NEWS...

• Free Games for XBox Live for Europe -  I guess Microsoft is hoping that a Live customer is an almost guartanteed Xbox 360 customer - a choice of free game is being offered to gamers who sign up to the Xbox Live service on or before 31 August 2005. The first two hundred to sign up for the deal will get all three games rather than just one. This is Europe only!
• Madden '06 website launched [Multi] - The official Madden '06 website has gone live with tons of eye candy! The game will be released in August 2005 for PS, PS2, Xbox, GC and GBA and in November 2005 for Xbox360.
• NBA '06 website launched [Multi] -  The website offers some screenshots, the E3 movie, and a producer Q&A about the upcoming hoops sequel.
• Sony cuts Red Line? [PSP] - It seems that SCE has canceled its development of Red Line, one of the many upcoming titles in development for the PlayStation Portable. The title was removed from the release schedule in the latest issue of Famitsu, after appearing in last week's issue of the magazine
• PSP MAME Dreams Shattered as SCE Aggressively Moves Against Hackers - SCE has moved aggressively against PSP hackers, launching a new firmware upgrade (v2.0) for its portable wonder-screen aimed at stamping out the use and deployment of homebrew software. With an official explanation expected in the coming weeks, it would appear that Sony has significantly uprated the PSP's security file. According to reports surfacing from the legal hacking community, any future applications will need to decode this security file in full before a machine will accept non-SCE code. The first impressions of the firmware 2.0 can be found here, I4U has Sony PSP Browser Problems and Solutions and finally THG has posted Top 10 PSP Hacks
• Tapwave kills the Zodiac -  Two days ago they've officially killed off the Zodiac, that line of Palm-powered gaming handhelds. I wonder if Nintendo might buy up their assets since they are also Palm OS licensees.
• Game Boy Micro to hit Japan on September 13th - Meanwhile, in Europe the expected release is late October. Senior retail sources have told Eurogamer that they are expecting the system to retail at L69.99. The Micro is said to launch alongside a number of new releases for the system: Mario Tennis Advance, Super Mario Bros. 20th anniversary and a double pack of Dr. Mario and Puzzle De Pon.

REVIEWS

• PS2: Arc of the Lad: End of Darkness [67%] / Batman Begins [68.5/100] / Brian Lara International Cricket [7/10] / Colosseum: Road to Freedom [5/10] / Graffiti Kingdom [6.8/10] / Madagascar / Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome [73/100] / Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome [3.5/5] / MX vs. ATV Unleashed [7/10] / Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
• Xbox: Conker: Live and Reloaded [4/10] / Destroy all Humans! [8/10]
• Gamecube: Killer 7 [8.7/10] / Prince of Persia: Warrior Within [8.5/10]
• PSP: Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade [84/100]
• Nintendo DS: Bomberman DS [8/10] / Nanostray [7/10] / Need for Speed Underground 2 [6.5/10]

PREVIEWS

• Disney's Chicken Little [PS2/Xbox/GC] - For the most part, Chicken Little plays like previous action platform titles developed by Avalanche Software. Fans of the Tak series will recognize this as a good thing, since Tak and Tak 2 did a fine job of blending humor and style with solid game mechanics.
• LMA Manager 2006 - [Xbox 360] - Both the Xbox 360 and PC editions will feature over 1000 teams to manage or pick transfers from. In addition, the transfer market will be up-to-date with the latest transfer data and player databases from the January transfer market.
• Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Interview [PS2/Xbox]- Gamecloud got a chance to chat with the game's producer Shaun Himmerick to findout more about Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.
• Pac 'n Roll [NDS] - Pac 'n Roll seems far more like a traditional Pac-Man title than Pac-Pix; your aim is to gobble up as many pellets as our yellow, spherical heroin can fit into his belly while avoiding a legion of spectres and overcoming various obstacles
• Pro Evolution Soccer 5 [PSP] - The PSP version of Pro Evolution Soccer 5 will feature the realism, intuitive play and fast-paced action of the series as we've all seen before. This handheld version will also be almost identical in terms of available clubs and international sides, with 57 national sides lining up alongside 136 club teams.
• Sniper Elite [Xbox/PS2] -There are four levels of expertise that adjust five separate variables of realistic sniping. Each bullet is affected by gravity, wind, posture, heart rate, and breathing making lining up the perfect kill at the highest difficulty setting an art form that requires careful consideration. It is also possible to change the level of enemy A.I. and adjust the blast radius of a grenade from realistic (8 yards) to Hollywood (20 yards).
• Trace Memory [NDS] - Tis game could almost be considered an "interactive novel," as heavy emphasis has been placed on the actual writing of this game
• The Chronicles of Narnia [GC] - To start, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe splits between 15 chapters, each of which will take the average player about 45 minutes to finish, according to Buena Vista. Each of these chapters boasts two clips from the film, one as an introduction to the chapter and the other as a debriefing of sorts.

MEDIA... 

• eNCHANT arM Trailer [Xbox] - For those who said eNCHANT are didn't look good, here is a trailer of the game.
• Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes trailer [Xbox] - Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes lets players assume the role of a general in a fantasy battlefield. Players must fight alongside their troops and use catapults, dragons or any means necessary to annihilate their enemies.
• Soul Calibur III Footage [PS2] - Check it out!