One of the most exciting aspects of working in the industry is the chance to try out new games before the general public does. With those new games sometimes comes the new emerging technologies as well. This year at San Diego Comic Con, Kinect (formerly Project Natal) was available for the press to try out in Microsoft’s private press lounge. While there, I got the chance to try out two of the upcoming Kinect titles, Kinect Sports and Dance Central.

At first glance, many people would look at Kinect Sports and say it is a rip off of Wii Sports. To an extent, their claim is warranted. Kinect Sports is a collection of minigames using the Kinect motion controls centered around various sports. One can’t fault Microsoft for creating this title. It is no secret that Wii Sports helped drive sales of the Wii above the 25 million unit mark to non-traditional video game players. Sony is also producing Sports Champions for the PlayStation Move. It’d be leaving money on the table if Microsoft didn’t capitalize on this trend as well.

The first thing you notice about the Kinect is the lack of tangible feedback. During Kinect Sports, my first instinct was to grasp the bowling ball as my avatar’s hand went over it. The game responds by automatically grabbing the ball, regardless of whether you actually close your hand around it. For a moment, it catches you off guard that you aren’t really holding anything.

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At Comic Con, we got the chance to talk to DC Comics Editor-In-Chief and the Executive Creator Director of DC Universe Online, Jim Lee about the game that everyone around the offices has been clamoring to get a hold of. As you’ll see in the’s interview after the jump, Jim explains what it takes to create such an expansive MMO game. Jim also discusses the newly announced two vs. two simulator mode which allows players the chance to step out of the boots of their own created character and instead play as the iconic heroes of the DC Universe such as Batman or Martian Manhunter.

Lee also discusses the Geoff Johns announcement from the Con for a Suicide Squad video game. Lee describes it was a Dirty Dozen style grittier than your average super hero game. For those who aren’t aware, the Suicide Squad is a team of villains who were put together on a mission where they knew everyone wouldn’t be coming back. It is definitely a darker take on the super hero genre which, if Batman: Arkham Asylum has shown us anything, looks like it is coming out at the right time in this industry.

What you don’t get to see on camera was when Jim mentions to us just how the trailer for the game comes into play. For those who have seen it, the trailer sets up the back-story of why a Luthor from the future comes back and talks to DC’s Trinity pleading for their help. The shockwave he sends on the planet sets forth an explosion of new powers, explaining logically why all these new heroes and villains are created. This ties in directly with the upcoming comics miniseries which will show how these new found powers affect the lives of average citizens who have now been transformed into powered beings.

Check out our interview in its entirety after the jump and stick with us for all things DC Universe Online as the Beta kicks into gear this month.

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At The Flickcast, we have a special appreciation for anyone who has been able to harness the power of the Internet and use it as a tool to make their way into the spotlight. One such example of this in the world of wrestling is John Morrison. After a stint on ECW, John Morrison was relegated to mid-card matches on SmackDown until he was paired up with the Miz and won the WWE Tag Team titles.

There, the two came up with the Dirt Sheet, a weekly internet short on WWE.com which quickly skyrocketed the pair’s popularity. After that, Morrison and Miz have both been on the top of the card for both TV and Pay-Per-View.

At Comic-Con, we got the chance to sit down with John Morrison who is currently preparing for his upcoming SummerSlam match against the Nexus. He won’t be alone though as he is joining John Cena, R-Truth, Chris Jericho, Edge, The Great Khali and the legendary Bret “The Hitman” Hart in the ring.

John talks about his Muscle and Fitness cover and his workout ethic. John also gives us an in-depth analysis of his mindset and that of the rest of “Team Morrison” for his upcoming SummerSlam match. He discusses his new action figure and we even ask John about the future of a possible Dirt Sheet reunion.

Check out the full interview below and check back often for more upcoming interviews with some fan favorites at WWE.

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Think back to the mid-90s when fighting games were the dominant console gaming genre. Before Halo: Combat Evolved was handed down by the video game gods to convert the masses to the ways of the first person shooter, you couldn’t turn without bumping into a stack of newly released fighting games. But, out of all those games released, few stood the test of time. Street Fighter. Mortal Kombat. Tekken. Those were the ones that survived. Those are the ones we are still playing today. The question has always remained though, “What would happen if these fighting juggernauts ever collided?”

Well, back at San Diego Comic-Con, two thirds of our prayers have been answered as Capcom and Namco Bandai announced Street Fighter X Tekken. Coming to the XBox 360 and PlayStation 3, this game will feature competitors from both the Street Fighter and Tekken franchise battling it out using the same engine that powered both Street Fighter 4 and Super Street Fighter 4. The game will have Tag Team combat where players choose two characters to “deliver knockout assist attacks and special combos”.

So far, only four fighters have officially been placed in the game’s roster. Ryu and Chun-Li have both been featured representing the Street Fighter family while Tekken has shown Kazuya Mishima and Nina Williams. Undoubtedly, the Street Fighters already have a gripe as they don’t have last names like the Tekken ones do.

