#GEARS OF WAR 3 RAAMS SHADOW SERIES#

Despite the time frame, RAAM's Shadow pulls weapons and enemies from the rest of the series into the early years after E-Day. It's been a while since the Locust's entryways were a problem, so dealing with them all over again is a nostalgic joy - though still frustrating when you're low on explosives. Shouts of 'Close that hole!' ring out and once again you need to toss frag grenades into those eerily glowing crevices. But the moments when the DLC returns to its early roots are when RAAM's Shadow shines. Yes,+he's+a+badass,+but+almost+TOO+badass. The pacing of this Chapter indicates that players ought to be surprised by the arrival of these crawling critters, but there's nothing fresh in this segment - and it's followed by tickers. It's entirely too predictable to make for compelling new content for the series. Since the dawn of the original game, every time the Gears enter an abandoned building, hear odd noises, or things are too quiet, wretches are right around the corner. In addition to the grating dialogue, the story's midpoint relies too heavily on a Gears of War mainstay: attack of the wretches. Tai Kaliso's sage wisdom also pipes in throughout the experience and feels almost too Zen to go head to head with Barrick's brash quips. While the series has been known for some cheesy lines, I couldn't help but note this groan-worthy gem. 'Never could manage a day at school without going to the Principal's office,' he belts as the team trudges through an abandoned school. Additionally, as Zeta Squad stalks through Ilima looking for survivors, Barrick delivers some of the worst one-liners the series has ever seen. While the fight may be fun, is RAAM's Shadow a tale that needs to be told? The first chapter reveals the origin of a certain minor COG from Gears of War 3 and the finale sets the stage for a pivotal moment in the original Gears of War, but we already know RAAM can't die in this prologue, so that deflates the pressure from the growing narrative. The storyline is simple and serves more to place future moments than exist in and of itself. Sure, flinging Kryll from RAAM's hand - lovingly dubbed Kryll Finger - is a fun mechanic, if a novelty, but it proves that an entire game can't rest on RAAM's shoulders.

His power is overwhelming, so there's no real challenge in hiking through his levels and stabbing everyone in the gut with his iconic knife, even on Insane. RAAM can't drop into cover, can't roll, and can't dodge, but can send a storm of Kryll to any target, light be damned. Unfortunately, while crossing the lines of war is an enticing idea, playing as RAAM feels like stepping into a steamroller and flattening any puny COG soldiers that stand in the way. RAAM's Shadow doesn't break down a lot of new walls, but it brings one key new element to the table: playing as RAAM.

Gears of war 3 raams shadow