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Warner Bros. promotes exec following Midway acquisition
Warner Bros. executive Jeff Junge has a laundry list of valuable gaming credentials on his resume. From recently leading the acquisition of a failing Midway Games to an early investment in dark magic engine OnLive, and even spearheading the purchase of TT Games a couple of years back, Junge is no stranger to the game industry. And all that would help to explain why, late this week, Warner Bros. announced the promotion of Junge to senior VP of business management for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. The Home Entertainment Group includes, among many other things, the company's gaming division.According to the release issued by WB, Junge will continue to "drive mergers and acquisitions" for the company. We've been told on good faith that neither "mergers" nor "acquisitions" are any type of automobile. How do you plan on driving them then, Mr. Junge? Hmmm?[Via Edge]
Skeleton rock stars destroy buildings with rock power in Lego Rock Band
It's a rarity, but we'll admit it when it occurs: We might have judged a game too quickly -- specifically, Lego Rock Band. While we assumed it would just be a brickalyzed version of the game we all know, love and are the tiniest bit sick of, a recent interview has us questioning that. TT Games boss Jonathan Smith told VG247, "The Lego character customizer means that pirates, knights and skeletons can be rock stars too, in amazing new locations. Battle sea-monsters, smash up an entire building, or take a trip into space, all with the power of rock!"Publishers, if you're curious about how to get our attention, skeleton rock stars destroying buildings with rock power before traveling into space is a great way to start.
UK: Buy LEGO Battles, get a ticket to LEGOLAND
Attention UK readers, Warner Bros. is running an interesting promotion for its DS RTS title, LEGO Battles, which is set to release in the region next week. MCV reports that the game will include vouchers for free entry into LEGOLAND Windsor. Specifically, the vouchers allow a child to enter the park for every paying adult. In other words, full grown adults will still have to pay full admission regardless, but the kids can come along for free (so long as you bring enough adults along).So, all you adult gamers won't be getting a free pass. Of course, being full grown adults, you'd never play something as silly as LEGO Battles, would you? Of course not. Neither would we. Never.We've contacted Warner Bros. to see if this promotion will be making it to North America as well. Considering it's already been released in North America -- and we haven't heard any full-grown children screaming with glee -- we're not holding our breath.
Childhood comes to life in Lego Battles trailer
Remember when you were a kid and you thought your LEGOs were real, when you just knew that they burst into life when you weren't looking? Watching this latest trailer for LEGO Battles is like catching them in the act. There's nothing quite like watching pirates battling aliens or wizards and knights taking on the hordes of the plastic undead. Basically, we're talking LEGO bedlam here. Throw in some firecrackers and bottle rockets and it would be perfect.Granted, the trailer is a little short on actual gameplay, but the kid in us heartily approves.%Gallery-43818%
Details build on Lego Rock Band, 'rock challenges' not for squares
Though we've known about Lego Rock Band -- more or less, that is -- since early this year, an Xbox.com listing for the game has revealed a few more tidbits to satiate our non-stop hunger for more info on the title. For starters, the game's progression has been revealed as incorporating the Lego theme with collectible Lego pieces that will allow you to, "build cooler vehicles and move to new venues." Furthermore, an extra easy (totally for babies) difficult setting has been added to the game for the ... ahem ... less than face-meltingly-advanced Rock Band-ers in our lives.To add even more Lego flavor to the mix, the game will feature challenges that allow you to "destroy a giant robot, summon a storm, and demolish a skyscraper." One important bullet-point glaringly missing from all news on the game (and its Beatles-themed brethren, for that matter) is the ability to export the songs into Rock Band 2, a la Rock Band 1's tracks. We've put in a note to publisher MTV Games for clarification on this and will keep you updated if and when we hear more info.[Via Destructoid]%Gallery-50718%
Lego Rock Band real, coming Holiday 2009
Click the image for Duplo-sized gallery If you've worried about your youngsters being exposed to the evils of rock music, worry no longer: LEGO Rock Band is coming this holiday season on PS3, 360, Wii and DS to deliver us all from said evil. The game, currently being developed by TT Games and Harmonix, will use all the existing Rock Band and Guitar Hero peripherals.The family-focused version of the game will allow you to customize your "minifigure avatars" along with your road crew and managers. The kid-friendly song list hasn't been fully disclosed, but we know it'll include: Blur: "Song 2" Carl Douglas: "Kung Fu Fighting" Europe: "The Final Countdown" Good Charlotte: "Boys and Girls" Pink: "So What" So, LEGOs or Beatles, who's getting your Rock Band dollar this year?%Gallery-50718%
LEGO Battles break out on DS this summer
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games' latest LEGO game, coming this summer for DS, is not built around any license. Well, other than the LEGO license. But there's no Batman or Star Wars or anything like that: this is pure LEGO. LEGO Battles, developed by Hellbent Games, sounds like a kind of LEGO-based strategy game, in which players build and defend bases in the LEGO Castle, Pirates and Space Themes, using units mixed and matched from the sets. The press release promises "pirate swordsmen fighting side-by-side with wizards and aliens; dragons battling ninjas; and pirate ships launching broadsides against spacecraft and knights!" In addition to the single-player mode, local multiplayer battles will also be available. And because we haven't said the word "LEGO" enough in this post: LEGO. %Gallery-43818%.
