Gears of War 3 to Receive the “Fenix Rising” Map Pack in the New Year

Microsoft and Epic Games have announced today that Gears of War 3 will be receiving it’s third major add-on next year, with the release of the “Fenix Rising” map pack on January 17th.

This new add-on is set to feature five new multiplayer maps which have been inspired by significant locations that players visit during the Gears of War 3 campaign. These include the fortress of Anvil Gate, the Oracle Academy, and Haldane Hall, the home of the Fenix Family. Full details of the five new multiplayer maps are below:

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 is now lost 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, and little remains other than the ruined shell of a once mighty fortress.

Depths – The excessive opulence of Azura defied all normal reasoning. Adam Fenix however could see the cracks in the veneer of splendor from the moment he arrived at this underwater processing center. All that beauty mattered not at all once he was held captive by the Locust. Out of options, he had to find a way to contact Marcus, and finally reveal the truths he’d been keeping to himself for all these many years.

Escalation – Haldane Hall has been the home of the Fenix family for countless generations. But the only history that matters to Marcus 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 what couldn’t get worse, suddenly did. Now your life expectancy there is around 2 minutes.

Alongside the five new maps, Fenix Rising also introduces a new levelling system that allows players to rank up to level 100 several times, and so unlock new exclusive emblems and weapon skins. Similar to the Prestige system in the Call of Duty games, players who obtain level 100 in Gears of War 3 will have the opportunity to “Re-up”. This will reset their experience and rank, but keep intact all other progression stats (such as a player’s True Skill rating). Player’s will be able to “Re-up” up to three times, and each time they do they will earn a new colour for their rank icon (Bronze, which is obtained the first time a player reaches level 100, Red, Green and Gold). As well as these new rank colours, players who manage to “Re-up” past the Bronze level will receive an exclusive weapon skin that can only be obtained via a “Re-up”. The weapon skins include: Re-Up Plasma, which features animated flowing plasma in gold; Re-Up Omen, a shiny red Omen; and Re-Up Electric, which has animated golden electric shocks.

Fenix Rising will also feature four new character skins, two COG and two Locust, which can be used in Versus Multiplayer, Horde, and Beast Mode. Full details of the four new skins are below:

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 in raw energy.

Locust:

• Savage Marauder – Locust Marauders were the first to form any sort of organisation outside of the Hollow – if their brutal infighting and bloodthirsty raiding parties could truly be called organised.
• 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 Fenix Rising Map Pack will be available on Xbox LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points, and is also included as part of the Gears of War 3 Season Pass, which allows access to the first four pieces of DLC for Gears of War 3 at a 33% discount.

You can check out some screenshots of the new multiplayer maps that feature in Fenix Rising below.
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Gears of War 3 is available now for Xbox 360. Check out our review of the game here.