Kotaku:

His Creations Come to Life

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST

For Reals | COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Minecraft creator Notch witness his work made real through the magic of Lego. (Photo: Imagur)

Looks Like the Persona Fighting Game is Coming to the West

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:20:00 EST

Persona Fighting Game is Coming to the West" alt="Click here to read Looks Like the Persona Fighting Game is Coming to the West" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_d03885b9b804e91b6462b6819c8b61ae.jpg"/>

Earlier today, Atlus teased an announcement for it loyal fans in North America by sending an image of a giant black rectangle. A little PhotoShop work reveals that image to be a teaser for what looks like Persona 4 The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena. More »

Why the Chrono Cross Soundtrack is My Favorite

Leigh Alexander — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST

Chrono Cross Soundtrack is My Favorite" alt="Click here to read Why the Chrono Cross Soundtrack is My Favorite" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_ac1d9fadae4916af7b5e0613df395334.jpg"/>

I think I know part of the reason Chrono Cross is less acknowledged than its predecessor, Chrono Trigger. It's because it's a sequel in spirit only, keeping some conceptual commonalities and a sparse few plot ones. More »

Fallout 3's Tunnel Snakes Rule, and So Does This Amazing Classic Remix

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:45:00 EST

Fallout 3's Tunnel Snakes Rule, and So Does This Amazing Classic Remix" alt="Click here to read Fallout 3's Tunnel Snakes Rule, and So Does This Amazing Classic Remix" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_cb0bf126dc6795ebc0395e52a588eb34.jpg"/>

Who could forget the Tunnel Snakes, the dorkiest, least menacing group of post-apocalyptic greaser wanna-be gangsters to ever grace a role-playing game? I sure couldn't. And who could forget this classic video, which though it's a few years old, still holds up remarkably well? More »

The Mind-Numbing Music of the PlayStation Vita

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST

Every time I boot up my Vita, I get into an elevator. This elevator takes me to all kinds of cool places—fun games, great graphics, really cool online features, and a highly functional and enjoyable PSN experience. But there's a catch: on this elevator, they're playing incredibly tedious background music. It loops over and over until I'm ready to head for the emergency hatch and take my chances climbing cables. More »

Check Out the Wicked-Grooving New iOS Game Beat Sneak Bandit

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:20:00 EST

Today, Simogo's rhythm-puzzle game Beat Sneak Bandit arrived on the Apple App Store. Our own Evan Narcisse already wrote it up for us, but I've been playing it too and it is terrific. I highly recommend checking it out. More »

A Lovely Video Game Ballad To Invigorate Our Jaded, Shrunken Hearts

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:15:00 EST

Last year's To The Moon was an emotional game, a throwback storybook that really wore its heart on its sleeve. I liked it a lot. More »

Gameplay and Story Are Exactly Like Music and Lyrics

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST

Look, okay. Let's press "pause" on the debate. You know the debate I'm talking about, right? That endless disagreement in the video game world about gameplay versus story. More »

Avishai Cohen, One of the Great Composers of our Time

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:45:00 EST

Who says that all the music we listen to during Kotaku Melodic has to be video game music? No one, that's who. For this "listen here," I want to highlight one of my all-time favorite musicians, the Israeli bassist, pianist, and composer Avishai Cohen. More »

What do Robocop, Washing Machines, Dilbert & Lil B have in Common?

Chris Person — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Robocop, Washing Machines, Dilbert & Lil B have in Common?" alt="Click here to read What do Robocop, Washing Machines, Dilbert & Lil B have in Common?" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_40a5ff48512d150aa7a7bb02819406da.jpg"/>

The answer? A song. More »

This Noble Theme Will Get You in the Mood for Psychic Heroism

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST

Look, no one really knows what's going on with this whole Notch-Tim-Schafer-Psychonauts 2 thing. But that doesn't mean we can't sit back and listen to what might be my single favorite piece of music from the original Psychonauts! More »

From Far Cry 3 to It's a Wonderful Life, Dubstep Makes Everything Better

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST

Far Cry 3 to It's a Wonderful Life, Dubstep Makes Everything Better" alt="Click here to read From Far Cry 3 to It's a Wonderful Life, Dubstep Makes Everything Better" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_9b9d6e79de072c10b87678a359bc228f.jpg"/>

Far Cry fans the world over have gotten a fresh taste of Ubisoft's coming open-world shooter via a trailer that was released yesterday. More »

Kotaku Melodic Starts Here

Kirk Hamilton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:59:00 EST

Kotaku Melodic Starts Here" alt="Click here to read Kotaku Melodic Starts Here" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_71406c2bd04865184155c2424b159d10.jpg"/>

And welcome to Kotaku Melodic, your Thursday night spot for all things musical and video gamey. We're going to get to listen to a lot of good stuff, so plug in your stereo or headphones. More »

UFC Undisputed 3: The Kotaku Review

Owen Good — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:01:00 EST

UFC Undisputed 3: The Kotaku Review" alt="Click here to read UFC Undisputed 3: The Kotaku Review" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_2316975bc1319a79e43a24966e41ff65.jpg"/>

UFC Undisputed tried to come back too soon. Following a breakout season in 2009, it returned with a good-but-not-great sequel in 2010. Publisher THQ recognized the franchise didn't deliver enough and shifted it to two-year production cycle. So is UFC Undisputed 3 the game mixed martial arts fans should have gotten last May? Or is it a title that can last them another two years? More »

Futurama, Street Fighter and Last Airbender Leap onto SoulCalibur V's Stage of History

Tina Amini — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

SoulCalibur V's Stage of History" alt="Click here to read Futurama, Street Fighter and Last Airbender Leap onto SoulCalibur V's Stage of History" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_f672767938cbe9985dc209e78b6c9605.jpg"/>

We already knew that SoulCalibur V's character creator is powerful enough to allow you to create all sorts of messes, but this ups the ante one notch more. More »

Penny Arcade’s Game Ratings PSAs Make Learning Fun

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:45:00 EST

Penny Arcade’s Game Ratings PSAs Make Learning Fun" alt="Click here to read Penny Arcade’s Game Ratings PSAs Make Learning Fun" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_73c6d1936a8df4f5491cc515cf5c7b59.jpg"/>

You come to Kotaku every day, right? So it stands to reason that you know all about the E through M ratings that grace the boxes of video games in America. But if you're not a regular reader of this fine site—say, one who buys video games for a younger lifeform—you may not even know that the content ratings exist. More »

Why a Former Nintendo Developer Loves the Vita

Kate Cox — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

One of the most interesting parts of reaching one's thirties is seeing how impermanent, flexible, and downright unexpected someone's career path can end up being. Such is the case with Motoi Okamoto. More »

Activision Boss Bobby Kotick Has a Coca-Cola Board of Directors Position and a Smile

Mike Fahey — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:15:00 EST

President and CEO of Activision Bobby Kotick joins the board of directors of The Coca-Cola Company today, applying his business talents to the makers of the most popular carbonated beverage in the world. Can flavor-based DLC be far behind? [Coca-Cola - Thanks, Tal!] More »

This Teaser Probably Means That a New MechAssault Game’s on the Way

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

MechAssault Game’s on the Way" alt="Click here to read This Teaser Probably Means That a New MechAssault Game’s on the Way" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_da313258cd398a7d264bccd1a1157ca4.jpg"/>

Day 1 Studio's currently running a 30-second clip on their site with a giant robot foot stomping into the ground. More »

Sazh, Card Games, and Bikinis All To Be Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC

Kate Cox — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC" alt="Click here to read Sazh, Card Games, and Bikinis All To Be Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_5baab2ba5ecae3e24a74ed514c79543d.jpg"/>

Square Enix is continuing to keep the ball rolling on Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC. Their previous entry brought Lightning and Master Sergeant Amodar to the game; the next will bring Sazh. More »

Mortal Kombat Vita Trailer Has Me Craving Augmented Fatalities

Mike Fahey — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:15:00 EST

Mortal Kombat Vita Trailer Has Me Craving Augmented Fatalities" alt="Click here to read Mortal Kombat Vita Trailer Has Me Craving Augmented Fatalities" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_add820ff681d2bfcc992a534c9d6ec44.jpg"/>

