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Preview: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (Noir and Ultimate)
With Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions' fourth and final locale out of the bag (it is "Ultimate" Spidey, as many surmised), Activision was showing off the first playable build of the game at a pre-Comic-Con event last night. I played both the newly revealed Ultimate Spidey, in his black symbiote suit, and the Noir version. While I wasn't clued in to the game's multidimensional, overarching story (perhaps at the Comic-Con panel then?), I did get a feel for the combat, which is arguably the make-or-break component of the game. Though I only played within two of the game's four universes, I found the combat to be solid -- if a little shallow -- and in practice it came together better than I had expected after watching a developer play the game last month. %Gallery-97998%
Final, Ultimate Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions universe revealed
As deduced by our industry-leading experts on men who are also spiders, the fourth and final Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions universe will be Ultimate. That is to say, it will be set in the Marvel Comic Ultimate universe -- we can't vouch for its relative "ultimateness" quite yet. So, what's different about this one? Well, according to IGN's Comic-Con preview, the world of the Ultimate universe is bright and cel-shaded -- a stark contrast to Spidey's pitch black Symbiote suit. Spider-Man (who's voiced by series veteran Josh Keaton in the Ultimate 'verse) will encounter large groups of SHIELD troops and Carnage Symbiotes, which they'll be able to deal with simultaneously using their suit's increased offensive capabilities. Whip swaths of enemies with your Spidey-tendrils, shoot web-spikes out of your chest, or summon black spikes from the ground to wreck enemies' shops. So, he's basically like the guy from Prototype, only he's much less inclined to eviscerate every single civilian that wanders into his field of vision. How nice! Look for our multi-dimensional preview of the game later today.
Activision confirms final Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions cover
GameFly has proven that the speed of a game rental website exceeds the proportionate speed of a radioactive spider. The website posted the final box art for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions well in advance of next week's Shattered Dimensions Comic-Con panel, which is expected to provide the "official" reveal of the game's fourth universe. Activision confirmed to Joystiq that the box art image is authentic. There's still plenty of info to reveal at that panel, however. The newly revealed, fourth version of Spider-Man (pictured on the far right) looks like he's wearing the famous (infamous?) black "symbiote" costume, which raises questions about which "universe" it represents in the game. In the comics, the Secret Wars storyline that resulted in Spider-Man's acquisition of this costume took place in the normal "Earth-616" Marvel Comics continuity, which is already one of the game's revealed dimensions. (The other two are the Noir [Earth-7207] and Marvel 2099 [Earth-928] universes.) It's possible that this probable symbiote costume is the version from the Ultimate universe, which would qualify as a separate universe and fulfill the game's multidimensional gimmick. Check out the full box art after the break, while we ponder the biggest question brought on by this reveal: When did we learn so much about Spider-Man comics?
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions impressions and interview with producer Meghan Morgan
At a pre-E3 event a few weeks ago, Activision finally took the wraps off of the third of four universes that Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions will travel through, and Peter David geeks everywhere cheered: the game is going nearly a century in the future to the Spider-Man of 2099. We got an early look at gameplay in the new universe, and it's hyperkinetic, with vast future cityscapes full of flying cars and neon setting the backdrop to the skull-emblazoned dark blue figure of the future Spider-man flipping and kicking in dizzying aerial fights. The future setting wasn't the only new footage we saw -- Activision also showed off another Noir level, set in a carnival atmosphere, where stealthy Spidey was pitted up against that universe's Norman Osbourne, a.k.a. Goblin, a crime boss. That level was much slower than other parts of the game we've seen -- until Spider-man got spotted, at which point the music spurred into action ... and Activision moved on to the 2099 reveal. %Gallery-94703%
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions travels to 2099
And just like that, the third of the four universes in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions has been revealed by All Games Beta. If the headline and the image haven't given it away already, it's Spider-Man 2099, which will now join the Amazing and Noir Spider-Man universes. Fun fact: Spidey 2099 shoots his web from the top of his wrists. Weird. Though it doesn't feature any 2099-ness, you can find a new trailer featuring the villains of Shattered Dimensions after the break. [Via CVG]
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions pre-order gets 4 new costumes, 'signature charge attack'
We may only know about two of the four Spidey settings to be featured in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimension, but that hasn't stopped GameStop from announcing that pre-orders of the game (on any console) will get access to a Cosmic Spider-Man costume (which can be equipped in each of the game's four "universes"). Like in the comics, the extra-superpowered state of Cosmic Spider-Man will enable a "signature charge attack" that's exclusive to his costume, regardless of which world you're Spider-Manning around in. Since GameStop didn't release an image of the Spidey iteration from its (presumably exclusive) pre-order bonus, we've dropped a picture of the totally rad Cosmic Spider-Man action figure above -- it's gotta look something like that in-game, right? And no, it's not a "doll." It's an action figure. [Thanks Joshua!]
