Kotaku
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feature
Father Knows Best: The Best and Worst Fathers in Video Games
Fathers are easy to find in video games. When they're not antagonizing their offspring or killed off in the first level, they often serve as our main characters' major motivation. More » -
music
When Half-Life Meets Tenacious D
"G-Man's Last Breath" is a song by Jonathan Lewis, who it appears is as big a fan of the Half-Life universe as he is overblown rock epics. More »
13,019
Comment by Nexus6: Thats some nice fan fiction. Reminds me of Tenacious D. 5 Responses | Other threads
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arguments
Is this the Video Game Mount Rushmore?
Pwn or Die have come up with a good bar argument: The four faces on a hypothetical Mount Rushmore of video gaming. The four they've chosen are good, but are they the best choices? More »
26,784
By Owen GoodComment by Evadrion: I like your list better, Owen. It's thought out well, if a bit cheesy. But I'm cool with cheese. Lara Croft... 31 Responses | Other threads
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clips
Is There Half-Life In The Box?
An amazing 9-minute long film on YouTube has Half-Life fans shouting viral teaser. Is "What's In The Box" teasing something new from Valve, or is it just a damn fine homage? More »
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By Mike FaheyComment by Pwnocchio: Personally, I don't see it. Yeah, it's got the Citadel looking thing, but nothing else about it screams Half Life.... 23 Responses | Other threads
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clips
"Half Life: Hero Beggining" Tells Tales Of More Freeman Bros
The continuing adventures of the Freeman family continue in Half Life: Hero Beggining, the third episode in fanfic writer squirrelking's tales of Gordon Freeman's bros. It's heartbreaking what happens to Henry Freeman's mom. More »
14,324
Comment by UsernameOfTheDead: When is the Half-Life mod coming out that modernizes the graphics? 7 Responses | Other threads
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art
What If Game Characters Were More "Real"?
Game characters are, by their very nature, unrealistic. But what if they were more real? Like, if Lara Croft was less athletic vixen, more, well, archaeologist? Let's find out. More »
60,740
Comment by dirtface: The hideous gaijin Ken in the airbrushed wolf shirt spoke about the illustrator a lot. 12 Responses | Other threads
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movies
How That Awesome Half-Life Movie Was Made
About a week ago, we showed you part one of "Escape From City 17", a short, fan-made Half-Life movie put together by the Purchase Brothers. Let's all today see how they made it. More »
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Comment by Mister Jack is Stalking Konata: Everything was good about that film except for the acting. 19 Responses | Other threads
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pc
Black Mesa Mod Coming "Late 2009"
Is it wrong to be more excited about Half-Life remake Black Mesa than we are about most proper releases this year? Course it's not. Thing looks amazing. But when's it coming out? More »
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Comment by kakx: I like how they're taking as long as possible to make it perfect. Unlike EA games. 8 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Source Engine Moves From Games Into...Fire Escape Planning
Despite its advancing years, Valve's Source engine still looks good, and is still pretty useful for making games with. But can it help with anything aside from games (or machinima)? You bet it can. More »
9,768
Comment by Morberis: Interesting. But I can't wait till someone goes and spins this to mean that gamers have no survival instincts, or that... 10 Responses | Other threads
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art
If Only Game Covers Were As Classy As Book Covers...
While they're improving, game covers are still a largely generic lot. But book covers? Well, they've had centuries to get it right, and many book covers are classy. What if the two were switched? More »
47,574
Comment by willy626: Interesting. Not a fan of the Zelda one, its way too generic, but the goldeneye is quite good. 24 Responses | Other threads
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valve
Valve Releases Ten Years Of Amazing Sales Figures
Half-Life, the first-person shooter that put Valve on the map, has sold, on average, almost a million copies each year since its release in 1998. It's still the company's best seller—and that's just at retail. More » -
headcrab zombie action figure
Custom Headcrab Zombie Lovingly Detailed in Gore
Reader Mark sends along his latest action figure creation: A 12-inch high Half-Life Headcrab Zombie. More »
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Comment by Courteous_Gentleman: It's incredible, the fan-figures i've seen based on HL and TF2. The demand is obviously high enough, so WTF Valve, gimme... 4 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Black Mesa Trailer Is Some Hot Shit
Oh, Black Mesa. How you tease us. With your release date projections, and your shiny new engine, and your ability to make make manifest our wildest dreams. Widescreen clip's after the jump.
