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The Next Transformers Game Crosses Continuity Lines. I’m Scared.
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is not just a sequel to Activision’s lovely War for/Fall of Cybertron games or a Michael Bay-flavored movie tie-in. It’s both, and that scares the spark out of me. Making a good Transformers video game is hard, at least I assume this is the case, because the majority of…
By Mike Fahey -
The dulcet, Brokaw-esque baritone of Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) introduces you to Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark, due to arrive sometime this year. In science fiction—whether video game or film—nothing says “mailed-in sequel” like a title with a colon followed by “Rise of the Something–Something.” [IGN] The game will launch on everything: PS4 and…
By Owen Good -
Activision is shifting Call of Duty development to a three-year cycle; this year belongs to Sledgehammer Games. Activision announced the shift during its 4th quarter 2013 financial call this afternoon, says the extended cycle would allow developers to focus on development and downloadable content creation.
By Mike Fahey -
Kraven Stalks The First Trailer For The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Game
Cunning, resourceful and deadly, spiders are some of nature’s most perfect predators. Movie universe Peter Parker has potential, but he’s going to need help to hone his abilities. Enter Kraven the Hunter, teaching stalking 101 in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 video game. Kraven the Hunter is one of Spider-Man’s most memorable villains, largely thanks to…
By Mike Fahey -
Call of Duty‘s DLC Will Turn You Into Michael Myers from Halloween
That quick tease Activision gave this morning of Call of Duty‘s new maps “doesn’t look anything like Call of Duty,” I said. Well, there’s a reason you’re lugging around a fire axe. One map, “Fog” will turn you into Michael Myers, the killer from Halloween. Completing a field order in fog turns you into the…
By Owen Good -
This Poster Says Call of Duty: Ghosts‘ First DLC Arrives Jan. 28
This is reportedly a GameStop promotional poster dating Call of Duty: Ghosts’ first DLC installment, Onslaught for Jan. 28. It was tweeted out yesterday and picked up by the Call of Duty enthusiast site CharlieIntel It describes four new maps—Fog, Bayview, Containment and Ignition—and two bonus weapons. Episode one of the Extinction-mode narrative announced back…
By Owen Good -
Skylanders: Swap Force Finally Gets The Toys Needed To Finish The Game
This morning Toys’R’Us locations across the U.S. start selling Rubble Rouser and Stink Bomb, the two Skylanders toys needed to 100% complete levels in a game released three months ago. What? First, a little background for those who’ve not played Skylanders: Swap Force, the latest entry in Activision’s incredibly lucrative marriage of toys and video…
By Mike Fahey -
Got extra Skylanders? Encase them in endless holiday nightmare. The problem with collecting Skylanders toys and games is extra toys and extra toy-scanning portals of power. Toy customization expert KodyKoala hasjust the thing — a glowing crystal prison — a Skylanders phantom zone. Such exquisite torture.
By Mike Fahey -
Activision’s Marvel Games Pull A Digital Disappearing Act
You laughed at Deadpool, X-Men Destiny, Spider-Man: Edge of Time and Activision’s other sloppy Marvel games. Bet you feel bad now that they’ve all been pulled from Steam, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Or not. Either way, they’re gone. Nothing lasts forever, especially Activision contracts for Marvel games, as evidenced by 2010’s disappearance of Marvel…
By Mike Fahey -
It’s A Skylanders Stop-Motion Christmas Spectacular (With Ponies)
The Irate Gamerspent nearly 60 hours creating this stop-motion action figure Christmas spectacular, when he could have just filmed my office for an hour on any given Saturday. The old Skylanders go on a magical journey to welcome the new Skylanders: Swap Force figures into their home. It’s a bit slipshod, but certainly better than…
By Mike Fahey -
Oh Good, Now We Can Buy Virtual Pets Inside Of World of Warcraft.
An absolutely evil development for anyone who’s been struggling over whether or not to spend $5-10 on a Cinder Kitten, the latest World of Warcraft update added an inescapable in-game store, capable of striking when the urge is strongest. Previously players had to alt-tab out of World of Warcraft to spend real money on virtual…
By Mike Fahey -
Meet Two Of Titanfall‘s Titan Classes [Update]
Hammond Robotics is the fictious contractor building those ballbreaking mechs in Titanfall, and they’d like to pat themselves on the back for the success of their latest project, the Ogre, which we saw for the first time at tonight’s VGX. [Update] And after a 20-minute musical guest and some conspicuous time filling, the VGX came…
By Owen Good -
Activision Is Going To Make So Much Money From This Skylanders App
Available today for iOS, the Skylanders Collection Vault is an app that tells kids exactly how many Skylanders their parents still need to buy them, while letting them compare their paltry collection to the kid down the street whose mom and dad love him more. It’s so awesome. No really, it’s brilliant. Call of Duty…
By Mike Fahey -
The Activision Action Figures The Atari Age Deserved
We should have gotten action figure tie-ins for every game Activision released on the Atari 2600, but we didn’t, because marketers were stupid back then. Dan from Chicago Toy Collector makes up for the oversight with this killer custom G.I. Joes. Can you guess which figure goes with which game? Oh come on, at least…
By Mike Fahey -
Three Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Skylanders
Did you know Skylanders was originally going to be an adventure set in a magical land where no one had to pay $10 for a small plastic statue? That’s not one of the three facts presented in Lore‘s latest Fast Facts video. I still want a game where Spyro the Dragon is king of all…
By Mike Fahey -
The PlayStation 4 Makes Skylanders: Swap Force Look So Much Better
In August I got an early chance to play the latest installment of Skylanders on a PlayStation 4. I thought it was just the prettiest thing ever. After reviewing the game on the PS3, I thought I might have just been seeing things. Nope. So much better. The difference, which might not show up quite…
By Mike Fahey -
Xbox One Call of Duty Offers Better Framerate than PS4, Say Reviewers
The furor that kicked up two weeks ago over Call of Duty: Ghosts‘ native resolution on the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One appears to have gotten its sequel. With reviews of the Xbox One version trickling in today, some are saying the Xbox One does not suffer the framerate drops that were reported in…
By Owen Good -
Okay, Maybe Call Of Duty: Ghost‘s Spawning Could Use Some Work
Now I’m no first-person shooter expert, but I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be able to kill the same opponent four times in ten seconds. Not only does YouTube’s Gold Glove kill one guy four times in that time span during this Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer match, he kills another two enemy players while he’s…
By Mike Fahey