In an attempt to demonstrate how Mortal Kombat on the PS Vita can be played anywhere, anytime, Warner Bros. and NetherRealm Studios get augmented reality fans all excited for nothing. More »

Some of the Features in Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus Are... Touching

Chris Person — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus Are... Touching" alt="Click here to read Some of the Features in Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus Are... Touching" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_082df0ca9d94df6eb4525c7bd79ecd54.jpg"/>

We've been spending some time with Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus, the Vita port of the PlayStation 3 action game that bears the same name. More »

They're Sending Copies of Mass Effect 3 Into Space Next Week

Stephen Totilo — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:45:00 EST

The people behind Mass Effect 3 will hoist copies of the sci-fi game into space via weather balloons next week. Gamers in Berlin, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris and San Francisco can track (via MassEffect.com), catch and play them. More »

Here’s Why Master Chief’s Going to Look Different in Halo 4

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST

Halo 4" alt="Click here to read Here’s Why Master Chief’s Going to Look Different in Halo 4" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_a1ea32ab6680e2b6a1cc5bf910f5c327.jpg"/>

343 Industries, you so sneaky. We've already noticed that the Microsoft division tasked with the future of all things Halo debuted the new look of the sci-fi shooter series' hero at Toy Fair 2012. And the Chief's new duds are quite different. Leaner, meaner and perhaps more aerodynamic. More »

Brian Fargo Wants You to Kickstart a New Wasteland

Elyas Gorogo-Baker — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:15:00 EST

Brian Fargo—the developer of The Bard's Tale, Baldur's Gate, and the original Fallout—recently announced that he's looking to Kickstarter to fund a new Wasteland game. [Rock, Paper, Shotgun] More »

Zelda Just Keeps Getting Worse. But It Isn't Beyond Saving

Tevis Thompson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Zelda Just Keeps Getting Worse. But It Isn't Beyond Saving" alt="Click here to read Zelda Just Keeps Getting Worse. But It Isn't Beyond Saving" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_d3caffb8d3b3a63fe04dce4538618a66.jpg"/>

Late in the original Zelda's second quest, I got stuck. I couldn't find the relocated and very well-hidden eighth dungeon. Then one night I had a dream in which I took a map of Hyrule and drew large circles around the other seven dungeons. Somehow I had figured that dungeons were probably not right beside each other, and so by sectioning off portions of the map, I could better find the missing dungeon in the blank areas. I woke up, drew the circles, found the dungeon. Zelda possessed me, and in those pre-internet, pre-FAQ days, my mind worked on it even while I slept. More »

Razer Arms the Earth with Mass Effect 3 Gaming Gear

Mike Fahey — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST

Mass Effect 3 Gaming Gear" alt="Click here to read Razer Arms the Earth with Mass Effect 3 Gaming Gear" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_cc78b85670e221063ed938fcf2c823b2.jpg"/>

Did you think dropping $60 on a copy of Mass Effect 3 next month would be enough to save the Earth from the impending Reaper invasion? Is the Earth truly safe if you don't buy a Mass Effect branded keyboard, mouse, Xbox 360 controller, or iPhone case? More »

Prototype 2 Makes You a Meaner, Blacker and More Powerful Weapon of Destruction

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

Prototype 2 Makes You a Meaner, Blacker and More Powerful Weapon of Destruction" alt="Click here to read Prototype 2 Makes You a Meaner, Blacker and More Powerful Weapon of Destruction" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_9977b470eb6d0baa184ff461218260f9.jpg"/>

The first Prototype made me feel ugly. Radical's open-world action game tore through the city I love and live in, having me eat people—some of them innocent civilians—and destroy city blocks in the name of its plot. Prototype 2's probably going to make me feel worse. More »

Canabalt Creator Diving into The Hunger Games for iOS

Jason Schreier — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:45:00 EST

Adam Saltsman, the man behind games like Canabalt and Gravity Hook, has signed on to develop an action game based on the popular Hunger Games book series. It will "go along with" the film, which releases this March. [Adam Saltsman] More »