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Comment by ColinStein: Does this not look pretty dated compared to the games of today? 35 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Large Hadron Collider Guys Get Theatrical With Half-Life Street Theatre
Back when we thought the Large Hadron Collider was going to kill us all, instead of just hum for a few days then break down, we learned that an emergency package had been sent to the site. Within, everything that Gordon Freeman needed to save us from the horrors of an alien-spewing vortex. At the time, it was a cute joke, but there was always the lingering understanding that nobody at the LHC would actually get it. The package, or the joke. Turns out they did! Sandro Bonacini, who works there, got the joke, and eventually the package as well. He's Gordon. Stefano Michelis also got the joke, and for his troubles, is about to get whacked. Oh, those wacky scientists. More »
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Comment by Vishus: So very awesome. I really didn't think they would get/appreciate the joke. Hurrah for science! 14 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Unofficial Half-Life Remake Looking Prettier By The Year
Welcome to my third annual post on new media for the Half-Life fan-created remake Black Mesa (formerly known as Black Mesa: Source). It doesn't appear to be any closer to release than it was when I wrote about it in 2006 and 2007, but the new screen shots, released on the original game's ten year anniversary, are worth a peek. More »
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Comment by DigiMish: I think it's clear that upon release of the mod, Valve will just hire them and release it themselves. 18 Responses | Other threads
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left 4 dead
Valve Complete Pack Contains Left 4 Dead, Everything Else
With the release of Left 4 Dead just around the corner, now would be an excellent to to reacquaint yourself with some of the wonderful games Valve has released in the past. To help you in that endeavor, Valve has released the Valve Complete Pack on Steam, a compilation of everything they've released since the dawn of time. That includes Half-Life in all its many forms, Counter-Strike, Team Fortress 2 and Classic, Portal, and hell, they've even got Peggle Extreme in there for good measure. More »
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By Mike FaheyComment by Xerloq: So we gamers that have purchased all the Valve games at full price over the years are screwed over. Doesn't... 15 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Half Life: The Snacky-Treats
There are giggles tucked away here and there within the Half-Life universe, but really, it's a serious game. Full of very serious things. So what better way to break up all that seriousness than with a bunch of snacky treats! On offer here are recipes for Vortigaunt cupcakes, headcrab baozi and small, delicious HL biscuits. The vortigaunts look a little messy, but if you could squeeze some BBQ pork into those headcrabs you'd have a culinary sensation. More » -
half-life
Silence is Gordon
No one is suggesting a future iteration of Half-Life's protagonist will suddenly start talking, like Chief Bromden savoring Juicy Fruit, but Matt Smith, writing at Thunderbolt Games, has an eloquent defense of Gordon Freeman's muteness, why it works so well in this series, and why Freeman is such a beloved character despite saying nary a word. More »
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By Owen GoodComment by Grumpz®, who knows DSL doesn't cut it.: See: Link. 32 Responses | Other threads
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Science Is Fun
Large Hadron Collider - And Halo Was Its Name-O
How to you reassure the public that the giant death machine you've created is actually snuggly like a puppy? Well first off you change it's name. A poll organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry in London sought to do just that, taking suggestions from the public as to what to call the recently activated Large Hadron Collider, which I am constantly in danger of mistyping as 'Large Hardon Collider'. Suggestions ranged from whimsical Puff The Magic Hadron to the insanely fitting Black Mesa, but in the end, the winner was simply Halo. More »
