Major Nelson posted a short and sweet shout out over at his blog to inform all you Mass Effect fans that they have just added new Avatar items on the XBL Marketplace.

Aspiring cosplayers wanting to complete the Cloud Strife look can finally add a touch of authenticity to the getup that no paper mache and plastic can give. You've got your Buster Sword, you've dyed your hair yellow and waxed it into pointy tips, you've even got the bulky SOLDIER boots, now to cap it all off, Square Enix brings you the Cloud Strife Eau de Toilette.

A whole load of info about Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC) has apparently been leaked from an OXM interview with developer Bioware. Since we haven't seen a hard copy yet, let's treat this as a rumor for the time being. Among the details revealed in the OXM feature is confirmation that Commander Shepard is alive and well -- for a goodly chunk of the game anyway. Whether or not Shepard survives until the end is still up in the air. More in the full article.