Activist group finds LEGO Batman 'oppressive,' 'destructive' to kids
It's difficult to imagine a property as insidious as Lego Batman. Go ahead, try. Labeling the game a "symbol of commercialized childhood," an activist group calling itself the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has called out TT Games' cubic take on the Dark Knight. Wait, is this a joke? A riddle? A two-faced lie?The game was included among a handful of other toys as a finalist for the organization's inaugural TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) Award. Other playthings, including Hasbro's poop-happy Baby Alive and a Barbie tarted up as a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, are also up for the dubious honor. But how many of these were also included in Happy Meals, one of the chief complaints of the Boston-based group? Only you can put the Caped Crusader over the top by voting for the "winner". Won't someone please think of the children?
Warner Bros boss says LEGO Batman is 'the best TT game ever'
Warner Bros. boss guy Martin Tremblay loves Traveller's Tales. And we would think so, with his company having shelled out quite a bit of money for the UK-based development studio. "We're very, very happy with LEGO Batman," said Tremblay. "It's going to be the best TT game ever and will be our first big step in games for sure."We wouldn't go so far as to say that ourselves, even after we had quite a bit of time to check it out back at E3. But, we will say that it certainly looks like a great game, as it contains a ton of options and replay value, thanks to its large roster of controllable characters and their unique abilities and skills.%Gallery-13236%[Via Go Nintendo]
Zero Punctuation whips it good with Lego Indy
Zero Punctuation's Yahtzee takes on both the Lego Indiana Jones game and the latest movie in his latest review. For his take on the game, the ornery critic comes up with an equation for figuring out how much you'll enjoy playing as Indy in the blockified platformer. If doing mathematicals isn't your thing, just think about how much fun you'll have killing Short Round -- or Willie -- over and over again. Although it still doesn't beat the cathartic Jar-Jar killing of the Lego Star Wars game. This week's NSFW ZP review of Lego Indy can be found after the break.
A pint of Guinness World Records information
Underachievers can now take to the Wii in an effort to impress their friends with virtual accomplishments. TT Games has announced Guinness World Records: The Videogame (really? a game?) for the Wii and DS, so there's no reason for you not to be included in the book that features a new holographic cover every year. It's full of mini-games, of course, and features some of the most popular records -- like growing the longest fingernails, and eating a jumbo jet. Sounds ... gross. World Records enables players to compete in such prestigious events via "accessible game mechanics." No clue what these actually are, but if it involves sitting around for 50 years growing long fingernails, then at least it'll score highly for longevity. It's released in Q3 2008, if you can wait that long to participate in the "most remarkable activities in the world."[Via press release]
Metareview -- Lego Indiana Jones
He's uncovered the fate of Atlantis, bested an infernal machine and rummaged through an emperor's tomb, but everybody's favorite Nazi-punching archaeologist faces his greatest challenge in a world made entirely out of toy blocks. Lego Indiana Jones has arrived to fairly favorable reviews, with most critics approving of the game's silent, comedic send-up of classic movie moments. If you're not the only kid in the house and enjoy collecting lots and lots and lots of things, you could do worse than tossing the developer your idle cash. IGN (80/100): "Traveller's Tales has once again delivered an experience that boils down to smashing stuff over and over again while searching for secrets, while also managing to make that formula fun and addictive. It's certainly not a huge leap over the LEGO Star Wars titles, and in fact still has some of that series' issues, but it's no less enthralling and certainly a fun adventure worth taking on." 1UP (75/100): "Lego Indy's main quest isn't terribly expansive -- you can finish it in a weekend, and that's if you take your time -- but the game's unquestionably built for completists, with a ton of hidden treasure and extra characters (you can unlock pretty much every character in the films, right down to Last Crusade's castle butler). It's easy to dismiss as kids' fare, but Lego Indiana Jones is a light, enjoyable action game, especially if you've got a willing friend for co-op play." Eurogamer (70/100): "This is all starting to sound a bit grinchy, so at this point I feel I should point out that my five-year-old son, who helped me with the hands on preview, is currently at 99.7 percent completion on our second save game with just one character left to unlock. He's certainly commented on the absence of familiar features, and seems less enthused about collecting billions of LEGO studs now that there's not as much to spend them on, but he's still been happily replaying his favourite levels over and over, just as he did with Star Wars." [Note: Listed reviews are for the Xbox 360 version. The game is also available on PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP, PC and DS.]
