Gears of War: E-Day review in progress — Good shooting, but the campaign's a slog

This in-progress review covers Gears of War: E-Day's campaign, but there's still the multiplayer check out, which wasn't available pre-launch. E-Day is officially out on October 6, but advanced access begins October 1 for those who pre-order the $100 Premium Edition. E-Day will also be available on Game Pass.

What's the most stunning revelation in this Gears of War prequel? Marcus Fenix used to have a jump button. Yes, the king of cover-based shooting, a man more rooted to the ground than a scarecrow, spent his youth jumping to some bits of cover. So E-Day contains at least one literal leap forward for the franchise. Shame it's trapped in a slog of a campaign that's otherwise anything but.

But before I moan about that, plenty of good news first. Gears has never felt better to play. These third-person cover shooters have always been a blast when they're working, and a miserable swearing fit when you dodge roll into certain death …