GEARS OF WAR 3
Xbox 360
Out: April 2011

The climactic events of the second game in this revered shooter series struck a decisive blow against the Locust, but now they're back and they're not the only threat players will face.

The new foe, the Lambent, make the Locust look cuddly. The Lambent are infected Locust that can mutate rapidly and into an array of deadly forms.

The Drudge, for example, sprouts long, grasping, serpent-like arms from its back, each of which is capable of firing a sustained flame or grabbing anything that gets in its way and tearing it to pieces.

The Lambent are designed to keep players guessing. One may tower over the player, firing deadly Emulsion projectiles while disgorging a scuttling horde of spider-like spawn from its belly.

Another is a mutated form of the Berserker from the first Gears of War, only faster and with long prehensile arms that it can use to vault through the air. Oh, and the Lambent explode upon death, so the satisfaction of cutting one down with a chainsaw is tempered with the knowledge it needs to be kicked away or it'll explode and have its revenge.

Gears of War 3 introduces several elements to help players deal with the escalated threat. Most importantly, the campaign can now be played with up to four players, bringing a new level of intensity to each fire fight.

Teamwork will be paramount and the Cogs will once again be able to heal wounded allies and, for the first time, share weaponry.

Developer Epic Games has also revealed a new multiplayer component, Beast mode. Much like the last game's Horde mode, players must survive wave after wave of attacking enemies.

This time they're taking control of the most monstrous of Locust units, from the suicidal Ticker, to Boomers, Berserkers, Wretches and more, and fighting against the Cogs.

Gears of War 3 will be a brutal, action-packed and visually cutting-edge symphony of violence when it hits Xbox 360 consoles in April next year.