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By Mike FaheyComment by RtFusion: I don't mind the names given to LHC. But I think Halo makes sense as Halos are generally circular, like... 8 Responses | Other threads
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half-life
Only One Man Can Save Us From The Large Hadron Collider
In reality, the activation of the large Hadron Collider won't end the planet. But reality is boring. Wouldn't it be more interesting if it really did usher in our ultimate destruction? OK, maybe not interesting. More like...terrible. So terrible that, uh, actually, we'd better make sure it doesn't mean the complete end of the human race. And what better way to ensure the safety of homo sapiens than to do what the gang at news aggreator site Reddit did, and send an emergency package to Switzerland. Who was it addressed to? The only man who's been through this whole "catastrophic, world-ending physics experiment" thing before. Within? A crowbar, a book and a note. More »
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Comment by pewpewlazer: Well, it would coincide with the crazy Mayan world ending prediction if the earth slowly started to rot away. This seems... 19 Responses | Other threads
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spore
Will Wright Prefers Really High Sales to Really High Scores
The build-up for this title has been immense — and the reviews are rolling in. There were those first Spore reviews, and yes, there were pros and there were cons. Many don't like that the gameplay for Spore really isn't all that complex. It's too casual, some say! What does Will Wright think of the reviews, though? More »
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Comment by syafiqjabar: Higher scores doesn't always mean 'better'. This is what gamers believe, yes? Even reviewers admit to this. See the PC... 2 Responses | Other threads
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Comment by SaudiGamer: I live in Riyadh and it is real. It used to be a LAN gaming center, but the owner changed this... more » | Other threads
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science
Science Is Fun! Half-Life, Portal, and Science
All hail the Enlightenment — Thomas Freeman has an interesting look at science and attitudes towards science in Half-Life and Portal. What do such attitudes spell for future releases? More »
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Comment by Erwin: @francoamerica: Unless you did a backwards long-jump. (see any speed-run) more » | Other threads
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half-life
Black Mesa Source Still Looking Pretty, Seems Nowhere Near Done
Remember Black Mesa Source, the Half-Life remake? If you don't, it's quite understandable, as the game has been in development since just after the announcement of fire and the wheel. We saw a teaser trailer earlier this year, not long after an update letting fans know that it was still on track despite setbacks. Fortunately, for those who still have hope that Black Mesa Source will eventually see the light of day, the team has given them a Christmas present in the form of a media update, showing off a few new areas and some spiffy textures. Dozens of high-res screens have been added to the site's Media section and are worth the visit. More » -
valve
Half-Life To Have Plenty Of Life After Episode 3
In a recent interview with StuffWeLike, Valve's Doug Lombardi confirmed that the wide world of Half-Life won't end after Half-Life 2: Episode 3. There's more on the way: plenty more.Question: Are there any current plans after Episode 3 to have a Half Life 3?
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By Mark WilsonComment by AMonkey: I think it would be pretty obvious. The story won't be wrapped up in Episode 3 and Valve have left a... more » | Other threads
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gabe newell
"There's Not An Auteur"
Gabe Newell made millions at Microsoft, but cashed out and co-founded Valve and developed Half-Life. A guy that like sounds like he has a vision, like he's an auteur. Nope! Newell explains: More »
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Comment by firesign: it amuses me when most gamers call anyone else fat. at least gabe isn't living in his parent's basement covered... more » | Other threads
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shhh...
Kill The Silent Protagonist?
