Compare Death Stranding 2: On the Beach vs Gears of War: E-Day

Dollman’s companion role is strongly praised for scouting, advice, and personality, making the journey feel less lonely.

Squadmates can be useful, but inconsistent revives, pathing, and occasional obstruction are recurring frustrations in solo play. Human co-op largely sidesteps the problem.

Reviewers praise expanded tools, weapons, boots, and unlockable options, making the sequel feel broader than the first game.

The campaign mixes set pieces, open districts, side objectives, bosses, and exploration, but several critics still find the overall structure too repetitive.

Handheld play is viable but compromised, with Steam Deck running at low resolution while ROG handheld play was issue-free.

Steam Deck performance is poor enough that portable play is not recommended, with drops below 30 FPS even at the lowest settings.

Originality remains high, with reviewers praising bold creativity, even as some say the sequel is safer than the first.

The prequel setup and horror emphasis add fresh context, but several critics feel familiar missions and story beats lean too heavily on established Gears ideas.

Mission variety is praised for fresher cargo conditions, hazards, and delivery setups, though some reviewers still noted simplification.

Side content is repeatedly criticized for relying on similar defend-or-survive objectives, leaving the campaign short on non-combat variety.

Enemy AI is a repeated weak spot, with reviewers noting it is not especially sharp even when combat remains fun.

Ai behavior is a recurring weakness, with complaints that it gets in the way of an otherwise stronger experience.

Dialogue quality is mixed, with one review praising clarity while others complain about long or nonsensical speeches.

The writing keeps Gears’ blunt banter and one-liners, which can be charming in moderation. A few squad lines are criticized as cringeworthy or repetitive.

Horror tension is mixed to weak because BTs can still feel tense, but several reviewers say the sequel reduces their fear factor.

The Locust are presented as frightening and overwhelming, with darkness, civilian casualties, and escalating threats sustaining real dread. The horror tone is widely seen as a successful return to the series’ earliest identity.

Exploration is strongly praised for making Australia exciting, scenic, and rewarding to traverse, especially when routes and vistas click.

Exploration can uncover mods, collectibles, side objectives, and environmental storytelling, and some enjoy the freedom. Others find the open stretches repetitive, under-rewarding, or disruptive to the campaign’s stronger linear pacing.

Weapon balance is mixed to weak, with several reviewers calling Sam overpowered or finding many weapons redundant, despite some praise for variety.

The arsenal is broad, punchy, and purpose-built, with old favorites and new guns supporting different ranges and tactics. Larger enemies can blunt that variety when they soak up too much damage.

The delivery loop is often called addictive, satisfying, and more approachable, with dissent focused on repetition rather than the basic loop itself.

Repeated shooting encounters remain satisfying when arenas and enemy mixes are strong, but the campaign can become one-note when too many fights arrive without enough variation between them.

Frame-rate stability is consistently positive, with reviewers citing smooth 60fps, high PC frame rates, and handheld stability.

Performance is generally solid on stronger console modes, but noticeable hitches and hardware-dependent drops appear in demanding scenes. Steam Deck performance is a separate and much larger problem.

Environmental detail is consistently praised for texture, variety, visual density, and natural effects.

Interiors, streets, debris, lighting, and destruction are packed with small details that make Kalona feel inhabited rather than like a sequence of arenas. Visual density is a consistent strength.

Upgrade systems are praised for flexible perks and incentives that help tailor traversal, stealth, and combat approaches.

Weapon mods and tactical gear add meaningful customization without radically changing the core combat. The system is fun to tinker with, although the hunt for upgrade cases can become busywork.

Movement and hiking retain a distinctive physical weight that many reviewers loved, even when vehicles reduce how often players need to walk.

Sliding, vaulting, low cover, climbing, and the revised sprint make movement noticeably smoother and more flexible. Some longtime players are wary of losing familiar roadie-run and wall-bounce behavior, and a few interactions still feel clunky.

Facial animation evidence is uniformly positive, with reviewers highlighting detailed faces, capture, and rendered human contact.

Expanded facial animation detail helps sell subtle emotion during close-up story scenes and is frequently paired with praise for character rendering.

Immersion is strongly praised, with reviewers describing effortless absorption and deeply lingering experiences.

Immersion is a clear strength, with consistently positive reactions to how it supports the overall experience.

Character development is praised where reviewers saw Sam relying on others more and the sequel deepening characterization.

Marcus and Dom gain welcome context, while the campaign also spends meaningful time on newer squad members. Some criticism remains that certain arcs arrive late or do not deepen familiar characters enough.

Visual effects are praised as incredible, with weather, landscapes, and special effects repeatedly singled out.

