The Gorillaz will be headlining next week's Rock Band update with three songs being made available as DLC for the game's PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. The Wii version is also getting its own update in the form of eleven tracks taken from the Rock Band back catalog, while Rock Band Unplugged will play host to a pair of new Iron Maiden songs.

Bungie will be throwing in some free exploration elements into the Halo equation in the upcoming Halo 3: ODST. In an interview with the Seattle Times, Bungie also revealed that they've added in some mystery-solving elements as well.

Get ready for another multiplatform adventure set in a galaxy far, far away. LucasArts has confirmed a new game in the Star Wars universe: Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Republic Heroes. Check out more details and a trailer in the full article.

Yo Joe! Now we're gettting more screens for the upcoming G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, DS, PSP, Wii.) from Electronic Arts. These are taken from the Xbox 360 version of the title, and the graphics appear to be as cool as Snake Eyes. Check 'em out.

In the latest issue of Game Informer, Bungie has released the first details for Recon, Halo 3's upcoming expansion pack. Sounds like players will be in for a sci-fi Dick Tracy adventure.

Details after the link.

German gaming news website GameFront has managed to score some info on Free Radical and Ubisoft's upcoming shooter Haze courtesy of the June 2007 issue of Independent PlayStation Magazine.

According to GameFront, Haze runs on its own engine at a framerate of 30 fps. Loading times and "intermediate sequences" are supposedly nonexistent. It has four gameplay modes: online, offline, LAN, and split-screen. In single player, team members will be controlled completely by the computer. Oh, and the main character seems to have undergone a name change. While he was referred to as Jake Carpenter in previous interviews, the GameFront post mentions him as "Shan" Carpenter.

The weapons and gear available in the game include the following:

• BSW-72 Assault Rifle - fires armor-piercing 5.56mm uranium projectiles
• Trooper Assault Helmet - supplies real-time data to troopers on the battlegrounds while keeping constant contact with the base through a built-in communication device
• Nectar administrator - found on the neck of soldiers. Has up to five doses of Nectar, a "biometric substance" that greatly augments a soldier's combat abilities. Too much Nectar has side effects, though.
• SK3 Fragment Shells - ideal for clearing up massed enemies and destroying small vehicles
• Wilson D6 Pistol - equipped with 2x magnification and a laser target and holds 18 shots.
• Integrated Schutzpanzer - no idea what "Schutzpanzer" means exactly, but the description leads us to believe that this is the heaviest armor in the game ("withstands the most rifle and pistol balls")

Haze is slated for a multiplatform release on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. A specific release date has yet to be announced, but some sites have the game's release listed as November.

Ever get those days you just want to take a walk? And from the looks of it, even Gears of War trooper Marcus Fenix gets them too. We mentioned earlier that there were going to be two free maps that will be released today. Now, for the guys who want a sneak peek of these new multiplayer maps before the download, here they are.

The first map is titled "Raven Down," where players must find a downed Raven helicopter in the middle of a ruined city. The second map, titled "Old Bones," places you in an old museum to prevent the Locust from destroying any remaining human artifacts. Take a walk with Fenix on the tours, and enjoy the view.

The "Old Bones" tour after this jump!