the game with Unreal Engine 5, introducing new gameplay mechanics like jumping and smoother transitions, and will include both 4v4 multiplayer and a 12-player Horde Siege mode. An open beta is scheduled for August 6th.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn preview — Filling a Mass Effect-shaped void
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is an upcoming third-person action RPG from Owlcat Games, built on Unreal Engine 5, that aims to fill the void left by the Mass Effect series. Players will take on the role of a security employee fighting against the Protegen corporation in a story set within The Expanse universe. Despite some technical issues during the preview, the game shows promise with its companion system, real-time combat, and detailed graphics.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn's beta lacks the show's gravitas but does enough to keep me invested
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn beta offers a space opera cover shooter experience with RPG elements, featuring dialogue choices, resource gathering, and impactful consequences. While the combat can feel weightless and the writing functional, the game's potential for engaging firefights and meaningful choices keeps players invested ahead of its release next year.
Choose My Adventure: The Division 2 appears to feed my multiplayer shooter need
The author expresses a strong desire for a shooter MMO and finds The Division 2 to be a satisfying experience, praising its familiar controls, measured pacing, and engaging atmosphere. Despite some reservations about the Tom Clancy universe's military deification, the game's visuals, gunplay, and rewarding looting have made a positive early impression.
Gears 5 Review | Giant Bomb
Gears 5 offers a solid campaign that continues the story of Kait Diaz, though its new open-world elements are less successful than traditional Gears gameplay. The game also features an improved Horde mode and a new Escape mode, but competitive multiplayer remains largely unchanged. Available on Xbox Game Pass, Gears 5 is recommended for its campaign and Horde mode, especially given its inclusion in the subscription service.
