Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Legendary Pictures announced today that Sam Raimi has signed on to direct the eagerly-anticipated major motion picture based on Blizzard Entertainment®’s award-winning Warcraft® universe. Raimi has, in the course of his career, clearly demonstrated a genius for developing and adapting existing fictional universes for mainstream audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original content.
Raimi directed the Spider-Man trilogy, which has broken box-office records around the world and garnered five Academy Award® nominations. Known for his imaginative filmmaking style, richly drawn characters and offbeat humor, Raimi wrote and directed the cult classic, The Evil Dead and produced 30 Days Of Night. He most recently wrote and directed the supernatural thriller, Drag Me To Hell.
"At its core, Warcraft is a fantastic, action-packed story," said Raimi. "I am thrilled to work with such a dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen."
Charles Roven’s producing talents were recently seen with last summer’s blockbuster The Dark Knight, which grossed in excess of $1 billion, was nominated for eight Academy Awards® and won two. His body of work also includes the widely acclaimed Batman Begins and the sci-fi classic 12 Monkeys. Roven, with Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, will be producing with Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni, Raimi and Raimi’s producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi’s partner, Robert Tapert, will be an Executive Producer and Blizzard Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen, a Co-Producer.
"Partnering with Sam Raimi exemplifies Legendary's mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual property to world-class filmmakers" said Legendary’s Tull. "Sam's passion for 'Warcraft' is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of Blizzard's phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Warner Bros. and continuing our successful relationship with Chuck in bringing this rich new world to the screen."
"Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length to find the very best director to bring that vision to life," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "From our first conversation with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be experiencing that content for the first time. We're looking forward to working with him to achieve that here."
"Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft has become a second home for millions of players and Sam’s experience and talent make him the perfect director for this remarkable and action-packed world," said Atlas’ Roven. "Alex and I are proud to be working with Sam and re-teaming with our friends at Legendary and Warner Bros."
The film will fall under Legendary Pictures’ co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. "Warcraft is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which our studio is best known. We have enjoyed great success with our partners at Legendary, and this is an incredible opportunity for us to work with Sam on a project that is so eagerly anticipated by so many," said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in 1994, Warcraft has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more. World of Warcraft®, Blizzard Entertainment’s subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most popular game of its kind in the world. Its most recent expansion, Wrath of the Lich King™, is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, with more than 2.8 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and more than 4 million in its first month.
Further details about the upcoming Warcraft movie, including cast and targeted release date, will be revealed as development progresses.
stan lee makes his first ever ONSCREEN videogame appearance in activision's marveL™: ultimate alliance 2
Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today that beloved comic book legend Stan Lee will make his first onscreen videogame cameo in the highly anticipated Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, slated for release this September. Lee lends his likeness and voice to a character whose role is pivotal to the game's storyline, which incorporates elements of the acclaimed Marvel Civil War comic book series.
"I am thrilled to be making my first onscreen videogame cameo in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2," said Stan Lee, Publisher Emeritus, Marvel Comics. "It's such a kick to see characters that I've helped create come to life in the game and now I'm a part of the Marvel videogame universe!"
"With Activision's long-standing history of bringing so many of Stan Lee's creations to life, it's great to be able to incorporate him into Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2," said Rob Kostich, head of marketing for licensed properties, Activision Publishing, Inc. "Stan is a legend in the comic world and his appearance is yet another special treat that fans can look forward to when we bring back the largest army of playable Super Heroes and Super Villains this Fall."
CALL OF DUTY®: WORLD AT WAR MAP PACK 3
LOCKED AND LOADED TO RELEASE FOUR NEW MAPS THIS AUGUST
London, UK – 20th July, 2009 – Reinforcements are scheduled to arrive for one of the most-played online multiplayer games, as Activision Publishing, Inc and developer Treyarch, confirmed plans today to deliver Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 in August. Map Pack 3 will feature three multiplayer maps ("Battery," "Revolution," and "Breach"), co-developed with partner Certain Affinity, and one new Zombie map ("Der Riese"), for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Visit www.CoDWaW.com for more details.
Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 follows the enormous success of its first two predecessors, which to date have sold more than four million copies on both Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network (combined) for a Call of Duty® game that has sold more than 11 million units to date across all platforms, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and Gfk.
Call of Duty: World at War is rated 15 by the BBFC. For more information and exclusive updates about Call of Duty: World at War, visit www.callofduty.com.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
Genre: Action
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Terminal Reality
Platform: Playstation 3
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Ghostbusters: The Video Game picks up six months after the events of the second Ghostbusters movie. Once again, spooks and specters are haunting the streets of New York, and the gang has reason to believe that their old nemeses Gozer and his acolyte Ivo Shandor are behind the mayhem. The boys then set out to shut off a series of conduits that seem to be funneling paranormal energy into one point and eliminate the threat of the ghost world invading our world.
Players join the crew as The Rookie, a new recruit who has been brought onboard to be Egon's "Experimental Weapons Tester." What this basically means is that players will have a proton pack strapped to their back, complete with all manner of attachments and upgrades that will either make the Ghostbusters' lives a lot easier or "blow you into somewhere in New Jersey." Obviously this is a sweet gig, one for which you should be extremely excited. Just be careful out there; the health insurance doesn't kick in for 90 days and giant holes in the abdomen aren't the type of wound that you can just take cold medicine for and wait out.
The story line is extremely competent, which makes sense since it was written by Aykroyd and Ramis. The two handled all the script work for the title, thus ensuring that the game can be relied on as part of the official Ghostbusters canon. The stars have called the game essentially the third movie, and for the most part, it does a great job of extending the franchise and delivering a well-paced, well-plotted and well-acted experience.
There are a few minor missteps, however, though none are completely game-wrecking. First off, while the main actors are still just as comfortable in their old Ghostbusters skins and hilarious as ever, Alyssa Milano utterly flops as the female lead. Her disinterest and detachment from the project is apparent from the first moment she opens her mouth, and never once in the game did I wish we could hear more from the girl I still think of as Sam from "Who's the Boss?" Secondly, the ending feels shoehorned and stilted, as though Aykroyd and Ramis ran out of pages and had to write an ending. While some might say the revelations at the end of the experience are unexpected and therefore entertaining, in actuality they are bizarre, out-of-left-field reveals that don't fit into the larger context. Most of the moments in the eight- to 10-hour tale are solid, but the last 30 minutes or so completely fall apart.
Since the game largely feels like a movie, you would hope that it would look like one too, and that's an area where the title doesn't disappoint. The character models are created with tender loving care, and the boys all look just as you remember them … a couple of decades ago. Perhaps more importantly, the equipment is amazing, and a special round of applause goes out to the proton pack. The entire piece looks strikingly similar to what one would notice in the movies, but with just enough embellishments and additions to allow for a nice transition into the game. The folks at Terminal Reality were given access to Sony's prop archive while they were crafting the digital re-creations of the equipment, and the long hours of study and attention to detail pay off in a huge way. The eye candy here is plentiful indeed.
While the story and larger mythos of the game are important, the business of busting ghosts won't handle itself, so you're probably wondering if it's any fun. The answer is mostly yes, but with some major reservations on a few key areas that make some aspects extremely frustrating.
The game really excels at the basics of fighting and trapping ghosts of various sizes, shapes and dispositions. You start out with the basic beam on your proton pack, but as the game progresses, you add some more firepower to your arsenal. There is a shotgun-like blast that can make short work of more minor baddies, as well as a nasty rapid-fire attachment that not only dishes out the pain but also has limited tracking capabilities. The most important weapon you'll unlock is the slime blower, which does double duty as a method for damaging baddies and an integral tool in solving puzzles. Some areas are covered in caustic black slime that must be neutralized by the slime blower, while others feature heavy, out-of-reach objects that must be pulled in using the slime tether. Ultimately, each weapon's primary and secondary fire modes have their uses, and the game does a great job of keeping you on your toes so you never get too comfortable with any one gun.