Dynamic lighting, ray-traced effects, destruction, gore, and particle work give firefights impressive spectacle. The destruction system is especially effective at selling the chaos of the invasion.

Polish is praised through refined systems, a smooth PC port, and an almost flawless technical presentation.

The campaign is generally polished and stable, but isolated hitches, AI quirks, and interaction roughness keep it from feeling completely seamless.

Enemy variety is mostly praised for new forms and loadouts, but at least one review felt bandits and BTs were too familiar.

The mix of returning Locust and new threats keeps encounters visually and tactically varied. Bigger enemies draw more criticism when heavy health pools and weak hit reactions make them feel less satisfying to fight.

The main noted learning curve is movement weight, which takes adjustment before it becomes satisfying.

Changes to controls and multiplayer movement aim to lower barriers for new players, though veteran muscle memory may need an adjustment period.

Writing quality is split sharply, ranging from career-best praise to criticisms that the script and finale do not land.

Writing quality draws mixed reactions, working well in some situations but creating noticeable tradeoffs in others.

Supporting characters are often praised for nuance and memorable moments, though one review felt they were underused.

Mags and Lucas generally earn their place beside the established leads, with personal histories that add texture to Bravo Squad. Lucas in particular is sometimes seen as underdeveloped until later in the campaign.

Progression is praised for faster unlock pacing and more forgiving advancement that keeps deliveries rewarding.

Progression comes mainly through equipment and weapon modification rather than a traditional leveling tree, keeping growth tied directly to combat tools.

Pacing is mixed: many reviews praise improved mission or story momentum, while others call the narrative slow, muddled, or filler-heavy.

The best stretches move with cinematic urgency and strong action beats. Open districts, collectible hunting, repeated routes, and an unusually long campaign can slow that momentum for players who prefer a tighter Gears experience.

One reviewer praised the sequel for preserving the franchise’s heart and soul while expanding its systems.

The game strongly preserves the series’ identity through weighty cover shooting, gore, urban warfare, and familiar characters. Most changes modernize that formula rather than replacing it.

Narrative quality is highly divisive: many praise the story as memorable and emotional, while others find it muddled, messy, or unsatisfying.

The prequel story lands emotionally for many, especially when it focuses on Marcus, Dom, and Kalona’s collapse. A smaller but persistent camp finds the plot too familiar, overly safe, or insufficiently revealing for longtime fans.

Lore support and depth are praised through the Corpus encyclopedia, which helps handle the dense terminology and proper nouns.

The prequel is rich in established lore and connections, carefully preserving canon while filling in gaps around Emergence Day and Kalona.

Emotional impact is usually strong, driven by sincerity, human stories, and moving payoffs, but not every reviewer felt affected.

Character losses, grief, and the bond between Marcus and Dom give the campaign more heart than its premise might suggest. Several impressions describe the emotional beats as earned and genuinely affecting.

Combat is widely seen as tighter and more viable than before, but several reviewers still found it basic, intrusive, or less compelling than traversal.

Cover shooting remains the star: guns hit hard, executions feel satisfyingly brutal, and the classic Gears rhythm is still compelling. The main caveat is that larger enemies can turn into less-reactive bullet sponges.

Dynamic weather, terrain hazards, and reactive routes add life and variety, though one critic felt some additions gesture at depth without enough substance.

Destructible cover, shattered glass, bullet damage, and environmental reactions make firefights feel physical. Invisible barriers and inconsistent climbable surfaces limit that interactivity in places.

The only clear aiming criticism was the absence of gyroscopic aiming, despite the game pushing ranged weapons more heavily.

Accuracy-focused mods and precision weapons are satisfying when shots land, but incoming fire and flinch can make lining up shots frustrating in tougher encounters.

Animation quality is strongly praised through motion capture, character animation, and facial/body performance work.

Movement and character animation are notably smoother and more detailed, though occasional NPC stiffness stands out against the otherwise high presentation bar.

Fun factor trends positive, with many reviewers calling the sequel more fun, though some still did not personally connect with it.

Despite disagreements over structure, the core action is widely described as fun, satisfying, and easy to keep playing. Even several critical takes still enjoy the shooting enough to carry weaker stretches.

The cast/character roster is widely praised as excellent, quirky, memorable, and performance-rich, with a few mixed views on newer characters.

Bravo Squad mixes familiar leads with new faces effectively, and the four-person structure supports both story chemistry and co-op play.

Graphics quality receives near-universal acclaim, with reviewers repeatedly calling it gorgeous, stunning, or among the best-looking games on PS5/PC.

The game is repeatedly praised as gorgeous, technically ambitious, and among the best-looking releases of the year. Lighting, character rendering, and dense city scenes are particular strengths.