Over at Midway studio Surreal's 'Surreal Game Design' developer weblog, Rick Luebbers, has found a blight infecting games, and he's not afraid to shout about it. What is it? More » -
cyberpunktastic
Ten Years Ago: Half-Life Writer Marc Laidlaw
Grubbing around for some original content to post on Kotaku this week, I came across some interviews I wrote for the now-defunct Videogamedesign.com - which, odd fact fans, was acquired by previous Kotaku guest blogger Geoff Keighley, and then seems to have blinked out of existence. More »
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By simoncComment by Krondonian: I cannot believe that Half-Life is ten years old. I first played it on the PC, but didn't know anything... more » | Other threads
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roundup
Frankenreview, Team Fortress 2 (PC)
The Orange Box must be one of the best values in AAA gaming of all time. But despite the ingenuity of Portal and the anticipation of Half-Life Episode 2, there's one game that's been glove handled with such immense amounts of creativity and love that it can actually overshadow an immensely powerful showing from Valve: Team Fortress 2. More »
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By Mark WilsonComment by theadept: IGN managed to proove that Americans can't handle draws. more » | Other threads
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teh future
Valve's Newell Doesn't Believe In One Console
Some say the future is one unified console. Others say "bwah?" Put Valve's Gabe Newell in the "bwah?" camp. His two cents: More »
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Comment by Snaphaunce: I think this really clarifies things. You're a tech-junky. You love seeing game features that utilize the latest hardware but... more » | Other threads
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valve
Valve Gets Into Skill-Based Gaming For Cash
UK-based tournament.com has announced a deal with Valve Software to be the provider for play-for-cash/skill-based tournaments for Half-Life 2 and Counter-strike, following two formats: "a 6 player tournament where players each put in $3.60 and an $18 pot is split between the three top finishers" and "an open, continuous tournament where players win $1 if they kill someone and lose $1 if they are killed ...." More »
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Comment by Witzbold: @RedShell: I bet you a lot more people would scream cheater to a good player in a gambling match, than... more » | Other threads
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hack
Rumor: Valve Hacked, CC Numbers Stolen
Anti-Valve site No-Steam claims to have hacked Valve, gaining access to internal web pages, customer credit card information, Valve financial and error logs and the company's Cafe directory. More »
7,596
Comment by ShineyBlueShoes: That'll get Steam customers to listen to you! Break the law and steal their credit cards! Why don't... more » | Other threads
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valve
The Ballad Of Black Mesa
Part iPod advertising aesthetics, part Stomp, part Garry's Mod showcase, this clip from Mighty Crane Films is a gun-popping, Strider-killing tour de force that everyone and their mother just sent in. Must see YouTube fodder. Thanks to our tipsters (and their moms) for the flood of goodness.
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Comment by Diamond-Dog: @ZachariahMessia: The other person was just pointing out that the beat in the background (especially the beginning) sounds similar to... more » | Other threads
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windows
The Best Windows Gaming XPeriences
As we move from dominant operating system generation to generation, some games will inevitably be tied to their respective popular OSes. Welcoming Windows Vista into the family of questionably necessary upgrades, Voodoo Extreme has posted what they consider to be the best games of the Windows XP era. While they may not be explicity linked to the OS, they were released after October 25, 2001 and represent some groundbreaking, classic video games. More »
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Comment by omninode: bryanstanton, This list only covers games released in the Windows XP era, which started October 2001. Half-life 1 came out in... more » | Other threads
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source
The Black Mesa Source Teaser Trailer
This is the very definition of tease. No gameplay, no characters, just a look at the gorgeous remade environments from the first Half-Life. A higher res version of the teaser is available at the official Black Mesa Source web site.
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Comment by Spiffyness: As amazing as the graphics are... nobody's even mentioned the music! The stuff on the main page is VERY... more » | Other threads
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Comment by serotoninzero: Hmm I want Episode 2 and Portal for the PC and Team Fortress 2 for 360.. shit. more » | Other threads
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Comment by Cameroo: Ugh, Why'd someone hack somthing thats fan made, and so many people put so so much time and love into?... more » | Other threads
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By kotaku.comComment by Roflgoat: This looks WAY different from what it turned out to be. more » | Other threads
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valve
John Mark Karr and The G Man: Separated At Birth?
After a few days of being sufficiently creeped out by alleged murderer/confirmed whack ball John Mark Karr, I finally realized who he reminded me of: the mysterious G Man from first-person shooter Half-Life. Since we're talking about the disturbing murder of a 6-year old girl we'll refrain from anything even remotely related to light-hearted discussion. We will however give credit where credit is due: Valve clearly has some of the best character artists in the business. They know creepy. More »
half-life
Denver, 11:20 PM
Fri Jul 10
61 posts in the last 24 hours
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