Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Release: 2024 If you're a fan of a popular movie or TV show from any time in the last several decades, chances are, they've made a Funko Pop figurine of the main characters. The brand is ubiquitous in pop culture, so it was only a matter of time before it got a big video game adaptation. This sort of game could easily be a cheap cash grab, but after watching a preview demo and listening to one of the head developers speak about it, I'm confident that Funko Fusion is much more than that. You've never played a game by developer 10:10 Games, but you probably know the work of its staff – the founders of the studio are some of the former architects of the Lego games developed by Traveler's Tales, including CEO Jon Burton, COO Paul Flanagan, and design director Arthur Parsons, who leads the demo. He boots up a level based on John Carpenter's 1982 horror classic The Thing, which signifies one of the main elements that separates this title from the kid-friendly Lego titles; this game is rated T for Teen and references loads of media properties that are decidedly not for children. Still, the world is charming and lighthearted, so when a Funko Pop is impaled through the side of the head, it's more goofy than ghastly. I understand why 10:10 doesn't use the Lego brand as a point of comparison at every turn – the developers are no longer affiliated with it, and they likely want this new product to stand on its own – but it really is the most efficient way of explaining what Funko Fusion is. Players explore levels based on their favorite franchises as their favorite characters, and the areas are littered with objects made of vinyl, which you can hit to collect currency. Waves of weak enemies spawn to slow you down, but they're less of a challenge and more of a minor obstacle. Puzzle solving is a huge focus, and since each character has a different set of puzzle-solving abilities, you'll need to swap characters to get through each room. The game also includes four-player co-op, though it's strictly online, which disappoints the Lego fan in me. Parsons, playing as Kurt Russel's MacReady, fights off some Norwegians using the game's third-person shooting mechanics. According to Parsons, all characters have melee and ranged options, though they had to get creative for some characters. While He-Man uses his signature sword, OJ (the protagonist from Jordan Peele's Nope) swings around a miniature version of one of the inflatable tube men from his movie. Parsons dispatches enemies easily, which I imagine is due to the game's relatively low difficulty, his experience working on it as a developer, and the fact that every enemy has an outrageously large head, ideal for headshots. Funko Fusion will ultimately feature over 20 IPs in the game, mostly from NBCUniversal properties, though they've also made licensing deals with other companies. Here's a list of some that we know so far: Back to the Future Battlestar Galactica Child's Play Five Nights at Freddy's Hot Fuzz Invincible Jaws Jurassic World Knight Rider Masters of the Universe Megan Nope Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Shaun of the Dead The Thing The Umbrella Academy Voltron The Walking Dead Xena: Warrior Princess Each IP will include playable characters, and many will include levels, though the scope of each level will vary by the franchise. Some, like The Thing, will get a proper, full-sized level, while others exist as secret cameo levels players can unlock in other worlds. Poking around the frozen outpost in the demo, Parsons travels through a portal to reach a world based on Shaun of the Dead, where he has to escort a car of civilians to the safety of the Winchester. While there, he transforms into He-Man and shows off the zombie enemies, which turn the hero into a zombified version of himself. Even though it's just a cameo level, it's much larger than I initially expected, likely packing plenty of easter eggs in for fans of the movie. Players can move through these levels in whatever order they want to progress through the game's main story. Parsons explains that this modular approach allows them to continue to support the game after launch by easily adding new characters and levels into the mix. The first instance of this is with the game's pre-order bonus, which includes Rick Grimes and Michonne from The Walking Dead, complete with alternate outfits. It's been years since the last Lego game, and with this team of developers, I'm excited to watch them attempt to fill that gap. Luckily, I won't have to wait long. Funko Fusion is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC on September 13. Purchase
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release:
2024
If you’re a fan of a popular movie or TV show from any time in the last several decades, chances are, they’ve made a Funko Pop figurine of the main characters. The brand is ubiquitous in pop culture, so it was only a matter of time before it got a big video game adaptation. This sort of game could easily be a cheap cash grab, but after watching a preview demo and listening to one of the head developers speak about it, I’m confident that Funko Fusion is much more than that.
You’ve never played a game by developer 10:10 Games, but you probably know the work of its staff – the founders of the studio are some of the former architects of the Lego games developed by Traveler’s Tales, including CEO Jon Burton, COO Paul Flanagan, and design director Arthur Parsons, who leads the demo. He boots up a level based on John Carpenter’s 1982 horror classic The Thing, which signifies one of the main elements that separates this title from the kid-friendly Lego titles; this game is rated T for Teen and references loads of media properties that are decidedly not for children. Still, the world is charming and lighthearted, so when a Funko Pop is impaled through the side of the head, it’s more goofy than ghastly.
I understand why 10:10 doesn’t use the Lego brand as a point of comparison at every turn – the developers are no longer affiliated with it, and they likely want this new product to stand on its own – but it really is the most efficient way of explaining what Funko Fusion is. Players explore levels based on their favorite franchises as their favorite characters, and the areas are littered with objects made of vinyl, which you can hit to collect currency. Waves of weak enemies spawn to slow you down, but they’re less of a challenge and more of a minor obstacle. Puzzle solving is a huge focus, and since each character has a different set of puzzle-solving abilities, you’ll need to swap characters to get through each room. The game also includes four-player co-op, though it’s strictly online, which disappoints the Lego fan in me.
Parsons, playing as Kurt Russel’s MacReady, fights off some Norwegians using the game’s third-person shooting mechanics. According to Parsons, all characters have melee and ranged options, though they had to get creative for some characters. While He-Man uses his signature sword, OJ (the protagonist from Jordan Peele’s Nope) swings around a miniature version of one of the inflatable tube men from his movie. Parsons dispatches enemies easily, which I imagine is due to the game’s relatively low difficulty, his experience working on it as a developer, and the fact that every enemy has an outrageously large head, ideal for headshots.
Funko Fusion will ultimately feature over 20 IPs in the game, mostly from NBCUniversal properties, though they’ve also made licensing deals with other companies.
Here’s a list of some that we know so far:
Back to the Future
Battlestar Galactica
Child’s Play
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Hot Fuzz
Invincible
Jaws
Jurassic World
Knight Rider
Masters of the Universe
Megan
Nope
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Shaun of the Dead
The Thing
The Umbrella Academy
Voltron
The Walking Dead
Xena: Warrior Princess
Each IP will include playable characters, and many will include levels, though the scope of each level will vary by the franchise. Some, like The Thing, will get a proper, full-sized level, while others exist as secret cameo levels players can unlock in other worlds. Poking around the frozen outpost in the demo, Parsons travels through a portal to reach a world based on Shaun of the Dead, where he has to escort a car of civilians to the safety of the Winchester. While there, he transforms into He-Man and shows off the zombie enemies, which turn the hero into a zombified version of himself. Even though it’s just a cameo level, it’s much larger than I initially expected, likely packing plenty of easter eggs in for fans of the movie.
Players can move through these levels in whatever order they want to progress through the game’s main story. Parsons explains that this modular approach allows them to continue to support the game after launch by easily adding new characters and levels into the mix. The first instance of this is with the game’s pre-order bonus, which includes Rick Grimes and Michonne from The Walking Dead, complete with alternate outfits.
It’s been years since the last Lego game, and with this team of developers, I’m excited to watch them attempt to fill that gap. Luckily, I won’t have to wait long. Funko Fusion is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC on September 13.
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