Locusts and gentlemen, COGs and girls, the Gears of War 2 Snowblind Map Pack is now available. The pack contains four new maps: Grindyard, Under Hill, Courtyard and a remake of Fuel Depot from the first Gears. If you'd like to make some red snow in online multiplayer -- or mow down Locust scum in Horde mode -- the maps will set you back 800. For those who'd prefer not to make a blind purchase (get it?), you can check out lots of screens in the gallery below. Even better, watch Joystiq Xbox's hands-on preview video after the break.

This week on XBLA in Brief, we look at UNO RUSH, a speedy new take on the classic card game. Players have to adjust their hands quickly and play as many cards as possible on every turn. It sounds easy, but each turn is only a few seconds long, meaning you have to plan ahead. Check out the video above and see if UNO RUSH will be pulling 800 from your account.

Download the trial version of UNO RUSH

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Major Nelson has revealed that the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack will be available to everyone come April 9 for the price of 800 ($10). The pack contains three new maps: Sandbox, Assembly and Orbital. So, if you haven't broken down and bought the limited edition of Halo Wars, which contains a token to download the maps, you now know exactly how long you have to wait. Mark your calendars kids, just a few more weeks until you too can have fun with Killballs.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our hands-on impressions of the Mythic maps as well as our video preview.

Peter Molyneux has grown up. In fact, he told Develop this past week that he believes the whole industry has matured. "We're growing up ... when I first started in this industry we were like six year-olds," Molyneaux says, speaking to the enormous development team sizes for games like Lionhead Studios' most recent foray, Fable II, and lamenting the industry's past arrogance towards structure of, well, any kind. "My feeling is that if you're making mistakes when you've got 100 people, that's a really big mistake," Molyneux says, adding, "You'd better make sure that you're making the mistakes when you're a ten or 20 person team; If you're doing that with 100 people, you are throwing millions of pounds down the toilet."

That being said, his position on what Lionhead Studios is doing other than Fable-related properties remains ... loose ... to say the least. "There are lots of things I would like to show you now; Within ten feet of you right now is possibly the most exciting thing I've ever seen," Molyneux teased Develop. What could it be?! We may never know, nor may you, as Molyneux remains surprisingly coy in his description. Lionhead has confirmed work on more Fable II DLC, so for the time being, we'll just have to be content with that.

During his latest Lunchtime Video (embedded after the break), MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo shows off his fancy LocoRoco drippy doodad ... but that isn't the big news. What is newsworthy is his expressed concern regarding Microsoft's catalog of Xbox 360 exclusives for 2009 being, well ... nonexistent.

Totilo's evidence: the lack of major rumors going into spring, MS not scheduling many press demos during GDC, the loss of once Xbox exclusive franchises like Mass Effect and PGR, and still no information about the long-delayed Splinter Cell: Conviction and Alan Wake. To be fair, Totilo admits that 2009's confirmed exclusives like Halo 3: ODST and the second batch of GTAIV DLC will be big hits, but fears those will be the only huge titles Microsoft will have for the year.

Should Xbox 360 fans be worried about the possibility of '09 being exclusive-less or is Microsoft keeping its cards a secret and planning on going all in at GDC and E3? Please, tell us what you think.

You know what today is -- time to check your lip balm reserve! New Lips DLC tracks have been released, and, while we were expecting all three to be from Coldplay, only two of those lovely Brits's songs made the cut. The third track on today's release list is now courtesy of Boys Like Girls:

• "The Scientist" by Coldplay (180)
  
• "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay (180)
• "The Great Escape" by Boys Like Girls (160)

There's a new 473MB Ninja Blade demo available for download off the Xbox Live Marketplace and it's full of ninja stunts, button mashing sequences and a touch of Japanese-inspired content.

To give everyone a taste of what Ninja Blade is all about, we recorded a short video of the demo's green tinted gameplay and embedded it above. An acrobatic ninja evading a ginormous arachnid, all while attempting to navigate skyscrapers: it's Japanese game development at its finest!

