343 Industries' Kynan Pearson joins Podcast Unlocked this week to talk about the process of designing Halo 4's multiplayer maps.
Ryan McCaffrey, Mitch Dyer, and Destin Legarie talk about THQ's troubles, Mass Effect, SmartGlass, and Skyrim's next DLC.
Download Podcast Unlocked Ep. 76: Makin' Maps (MP3)
Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor at IGN. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.
Speaking at the Eurogamer Expo in London today, Hideo Kojima has shed some light on the casting process for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie, which is to be produced by X-Men and Spider-Man's Avi Arad.
Although many Kojima fans will know that the legendary game developer originally wanted a career in film, he is not disappointed that he will not be the one to write the script or direct the upcoming Metal Gear Solid production. "I should not be the one to make Metal Gear into a movie," he said, although he will be working alongside Arad on script and casting.
As for who should play Snake, Kojima revealed some insight into the casting process. Originally he'd wanted a big star - specifically, he mentioned Hugh Jackman - but he's since changed his mind.
"If I talk to much about this Avi might get mad at me," he said, "but after thinking about it more, it’s probably better to go for someone new, a rising star, someone who hasn't been typecast before as a particular kind of character, so that’s the route we’re going right now.
"Avi is very good at finding these people, and I think we can find someone who can make it big and have Solid Snake be their break into the movie industry."
We outlined out dream Metal Gear Solid movie cast just a few months ago, and Hugh Jackman was the favourite for Snake - it's a shame that we definitely won't be seeing him in the role. With what Kojima said in mind, who would be your pick for Snake?
Keza MacDonald is in charge of IGN's games coverage in the UK, and usually isn't a big fan of snakes. Follow her on Twitter and IGN.
Every issue of Stay Angry has followed a clear pattern. Hulk wakes up in strange place, smashes some truly bizarre foes, and then is whisked away to repeat the process elsewhere. As much fun as the arc was initially, that formula has seriously worn thin in the last couple chapters. Luckily, issue #12 injects just enough new variety into the mix to spice things up again. And the fact that Aaron finally reveals what Banner has been up to all along doesn't hurt either.
This month, Hulk awakes to find himself trapped in a forgotten prison buried deep in the Antarctic. But rather than focus on the other residents of the prison (who barely receive more than a glimpse or two), Aaron pits Hulk against Wolverine and The Thing. It's an extra dose of star power, to be sure, but the real appeal with this match-up is in the hilarious banter. He mines the tumultuous history between the trio for all its worth, and delivers some brutal action scenes in addition. Remember that time Red Hulk punched Wolverine so hard his face ripped off? Something similar but more gross unfolds here. Aaron's talent for wacky, gory combat continues unabated.
Carlos Pacheco's pencils help lend an extra touch of flavor to this finale chapter. Pacheco's work since returning to Marvel has been disappointingly inconsistent, often because he isn't paired with an effective colorist. But in this case, Frank Martin's colors do complement Pacheco's work well, and the result is an impressively detailed and dynamic series of pages that capture all the power and fury of three monsters at war. Even Hulk, who has often been drawn on the shrimpy side in this arc, exudes power and menace.
This arc was beginning to drag, but luckily Aaron sticks the landing as he paves the way for his final showdown between Hulk and Banner. With only a handful of issues remaining in this run, it's doubtful slow pacing will be a recurring complaint now.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
In this recent video interview with the LA Times' Hero Complex, director Guillermo del Toro talks about the creative process behind his upcoming kaiju vs. robots film Pacific Rim. Take a look at the video below for the full, 15-minute interview:
