BB-8 Star Wars Droid Toy May Be Yours This September
Update: Sphero declined to comment on the listing, though it did say the image posted on the site (shown below) is not official. It is, however, excited to work with Disney to bring the droid to life, as shown in their statement below:
“What an incredible honor it is to work with the team at Disney on one of the most interesting new characters in the Star Wars franchise,” said Paul Berberian, CEO of Sphero. “Opportunities this significant are rare. If anyone can execute and deliver on an exceptional BB-8 experience, it’s our Sphero team in Boulder.”
“This is the beginning of a whole new category of consumer products," said CCO Rob Maigret. "You can own a piece of the movie, have it in your home, and relive an experience that is authentic to the entertainment on the screen. Our hardware and software technology advancements make it possible to build the toys of the future now. We are deepening the user connection in ways that, until today, have only been portrayed in science fiction.”
Harold Review
Harold is a cleverly crafted, personality-packed infinite-runner platformer with visual style to spare. Its title character, however, is an awkward athlete and a bit of a loser, both literally and figuratively. Despite Harold's unwavering determination and enduring spirit, he does dumb things, like getting stuck in frozen dog pee and high-fiving a cactus. Thankfully, you don't assume the role of this doomed underdog, but of his equally-determined guardian angel Gabe. As this anime Zac Efron lookalike with wings, you help Harold complete a series of increasingly hazardous, side-scrolling races by manipulating environmental objects, messing with competitors, and giving the slow-moving marathoner an occasional speed boost.
The monkey wrench in this race is that you have no direct control over the perpetual runner, so clearing and altering his path via divine intervention is the key to ensuring that the lanky, bespectacled competitor finishes in at least third place. Earning the bronze is no simple feat, though, as Harold is an intentionally difficult game, one that ultimately has hardcore completionists and seasoned speed runners in mind.
The courses sport the usual platforming elements and obstacles, from moving blocks and slippery surfaces to spiky walls and bottomless pits, but Harold goes beyond the tried-and-true template with some especially inspired touches; Using an ethereal mallet to transform a chomping crocodile into a belly-up bridge and flinging Harold forward with a sling-shotting noose trap never gets old.
Interacting with these hazards involves using the left analog stick in a variety of ways: a single level could see you pushing, pulling, flicking, and rotating the stick over the course of just a few seconds. Given how you also cycle through obstacles by squeezing the triggers, Harold puts your nimble fingers through the paces. It feels fantastic when you're in the zone--circumventing traps, swinging on ropes, and hitting the ground running with a speed boost--but getting to that point takes some serious practice.
While playing guardian angel for Harold usually involves protecting or helping him, you can also harness your heavenly powers to hinder the more seasoned speedsters. In addition to shifting platforms beneath their swift feet to ensure that they jump to their deaths, you can cut ropes just before they grab them, raise ramps they’re about to ascend, and generally make their lives a living hell. If you've ever envied Lucy’s habit of pulling that football from poor Charlie Brown's path, you'll have as much fun tricking these clueless humans as you do helping Harold.
As satisfying--and sadistic--as it may be to pull the rug out from under the competition, they sometimes spawn right where they left off or, worse, further ahead of Harold. This odd design choice doesn't affect the races' pace unfairly, as Harold enjoys this benefit as often as his competitors do. Still, it would be more visually satisfying to see your targets consistently trailing Harold after falling victim to your well-timed traps.
In addition to altering the world to keep Harold on the quickest, safest route, you must carefully monitor and manage puff power. This collectible gift from the gods not only fuels Harold's speed boost--via a swift lightning bolt to the backside--but it also grants extra lives. I found myself using it more for the former, as it's the most effective way to put the pokey protagonist in the lead. Plus, the punishment for dying isn't so severe that bonus lives are a big deal; quick respawns and restarts ensure that you're never out of the race for long. Regardless of how you decide to use puff power, though, managing the scarce resource quickly becomes as important as ensuring that Harold doesn't get a face full of spikes.
Harold's gameplay is complemented by a hand-drawn art style that wouldn't look out of place in a 90s era Disney film. Seriously, swap the runners--during the jungle races--with the cast of The Lion King, and the action wouldn't miss a visual beat. The pop-off-the-screen art style isn't limited to static backgrounds, either; characters animate in amazing, cartoony detail, and gameplay elements, like rope bridge planks that can be popped to persuade Harold to pick up the pace, bring the pretty presentation to life. Sadly, Harold's steep difficulty doesn't leave you with any time to ogle the gorgeous surroundings like a first time tourist. As aesthetically pleasing as the presentation is, only the most skilled players will enjoy having their eyes and reflexes engaged simultaneously.
Harold is at its fleet-footed best when everything clicks; when your divine guidance not only propels the protagonist to victory, but also leaves his cocky competition on the wrong end of a devious trap. But these momentum-fueled moments will be experienced by only the most dedicated players. And even genre enthusiasts will occasionally be let down by the gamepad-only controls; the inputs are generally spot-on, but the mouse-and-keyboard crowd might miss the precision of their preferred set-ups when they're called upon to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Although this genre's been done to death, Harold's inspired levels, imaginative mechanics, eye-popping presentation, endless charm, and steep challenge separate it from the pack. It's only that latter element that crosses the line, sometimes making Harold more frustrating than fun. This game’s reflex-taxing level of difficulty isn't for the faint of heart. However, if you're not afraid of a few laps on the trial-and-error treadmill, Harold might just become your next endless-runner fixation.