Of course, the most important part of any Ghostbuster's job is trapping the nefarious spirits and making sure they never cause havoc again. In the game, once you wear down a ghost's health enough, you can engage your capture beam and haul it toward a trap. After some wrangling and slamming, the baddies will end up stunned, and from there it's simply a matter of dragging them over to the cone of light above your deployed trap. There's a great feeling of satisfaction the first time you watch a ghost get sucked in and hear the ka-ching of coin you just earned (which can be used to buy upgrades for your weapons and traps), and that sense of accomplishment remains throughout the game. One thing you'll learn early on is that bustin' does indeed make you feel good.
Even though the basics of combat are solid, there are a ton of poor design decisions and head-scratching bad moves that cause the game to quickly devolve into tedium and frustration. First and most importantly, is teammate AI, which was harvested fresh from the idiot farm. Your fellow Ghostbusters are decent enough about attacking the ghosts that appear, but it's clear from the get-go that in any schoolyard fight these guys thought that the best way to defend oneself was to cover your eyes because hey, if you can't see the bully, then he obviously can't see you. They'll simply stand in place and allow themselves to be pounded by enemy attacks until they're put out of commission and you're forced to haul ass across the level to revive them. During tense enemy encounters and especially boss battles, you'll easily spend the majority of your time babysitting teammates rather than doing any actual damage. The only thing that keeps them from being completely worthless is the fact that they can actually make the ghost trapping process a bit easier, but only when they aren't being ripped to shreds by the baddies they are choosing to ignore.
There are some other problems with combat as well, including the fact that anytime an enemy manages to knock you into the air, your character goes into a ridiculous ragdoll animation and is rendered completely incapacitated for an inordinately long time, as well a camera so tight that you'll lose track of enemies entirely too frequently. Since there's no way to lock onto a bad guy or keep track of all your foes once the action gets hectic, you'll take a lot of cheap shots from behind on behalf of baddies you never saw coming. Also, given their ghostly nature, they'll likely teleport away before you manage to turn and face them, resulting in a hellish game of hide-and-seek that inevitably ends in tears.
The final gameplay failing is the title's extremely unbalanced difficulty, which spikes so severely in some spots that sections are nearly impossible for those without nerves of steel and the patience of a saint. I can recall three separate occasions in the game where I was beset by about a dozen ghosts at once, each of which seemed to have the skill to kill me and my teammates with two or three attacks. There is even one section I'm convinced I only passed because while I played it, the game glitched and didn't send in a wave of ghosts that it was supposed to. Not that I'm complaining, but if I only made it through a section due to a line of code not being read properly, then it would seem that there are some overarching problems here.
The best way to alleviate the frustration that accompanies the single-player campaign is to jump into multiplayer for a while and enjoy teaming up with real humans in quick, one-off scenarios that are quite entertaining both initially and over the long haul. Teams of up to four can run through three different scenarios that find you protecting artifacts, trapping as many ghosts as possible within a time limit and trying to stay alive through wave after wave of baddies. The multiplayer is fundamentally cooperative, but there are some competitive aspects as players square off to see who can earn the most cash in each scenario. There isn't enough depth here to satisfy hardcore online players, but it's a nice addition and gives the title plenty more replay value than if it had been a single-player-only experience.
If this hadn't been a Ghostbusters game, then we would likely be praising it for its successes and sweeping its deficiencies under the rug. The fact of the matter, though, is that Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a hugely anticipated game and unfortunately, it ultimately let us down. The script and acting are mostly great, but some blemishes keep them from ranking up there with the first film. The gameplay is mostly inspired, but insipid AI and some brutally difficult sections drain a large portion of the fun. Multiplayer is enjoyable for the most part, but the lack of substantial depth means that it'll be a distraction for a couple of weeks and then it'll be forgotten. Every aspect of the game tries to excel, only to be pulled back down by one or two major shortcomings. In the end, this is a decent, solid game, but if falls well short of being either the Keymaster or the Gatekeeper. Still Worth a look!
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