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As you have noticed, Activision’s new Spider-Man game has caught the attention of the Flickcast. Make sure to keep checking back over the coming week for our hands on impressions and a developer interview as well where we got the chance in San Diego to play both as the Noir and Ultimate (Black suit) Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

Activision has just released a new trailer for the game featuring none other than the game’s narrator, Stan “The Man” Lee. The ever humble Stan talks about how it feels being a part of the creation of Spider-Man, the concept of playing four different versions of Spider-Man and even mentions one of his favorite super villains that Spider-Man has encountered. In addition to some great gameplay footage, Stan gives the reason he feels Spider-Man is one of the most enduring heroes.

Check out the full trailer after the jump and make sure to stick to the Flickcast for all things Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

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After what had been a long an exhausting weekend of Comic Con, we finally got the chance to speak with Sandeep Parikh, the creator of The Legend of Neil as well as Zaboo from The Guild. The previous night, Sandeep had shown a packed panel the first two episodes of the third season of the series. (The first can be found here).

In our interview, Sandeep reacts to how the premiere went. We also talk to him about The Legend of Neil being distributed through alternative media as opposed to broadcast television. Sandeep also gives his thoughts on the Legend of Neil always being viewed by him as a trilogy.

The Legend of Neil is in its final season on Atom.com. A new episode will be revealed every two weeks with some big cameos coming from members of the Guild, including Sandeep himself, and musical guest like Garfunkel and Oates.

Check out the interview after the jump. Be sure to check back right here often for more news on The Legend of Neil and other web series.

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During preview night at San Diego Comic Con, the Flickcast got a few minutes to catch up with TNA wrestler Mr. Anderson. After being suddenly released from his WWE contract, the former Mr. Kennedy began a series of viral videos that would eventually lead to a contract with his new employers, Total Nonstop Action.

Anderson, an avid video game fan, was making his second trip down to SDCC to see all the new games being shown for the first time on the show floor before heading off this weekend for a house show tour with TNA.

Check out the video after the jump where Ken talks about the differences working in TNA compared to his time with WWE. Ken also talks about how his career has gone since joining TNA as well as having his first television program with former Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle.

You can follow Ken on his Twitter account to keep abreast of the rest of his adventures at Comic Con.

Stick to The Flickcast for all your San Diego Comic-Con coverage including how the world of professional wrestling crosses paths with comics and all things geek.

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The night before Comic Con, Activision made the announcement that all Spider-Man fans have been waiting for. Joining the Amazing, Noir and 2099 dimensions will be Ultimate Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.  Not only would the Ultimate Spider-Man world be represented by Ultimate Carnage and Ultimate Deadpool, but the young Peter Parker would once again be donning his tendril whipping black suit.

In the game, a mystical artifact known as the Tablet of Order and Chaos is shattered into four pieces with each piece landing in a different dimension. A mystic within the Amazing universe will let Spider-Man know that he can traverse through the other three dimensions to help set things right through the help of the universe’s own Spider-Man.

So far, the game has revealed eight villains with the above mentioned Carnage and Deadpool in the Ultimate universe, Juggernaut and Kraven the Hunter in the Amazing universe, the Hobgoblin and Scorpion of the 2099 universe and the Goblin and Hammerhead in the Noir world.

It looks like Spider-Man will be getting some veteran voice acting behind it. Josh Keaton who voiced the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series in 2008 will be lending his voice to the Ultimate Spider-Man. Dan Gilvenez from the 1980s Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends series will be taking on the role of Migeul O’Hara as Spider-Man 2099.

From the 1990’s Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Christopher Daniel will be Spider-Man Noir. Finally, the most impressive of the list comes from Neil Patrick Harris from the short-lived MTV CGI Spider-Man series who will take the helm of the Amazing version of Peter Parker.

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The night before Comic-Con, Activision let the press see the upcoming third person action shooter James Bond 007: Blood Stone for the first time on the Xbox 360. Though it was not a hands on demo, the press was allowed to see a playthrough of the game’s first level.

In it, the Daniel Craig-inspired Bond makes his way through a pier-side estate using shooting and cover tactics similar to that of Alpha Protocol and Gears of War. The game incorporated a reward system to stealth take downs that would allow players to pull off instantaneous special kills. Bond then took part in an action packed speedboat pursuit before a high impact car chase.

During all of it, the game looked great. It looked as though gameplay ran smooth though its hard to really tell without actually getting a hands on play through. One thing emphasized during the demo was the variety in gameplay as the game had both fast paced sequences including shooting and driving contrasting the slower paced stealth sections.

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Marvel is obviously going to have a huge presence at this year’s Comic Con with their panels scheduled to talk about both the Thor and Captain America movies on Saturday in addition to their other big comic announcements. Marvel will also have the video game focus of the show with two gigantic releases of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions from Activision and the much anticipated sequel ten years in the making of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: The Fate of Two Worlds.

At the show, the public will be able to get a hands on preview with the latest build of the game featuring four newly released characters. Doctor Doom and the Super Skrull have been added to the Marvel roster while Capcom adds on the fan favorite Chun Li from the Street Fighter series and Trish from Devil May Cry. Of the four, both Doctor Doom and Chun Li are returning characters while the Super Skrull and Trish are brand new to the Capcom Vs. franchise.

UPDATE: We’ve got a brand new trailer to show off the new announced characters. Check it out after the jump!

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