Galaxy Quest TV Series in the Works
It looks like, once again, the red thingy will move toward the green thingy. A TV series based on the 1999 Tim Allen/Sigourney Weaver comedy Galaxy Quest is currently in development.
Variety reports that original co-writer Robert Gordon is in negotiations with Paramount Television to work on the project (which is currently being shopped around) - as are original director Dean Parisot and executive producers Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein.
The TV version would keep the same premise as the movie - a "has-been cast of a beloved 1970s Star Trek-esque TV series inadvertently get reunited for a real space mission to help an alien race."
Joss Whedon Called Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man The Best Script Marvel Ever Had
Avengers: Age of Ultron director Joss Whedon has opened up about Edgar Wright's departure from Ant-Man.
"Only that I don't get it," Whedon told BuzzFeed when asked for his thoughts. "I thought the script was not only the best script that Marvel had ever had, but the most Marvel script I’d read. I had no interest in Ant-Man.
I read the script, and was like, Of course! This is so good! It reminded me of the books when I read them. Irreverent and funny and could make what was small large, and vice versa."
"I don’t know where things went wrong. But I was very sad," he said. "Because I thought, This is a no-brainer. This is Marvel getting it exactly right. Whatever dissonance that came, whatever it was, I don’t understand why it was bigger than a marriage that seemed so right. But I’m not going to say it was definitely all Marvel, or Edgar’s gone mad! I felt like they would complement each other by the ways that they were different. And, uh, somethin’ happened."
Wrestling Wrap Up: Daniel Bryan Pulled from Extreme Rules?
Look, we're still in a post-Mania funk. It's pretty bumpy right now. AJ left. Bryan's in career-threatening "rough shape." Rollins just lost his Curb Stomp finisher. It's been a bummer batch of weeks.
Plus, we're headed into a disposable pay-per-view. Rusev will lose. Orton will lose. Someone's "arse" will be exposed. And it'll either be blindingly white or deviously orange. Extreme Rules isn't looking to break the mold.
WWE 2K15 is Coming to PC
2K Games announced a PC version of WWE 2K15 today, and according to the publisher, its release is "only weeks away."
The PC version will include everything found in the console versions, including the MyCareer and 2K Showcase modes, as well as all of WWE 2K15's DLC for free. According to cover star John Cena, that includes thirty-six extra characters, four new managers, twenty-six matches, forty-six single player stories and cut scenes in 2K Showcase, and more.
You can see screens from the upcoming PC version in the gallery below.
In addition, day one buyers will receive two versions of Sting and Hulk Hogan. For more, check out IGN's WWE 2K15 review, which said it "looks better and hits harder on new-gen, but some key omissions keep it from reaching the main-event."
New Direction Coming for Justice League United
Though it wasn't among DC's June 2015 solicitations, it appears that Justice League United will remain a part of their ongoing lineup. Today the publisher revealed that writer Jeff Parker (Aquaman) and artist Travel Foreman (Animal Man) will be taking over the series as of issue #11.
Along with this new creative team will come a new status quo in the aftermath of Convergence. Current team members Alanna Strange, Animal Man, Stargirl and Equinox will be joined by new recruits Mera, Poison Ivy, Swamp Thing and Etrigan. This eclectic bunch will be charged with stopping a new "cosmic catastrophe" before it begins. It sound slike the book's blend of Earthly and interstellar conflicts will remain.
Podcast: The Digigods want to Escape from New York!
From their secluded home-theater compound, film critics Wade Major and Mark Keizer mix insightful commentary with irreverent banter, covering the latest DVD and Blu-ray news and new releases of the week, including studio, independent, television and special-interest titles.
Digigods Podcast, 04/21/15 (MP3) -- 30.6 MB
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Tom Cruise is the Bravest Actor in the World
Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson helped present attendees at Tuesday's CinemaCon with an exclusive look at the forthcoming sequel Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.
The sequel is directed by Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie and once again stars Cruise as Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt, along with series vets Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg. In addition to Ferguson, the new cast members also include Alec Baldwin and Sean Harris.
Cruise, Pegg and Ferguson presented two action sequences from the film, which are detailed below. Be advised of SPOILERS AHEAD.
New PlayStation Vita Not Coming After All?
Update: We reached out for comment, to which Sony replied: "We can’t comment on rumors or speculation."
Original Story: Just yesterday, a trademark surfaced for what appeared to be a newly redesigned model of the PlayStation Vita. However, that doesn't appear to be the case after all.
According to DualShockers, the "(位置商標)" in the trademark actually refers to a positional change of an element within the product rather than a modification in its design. As such, Sony's filed request isn't in reference to what many assumed to be the hypothetical "super-slim" Vita 3000.