Lego Indiana Jones demo now available for PC
With early buzz for the new Indiana Jones movie being wishy-washy, fans may need to find solace in playing the Lego Indiana Jones game on June 3rd. The PC demo is now available for download and should also be packaged with the Indiana Jones DVDs coming out today. No word yet on console demos for Xbox 360 or PS3, but we've got some calls out for info. We can't imagine there'd only be a demo for PC. Clearly, somebody from marketing would've "chosen poorly" if that were the case.
LEGO Indiana Jones achievements swing online
Let's get the best part out of the way right now. Every single achievement in LEGO Indiana Jones is named after a line from the films. From the well-known "Why did it have to be snakes?" to "He chose... poorly," the lines run the gamut of all the films released thus far. There are a total of fifty achievements to earn, ranging in point values from 10 to 100 points. The single 100 point achievement is awarded for reaching a 100% completion level. If the LEGO Star Wars games were any indication, reaching 100% will take a significant time investment. Oh, and we hope you like secret achievements, because there are sixteen of them. Hit the "read" link to check out the list on 360Sync.
Lego Indiana Jones gameplay video swings into our hearts
Though we were already excited about Lego Indiana Jones, our desire for the game is something more akin to fever pitch now that we've seen the above gameplay video. It features almost all our favorite Indy moments just as we remember them from our childhood only, you know, stubbier. One of the more pleasant surprises is that although the characters all look (as you would expect) as if they were created from molded plastic, the environments are really nicely rendered. We say that so we have a grown up reason for being so excited, but the truth is that there's a part where he whips Willie and kisses her and it's adorable.
Whip it real good, Lego Indiana Jones site now live
The Lego Indiana Jones website is now live and features a little "treasure hunt" game where users search for riches and can then "purchase" wallpapers, avatars and coloring sheets. There's also the standard stuff like a community forum and screenshots, along with the trailer for the game. A downloadable demo should be available for PC on May 13 (also available on the movie DVDs) and we're not finding any information on a console demo, but that doesn't mean there won't be one. Lego Indy begins beating up Nazis random cult members at retail June 3.
Lego Indy to have more than 60 playable characters
Pop quiz time, hot shot: Name 60 characters from the Indiana Jones movies. Having trouble? We got to about a dozen before we had to start stretching the definition of "character" with things like "Nazi guard No. 2" and "Train Car Full of Snakes." Despite this, Activision is somehow promising to squeeze 60 playable characters into the upcoming Lego Indiana Jones, according to a fact sheet reprinted by VideoGaming247.com. Of course it's easy to have a boatload of characters when creating a new one is just a matter of putting a new jacket and hat on a Lego Minifigure, but the info. sheet also promises "character specific abilities" such as "excavation by Satipo, an umbrella slide by Marcus Brody, and monkey access by Marion Ravenwood." That's all well and good, but we're really looking forward to "Nazi Guard No. 2's" special ability, which we hear involves melting and exploding. Fun for the whole family.
Eurogamer: Lego Indiana Jones dated for Europe June 6
A press release for Play.com's Live event revealed that Lego Indiana Jones, slated to be playable at the event, is coming to retail channels on June 6. Eurogamer has confirmed the date with the ever-reliable "Top Secret Games Industry Source" and, frankly, we're happy for our European readers who don't have to wait for the usual long delay between North American release (coming June 3). The June 6 date reportedly applies to all platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii and DS. Eurogamer's source also noted that Lego Batman is coming later this year.
New Indy movie DVDs to include Lego Indiana Jones demo
It's a safe bet that every video game nerd worth their fedora has June 3 already circled on their calendar, and plans to brave venomous asps and rolling boulders in order to pick up and play Traveller's Tales upcoming Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures the day it swings to retail. Still, those few who remain unconvinced of the marriage of twelve o'clock shadow and Lego bricks can look forward to trying the game out early, as Paramount and Lucasfilm plan to include both a trailer and playable demo on a set of special edition DVD versions of the Indy movies shipping out in mid-May. The discs will be available both individually, as well as bundled together as a box set, and will be available on May 13, just prior to that new Crystal Skull adventure. It's unclear which version of the game will be represented by the included demo, with Lego Indiana Jones currently expected to fight Nazis anonymous cultists on every platform under the sun -- though let's be honest, we hope the demo will make the rounds online on or around the same time.
Lego Indiana Jones to feature two-player co-op, not four
An earlier report that LEGO Indiana Jones will feature four-player cooperative play has proven to be false. The game will instead feature the same two-player drop-in, drop-out gameplay as seen in the LEGO Star Wars titles, as well as the upcoming LEGO Batman. The confusion stems from MTV's recent sit-down with developer Traveller's Tales, who discussed the game's features, including the ability to have up to four characters on-screen at any time. Understandibly, MTV misconstrued this to mean that four players could play simultaneously, when in fact Traveller's Tales was merely highlighting that players could switch between multiple on-screen characters -- a feature that should be familiar to fans of TT's other LEGO games. Apologies to our readers for the erroneous information. We cool?
