As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for quirky, action-packed titles, I find myself intrigued by Funko Fusion. The blend of vibrant aesthetics, intense gunplay, and dinosaur-filled puzzles is a unique recipe that catches my eye.
For quite some time, the Lego brand has held a unique position within the realm of licensed action-platformers, skillfully adapting popular properties like Star Wars and Harry Potter into a whimsical gaming environment. The charm of these Lego games lies not only in their connection to colorful building blocks but also in their cheerful approach to reimagining movie stories as playful toys.
The resemblance between Funko Fusion and Lego’s gaming adaptations is predominantly in their shared humorous approach towards various topics. While Lego often caters to a younger demographic, Funko Fusion, mirroring its basis in the vinyl Pop figurines, aims for a more mature audience.
In essence, Funko Fusion is a 3D action-adventure game that captures the distinctive Pop art style of Funko. It merges various properties, primarily Universal Pictures films, but also includes characters from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Mega Man, and more. The narrative revolves around a villainous, gooey vinyl figure named Eddie who takes control of Funko toys, transforming them into monsters. The gameplay involves traversing different character’s realms, which could be movies, games, or TV shows, each affected by Eddie’s influence.
At a recent Xbox Gamescom event in Los Angeles, I sampled Funko Fusion for twenty minutes, where the featured level was inspired by Jurassic World. This segment offered a sneak peek into the comedic style of Funko. In the initial scene, a monstrous, possessed dinosaur toy (the Indominus Rex) from the original Jurassic World gobbled up a few park visitors and InGen security personnel. Subsequently, as the Funko Pop characters representing Owen and Claire from the movies (Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard respectively) scrambled to escape the rampaging dinosaurs within the park, Claire’s oversized Funko Pop head found itself trapped in the closing doors of a souvenir shop. This incident provides a clear hint at the humor that game developer 10:10 Games aims to create.
In our chat, Jason Bischoff, Funko’s Vice President of Licensing and Business Development, expressed his main point: action platformers are highly appreciated by the public, yet for no valid reason, they cease to be developed once a certain maturity level is reached – and there’s definitely room for improvement.
According to Bischoff, the creators of Funko Fusion aimed for a T rating from the onset of development for several key reasons. Primarily, the fanbase that is drawn to and collects Funko Pop toys is primarily older; while there are younger buyers as well, many of the licensed properties represented in these toys are quite old and would typically only attract an older audience.
Among its features, there’s John Carpenter’s movie ‘The Thing’, a 1982 horror production brimming with grotesque body-horror creatures. Later on, Funko and 10:10 Games introduced a demo for their game Funko Fusion on Steam, where players venture through levels inspired by The Thing. To bring some humor into the film’s narrative, they turned its revolting, deformed mutant monsters into the Funko style.
As a gaming enthusiast, what truly captivates me about Funko Fusion is the vast array of popular franchises it brings together. Even if you’re not already a fan of the Funko brand, the variety on offer is sure to catch your eye. Bischoff mentioned that there are 21 different properties incorporated into the game, but he also hinted at hidden characters and potential new worlds for players to discover. The lineup is as eclectic as it is impressive, featuring characters from The Thing, Jurassic World, the 1999 Mummy film starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, Jordan Peele’s Nope, Edgar Wright’s films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the 1978 Battlestar Galactica TV series, Chucky, Jaws, Back to the Future, Voltron, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, and more.
Playing Jurassic World level in Funko Fusion provided a swift understanding of its real-time gameplay dynamics, particularly when contrasted with the Steam demo. It appears that at the onset of the world, players can anticipate receiving mission tasks involving extensive exploration to retrieve collectibles or target specific adversaries.
In Jurassic World, I find myself living the chaos depicted in the movie where dinosaurs break free, particularly focusing on the thrilling scenes of pteranodons chasing terrified park visitors. I’m unleashed into the vast outdoor section of the park, filled with souvenir shops and eateries, with the mission to hunt down and take down five roaming dilophosaurus. These spitting dinosaurs can be tricky as they tend to scamper away when provoked, making it challenging to locate them all.
At the onset of the stage, you get to select one from four distinct characters – Owen, Claire, Barry, or Kayla (portrayed by Omar Sy and DeWanda Wise in the movies). Each character comes equipped with unique primary weapons, melee attacks, and abilities that excel at varying ranges. For instance, Owen boasts a dodge roll and a slower-firing yet potent rifle, whereas Claire performs a roll and wields a faster assault rifle. Barry equips a shotgun and instead of a dodge roll, he can deploy a shield to absorb damage. The level contains puzzles that necessitate specific characters for resolution, and you can effortlessly switch between any of the other characters whenever you come across a Funko Pop box.
Besides your primary mission, you’re also welcome to roam around and discover puzzles, secrets, and hidden treasures scattered throughout the game. Each level offers additional objectives to uncover, similar to the stars in various Mario games, which contribute to a larger objective that spans all worlds. Additionally, you can come across items that enhance your mold machines, allowing you to unlock new gear. In Funko Fusion, everything revolves around vinyl, and you can accumulate pieces of vinyl by breaking objects, defeating enemies, or opening treasure chests scattered everywhere. You can then use this vinyl at mold machines to create items like healing drinks, temporary power-ups, new weapons, or environmental tools that help you reach otherwise inaccessible locations.
10:10 Games managed to seamlessly blend He-Man, Mega Man, Shaun of the Dead, Jaws, and other diverse characters by treating vinyl as the common thread, much like how physical Funko toys unite disparate stories and personalities. In essence, everything in their game world is made from this versatile material, allowing them to merge cartoonish realms with those featuring graphic violence, ultimately finding a humorous balance between the two.
During the demo, I got the feeling that some puzzles could only be solved if I revisited certain worlds later when I had acquired new crafting blueprints from various locations. Additionally, it was noted that specific characters were necessary, even those not originally from the world in question. Initially, I couldn’t unlock a gold door on the Jurassic World level, but upon playing the Steam demo, I found out how to bypass it: by finding and utilizing He-Man’s sword to break the door down. Opening the door in The Thing world revealed a new puzzle that necessitated a distinct character to solve, and it was connected to the Battlestar Galactica characters. This suggests that there will be numerous ways the worlds can influence each other from both a narrative perspective and through secrets you can discover throughout your journey.
As a gamer, I’m welcome to experiment with various characters in Funko Fusion, boasting over 60 options, but it’s not compulsory. If there’s a specific character that resonates with me, I can choose to stay loyal and the crafting system ensures I won’t miss out on any exciting features or upgrades, as per Bischoff’s statement.
As an ardent fan of Orko from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, imagine being given the unique opportunity to bring this beloved character to life in every detail! With these mold machines, you’ll be able to meticulously create his wacky weapons or additional gadgets to enhance Orko’s abilities that may otherwise be lacking.
The majority of the Jurassic World demo focused on battle sequences, and there was no shortage of dinosaurs ready for a fight. Not only did you have five dilophosaurus and pesky pteranodons harassing you, but there were instances where the park would abruptly swarm with swift, lethal velociraptors. These creatures often sprung from bushes to ambush or charged at you in hordes, requiring a significant amount of gunfire to defeat them. Survival can be challenging due to the intense combat that demands quick dodges, strategic shield usage, and rapid-fire shooting against adversaries.
Beyond just dinosaurs, I encountered InGen security teams brandishing their own weapons as well. As I neared the Jurassic World Information Center and ventured further into the park, I was ambushed by a horde of armed adversaries. A sniper perched atop a building rained down explosive grenades, adding to the chaos. The game is filled with gun battles, and even though everyone resembles a large-headed vinyl toy, you frequently dismantle their heads, scorch their plastic bodies, and reduce them to skeletal figurines. Carrying health supplies is crucial because you’ll take a lot of damage; the Funko Fusion enemies are always on the offensive.
After tracking down all five Dilophosauruses, creating a path to the Information Center, and retrieving the key to unlock it, I encountered a velociraptor trap and subsequently faced another challenging puzzle from Funko Fusion. This time, the riddle demanded activation of the door to leave for the next zone. The process involved following an electrical line back to its origin, which needed charging with a battery. Moreover, the line had gaps that required inserting fuses to complete the circuit.
In this scenario, the key was to find various items within the room that didn’t rely on power, from which I could obtain the necessary parts to repair the door switch. Interestingly, a vending machine nearby, useful for obtaining power-boosting items, ran on a removable battery – though it would have been best to secure the consumables first. Scattered around the room were also fuses, powering objects like neon lights and holographic dinosaur exhibits. Once these fuses were replaced, the switch activated, allowing me to swiftly exit into the following area, although I only caught a glimpse before the demonstration concluded.
A more apparent aspect in the untimed Steam demo is the overall atmosphere of Funko Fusion, which seems to lean towards a darker tone. The demo appears to showcase the game’s initial stages, establishing its narrative where Freddy Funko, described by Bischoff as “the world’s biggest fan,” a 10-year-old boy, and the recent owner of the Funko factory that manufactures all the toys, encounters his malevolent counterpart, Eddie Funko.
1. In a flash, Eddie acquires the initial character you encounter – a chatty, furry fox companion of Freddy’s – and transforms him into a grotesque, monstrous figure. The sudden killing of a friendly character mutated into a towering beast sets an unexpected tone for this game, leaning towards a playful yet self-aware and potentially ominous humor.
In the very beginning of the story, when Eddie is introduced for the first time, it was clear that the creators intended to express the opinions of those who are critical or dismissive, often referred to as “haterade”. Since Freddie can be seen as a character similar to Richie Cunningham, they decided to create a character who represents the opposite – essentially an antagonist resembling an evil version of Fonzie. So, Eddie Funko is that character. The creators have incorporated actual quotes they’ve heard over the years from people who are not big fans of Funko or even critics, such as Eddie saying, “This dead-eyed, misshapen form.” They wanted to give a voice to these criticisms and juxtapose them against Freddie throughout this journey.
What captivates me about Funko Fusion is the concept of venturing into movie universes, many of which haven’t been translated into games yet. However, when I played the demos, I was taken aback by the intricacy of the game levels. They appear to be filled with minor objectives, hidden elements, puzzles, and Easter eggs that make them worth delving into. I’m intrigued to discover how the game will tackle narratives and franchises that haven’t received this level of video game attention before.
The upcoming game titled Funko Fusion will be available for play on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 starting from September 13. Additionally, it will also launch on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on November 15.
Read More
- AAVE PREDICTION. AAVE cryptocurrency
- BONE PREDICTION. BONE cryptocurrency
- Uncovering the Mystery of Red King Players in Clash Royale – What Reddit Users Have to Say
- Skull and Bones: Navigating the Quest for Extra Teeth in the Game
- The Last Epoch Dilemma: Confronting the Gold Dupe Crisis
- Finding Resources in Palworld: Tips from the Community
- Discovering the Infinite Power: The Abiotic Factor that Could Change Everything
- UFO PREDICTION. UFO cryptocurrency
- The 10 Best Movies of 2024 (So Far)
- Gaming News: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Dondoko Island Takes Expansion to New Heights
2024-08-28 02:09