Gears 3 gets new DLC mission

Gears of War 3 is getting a new downloadable add-on come December 13th, entitled RAAM's Shadow.

The add-on, announced by Microsoft's Major Nelson on his official blog, will offer a new three hour plus slice of campaign gameplay, in a storyline that precedes the events in the first Gears of War, and is set to star "a cast of characters both new and eerily familiar to the series".

[Update:] Epic and Microsoft have released more info on the new content.

"RAAM's Shadow" drops players into the events of Sera post-Emergence Day, as Zeta Squad is enlisted to evacuate Ilima City and protect the citizens against a Locust Kryll storm. Taking on the infamous Locust leader from "Gears 1," General RAAM, Zeta is led by Michael Barrick (from "Gears of War" comics fame) and comprised of familiar faces such as Lt. Minh Young Kim ("Gears 1") and Tai Kaliso ("Gears 2"), and also includes a new female comrade, Alicia Valera.

In addition to fighting as a new squad of Gears, players will step into the boots of RAAM himself, and for the first time storm the human stronghold from the perspective of one of the series' most legendary bosses.

"RAAM's imposing size and strength, along with his Kryll shield, make him one of the most powerful and daunting foes in the ‘Gears' universe," said Bleszinski. "We think fans are going to have a blast unleashing hell upon the poor humans for the first time in a campaign setting."

The add-on will also include six new multiplayer characters, a Chocolate Weapon Set and an additional 250 Gamerscore.

It'll retail for 1,200 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.