E-Day Had The Perfect Shot at a Double Protagonist Take

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 16, 2025 2 Views 5 Min Read
E-Day Had The Perfect Shot at a Double Protagonist Take

Gears of War: E-Day was one of the most exciting announcements of 2024, and there will hopefully be a fresh update in the coming months. The infamous day in Gears of War lore is finally set to be showcased, which promises a harrowing story. Much of Gears of War: E-Day is still mysterious, but there are a few things that have been confirmed about the prequel.

One of the most exciting confirmations about Gears of War: E-Day is that Marcus Fenix will be returning as the playable protagonist. Dominic Santiago will be accompanying him, as well, and while the two seem like the perfect dual protagonist set-up, there is another angle that developer The Coalition may have missed. Instead of bouncing back and forth between Marcus and Dom like many would expect from a hypothetical dual-narrative, Gears of War: E-Day could have taken a compelling turn by showing the fateful event through the eyes of a civilian.

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Seeing E-Day Through a Civilian’s Point-of-View Could Have Offered a Fascinating New Perspective

While it’s still possible that some moments of E-Day could potentially be shown from other characters’ perspectives, it has been made clear that Marcus is the main character players will control. Gears of War: E-Day has high expectations to meet when it comes to its story. Getting a back-and-forth view of E-Day and its horrors through the eyes of both a trained soldier and an everyday person may have been a powerful way to truly showcase the Locust Horde and its terror. Going up against a Locust is intimidating enough for a soldier as skilled as Marcus, but putting a normal civilian in that position could be even more sweat-inducing.

A Dual-Protagonist Story Could Have Experimented With Stealth

The Gears of War franchise is a loud and proud shooter series, but there have been moments throughout its lifetime that have dabbled in stealth. Introducing a normal human into the chaos of E-Day would likely feature gameplay that is far more stealth-focused than Marcus’. Bouncing between the two could have offered an interesting balance that could also help break up the story.

Gears of War 2 has a deleted scene titled “Road to Ruin” that offers a stealth option. Gears 5 also features some basic stealth mechanics.

However, such a drastic change is bound to be controversial, so it’s no surprise that The Coalition has likely stuck to Marcus and Dom’s more action-heavy perspective. However, more stealth could have been one of the stronger ways to really drive home the tension of this lore-defining moment. Gears of War: E-Day is already bound to hit players with an emotional gut-punch, but an everyday person’s life being turned upside down by the power of the Locust Horde would likely only elevate that.

Marcus and Dom Can Still Bring E-Day’s Tragedy to Life

Of course, it would be interesting to see a civilian’s story, and players may still get a glimpse at such a viewpoint via cutscenes, but Marcus keeps the franchise grounded in its roots. Gears of War: E-Day takes place 14 years before the first game in the series, so players may get to see a very different version of Marcus and Dom. The first time audiences were introduced to these characters, they had experienced over a decade of intense trauma, so seeing Marcus lead the story before the years of struggle is likely enough to nail E-Day’s emotionally heavy tone.

Gears of War: E-Day will prioritize linear storytelling over an open world.

The wait for more Gears of War: E-Day news continues. Its announcement was a pleasant surprise in 2024, but The Coalition also has to be able to deliver on one of the most important days in the series. That may be hard to achieve, but with Marcus leading the way, there could be a strong story waiting on the horizon.

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