Red-Fly
Latest
Phil Harrison would 'love' to prove Activision wrong about Ghostbusters
When it comes to the much anticipated Ghostbusters game, Atari's Phil Harrison – somehow it still sounds wrong – clearly wants Activision to know what it lost when it cut the game (and several others) loose earlier this year. Speaking to MCV, he called out Activision-Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, on the decision. "What Bobby, perhaps unhelpfully said, was that those games were franchises which wouldn't make $100m of revenue and generate sequels," Harrison said of Blizzivision's choice to offload Ghostbusters. "If that's his benchmark, then fine – and we'd love to aspire to the same benchmarks. But you know what? I would love to turn Ghostbusters into a $100m franchise, just to prove him wrong." That may not happen, but given the hype and fan following – not to mention the fact that it's coming out on at least five platforms – Activision might yet kick itself when the sales numbers are tallied.
Joystiq busts some ghosts, says Wii game plays best
The lucky folks over at Joystiq managed to get their hands dirty with all of the different versions of the Ghostbusters game recently. Now that it's confirmed to, y'know, actually exist, we're wondering if the game is as good as it seems to be on paper. Also, how does the Wii version stack up against the other versions of the game? Well, we're glad to say that Joystiq said the Wii version was their favorite. That makes two now!As for the rest of it, head on over and check out the piece here.%Gallery-27664%
Joystiq hands-on: Ghostbusters (PS3/360/Wii)
click to enlarge (Xbox 360) We had no doubt going into our first hands-on with Ghostbusters: The Video Game that developers Terminal Reality (PS3/PC/360) and Red Fly (Wii) are delivering pure, off-the-chart fan service. We were concerned with one thing: Is this game going to be any fun to play? Terminal Reality is well aware that thousands of gamers have never seen the original movie or its (shudder) sequel, so the prospect of tromping around with a pack of middle-aged men in goofy getups might not be a major selling point. Funny jokes, ghosts, wild weapons, and blowing up everything you can see? That's compelling for anyone. %Gallery-38586%
Metareview: Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars
We've been raving about Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars for the best part of a year. Starved of a top-drawer platformer since Mario did his thing in oh-seven, hopes are high in these parts for Red Fly's platformer. The big question: can the gameplay match the undoubtedly stellar art design (as seen in the latest trailer above)? Let's copy and paste text to find out together: Official Nintendo Magazine UK (86%) provides the most effusive review to date: "It'd have a Gold Award but for the camera. That aside, it's pretty wonderful." [Dec 2008, p.75] Game Informer (58%) is less enamored (in its really, really short review): "Mushroom Men has a few things going for it, like cool characters and clever sound design. Unfortunately, none of the good stuff has any bearing on the gameplay, which is a total mess. The camera is awful, the level designs are boring, and combat is comprised of whipping the remote around and hoping that you hit something." Nintendo Power (80%) found it to be vintage platforming fungi: "If you're hungry for some classic 3-D platforming, Mushroom Men is definitely worth checking out." [Holiday 2008, p.84] 1UP (C) thinks it's just a pretty face, and is reminded of generic PS1 platformers (surely it's not as bad as Croc?): "The rich presentation fills out its role in the game just fine, but the core mechanics simply can't back it up. Visually intriguing environments break down to straightforward platforming and switch-flipping puzzles; inspired design rears its head every now and then, but -- by and large -- Mushroom Men's stages are anything but progressive, falling right alongside a forgotten swath of PS1 platformers." %Gallery-18243%
Who ya gonna watch? New Ghostbusters trailer and screens materialize
Developer Terminal Reality isn't ruling out the chance that the final holdout from the original Ghostbusters cast, Rick Moranis (Louis Tully), will lend his voice to its upcoming game. Still, he's not present or accounted for in the latest trailer for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC version of Ghostbusters: The Videogame. But oh is it dripping with Ghostbusters vibe like so much ectoplasm.Atari, the new publisher of this June 2009 title, has also released a handful of new shots from the next-gen and Wii versions of the game. While it doesn't sport nearly the same level of detail as the other versions, we found ourselves unexpectedly pleased by the Real Ghostbusters-esque art direction of the Red Fly developed Wii game when we saw it in action. What do you say: charming, or too kiddie?%Gallery-38586% Download trailer in HD (30MB)
Busting Ghosts is preferable on Wii?
Kotaku got to try out the Wii version of Ghostbusters and, predictably enough, revealed that it differs quite a lot from its high-definition cousins on the other machines. The voice-acting and script aside, the Wii build sports its own level designs (which are smaller, naturally), a Wii-specific control scheme, and a far more cartoony visual style.Precisely none of which is surprising. Games developed for a spread of consoles often look and feel quite different on the Wii, but this doesn't seem to harm Ghostbusters. Kotaku reports that the Wii title has been built from the ground up, and deems waggling a Wiimote to capture spooks "a little more intuitive" than punching buttons.On a personal note, we definitely prefer the rounder, more rubbery character models found in Ghostbusters Wii. The franchise always felt pretty goofy to us, so these just fit more closely to our expectations of a Ghostbusters game. We've included a couple of comparison shots in our gallery for you to peruse and make your own minds up.%Gallery-27664%
Ghostbusters spooking you out in June 2009
Atari recently caught the Ghostbusters game in its ghost trap, and has now revealed a release date for the title -- the once-shaky project will escape its Ecto-Containment Unit in June 2009! There's no word yet on which region that date is for, though Atari's press gathering is taking place in the UK, for what that's worth.Who's excited, then? We noticed a few naysayers in the comments of our last Ghostbusters post, but the involvement of (Mushroom Men creator) Red Fly gives us confidence!%Gallery-27664%
Mushroom Men: Radical Weapons for Tiny Overkill
We conclude our exploration of Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars' freaky arsenal this week with two categories of weapons: thrusting weapons and Radical! Weapons. The idea of a thrusting weapon is fairly simple to understand: it's a pointy thing of some kind on a stick, and your mushroom uses it to poke at stuff.Radical! Weapons are special weapons that have limited ammunition and are used at certain specific points in a level to obscure a hole in the wall or otherwise destroy an area that is the source of repeated enemy spawns. They're slightly more sadistic and demented than the normal weapons. And by "sadistic and demented" we mean "a flamethrower made from a match, a whistle, an aspirator, and a football bobblehead."%Gallery-34378%%Gallery-18243%
Atari rescues Ghostbusters
When your game's aloneWith no publisherWho you gonna call?Ghostbusters! Atari!For a while, the merging of Activision and Blizzard looked like it might spell a grisly end for the Ghostbusters game, but now HERO OF THE PEOPLE Atari has stepped in to save the day, confirming previous assurances from Dan Akroyd and Variety. Once caught in development limbo, Ghostbusters is now due to release in 2009, and will feature the film's original main cast and a storyline penned by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. We never imagined ourselves saying this, but let's all raise a glass to Phil Harrison.%Gallery-27664%[Via press release]
Mushroom Men: Delay of the Fungi
We've been gearing up for the Rise of the Fungi, prepping our weapons, messing up perfectly good clothing, and what do we get for our efforts? The DS title, originally slated for, uh, last month, has been delayed. Surprised? Not if you were paying attention, but happily, we can report that the game is now scheduled for December 2. Let's just hope Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi doesn't get lost in the holiday crush. We've got our fingers crossed for this one.%Gallery-15252%
Mushroom Men: The Spore Wait
Unfortunately, we can no longer claim that Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars is one of the most promising games of this fall -- not because we've changed our minds about the game or anything, but because it's no longer a game of this fall. Gamecock announced that both the DS and Wii Mushroom Men games have been delayed to December 2nd. The Spore Wars was originally planned for this month, following an October release of the DS Rise of the Fungi.Provided that Mushroom Men actually comes out this holiday season, it could do well as the only major platformer being released on the Wii (that doesn't star a werehog). Or we could be wrong and it could be swallowed by the mass of holiday releases in general! The point is, one of those processes will begin in December.%Gallery-18243%
Mushroom Men and Mushroom Minigames
Screens of Red Fly Studio's Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars are, in general, a joy to look at, not just because of technically lovely graphics, but because of creepy mood lighting and the ridiculous detail that went into modeling the mundane world in which the little guys wage their battles. We have kind of a systematic distrust of screenshots, but we've seen Mushroom Men and we can confirm that it looks great.These screens feature the same level we've seen previously, but it's the one with the giant mutated bunnies, so we don't mind. We're looking forward to the game's release so we can see more environments, though. There's also a puzzle-based minigame that appears to be based on Pipe Dream -- we're guessing it's the one on the minigame menu titled "Morel Mine Car." We'll try not to dwell on it. Nothing wrong with minigames, but we really hope we aren't forced to play Pipe Dream.%Gallery-18243%
Red Fly talks Mushroom Men
We're amazed that Red Fly has managed to finish Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars in time for its November 11th release. Whenever we check in on the game, someone from the studio always seems to be showing the press the latest build, or taking gamers behind the scenes, or chatting to us. Sincerely though, we appreciate the attention, chaps (and Shiggy never returns our calls).Interactions Design Lead James Clarendon is the latest to be thrust in front of the camera and show off Red Fly's baby, and a mighty fine job he does too. Amongst other things, Clarendon shows us the tutorial level, the clever home-made weapons, the slightly grotesque life meter, and the "SCAV" system. You may have seen much of this before if you've been following the game closely, but now it's all condensed into this one walkthrough. And when is it not a good time to watch Mushroom Men? Never, that's when.%Gallery-18243%[Via press release]
