THE BUZZ: The Fenix Risiing Map Pack for Gears of War 3 was released this week, bringing with it five new multiplayer maps, four new skins and a new prestige style experience called “Re-upping.”

The maps include:

• Academy
• Anvil
• Depths
• Escalation
• The Slab

You can check out a walkthrough of each map below.

EGM’s TAKE: Each map brings something different to the table: Firstly Academy looks back at Marcus’s schooling featuring a striking skyline with high rise buildings, the multi-level cement school setting leads to some quick thinking strategic fights. Anvil takes a more rustic approach, with broken walls and overgrown plants giving a more realistic look to proceeding, making it the best map to visit if you’re looking for a quiet stroll.

Depths brings Bioshock to Gears of War, as the team takes the fight to an underwater city where sea creatures swim past the windows and cracks leak water. This is the biggest departure from the usual gears styling that the pack has to offer. Escalation makes it’s return from the original Gears of War, however this time the broken rain soaked masonry is replaced with grand houses featuring Marcus’ own house back-dropped by a picturesque dusk setting; prepare for lot’s of rodeo stair running in this one. Finally The Slab is set in a prison where Marcus spent a lot of his days and features close quarters, fast paced gameplay. You will be seeing the enemy up close and personal a lot during this map.

The DLC also adds “Re-upping” that allows you to start over again once you reach level 100 and grants you with a weapon skin as a reward. It takes a long time to get to 100 so plan on losing a good chunk of your life if you want to successfully do it all three times.

What do you think of the new maps? Let us know below.