Tri Synergy sent out word that Buka Entertainment's futuristic tactical RPG Paradise Cracked has gone gold and will be released in North America in August. In Paradise Cracked you are a young hacker. Once, while in cyberspace you managed to break into a secured area and came across a series of strange data packets. You hurriedly copied these to disk, not even having the time to read their contents. Only a few minutes later you hear a police siren, followed by banging on the door and demands to open up...

Big City Games and Paradox Entertainment announced today that the adventure/role-playing title, Valhalla, has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Read more for details ...

Maluch Racer from Polish publisher Play Publishing is their upcoming budget racing game putting you behind the wheel of ... a Fiat 126. No fancy beefed up race monsters here, the goold old fiat is all you get. Maluch Racer is scheduled for released August 2003. Read more to check out a few new screens ...

Vivendi Universal Games announced today that it will publish Metal Arms: Glitch in the System for the PlayStation2. Previously announced for release on the Xbox and the GameCube, the title is scheduled to ship on all three platforms in fourth quarter 2003. Read more for details ...

The blockbuster fighting game of 2002 makes its way to the Nintendo GameCube as Atari today announced that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai will be available for Nintendo players nationwide this October. Created by DIMPS, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai has shipped more than 3.5 million units worldwide since its December 2002 release on the PlayStation2. Read more to check some screens ...

The Pirates of the Caribbean game transports players to the 17th Century where they can experience life as a pirate in any way they see fit," said executive producer Todd Vaughn. "Whether they want to be feared by all and welcome nowhere, or just enjoy compelling missions or a life at sea, we're creating a game that fits their gameplay style. A few new screens, check them out!

Players assume the role of different characters from multiple sides of the Allied forces and experience the bonding and brutality of war as they fight alongside their squad mates through a variety of missions, including battlefield assaults, search and rescue, stealth, sabotage, vehicle chases and tank battles. Heeding the call of duty, gamers step into the boots of a U.S. paratrooper, a British commando and a Russian infantryman as they take on the Nazi War machine through pivotal World War II battles and authentic military campaigns. Read more for some new screens from the battle in Ste. Mere Eglise.

BC is a hugely innovative action game set in a brutal, fully simulated prehistoric world in the shadow of a potentially devastating natural disaster. It’s the story of an intense struggle for survival in a hostile environment governed by a food chain’s worth of violent predatory creatures. Read more for download links ...

If you get excited about the idea of sailing uncharted waters, searching the fog for rival ships, and maneuvering into the perfect position to lay iron unto your enemy before he can do the same to you, then you've come to the right place. Battlefield: Pirates is a mod for EA's Battlefield 1942 (and requires the latest v1.4 update patch). Read more for download links ...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are about to embark on a whole new videogame adventure filled with arcade-style kick-butt action that will leave you shell-shocked. TMNT continues the series' famous style of "beat 'em up" gameplay, now with cell-shaded 3D graphics, an engaging storyline, a full cast of characters, and the voices from the new TMNT animated TV show airing Saturday mornings on FOXBOX. Breaking out their shells in October 2003, TMNT will be available on the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, GBA and PC. Check these new screens ...

An accidental hero finds himself on a remote tropical paradise, where a madman plays God; engineering various species of enhanced creatures to replace what he believes is a genetic dead-end… mankind. The game is set around 2020 on a set of tropical islands in the pacific. And has a strong tropical-paradise feel, scenic in its beauty, but, harbors a terrible threat. It is a mix of jungle / primal / and next-gen technology. As the player you find yourself drawn into a secretive plot involving secret research facilities with scientists involved in military genetic-research, a secret "security" force of mercenaries, and, advanced net-generation weaponry and equipment. Check the new screens ...

Genki is revving up to immerse players in the "fast and furious" street racing lifestyle defined by cool cars and non-stop action. Players will feel the ultimate rush of nitrous-infused speed as they race their ultimate rides through the beautifully rendered city streets of Los Angeles to the pulsing beat of more than 35 musical tracks. You can expect The Fast And The Furious to appear on store shelves (being published by Vivendi) in the fourth quarter 2003 (PS2) while the Xbox version is scheduled for early 2004. Read more for download links ..

Fan site Max Payne Headquarters has posted up the first scanned screenshots (from a game magazine but does not mention which) from Remedy's upcoming third person crime action game Max Payne 2. Check them out here... If you want to read some reactions to those screens (including comments from Remedy), head over to the 3D Realms forum...

Noticed on HomeLAN that Activision's Doug Pearson has posted up a note on the Ritualistic forums with an update on their plans for the Star Trek: Elite Force II (already available in Europe, coming later this week in North America). Specifically a beta fix will soon be tested and later released for dedicated servers to no longer require the game to be in the CD-Rom drive, as well as mod tools for the community.

TechRanch USA, a resource founded and funded by BizDev, Inc. announced today that TechRanch Roundup, a monthly column dedicated to delivering relevant, timely information and business strategies to independent game developers worldwide, is now available.

PanVision sent out word that they have launched the official website for IDOL FX's vampire-inspired FPS Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi. The site sports the usual story details, game features, screenshots (posted here last week), as well as a previously released trailer (local mirror here). Go check it out!

The Nintendo Fusion Tour, headlined by Evanescence, one of the hottest new bands in the country, brings fully immersive entertainment from the worlds of music and cutting-edge gaming to 25 cities across North America. The tour kicks off in Los Angeles on Aug. 4 and ends in the Pacific Northwest in late September. Read more for details ...

Thrustmaster has taken the pole position in the race to create multi-platform accessories and is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of its Universal 360 Modena Racing Wheel. Under official license from Ferrari, Universal 360 Modena is 100% compatible with all video game consoles on the market: PlayStation2, PS one, GameCube and Xbox.

Codemasters has confirmed that IndyCar Series, the official video game of the U.S. open-wheel Indy Racing League, has shipped for the Xbox. The Xbox version features enhanced graphics and allows for four player support, and is priced competitively at a $39.99 MSRP.