New Gears of War 3 DLC available now

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Today is the day Gearheads everywhere have been waiting for. The third major piece of DLC for Gears of War 3, aptly titled the Fenix Rising Map Pack, has been released on XBOX Live. In total, five new multiplayer maps are included in the package, but this is more than just a map pack. A fresh batch of achievements, four new character skins, and a prestige-like ability to show off your skills all come included in the DLC. Read on for the details.

The five new maps all tie into protagonist Marcus Fenix’s past in one way or another, and each offers an exciting new angle on the classic Gears combat formula. For a detailed breakdown of the maps, and how each location played a role in the life of Marcus Fenix, click here for the official press release from Epic Games.

As mentioned before, the Fenix Rising Map Pack comes loaded with new achievements, seven in all, for a total of 250 gamer points. Not bad, right? Here’s a list of what you can earn, and how to earn them.

  • Now They Begin to Understand – Complete 12 waves of Beast on all Fenix Rising Maps.  (20 points)

  • Defending the Past – Complete all 50 waves of Horde on any of the Fenix Rising Maps.  (25 points)

  • Come to Poppa – Win a Versus multiplayer match as a team of five Recruit Claytons (any mode).  (15 points)

  • Locust, Forever – Win a Versus multiplayer match as a team of five Savage Marauders (any mode).  (15 points)

  • Time to Re-up – Achieve level 100 and choose to re-up for another tour of duty. (50 points)

  • Again! – Achieve level 100 a second time and choose to re-up for another tour of duty.  (50 points)

  • I’ve Done it All! – Earn at least one of each of the original 132 combat ribbons.  (75 points)

Most interesting of all (to me at least) is the inclusion of a feature Epic is calling the “Re-Up.” If a player reaches the level 100 cap, they will now have the option to have their experience and rank reset, while keeping their trueskill score and all the other rewards that come with level progression. Players can “re-up” a total of three times, each time earning specially colored wings. Re-upping appears to be very similar to the “prestige” system in Call of Duty, and I have to wonder if Epic Games is feeling pressure to match features with the competing franchise from Activision. Or maybe just enjoy giving their customers cool new stuff. Either / or.

The Fenix Rising Map Pack is available right now on XBOX Live Marketplace for 800 MS points.


About the Author: (@Joe_of_the_Dead) Lead Editor, Writer

Joe was born in a time of war. A console war. Two electronic titans were locked in a heated battle for the living rooms of America. Which titans, you ask? Well, the Fairchild Channel F and the Atari 2600 of course. You see, Joe is old. So many of his favorite games tend to be on the older side as well. But that hasn’t stopped him from developing unhealthy obsessions with such modern franchises as Halo and Mass Effect. Just don’t tell him how long it’s been since the original Metroid was released. His aging heart can’t take the shock.

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