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Given that Halo 3: ODST takes place directly after the Prophet of Regret bugs out of New Mombasa, it's not too surprising to learn that Master Chief won't be appearing in the game. See, everyone knows that the UNSC In Amber Clad -- carrying Master Chief -- jumped into the same slipspace rupture used by Regret. Duh.

Still, if you were sternly hoping that John 117 might make some kind of cameo, those hopes have now been officially quashed by Bungie's Brian Jarrard. Speaking to Multiplayer, Jarrard stated the totally obvious, "Master Chief, at the time this game takes place, is actually off on other parts of the galaxy." Jarrard elaborated, "In this game, it's all about you playing the role of an ODST," adding, "The way the timelines work in this game, Master Chief is off doing something else."

So there you have it, the only place to find Master Chief while playing ODST is where he can always be found: Our hearts.

Like a case of bad allergies, Metal Gear Solid 4's graphics left us rubbing our eyes. That said, when it comes to developing the recently unveiled Metal Gear Solid Rising, the latest sequel's eye candy is not nearly sweet enough.

According to Kojima Productions assistant producer Sean Eyestone, the team is remaking Rising's engine "from scratch" to make it look better than MGS4. Speaking during a recent Kojima Productions podcast, Eyestone describes the multiplatform project as "a big project like Metal Gear Solid 4," adding that the team "team is serious about making it look as good as possible on every platform." Let's just hope our meager eyes can take it.

[Via 1UP]

In an interview with Joystiq, Forza Motorsport 3 content director John Wendl of Turn 10, confirmed the upcoming racer would ship on two discs. As rumors last year noted, the core game will come on the game's first disc while the second will be reserved for other content -- such as vehicles and maps. "It is going to ship on two discs," Wendl said. "Disc one is the full experience, even disc one is bigger than any other racing game out there. Disc two includes a lot of extra cars, even a handful of tracks."

When asked if the second disc would act as a data transfer, downloading the additional content to the hard drive for use with the first disc, Wendl told us that was "exactly right." While Turn 10 assures all gamers will be able to enjoy the full Forza 3 experience, we now have confirmation that not all gamers will be able to enjoy all 400 vehicles promised at the Microsoft press briefing.

During Konami's E3 press conference today, Kojima confirmed assumptions that Metal Gear Solid Rising will be multiplatform, now announced for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and PC. Kojima also shed some light on the mysteries of "lightning bolt action," calling Rising an experiment in building technology first, and then delivering new content based on it. A team of new, "young" staff will produce the project.

Additionally, Kojima revealed the significance of the storm teaser from his website. Contrary to your seemingly acute observations, the storm symbolizes the current economic situation, and the entertainment business is the force that will "clear up the storm." Shucks. That was so going to be our next guess!

Style doesn't come cheap, especially if your name is Liquid Snake -- or if you just want to pretend you're him. For $360 ($400 Canadian) you too can dress up like Solid Snake's villainous brother. The coat he wore in the first MGS has been tailored for real-life wear by AbbyShot and can be purchased off its online store.

The coat is full-length and features Liquid's signature shoulder pads. Perfect for a night out in the 80s, we think. Still, buying this may make you look like Liquid, but it won't make you as bad-ass as Liquid.

[Via Kotaku]

Tactical Espionage is back and on PSP. Kojima announced Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker at Sony's conference calling it a "true sequel" that's definitely "not a spin-off or side story." Kojima himself will be writing the script and producing the game, so fans can rest easy they're getting an authentic Metal Gear experience.

The game is set in the 1970s, 10 years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 3. It will star, yet again, Big Boss and will take place in Costa Rica, divulging the back story of Outer Heaven's creation. It will debut in 2010.

"The city is infected. You are the cure."

So begins the first trailer for Crackdown 2. The trailer subsequently showcases one of the Agency's supercops doing what he does best. If you've played the first Crackdown, you'll know that what an Agent does best is basically to be a complete and total badass. The only difference is that this time, it looks like the Agents just might have met their match. We won't spoil it for you, so just go ahead and give it a watch.

During an appearance at an Apple Store in Ginza, Tokyo, Metal Gear maven Hideo Kojima was questioned by a concerned, rabid fan as to just how long he planned to remain in the industry. Kojima proudly displayed a mock resume, which contained the answer to the aforementioned question: "I'd like to continue being on the scene making games until I die." The MGS fans within us certainly hope his life will be as long as his cutscenes, relatively speaking.

He went on to explain that the only thing that could lure him away from the world of game development is, of course, space travel. Oh, aeronautical exploration! Does your temptation know no bounds?

Given that there are only five locations in North America, there's a good chance you haven't heard of Gamer Doc, a new retail franchise that began last year. The fledgling franchise, whose locations have a unique, video game-inspired design, will host a Halo 3 tournament starting May 1 at its Bear, Delaware; Burlington, Ontario; Highland Park, California; and Springfield, Pennsylvania stores -- no love for the Miami store, apparently. Each store will host a double elimination tournament. The winning teams will face off on May 30 competing for a grand prize of $4,000, with $1,000 and $500 going to the second and third place winners, respectively.

Registration for four-man teams will be accepted through April 24, with a $50 entry fee required per team. Visit your local Gamer Doc (if you have one) to register.

The chance at $4,000 sounds pretty nice and all, but let us remind you: Joystiq can get you Recon armor and the Mythic Map Pack for free.

It would appear that Raiden is not the man to star in "the next MGS," as the slide above from Kojima's GDC keynote led us to believe. In fact, it's none other than old crazy man himself, Colonel Campbell, who will shoulder the responsibility of foiling whatever impending calamity is offered by the next MGS. Armed with nothing more than a sweet face visor and deadly cane, the Colonel shows you just how deadly he is in the video after the break.

[Thanks, Rodrigo!]

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.