Art direction is strongly praised, especially the detailed vistas and rugged depiction of Australia.

Industrial architecture, gothic touches, harsh lighting, and collapsing urban spaces give Kalona a distinctive visual identity.

Difficulty balance is one of the more divisive areas: some praise fair harder settings, while others say combat, BTs, or traversal became too easy.

Harder settings can make positioning and cover choices sing, but balance is uneven around elite enemies, one-hit attacks, and spongey bosses. Normal difficulty is considered too forgiving by at least some experienced players.

Reviewers generally describe the broader mechanics as substantially refined and more approachable, though one review found the gameplay disappointing despite the spectacle.

The familiar cover-shooter foundation is refined with better mobility, lower cover, tactical gear, and weapon modifications. These additions improve flexibility without fundamentally reinventing Gears.

Atmosphere is a major strength, ranging from meditative and haunting to warm, strange, and emotionally resonant.

Kalona’s collapse creates a grim, oppressive mood that pushes Gears closer to survival horror without abandoning its action roots. The sense of dread and desperation is one of the most consistently praised parts of the campaign.

Reviewers praise the sequel’s inventive systems, unusual world, and a gameplay structure that few other games attempt.

E-Day modernizes movement, cover, upgrades, and presentation, but opinions split on whether those changes are bold enough. Critics looking for a major reinvention see the game as too attached to a decades-old formula.

Onboarding is praised for clearer instructions, a stronger opening, and a better job of pulling players into the systems.

Practice space, customizable controls, and clearer placement of active-reload information are designed to ease newcomers into Gears without forcing veterans to abandon familiar habits.

User interface design is praised for thoughtful fictional UI and a radial menu that makes road management easier.

Navigation and pickup messaging are functional, but repeated pop-ups and menu steps for collectibles can interrupt the flow.

Map and navigation design gets strong praise from the Route Simulator and more convenient route planning.

Map markers and proximity pings make upgrades easier to locate, but the interface can also turn exploration into waypoint cleanup rather than discovery.

The open world is repeatedly praised as varied, beautiful, and more densely interesting, with Australia seen as a stronger setting than before.

The semi-open structure is divisive: some appreciate dense, compact districts that avoid a traditional open-world sprawl, while others feel the structure is awkward, repetitive, and poorly matched to Gears’ strengths.

Level and environment design is praised for being more thoughtful and confident in how it leverages traversal.

Linear set pieces are often excellent and cinematic, with strong combat spaces and memorable encounters. The more open sections are less consistent, with some finding them spacious and flexible while others see them as momentum-killing.

Asynchronous multiplayer is one of the clearest strengths, making players feel connected through structures, roads, likes, and shared effort.

Early impressions are enthusiastic about 4v4 Versus and the larger 12-player Horde Siege concept. Some launch reviews remain provisional because multiplayer was unavailable before embargo.

Boss design earns frequent praise for spectacle and improvement, though some reviewers found bosses simple or out of place.

Most major encounters are memorable and tense, but a few bosses rely too heavily on large health pools or limited damage feedback.

World-building is praised as bizarre, imaginative, and distinctive, though one review criticized gaps in cultural representation.

Kalona feels lived-in before and during its destruction, with architecture, civilian details, and environmental storytelling making the setting feel consequential. Its transformation over the campaign reinforces the scale of Emergence Day.

Sound design is very highly rated for immersive environmental audio, rain, wind, footsteps, and overall atmosphere.

Weapon reports, headshots, chainsaws, creature noises, and environmental audio give combat exceptional weight. The soundscape is frequently singled out as a major part of the game’s visceral impact.

Fetch-style questing remains a pain point for one reviewer, who found ferrying boxes back and forth exhausting.

Quest design draws mixed reactions, working well in some situations but creating noticeable tradeoffs in others.

Mission design is mixed: reviewers liked forward momentum and variety, but some criticized forced backtracking or insufficient challenge.

Scripted missions and major set pieces are usually stronger than side objectives. Optional tasks can add useful rewards, but many boil down to familiar defensive fights.

Platform-specific support is excellent in cited reviews, covering deep PC settings, controller support, and full DualSense implementation.

Xbox and PC support is strong, but the absence of a PlayStation 5 version is a major negative for critics focused on player-base reach. Hardware differences also matter for performance.

Controls are mostly praised as more refined, smoother, and less cumbersome, including PC input support, with only minor complexity caveats.

Modernized inputs make sprinting, climbing, and cover transitions smoother and easier to control. Some movement interactions still create frustration in specific situations.

One reviewer found Sam especially well cast and suited to the game’s semi-silent protagonist role.