Impressions: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Click to enlarge Activision chose a fitting event during which to take the webbing wraps off of its latest Spider-Man game -- the annual WonderCon comics convention in San Francisco -- but based on what I saw of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions today, it might have been best to hold off for an E3 debut in June. After a rousing reveal trailer earlier in the week, I have to admit to some fairly high expectations going into my first live demo of the game. What had been shown of two out of the game's four unique Spider-Man universes looked great in the video, after all, and had us excited enough to start pondering what the other two might be. While I'm still completely sold on the concept of a game based on the comics that visits four different Spideys, each in their own dimensions and each of those featuring a different gameplay hook, the actual execution as it stands doesn't live up to the team's ambitions. %Gallery-89427%
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions: The Wish List
So, we know that two of the four slots for alternate realities in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions will be filled by the classic Peter Parker from Amazing Spider-Man and the 1930s take of Spider-Man: Noir. But we're totally in the dark about the remaining two continuities that will be featured. So, since it's anybody's guess, we thought we'd make a few of our own. Excelsior!
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions reveals 'Amazing' and 'Noir' settings
You know, it's kind of depressingly easy to win nerds over. Take, for instance, the debut trailer for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions just after the break. With just a few moving images of "noir" Spider-Man in action, our mild curiosity about the game from the company that most recently ported Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to Windows transformed to rubbing $60 on our computer monitors, hoping to coax the game into reality. We really are that easy. Come, drool with us on this Gamespot preview of the game (scripted by She-Hulk/Amazing Spider-Man author Dan Slott). But wait, there are still two more "dimensions" to be shown, other than "Noir" and the classic setting of "Amazing." We look forward to finding just how much more we can pine for a game from the guys who made Bee Movie: The Game. Also, is that first-person swinging? WHAT?
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions to be unveiled at WonderCon
According to the WonderCon 2010 event schedule, on Saturday, April 3, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions will be featured in an afternoon panel hosted by the likes of Marvel writer Dan Slott, Spidey voice actor Christopher Daniel, Activision senior producer Meghan Morgan and creative director Thomas Wilson of developer Beenox Studios -- wait. Beenox who? You're probably not familiar with the studio behind the next Spider-Man game by name, and for good reason. The Quebec City, Canada-based studio Bennox, a wholly-owned Activision subsidiary since 2005, has long handled the publisher's dirty work, responsible for porting some 30 or so of Activision's licensed-franchise games to the Windows and Mac platforms. Beenox also handled the Dreamworks-based movie-to-game adaptations of Bee Movie and Monsters vs. Aliens, as well as Guitar Hero: Smash Hits. Clearly, Beenox has paid its dues and, with Shattered Dimensions, has its first shot at becoming a household name; if it can "un-suck" Activision's Spider-Man series. (Having been crowned Quebec's Best Employer in 2008 and the Company of the Year in 2006, by the Quebec Chamber of Commerce, it sounds like Beenox's staff of roughly 300 could be up to the task.) Additionally, the WonderCon event listing reveals a few tidbits about Shattered Dimensions, teasing "an exciting new universe never before seen in Spider-Man video games," featuring "unique, unexpected worlds," and the reveal of two "new" villains. This is not going to be your friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man, kids. [Via IGN]
Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (now with more Guitar Hero II)
Activision has been holding open voting to determine in what order Guitar Hero: Smash Hits' tracks will be revealed. First came tracks from the first Guitar Hero, now followed by the second winner: Guitar Hero II. We imagine the slow process of revealing the Smash Hits tracks is kind of like when Voltron forms, except there are no animals involved and it takes way longer. After giving the list a once-over ourselves, we're confident fans will be satisfied with what's here. As per our thing, we've tucked the list past the break so all 3 of you that have never played Guitar Hero II can see what the fuss is about. %Gallery-46942%
Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits screens look familiar
It's time to check in with our old friend, recycled Guitar Hero content! Yesterday, we learned some details about Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits, including a few of the songs being reanimated for full-band play. Today, Activision released the first screenshots of the game. Surprise! It looks just like Guitar Hero: World Tour. Not that we expected a severe visual overhaul out of a game that isn't even providing a musical overhaul.While it'll be nice to revisit stuff from the first Guitar Hero with new note charts and new instruments, we can't help but feel that GH:GH is the least exciting guaranteed multi-million-seller of 2009.%Gallery-46942%
Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits details sound familiar
IGN has an interview with Paul Gadbois, producer on Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits, the franchise-milking upcoming compilation of what Activision has determined are the most popular songs from every console GH title to date. Canadian development studio and port-expert, Beenox, is putting together the disc, which hits 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii in June. (It's confirmed at $60 for the 360/PS3 release, $40 on Wii and $30 on PS2.)According to Gadbois, this mash-up of previous Guitar Hero games will offer full band play on all 48 of its included (master) tracks, while also including the music studio, character creation, and online features introduced in Guitar Hero World Tour. Eight tracks-from-the-past have been revealed so far: "Barracuda" by Heart "I Love Rock N Roll" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts "I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister "Killer Queen" by Queen "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against The Machine "Nothin' But A Good Time" by Poison "Them Bones" by Alice in Chains "Through the Fire and Flames" by Dragonforce What was it The Smiths once sang? "Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!"
Monsters vs. Aliens demo picks a fight with the XBLM
The Xbox Live Marketplace doesn't traditionally receive new game demos on Sunday, but today is an exception with the release of a freakishly combative Monsters vs. Aliens demo.The 620MB demo of the Activision developed movie game gives players a trial of a few missions, which is plenty of hands-on time to reinforce the general rule that movie-based video games are monstrously disappointing. We hope (yet are pretty certain) that DreamWorks' flick offers up more entertainment than the game.[Via Major Nelson]
Activision publishing Monsters vs. Aliens game
Next year's feature film from Dreamworks, Monsters vs. Aliens, will be adapted to all major platforms. Set for a March release next year, the game will be developed by Beenox Inc. and stars a group of misfit monsters on a quest to save the world from an attacking force. The game will feature co-op gameplay, as well as multiple playable characters. [Via press release]
Quantum of Solace video may cheer you up
Look at the footage!As most of you have probably noticed, the Wii is inching toward living up to one of the great potentials of its controller: its usefulness for shooting at things! But what you may not have expected is the fact that a Bond game is looking pretty sweet. That hasn't happened too often since GoldenEye 007 set its amazing standard back in 1997.One European Wii owner decided to perform a great service for all the world (or, uh, those who might buy Quantum of Solace), and the result is the above video, featuring (almost) ten minutes of footage from the game, that you may study it closely. Bless YouTube and all its users.
Gun sequel announced via poster in THPG demo?
In what could be considered the weirdest game announcement ever, Joystiq has discovered that there is a Gun sequel poster hidden inside the newly available Tony Hawk's Proving Ground demo. The poster, as seen in the screenshot above, depicts what looks to be a Gun sequel called Gun: Magruder's Ghost featuring the cliche tag line "Even from beyond the grave". So, we're left wondering if this is a real Gun sequel announcement or if those artists over at Activision like messing with our heads and find it to be a funny easter egg joke. We find it a little odd but plausible that Gun: Magruder's Ghost would be announced this way, so we'll leave it up to you to make the call to what this all means. And if you're one of those fanboys who doesn't believe picture evidence, instead needing to experience it for yourself, then this is how you find the poster. Simply fire up your newly downloaded THPG demo, head down the beginning hill until you spot a large staircase on your left. You'll be able to see the poster on top of said staircase.