Mushroom Men: The Tools of the Spore Wars
Easily one of the most interesting aspects of Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars is its weapon creation system. Since your mushroom warriors are teensy, everyday household items and junk found on the ground can be made into deadly weapons. Mushroom Men's "SCAV" system allows you to combine found items into various types of weapons.This week, we have an exclusive gallery featuring examples of the game's "bashing" weapons -- heavy melee weapons built from seemingly useless items like a pipe, sardine can keys, and even a toy Viking. It's almost guaranteed to give you a new way to look at your living room: as an ad-hoc arsenal in the making. In our main Mushroom Men gallery, we've also got a few new in-game screenshots!%Gallery-34378%%Gallery-18243%
Preview: Putting on our thinking caps in Mushroom Men
Gamecock graciously sent a preview copy of Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi, allowing me to play it in an environment as non-E3-like as possible: my own home. And now, playing through it again, I've found that the only real problem I had with my initial playthrough isn't actually a problem at all. Which leaves nothing but cool platforming. I played through the initial few levels and found my mushroom hero guy saving the world by, uh, knocking over some cans! And moving a shoe full of mosquitoes! And then a fish got in my way and I couldn't make any more progress. Fish.What won't come through in screens is just how nice the game looks. The bizarre lighting effects and high framerate lend Mushroom Men an extraordinarily crisp appearance that is especially nice for DS 3D.%Gallery-15252%
Activision Blizzard still 'reviewing' fate of Ghostbusters, 50 Cent
It seems Activision Blizzard is still uncertain as to who it's gonna call -- to publish ectoplasmic epic Ghostbusters. Speaking to MCV, the newly melded megapublisher was still hesitant to divulge the "absolutely not cancelled" game's fate, along with the fate of fellow Vivendi leftovers like 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. In the wake of Vivendi UK's closure, Activision Blizzard's general manager for the region, Andrew Brown, pointed out that while "Crash, Spyro and Prototype will definitely be released this and next year," the company was still in the midst of "reviewing its options regarding titles that it will not be publishing." Sound familiar? If the games are found unsuitable for Activision's immense sequel conveyer belt, it's likely that they'll be shipped off to more eager publishers. Still, aren't you utterly relieved to learn that Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon are just fine? We were worried there for a second.
Terminal Reality boss says Ghostbusters 'will be published'
Don't throw out that book on how to not cross streams, because the upcoming Ghostbusters game might not be canceled. At least, according to Terminal Reality boss Mark Randel, who told videogaming247 that "Ghostbusters will be published. That's all I can say at the moment."This, of course, isn't assurance that the game will release on the Wii, since Terminal Reality is working on the Xbox 360 version (Red Fly is developing the Wii version). But, it's something, which is much better than what we had to work with previously: nothing. %Gallery-27664%[Via GI.biz]
We ain't afraid of no ghosts, just cancellation
If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call? Ghostbust ... er ... well, maybe not.With the Blizzavision merger, a few Sierra titles (like Ghostbusters) may get the axe. When it comes to efficiency, Sierra has been deemed a "non-strategic business unit," which (we're sure we don't have to tell you) is not good. While the recently merged publisher reports that Sierra franchises like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro will be safe, the fate of Ghostbusters is still up in the air. Offering a bit of reassurance, Sierra claims, "[Ghostbusters] is not cancelled and will not be cancelled." Some words from the people with the money, though, would probably make us feel better.
Sierra: Ghostbusters 'absolutely not cancelled'
Yesterday's news that Activision Blizzard was only holding onto a select few Vivendi/Sierra properties going forward didn't look good for those awaiting the seemingly triumphant return of Ghostbusters. We contacted Sierra about the game's absence from Blizzavision's "to keep" list, and whether said omission spelled doom for the Ecto-1 crew. Good news, everyone: the game's not giving up the ghost. A spokesperson for Sierra confirmed that, "First and foremost, the game is absolutely not canceled." But does it have a publisher? "[Sierra] is reviewing its options regarding those titles that it will not be publishing," we were told. While not explicitly stated, it definitely sounds like Sierra has begun the process of shopping its remaining titles around to other publishers. These include Double Fine's hotly anticipated heavy metal adventure Brütal Legend. We're still awaiting word on its fate, but can't imagine Tim Schafer and crew letting a little publisher scuffle stop the rock.
Mushroom Men preorder bonuses cultivated
Character design and concept art are two areas in which Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars excels, and the free gifts for those who preorder the game use both extensively. Those who reserve a copy at Gamestop will be able to claim the "life-size" statuette above, as well as a pack of eleven Mushroom Men trading cards (a twelfth comes with the game itself) featuring the title's diverse range of enemies. The "Jackalope" has ensured that we shall not sleep easily tonight. It's probably worth mentioning that a further eleven cards will be offered to those who preorder Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi on the DS, as well as a superb Les Claypool/Mushroom Men poster. Red Fly's customized Mushroom Men VW Bus is not, alas, a preorder perk, but it is rad. Take a look. %Gallery-18243%[Via press release]