Marcus and Dom remain a major draw, with their friendship and earlier lives giving longtime fans a compelling reason to revisit the timeline.

Voice acting is one of the strongest consensus positives, with performances frequently called excellent, memorable, or world-bringing.

Performances consistently sell grief, urgency, and squad chemistry, with the returning leads and new supporting cast both earning praise.

Performance optimization is praised across PS5 and PC, including smooth performance mode, strong PC scaling, and polished port work.

The technology scales impressively across Xbox hardware, but demanding lighting and dense scenes can expose slowdowns on weaker configurations. High-end presentation comes with a real performance cost.

Soundtrack quality is strongly praised, from licensed tracks to Ludvig Forssell/Woodkid scoring and emotionally timed music.

Music supports the bleak, cinematic tone, with familiar motifs such as “Mad World” reinforcing the connection to the original game.

Accessibility-adjacent options, especially boss skips and a more accessible sequel structure, are treated positively by reviewers who mentioned them.

Co-op fits the campaign naturally and makes combat, exploration, and revives more enjoyable. It is also an effective workaround for occasional companion-AI problems.

Collectibles add lore and reasons to explore, but the sheer volume can make completion feel like cleanup work. Map cues reduce the search burden for players who want to find everything.

Community features receive strong praise for likes, shared structures, monorails, roads, and the sense of helping unseen players.

Two-player local co-op is welcomed as a rare modern feature and a strong match for the series’ campaign design.

Vehicles are praised for handling better and arriving earlier, though several reviewers felt driving can trivialize the hiking-focused identity.

Resource balance is mixed because plentiful building materials make construction smoother but also reduce challenge.

Fast travel is useful and convenient through the Magellan and waypoint systems, though some restrictions and grading tradeoffs remain.

The campaign is substantially longer than a typical Gears story, which gives the squad and setting more room but can overstay its welcome. Longer open sections amplify that concern for players who want a tighter run.

Grind level is rated positively by one reviewer who felt the game can be enjoyed at the player’s own pace without grinding.

Haptic/DualSense integration is praised as highly immersive through controller feedback, speaker use, and adaptive triggers.

Large prompts and repeated nearby-item alerts are easy to notice but can feel intrusive, especially when the game repeatedly announces Hard Cases.

Marcus’ dry one-liners and the series’ rough banter provide welcome relief between grim story beats, though not every joke lands equally well.

Load times receive a perfect single-review score for near-seamless transitions between menu, cutscenes, and gameplay.

Hard Cases and Supply Caches feed useful weapon customization, but some players dislike the frequency of searching for them or the low value of certain rewards.

Much of the seasonal content is positioned as earnable through play, but expensive premium and collector bundles draw more skepticism.

Aggregate-oriented coverage describes the game as a strong, favorable release even when it does not evaluate individual systems in detail.

A physical disc in the premium collector’s package is explicitly welcomed by collectors who still value disc-based releases.

New climbing and jumping expand traversal, but mantling rules are not always readable; some walls look climbable but reject input, creating avoidable frustration.

One reviewer praised the sequel for letting individual playstyles feel legitimate through its expanded systems.

Skill-tree and APAS-style systems are praised for rewarding playstyle choices and allowing situational re-specs.

Social features are praised where likes and player feedback create a warm, positive network of encouragement.

The campaign is fully playable alone and remains enjoyable, but companion-AI revive problems can make solo runs more frustrating than co-op.

Split-screen support is treated as a welcome return, preserving a classic way to play the campaign with another person on the same system.

Stealth is broadly praised as deeper, more flexible, and more fun, with many reviewers comparing the expanded toolkit favorably to Kojima’s stealth legacy.

Downed-state revives and tactical healing add pressure and recovery options, though unreliable squad assistance can make these systems feel harsher than intended.

VR Training/tutorial support is praised as both useful and fun for refreshing mechanics.

Vehicle roster evidence is limited but positive, with one reviewer praising the usefulness and variety of vehicles across missions.

The extreme gore is intentionally central to the experience, and most impressions see the gruesome dismemberment and impact as fitting for Gears rather than gratuitously out of place.

Character and weapon skins add more cosmetic variety than before, with some fans praising the extra detail and animated designs.

The large statue and physical extras have some display appeal, but the collector’s package is criticized for bland or filler items that do not justify the premium price.

Menu usability is improved overall, especially radial menus and reworked menus, though some still found systems fiddly or clunky.

Replay value is supported by one reviewer eager to return for more missions after finishing the story.

The collector’s edition receives sharp criticism for its price relative to the included physical extras. The base game itself is generally viewed much more favorably than the expensive collector bundle.