Players review-bomb Gears of War: E-Day on Steam over strong Black women
Gears of War: E-Day ran into a wave of negative reviews on Steam right after launch. Some players are criticizing content they call "woke." Still, fans are back with Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago for the first time in seven years, and the game remains off to a strong start.
The series has changed a lot since its Xbox 360 debut in 2006, yet it has kept its identity while trying new things with its gruff, tough COG soldiers. The original trilogy focused on humanity's war against the Locust.
Gears of War 4 and Gears 5 introduced a new generation of soldiers and eventually put Kait Diaz at the center of the story, moving away from the Fenix family perspective.
Gears of War: E-Day takes a different route and goes back to the very beginning of the Locust invasion. The events shed light on the series' original heroes and the world around them. The game also tries to bring back the darker, more horror-leaning atmosphere of the earliest entries.
Critic scores are mostly positive, but part of the audience is unhappy. User reviews raise complaints about several things, including:
Mags Carter, the first openly LGBTQ character in the series;
Pride-themed multiplayer cosmetics;
what some players see as a change in the series' identity;
The Coalition's reported work with consulting firm Hit Detection, which offers cultural consultation and similar services;
the game's creative direction;
missing private matches and meat shields.
One author of a lengthy review argues that the new character gets too much attention at the expense of Marcus and Dom. They wrote: "My problem is how aggressively the game tries to put Carter in the spotlight."
One Russian-language review described the situation in a rather comical way:
From the very first second, a Black Bald Woman literally appears on screen (I'll call her BBW from here on). No matter what scene is playing out or which character is in it, BBW is always second in line.
The squad walks down the street, a horde of monsters bursts out and starts tearing people apart. Marcus and Dom freeze, another guy practically bursts into tears, and only BBW shouts to hold your weapons and starts handing them sticks to fight the monsters off.
Next. Marcus and Dom go first. A Locust soldier jumps Marcus from around the corner. Marcus can't fight him off on his own, and then to the rescue comes... WHO DO YOU THINK? Dom, who was right behind him A SECOND AGO? NO. BBW.
Despite the criticism, Gears of War: E-Day holds a "Mostly Positive" rating on Steam. Of more than 2,900 user reviews, 73% recommend the game. Many players are pushing back against the critics, noting that the LGBTQ-related content has little effect on the campaign or core gameplay.
Others say the discussion around Carter and the cosmetics has overshadowed what they enjoy about the game.
Outside of the complaints, Gears of War: E-Day is praised for its intense combat, impressive visuals, and return to the dark atmosphere that defined the first games in the series. Some critics were less enthusiastic about the lengthy campaign and repetitive encounters. Others praise the story's focus on the emotional journey of Marcus and Dom.
