Toys for Kids & Adults

X360 Elite Laptop with 'BioShock' intro

For more, head over toEngadget.

New 'LEGO Batman' trailer
Lookin' good:

The game is expected to be released in September, just four months (give or take) afterLEGO Indiana Jones, which means it will be a HUGE year for LucasArts and traveller's tales. Oh, it will also be a HUGE year for the millions of gamers (myself included), who love the LEGO games.

For moreLEGO Batmaninfo, check out the latest article fromMTV Multiplayer, which broke the news that we'll be able to play as both Batman hero and Batman villian. Mwahahahahaha!

'Mass Effect' coming to PCs in May

Mass Effect, the BioWare space epic that is full of complete and total awesomeness (not to mention a benign sex scene that hasruffled the feathers of the anti-gaming media), has been slated to hit store shelves this May. EA will be the publisher this time around, as the companypurchased BioWare from Microsoft Game Studios, the publisher of the Xbox 360 version, last October.

According to thepress release, here's what we can expect from the PC version:

• Optimized controls designed specifically for the PC.
• High resolution visuals – Mass Effect for the PC features highly detailed textures, characters and environments.
• Fully customizable controls – PC gamers can re-map the control scheme any way they like.
• Run&Gun Control – Players can assign biotic powers or skills to ‘hot keys’ allowing them to play Mass Effect with a heavier focus on action.
• New decryption mini-game.
• New inventory screen GUI and functionality – The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for players to equip and modify their weapons and armor.

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Cheater! Xbox Live punishment

It seems "Crackdown" isn't just the name of a popular Xbox 360 game but it's what MS is doing to people who have tampered with their gamesaves to earn a higher gamerscores and get more achievements.

It goes something like this…you see a post on a message board from somebody who is offering to play "Halo 3" for you so that your gamerscore goes up. All you have to do is send him your account info, so he can sign in as you, and paypal him $40.

Well, that's against Xbox Live's terms of use and can get you banned, your account canceled or, in the case of what happened today, can result in the deletion of all of your achievements, set your gamerscore back to ZERO, and make it obvious to other users that you're a cheater (as the graphic above shows).

So, what if you live in a dorm and there is one Xbox 360 where four of you sign in. Don't worry. It's not so much lots of accounts on the same 360 as it is your account on several 360s. Add into that the wizbang technology that MS uses to determine if you're earning stuff a little too quickly and/or tampering with saved game files to undermine the system and you're toast!

On the one hand, I'm of the philosophy, "so what?". It's none of MS's business what I do with my account. On the other hand, fair play makes games more fun.

For more on this, visitMajor Nelson