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Midway VFX lead footage shines the light on planned Stranglehold sequel
Before Midway went under in 2009, the studio had already started to pursue a sequel to Stranglehold, itself a sequel to John Woo's 1992 seminal action flick, Hard Boiled. Stranglehold starred Chow Yun-fat, reprising his role as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen who dove around Hong Kong and shot bad guys in slow motion. That's how they police over there, you guys.It turns out Midway had big plans for a sequel to Stranglehold, what VFX lead Sean Lantis says was being "fully rebranded" to appeal to a wider audience than the first game. Lantis says he was in charge of "all visual effects as well as a good portion of the destruction work." What was to be called Gun Runner never made it to production and was still in the early stages when Midway filed for Chapter 11 in 2009, evidenced by the footage in the video above.
John Woo: Stranglehold movie still coming, another game less likely
Legendary action film director John Woo hasn't given up on a movie adaptation of Stranglehold, the game he made with Midway as a sequel to his Hong Kong bullet ballet classic Hard Boiled. In an interview with Cinematical, Woo was quick to note, "We are going to make that into a movie" when the topic of the game came up. When the topic of making another, different game was broached, Woo -- whose latest film, Red Cliff, saw theatrical release Stateside November 22 -- said that he doesn't currently have any plans to, for obvious reasons. "I don't have that much time, even though I want to make one again," he said, "But for the moment, I also am producing two movies. One is shooting in Taiwan. One is shooting in Shanghai. So I am quite busy these days."
Stranglehold film adaptation won't be ready for years
Things have been rough for the film adaptation of Midway and John Woo's 2007 gaming collaboration, Stranglehold. Fans of the 1992 classic action flick Hard Boiled (for which Stranglehold served as a pseudo-sequel) were disappointed to learn that the adaptation would be produced, but not directed, by John Woo. Also, the possible non-involvement of Hard Boiled star Chow Yun-Fat has sullied the excitement of the film's expectant audience.More bad news for fans recently surfaced in an Empire interview with Woo, who explained that the Stranglehold adaptation "won't be ready until years from now." Don't get us wrong -- we love hearing about creators of game-based movies taking their sweet, sweet time with their work, but we're afraid that any further delays could rule out the possibility of Fat's participation. He ain't exactly getting any younger.
Rumor: John Woo's Stranglehold to get the film treatment
We thought we'd seen just about every permutation of Hollywood and the game industry's lascivious intersections: The movie based on the game; the game based on the movie; the game based on the movie based on the game, the game based on the movie based on the graphic novel; the movie sequel to the video game; and the video game sequel to the movie. But what about the movie based on the game, which was a sequel to the movie for which the aforementioned movie based on the game is also a sequel ... to? It's confusing, but it's also Hollywood breaking new ground!According to The Hollywood Reporter, screenwriters Jeremy Passmore and Andre Fabrizio are writing a celluloid adaptation of Stranglehold, Midway's 2007 shooter and sequel to John Woo's classic action film, Hard Boiled. Stranglehold saw players assume the role of inspector "Tequila" Yuen (played on the big screen by Chow-Yun Fat) and generally wage war on treacherous gangs, unstable trolleys, unexpected flocks of doves and especially watermelons. We're awaiting a comment from Midway, but this potential adaptation seems like a great idea, especially with many critics describing the first sequel to Hard Boiled as being just like a movie.[Via /film]
Ted Nugent has a role in Guitar Hero IV
Ted Nugent had something of interest to say regarding fans of the Guitar Hero franchise. During a recent radio interview, The Nuge dropped the bomb that he has been working with the folks behind Guitar Hero IV (he doesn't exactly say it's the fourth installment, but we're pretty sure he isn't talking about Guitar Hero Aerosmith) and will be featured in the game. You can hear it all right here (around 12:30 is when he starts talking about it).He had a lot of things to say about the whole mo-cap process, as well as his inability to actually play the game, despite his ability to set real frets on fire. Our favorite part of the interview? He said he had to do "a variation of Stranglehold." Man, we love that song.In fact, let's go ahead and embed it past the post break. Rock out with us, won't you?
