Gears of War 3 Wind-Up DLC and Other Stories from the Frontlines
Well, yeah -- but RAAM's Shadow is unlike anything we were expecting from Epic -- because even as the second major game add-on the fact that it delivers an additional and totally unexpected three-plus hours of new campaign play, the content approach was something of an unexpected bonus considering that the Gears community largely viewed the launch-story in its entirety as perhaps the perfectly balanced ending that was hoped for.
How they can add to that without risking detracting from its message and its punch was something of a mystery... And then the announcement that the new expansion includes missions from both perspectives in this war stunned the community!
Rather than try to shoe-horn in a new adventure with a team whose movements and story is practically carved in stone for most gamers who are fans, the dev's went in another direction, offering us a post-Emergence Day romp with a new team of Gears, nicely side-stepping any continuity issues that any other choice might have raised!
Designated as Zeta Squad, we join this new Gears unit as they attempt to evacuate Ilima City and protect the citizens against a Locust Kryll storm -- always a challenging endeavor to be sure. As you may have figured form the name of the expansion, its focus for this adventure is an encounter with the infamous Locust leader from the original Gears of War: General RAAM!Fortunately the creative types behind this masterpiece did not hand us a Zeta Squad filled with complete unknowns who we would not care about -- instead they gave us the familiar faces of Michael Barrick (from the Gears of War comics), Lt. Minh Young Kim (from the first title), and Tai Kaliso (from Gears of War 2), while introducing yet another new female Gear, the spicy Alicia Valera. So far, so good!
To add a little twisted fury to the mixture, we not only get the treat of fighting in a new Gears Squad where we have to quckly learn its dynamics, but we also get to see the world from the other side of the table, and battle as RAAM himself -- and you cannot tell us that this was not a surprise! For the very first time in the series we actually get to invade and then blitz a human base as the enemy -- err... well... No, since we are playing as the... Wait... Argh! From the perspective of a legendary boss who we previously feared -- and for good reason -- yeah, that sounds better...
Along side of the new campaign adventure the expansion includes the Chocolate Weapon Set, some new Achievements worth another 250 GS, and six new multi-player characters to flesh out our choices. In case you are curious, the new MPC's include General RAAM, a Theron Elite Commando, and naturally our new Gears: Alicia Valera, Lt. Minh Young Kim, Tai Kaliso and Michael Barrick.
If you have yet to purchase any of the add-ons and DLC, and you are planning on getting most or all of them, now might be the time for you to consider obtaining the Gears 3 Season Pass (they do not pay us to suggest that, we are just looking out for you mates) -- which at just 2400 Microsoft Points may sound like a lot but, when you consider that the Pass also scores you the all tof he previously released maps, characters, weapon skins, the Horde fortification upgrades and Achievements in the Horde Command Pack, the expansion itself AND its Achievements, and also delivers two more upcoming game add-ons -- well, let's just say that it is a no-brainer!
Considering that buying all of that stuff individually would run you a whopping 3,600 Microsoft Points (around $45 or like 10,594.08 Hungarian Forint which is like 284.34 Chinese Yuan Renminbi so now we're talking real money!) that 2400 Points looks more like a bargain. right?
We will be keeping an eye on the developments with Gears 3 and its DLC -- and whether or not the previously announced four packages are the "First Four" or the whole enchilada -- but I confess that here at the GU Bullpen we are hoping it is the former and not the latter...
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