[Via Major Nelson]

It had to end sometime. Bryan Simon, maestro of original Halo 3 songs has written his final anthem to Bungie (embedded after the break). The subject of this heartfelt goodbye: Recon armor gives you cooties. Frankly, we're inclined to agree, as we are overcome with the urge to explode any poor sap we see wearing Recon. There's something about it. It just makes you want to kill the person wearing it. We're not sure if that's what Bryan meant, but hey, the song is pretty, so who cares?

He didn't say where his music will take him from here, but we have a suggestion: Halo Wars. It only seems natural, really.

[Original image: Sgt Spiffy]

In solidarity with the embattled auto industry's ongoing fire sale, Project Gotham Racing 4's Premium Challenge Pack DLC is now available for purchase on the XBLM for 240 as part of Microsoft's Deal of the Week program.

The discount begins today and will be offered through Sunday, March 15. As always, Deal of the Week offers are only available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers.

In its own coy way, Rare is teasing that Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts DLC is in the works and that we'll actually receive details next week.

According to a post by the Lord of Games (L.O.G.) on Rare's official website, we're told that Nuts & Bolts "news on potential lifespan-lengthening activities will be incoming very soon" and are given a "LOG's Lost Challenges" image. We ain't no smarty-pants geniuses, but if we had to take a guess at what L.O.G. is talking about, we'd go with DLC that boasts new vehicle building and task-based challenges.

Now that we think about it, the Banjo-Kazooie Contraption Contest Rare held back in December may have something to do with this content. We wouldn't be too surprised to see the winner's creation as a part of next week's announcement.

To give us a better understanding of Halo Wars' units and all the upgrades available, Xbox.com posted a downloadable Halo Wars tech tree chart (PDF).

The Halo Wars tech tree (not to be confused with the plantable type) is an easy-to-use reference guide that visually explains the technology progression of both Covenant and UNSC units, as well as each of their Leaders' unique powers. The chart comes in especially handy when creating the nearly invincible Grizzly and ODST combo. It's a strategy we nicknamed the "Drop Shock and Awe."

[Via HaloWars.com]

Microsoft is hosting another Play & Win giveaway. This time, Halo Wars is required to participate in the "odds are slim that anyone reading this is actually going to win anything" prize-winning fun.

To enter, download this gamer picture, play Halo Wars multiplayer between March 6-8, then patiently wait for the winners to be announced. Microsoft is giving away an assortment of prizes, including a 52" television, a Halo Wars themed Xbox 360 (nice!), an assortment of MS points and even an overpriced Ultra Series 1000 Monster Cable.

As if we haven't already been smothered with gobs of Halo Wars footage lately, a second Halo Wars: Universe Expanded documentary has made its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace. Us being the ninjas that we are, we captured the video and uploaded it to the internet for everyone's viewing pleasure.

Just like the first Universe Expanded vid, this second ViDoc talks about the scope of the Halo Wars story, explains the key players involved and Adam Sessler is seen expressing himself using grand hand gestures. It's a great watch and a superb example of how to artistically decorate a film set using honeycomb shapes.

Joystiq Xbox presents to you the fantabulous Halo Wars Limited Edition unboxing video. Gasp as you see the iron-on patch unveiled. Scream as you eye the coveted Mythic Map Pack DLC redemption card. Shriek as you peer at naked Elite flesh in the graphic novel (no, seriously).

If none of that works for you, you could always just watch the video in thoughtful silence. You should definitely watch it, though.

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The latest content inducted into the recently revived XBLM Deal of Week program is the Ninja Gaiden II Mission Mode DLC, which will be available for 560 ($7). A $3 savings off the normal price.

According to a comment made by Major Nelson on his official blog, the Ninja Gaiden II DLC will be available for purchase off the XBLM at the cheaper price beginning Monday, March 2 and will remain discounted until Sunday, March 8.

As is with all Deal of the Week offers, only Xbox Live gold members can purchase the marked down content. Something that may have bothered Live silver members last week when Braid was only $10, but probably not so much this time. Seven smackers for the Mission Mode DLC is still mighty expensive. Especially for a game whose all-star ninja has been off the gaming radar for quite some time.