UT3, Stranglehold sell more than a million worldwide
It's silver lining time. Midway Games, which misplaced nearly $100 million in 2007, has announced that despite leaking money like a rusty sieve, two of its most prominent releases last year, Unreal Tournament 3 and Stranglehold, each managed to sell through more than a million units globally. The announcement was made by company CEO David Zucker during a recent conference call, and while sales were not broken down across platform or region, the executive did note that "European PC sales of Unreal Tournament 3 are outpacing North America." Still, we'd encourage Midway not to call out the cheerleaders just yet. There is still that nagging issue of all that missing money.
Deal of the Day: Stranglehold Collector's Edition for $30
Over at amazon.com, the price for Stranglehold Collector's Edition has been lower down to a measly $29.99. That's a savings of ten bucks from the last price drop. Oddly enough, the regular version of Stranglehold is still priced at the loftier $39.99. Doesn't really make much sense, but who cares? It's a deal! Stranglehold has seen an almost countless number of price drops since its release. Who wants to bet when this baby'll drop down to $20. At that point, you're paying for a movie and getting a game for free. [Via CAG]
Deal of the Day: Stranglehold CE for $40
Even though Wal*Mart just had a snafu with their pricing on a couple of other games, it seems they're still giving the green light to some pretty impressive deals. The PS3 version of Stranglehold -- the Collector's Edition, no less -- is on sale for $39.82. If you haven't played the game, this is a good chance to get it on the cheap as well as the Blu-ray of Hard Boiled. So, take advantage of it while you can. Or don't. It's your choice because we all know the heart of Wal*Mart is the consumer -- you.
Stranglehold ad gets choked off UK airwaves
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has banned the ad for John Woo Presents: Stranglehold from the airwaves, citing the ad could be seen as "encouraging and condoning violence." GI.biz reports that Midway believes the ad was edited in a way that it would show no blood or gore. Considering there's no negotiation on the matter, it's time for Midway to go back to the editing room.The ASA has been rather comical in its banning practices whenever they pop up on the gaming radar. Last year the ASA banned an old Xbox 360 ad depicting people doing stunts and driving recklessly despite the ad clearly stating: "Dramatisation. Professional stunt. Do not attempt." We can't wait to see what ad the ASA decides to ban next by throwing darts blindfolded at an index card covered wall.
UK Stranglehold commercial gets the banhammer
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has their undergarments in a wad over a Stranglehold commercial that has been shown in the UK. So wadded, they dropped their banhammer on it.According to the ASA, the Stranglehold commercial promotes guns, violence and is far too graphic for UK television. They especially had a hangup with the commercial's voice-over which says "Honor is his code. Vengeance is his mission. Violence is his only option", which they feel further promotes the "violence is good kids" message they are so against. Midway tried to convince the ASA that the Stranglehold TV spot wasn't promoting violence, doesn't show blood or gore and is far too stylized to be graphic. But, in the end, the ASA continues to enforce its Stranglehold ban while at the same time giving the game some much needed viral publicity. Which we're sure Midway doesn't mind.Oh, for the curious fanboys of the world, you can take a look after the break as we've embedded the banned Stranglehold commercial for your viewing pleasure. To us, it's pretty tame.
