The first stage of Gears of War E-Day’s beta may have concluded, but that hasn’t stopped discussion around the game from continuing to rage online. This time, it’s an old favourite: is movement in Gears of War: E-Day good? Does leaping between cover with a shotgun in-hand scare off the normals? Is it… “sweaty”?
This requires some context first. Gears of War has for years been known for its waist-high cover shooting goodness, pushing players to rush forward aggressively to engage in gory ballistic battles. In online multiplayer, players quickly discovered you could repeatedly bounce between waist-high cover at high speeds, which allows for fast, tricky movement that can be challenging for opponents to overcome. Place a Gnasher shotgun in the hands of these bouncing beauties, and you’ve got an infamous style of play: wall bouncing.
Now, The Coalition has taken big strides in terms of movement in Gears of War: E-Day. Through modern advancements in technology, bulky Gears of War characters can finally jump. They can also slide, and climb on top of waist-high cover. We’re talking about a truly revolutionary evolution in gaming here, people.
So what did people think of this new movement when they got their hands on it over the weekend? Well, many people appear to like its blend of old and new, breathing some life into Gears of War. You can still bounce between waist-high cover, but E-Day’s additions mix things up just enough to keep things refreshing.
Among the fans given E-Day’s changes the thumbs-up was Helios, who shared a video on X showing themselves mincing players with a shotgun , writing, “Gears of War is truly back”. You’ll note that wall bouncing is still very much present.
Similar sentiments are being shared on the Gears of War subreddit. Videos showcasing the new movement have flooded the community hub, with some even saying they’ve been put off returning to earlier series entries having experienced the Gears of War: E-Day approach.
However, it’s not all positive. Another clip, posted by Nate on X, shows an extended look at multiplayer with some of the new movement techniques in action. Again, it’s very Gears, but it’s nevertheless drawing some ire from a portion of online commentators. One user, Adam Castleberry, was not impressed, writing: “Thanks for showing me this so I don’t waste my time or money.”
“Can’t believe the franchise is still doing this wall-hugging seizure-inducing shotgun fest nonsense. Looks utterly ridiculous lol,” wrote X user NIB. “I get it’s a Gears staple some core fans enjoy, but better hope wider audiences agree, else The Coalition might be in Xbox’s trigger happy crosshairs.”
Others shared similar disdain for the Gears of War movement style, such as ExoGhost on X who posted: “Imagine coming home from work and wanting to play a video game to relax, only to be destroyed by tryhards abusing movement exploits. Casual gaming is dead.”
Kamikaze_Bacon was similarly affronted on Reddit: “I’m sorry, but anyone who thinks that is how Gears should be played is an idiot. Yell “sKiLl ExPrEsSiOn!” all you want, but that’s f***ing silly.”
This is by no means a new gripe, however. Gears of War has always battled against the belief that its online movement techniques were for scrubs. Here’s a Gamefaqs post from 17 years ago on the topic of wall bouncing. One user – blade6321 – wrote: “It is done to avoid being hit but many people say it is a “nub” tactic and, frankly, I agree.”
Ultimately, it’s down to personal preference if Gears of War E-Day movement shenanigans are great or gristle. Though, as an aside, it is interesting to see that the same discourse I was reading at school still has the vigour to survive in this modern social-media-driven world. Perhaps if nothing else, Gears of War: E-Days’ ability to revive ancient arguments is a sign that the series could be back in earnest.
