The battle for Sera rages on today as Microsoft and Epic kick off the New Year with the release of "Fenix Rising," the third major game add-on for Gears of War 3.
"Fenix Rising" introduces five all-new multiplayer maps inspired by some of the most breathtaking locales found in the Gears of War 3 campaign, four new character skins and a new experience system that allows players to rank up through level 100 multiple times and unlock exclusive emblems and weapon skins.
With the purchase of the add-on, players who attain level 100 will have a choice to "Re-up" for another tour of duty. Their experience and rank will be reset, but all other progression (including TrueSkill rating) will remain intact. Players can "Re-up" up to three times, earning a new rank icon color each time: Bronze (default level 100), Red, Green and Gold. Each "Re-up" level after Bronze also awards the player an exclusive, custom weapon skin (Red, Green, Gold) that can only be acquired via the "Fenix Rising" Map Pack.
New maps included in the "Fenix Rising" DLC includes:
- Academy
The lineage of the Fenix family can be traced back along a distinguished line of military officers. Officer training at the Oracle Academy was simply the expected path for Marcus, and he had visited the grounds many times in expectation that he would walk the same path as his ancestors. But it was not to be, and Marcus broke with tradition to be with his best friends Dom and Carlos. Like any number of fine Seran traditions, the Academy has succumbed to the invasion of the Locust Horde. - Anvil
The fortress of Anvegad was called Anvil Gate because its’ impenetrable walls were forged in the fires of war. Huge cannons sat atop battlements that guarded sprawling walls running the line of the UIR borders. Marcus went there to find Hoffman, and they both thought that Anvil Gate would offer protection from the incoming forces of Locust and Lambent. They were wrong. Little now remains other than the ruined shell of a once mighty fortress. - Depths
The excessive opulence of Azura defied all normal reasoning. But Adam Fenix could see the cracks in the veneer of splendor from the moment he arrived at this underwater processing center. All the beauty that surrounded him mattered very little once he was imprisoned by the Locust. Out of options, he had to find a way to contact Marcus, and finally reveal the truths he’d been hiding all these years. - Escalation
Haldane Hall has been the home of the Fenix family for countless generations. But the only history that matters to Marcus’s are his memories of warm summer evenings spent with his mother, Elain, relaxing in the estate’s gardens. Sadly, all the estate’s history and beauty was lost when the Locust destroyed it in an attempt to kidnap his father. - The Slab
Convicted for insubordination and treason, Marcus was incarcerated in Jacinto Maximum Security Prison. Known as “The Slab”, this prison is not a correctional facility - it’s a place where Sera’s worst offenders are locked up and forgotten. The inmates are brutal, parole is not an option, and the average life expectancy is about two years. But that was before the Locust showed up and a situation that seemingly couldn’t get worse, suddenly did. Now your life expectancy at “The Slab” is around 2 minutes!
New Characters for use in Versus Multiplayer and Horde Mode (if COG) include:
COG:
- Recruit Clayton – Clayton was born a Gear, grew up a Gear, and on the very day he became eligible, he signed himself up to become the capable, confident, and devoted Gear he’d always known he could be.
- Thrashball Cole (Limited Edition) – The Cole Train prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for with raw energy.
Locust:
- Savage Marauder – Locust Marauders were the first to form any sort of organization outside of the Hollow – if their brutal infighting and bloodthirsty raiding parties could truly be called organized.
- Savage Kantus (Limited Edition) – The Savage Kantus were profoundly impacted by the loss of the Hollow. They have reverted to a primal, shamanistic state, and their battle cries have taken a dark, melancholy turn. Few sounds are as terrifying to human ears.
The Gears of War 3 "Fenix Rising" DLC is now available on Xbox LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points or included as part of the Gears of War 3 Season Pass, which allows gamers to obtain "Fenix Rising," as well as all the previously released add-on content for Gears of War 3, including "RAAM’s Shadow" and the "Horde Command Pack," and secure access to one more upcoming game add-on. The Gears of War 3 Season Pass is available for 2400 Microsoft Points, which entitles them to the first four game add-ons for a total discount of 33 percent.
Gears of War 3 Fenix Rising DLC Achievement Guide
About Gears of War 3
Developed by acclaimed studio Epic Games and available only on Xbox 360, Gears of War 3 plunges players into a harrowing tale of hope, survival, and brotherhood that will conclude the current story arc for Gears of War. With the last human city destroyed and the remaining survivors stranded, time is running out for Marcus and his comrades as they fight to save the human race from the jaws of extinction.
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Publisher: Epic Games
ESRB Rating: Mature
Buy Gears of War 3