Stranglehold Map Pack: 1200 MS points too many
We just came across new Strangehold DLC on the Marketplace today (it was announced last month) and ouch does it cost a lot. The Stranglehold Map Pack adds ten new multiplayer maps, twenty-one new characters, ten new achievements and 250 Gamerscore for ... 1200 Microsoft points. Run that through your MS points conversion calculator and that equals $15 US. An extra $15 DLC pack for a game that about two dozen people play online at any given moment. Yes, we're sympathetic to the fact that making ten new multiplayer maps, new achievements and a boatload of new characters was development intensive, but really. It's a bit late and a bit too expensive for a game nobody really plays anyway. An extra 250 Gamerscore would be a perfect draw to get people back into the Stranglehold swing of things and maybe, just maybe people would have been willing to pay 400 points for all the additional content. But 1200 though. 1200 points is a huge commitment and we're sorry to say Midway, too big of a commitment for 98.8% of gamers. We feel strangled.[Thanks, Eric]
Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2007
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii) Though its puzzles may occasionally infuriate, the real source of frustration regarding Zack & Wiki stems from the fact that nobody bought it. Every year has its share of titles that deserve an audience yet never find one, and in this regard, Zack & Wiki is easily one of the most tragic games to put an uncontrollable smile on your face. Relentlessly charming and beautifully presented, the debut of Capcom's choc-chomping pirate and his simian sidekick challenges the mind and warms that cynical, meh-spouting lump in your chest. How refreshing it was to overcome obstacles and bosses by choosing the power of the mind over an impossibly large bazooka.
Stranglehold getting new DLC, achievements
Hello, my name is Michael Beck, and I represent the Exploding Fruit Consortium of North America. Every day, our technicians are working to make your fruit not only delicious, but volatile, ready to pop at the slightest touch, sending succulent meat and shrapnel-like rind flying in every conceivable direction. But there's someone out there who doesn't want you to (carefully, and while always wearing eye protection) enjoy our products. There's someone out there who would rather use this nutritious (and often fatal) food source as a mere prop for his shoot-em'-up bullet ballet. That person ... is Chow Yun-Fat, star of the game Stranglehold.Now we hear that his brutal game is getting even more despicable with downloadable content on the way soon soon. The pack will include multiplayer maps like Wong's Estate Grounds, Rooftops of Chicago and (the one that gets our blood boiling) Kowloon Market. There will also be 21 new character skins and 250 achievement points, whatever that means. Honestly, it turns our stomachs. Please, Midway put a stop to this. If not for the exploding watermelons ... think of the children (who, by the way, should not be within 100 feet of exploding watermelons).[Via X3F]
Stranglehold gets additional multiplayer maps
We love DLC, but we're afraid to admit that this may be quite pointless. Midway has just announced that it plans on delivering a ten map update to Stranglehold. The John Woo-inspired shooter earned average reviews throughout, and failed to capture a significant online presence. We wonder: will anyone actually bother to download additional multiplayer maps to a game no one plays online? Hmm.%Gallery-3206%
Stranglehold gets new achievements and DLC
Today, Midway revealed that John Woo's Stranglehold will be getting brand new multiplayer content and achievements sometime soon. The Stranglehold DLC will feature ten new multiplayer maps including Kowloon Market, Wong's Estate Grounds and Rooftops of Chicago as well as twenty-one new character skins. The new content will also usher in ten new achievements worth a total of 250 gamerscore. A firm release date or pricing details have not been revealed yet, but one factoid we are sure of is that the new DLC will only be released to North American Xbox Live members. But maybe that's a typo. Actually, now that we think about it, is anyone even playing Stranglehold multiplayer anymore to care about this DLC anyway? (evil grin)
Deal of the Day: Stranglehold Collector's for $50
Best Buy is offering the Collector's Edition of Stranglehold for $20 less than its MSRP. At $50, you get a decent (but not great) game, and a decent (but not great) transfer of a terrific movie. The inclusion of Hard Boiled makes this a must for any John Woo fan, and the discounted price certainly makes it easier to swallow.[Via CAG][Update: amazon.com is price matching Best Buy.]
