The end of a trilogy. As with movies as it is with games, so much pressure rests on the producer or developer to deliver something which not only betters the prequels in grandeur, scope and execution, but to also tie up any loose plot ends and deliver a final weaving lock to make the dress complete.

There are still a few glitches with Multiplayer that should hopefully be ironed out as the servers become more established. But as games go Gears of War 3 is still brilliant and its Horde/Beast modes provide even more entertainment once the single player campaign has come to an end.

So there you have it all. Despite not actually having much to do with the forces of nature, the maps are nothing short of amazing. Some might even call them Epic! (I had to go there, yes…) Once again Epic have delivered us some DLC that is truly worth the 800 Microsoft points which is not always the...

With everything that Gears 3 does exceptionally there are a few minor deficiencies to mention. For one there is often a small freeze-and-skip in play when the game saves and a few times I saw Cole floating on air, the game failing to recognise that he should have gone down the stairs.

An Epic conclusion?

Zigzagging through different perspectives is one of the tentpoles of storytelling in Gears of War 3 , so it makes sense that the game's campaign DLC would follow suit. But instead of hopscotching between various bros- and bro-ettes-in-arms on the COG side of things, RAAM's Shadow gets fancy on us.

+ Decent gameplay variety provides some new twists not found in the main game; + Throwback prequel storyline offers a good glimpse at past characters

? How does Barrick's cigar last until the end of the entire DLC?

Loud, brash, pretty, and crass that perfectly sums up the Gears of War 3 experience. The scene is set as humanity's last glimmer of hope of surviving an all out Lambent takeover lies within the trigger fingers of a ragtag disbanded group of Gears (Soldiers) of the COG (Coalition of Ordered...

Great campaign; Fast paced action; Tons of features

Extremely violent; Excessive gore; Horrible language

Fun game. Wrapped it up in about three days. Worth a play particularly if you have enjoyed the other Gears of War games. I just wish they would give you some way to skip those ridiculous story cuts...

Gears of War 3 is a tough game to rate. For starters, the game mechanics are virtually unchanged since the original, with some minor control tweaks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the game feels dated as a result.

Chainsaw bayonets have been a secure staple in the Gears of War series ever since the first game and they still haven't changed. And why should they? Viciously ripping your opponent in half, reducing them to a puddle of chunky horror is the ultimate way to ensure an enemy isn't playing dead.