WTPT: A New Max Payne 3 Trailer to Watch and an Addictive Platformer to Play

Tina Amini — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Max Payne 3 Trailer to Watch and an Addictive Platformer to Play" alt="Click here to read WTPT: A New Max Payne 3 Trailer to Watch and an Addictive Platformer to Play" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_807054e9e08ad828dd984cbba035f2df.jpg"/>

It's Thursday, which means it's almost Friday, which means it's almost the weekend! That's a reason to celebrate, right? Let's celebrate with some games and videos. I think we'd all like that. More »

The Minecraft Studio Is Building A New Game. In One Weekend

Jason Schreier — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:20:00 EST

Minecraft Studio Is Building A New Game. In One Weekend" alt="Click here to read The Minecraft Studio Is Building A New Game. In One Weekend" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_33b4aa248a360099fa6c0bac31e1b766.jpg"/>

Minecraft developer Mojang will design a new game this weekend and live stream the entire process. All of the proceeds will go to charity. More »

Blow Things Up and Then Contemplate Your Actions in Unmanned

Tina Amini — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:15:00 EST

Unmanned" alt="Click here to read Blow Things Up and Then Contemplate Your Actions in Unmanned" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_4d9b0cd8deb8f4b157b36ddd21c17e0f.jpg"/>

Today's Play This features the flash game we covered yesterday that puts you in the shoes of a UAV pilot. From Evan's hands-on: More »

iPhone Platforming Actually Doesn’t Suck in League of Evil 2

Tina Amini — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:10:00 EST

League of Evil 2" alt="Click here to read iPhone Platforming Actually Doesn’t Suck in League of Evil 2" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_eb252a1a38016ffff221e51352d8e1c1.jpg"/>

It's no secret that controls for games on the iOS platform are often wonky and uncomfortable. We tend to forgive developers for this more than we'd ideally like to when it comes to our iPhones and iPads, if only to appreciate the game in question for its other qualities. The first League of Evil proved that even somewhat more complicated gameplay can still be a contender when on a bite-sized screen. More »

Max Payne 3’s Road to Revenge Starts With A Kidnapped Trophy Wife and Lots of Booze

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Max Payne 3’s Road to Revenge Starts With A Kidnapped Trophy Wife and Lots of Booze" alt="Click here to read Max Payne 3’s Road to Revenge Starts With A Kidnapped Trophy Wife and Lots of Booze" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_8ada87d88b08f879bb97445ce1d2f4a8.jpg"/>

Is it just me or does Max Payne seem really in over his head every time Rockstar shows off a piece of their upcoming noir threequel? More »

Watch This, Play This Begins Now

Tina Amini — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:59:00 EST

Stuff to play, stuff to see, here comes Watch This, Play This. Confused? Read this. More »

Irritating Mass Effect 3 Facebook App Could Use Some Calibrations

Kate Cox — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST

Mass Effect 3 Facebook App Could Use Some Calibrations" alt="Click here to read Irritating Mass Effect 3 Facebook App Could Use Some Calibrations" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/02/small_a19aa42a98f2125467b17cd672dc4882.jpg"/>

The massive marketing juggernaut is in full effect (sorry) for Mass Effect 3. The long-anticipated conclusion to the epic space marines vs. eldritch horror aliens trilogy becomes available on March 6, a few short weeks from now. Fans of the franchise (a category that decidedly includes yours truly) have a new wealth of trailers, screenshots, and tie-ins to whet their appetites and tide them over. More »

Game Center Coming to iMacs and MacBooks With Apple’s Mountain Lion OS X 10.8 Update

Evan Narcisse — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:15:00 EST

Apple's game-centric social network will be extending to the manufacturer's desktops and laptop when the latest update to its operating system rolls out later this year. See more about Mountain Lion at Gizmodo. More »

Are There Too Many Good Games Coming Out This Year?

Mike Fahey — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST

In today's edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Balmung laments the impending release of too many titles for his poor wallet to handle over the coming year. Is it too much of a good thing? More »

Journey Release Date Announced

Kate Cox — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:45:00 EST

Journey, the drool-worthy next title from Flower's thatgamecompany, will be available for download for $14.99 on the PS3 beginning March 13. [PlayStation.Blog] More »