PS3 Fanboy review: Stranglehold: Collector's Edition
Though Midway's Stranglehold has been out on the Xbox 360 and PC for quite some time, due to the well publicized problems with adapting the Unreal Engine to the PlayStation 3, our version has only just come out. And while it is frustrating to have such a long delay between releases, it's not all bad for once. Midway has used the time to tighten up the performance of Stranglehold on the PS3 to a very solid framerate as well as add on one of the coolest video game bonuses of all time -- a high-def re-mastering of Hard Boiled, the fantastic John Woo Hong Kong shoot-em-up that serves as the primary inspiration to the game itself. While only the Collector's Edition of Stranglehold includes an HD copy of Hardboiled, this is one of those unusual bonuses that actually makes the game itself better. Taken on its own, Stranglehold is "just" another shooter with a story of revenge and the ability to blow the hell out of pretty much everything in the environment. Taken with the movie as well, you see a continuation of one of the greatest stories to come out of the Hong Kong action genre from the early 90s, as well as a continuation of the style and cinematography of the movie. Characters that seem flat or unnecessary suddenly become interesting and special effects that seem like simple next-gen window dressing gain added meaning.Movies like Hard Boiled are what started the whole concept of tough guys with dual Berettas who can dive through the air backwards while taking out half a platoon of villains. It's hard to remember sometimes, but the action in games like Max Payne (as well as the bullet time in The Matrix) are direct homages to John Woo's early movies. Slow motion shooting, dive-shots, and heavily stylized combat were all traits of movies like Hard Boiled, Bullet in the Head, and The Killer, so in some ways it's surprising that it's taken this long for John Woo to just come out and make his own video game.%Gallery-3206%
Midway expects no more PS3 delays in 2008
Did you know that the American PS3 version of Stranglehold slow-mo dived out the door this week? Midway's destructive Hard Boiled follow-up, like several PS3 games in the past few months, had been pushed off the edge of the calendar so many times that many eventually lost sight of it, played it on competing platforms or just moved on to other things. Midway CEO David F. Zucker recently discussed the predicament following a Top Secret! financial conference call, noting that technical hurdles on Sony's platform initially slowed them down. "For our first wave of next-gen games... lead development has been on the Xbox 360, due to its earlier introduction and larger installed base," said Zucker. "We ran into some technical issues developing for the PlayStation 3 that have taken more time to finalize than we expected." He now considers said issues resolved, however, and expects "PS3 versions of [Midway] titles to ship day and date" with those on other platforms beginning next year. As for Unreal Tournament III, PS3 owners should look for it "as soon as it's ready."Finally, with development hassles supposedly out of the way, Midway can continue work on a soon-to-be-announced title described by Zucker as an "ambitious open-world game." We certainly hope he means the Psi-Ops meets Crackdown adventure we just envisioned.
Wildfires prompt Midway to evacuate San Diego office
As firefighters battle to control ongoing wildfires in Southern California, almost 1 million people have been forced from their homes in what Bloomberg deems the largest evacuation in California's history. The blazes have also affected businesses, with GameDaily BIZ reporting that Midway employees have been asked to leave the publisher's San Diego offices (one of many spread across the world). In response to less sensitive gamers asking, "But what about mah gamez?!" Midway has provided assurances that its development schedules remain unaffected and that the company's Mortal Kombat, Strangleholds and so forth remain in the hands of employees dutifully tinkering at home.
Concept art glued and bound in 'The Art of Midway'
We'll admit that when approached with the subject of art in video games, Midway is not the first company that comes to mind. Not to say that their games are not art, as we sidestep that land mine and save the explosion for another day, but Midway's titles have never come across as particularly driven by aesthetic style, making us all the more curious as to the contents of Midway's newly released art book, The Art of Midway: Before Pixels and Polygons. A 160-page collection of concept art for some of Midway's top titles, the book is said to include 200 illustrations covering such games as The Suffering and Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, to the more recently shipped Stranglehold. And of course you can bet there will be quite a few doodles from the Mortal Kombat franchise as well, with Baraka's toothy grin featured on the book's cover. However, what's more interesting to us are the unpublished works said to be included in the book from Midway artists such as Stephan Martinière, Vince Proce, Ben Olson, and Bruno Werneck. Our coffee table has been looking a bit barren lately, and this book would fit quite nicely next to the sweat ring and stack of back issues of People.
