How does the new Horde Siege work?

Instead of the classic four players, Horde Siege welcomes twelve players split into three teams of four on the same map. They must defend or repair the R.I.G., and then all players converging toward a shared exfiltration phase creates a controlled chaos that's very effective for adrenaline.

Which class should you pick to start?

Assault remains the balanced option, but the Breacher will appeal to those who like playing aggressively thanks to its instant heal that lets you charge in without thinking. Marksman and Medic suit more measured playstyles.

Is random matchmaking really a problem?

Yes, according to the preview. Players who ignore secondary objectives to rush straight for the goal cause real frustrations. Playing in a full squad becomes nearly necessary for a good experience, at least during the preview phase.

Will I enjoy E-Day if I'm bad at PvP?

Versus has gained freshness with its new movement options, but wall-bounce veterans still keep a crazy technical edge. It's intimidating for newcomers, though it should balance out over the weeks following launch.

Preview Gears of War: E-Day - GameRant's impressions after 3 days in immersion - Preview

Three days of sessions organized by Xbox and The Coalition, a twelve-player Horde Siege mode, and a reworked Versus: this is what GameRant was able to test before release. The dominant feeling that emerges from their preview? Near-unreserved optimism for this return to the franchise's roots.

What works, first of all. Horde Siege changes the formula by splitting the traditional four players into three teams of four, all on the same map, with objectives to defend or repair (the famous R.I.G.) before an exfiltration phase where everyone ends up running into the same zone at the same time. You can feel that this final sequence is designed to create chaos, and according to the preview, it works: the teams eventually cross paths, sometimes helping each other, in a joyful mess that contrasts with the rest of the mode, which is more measured.

The class system (Assault, Breacher, Marksman, Medic) gives real identity to each run, with a special mention for the Breacher and its instant heal, which allows for much more aggressive play. On the Versus side, the new moves - climbing, jumping, sliding under an obstacle to surprise an opponent - give a real breath of fresh air to a formula that, on paper, remained very faithful to the series' historic cover-shooting.

What's worrying, on the other hand: playing with strangers who ignore the secondary objectives to charge straight ahead toward the main objective apparently generated its share of frustrations during the preview. And the tester, who describes himself as a casual PvP player, admits that wall-bounce regulars retain a technical advantage that can quickly make the experience intimidating for newcomers.

Provisional verdict: it's off to a very good start, provided you play with a full squad rather than random matchmaking, and provided the few rough edges noted are fixed by release. For the launch date and access to the open beta, head over to our dedicated article.