-
The New Face of Browser-Based Gaming, Courtesy of Unreal Engine 3
Epic Games likes to show off at the Game Developers Conference. They just did. They wanted to show how their Unreal Engine running in Flash. In a web browser. So they showed us Epic Citadel the tech demo used to show off Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 on the iPhone and iPad. It looked great. And…
By Mike Fahey -
Tera Revolutionizes MMO Combat, But Is That Enough?
My newly-created Priest character descended towards the mystical island upon his majestic flying steed amidst a squadron of legendary heroes. They spoke of the adventures to come, but I wasn’t paying attention; I was focused on the glaring texture seam in the sky behind them. Here were these gorgeous characters flying atop magical beasts —…
By Mike Fahey -
Roccat’s Power-Grid Transforms Your Mobile Phone into the Ultimate PC Gaming Peripheral
What would you pay for a PC gaming accessory that could monitor your PC temperature, control program-specific volume levels, display your instant messages and juggle custom-made shortcut keys without taking you out of the game? Roccat’s Power-Grid app does all of this, and it won’t cost you a dime. Teased via a website that asked,…
By Mike Fahey -
The Glory Days of SquareSoft (*Not* Square Enix) Recaptured in Rap
Remember the glory days of SquareSoft, when the role-playing giant could seemingly do no wrong? Richie Branson does, and he’s got a little song about it. Want to hear it? Here goes. Branson’s letter to SquareSoft is riddled with suggestions on what franchises he wants to see resurrected, and what character crossovers would have fans…
By Mike Fahey -
From Final Fantasy IX to Cruis’n World: 10 Classic Designs That Need Revisiting
In today’s design-minded edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter DrZaius looks at design elements of ten gaming classics (well, nine and Madworld) that could help spice up some of today’s titles. This has been boiling up inside of me for some time. This is the top 10 list of game designs I’d like to…
By Mike Fahey -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Rush to the safe zone and stock up on video game discussion points with like-minded survivalists in Kotaku‘s official forum, Talk Amongst Yourselves. Reader Benevolence brings us today’s Left 4 Dead 2 TAYpic, along with these words of wisdom: “It ain’t right for a man to be ridden like that.” You too can mix video…
By Mike Fahey -
World of Warcraft Lures Lapsed Players Back with Cataclysm Upgrades and High Level Characters
What does it take to lure a lapsed player back to World of Warcraft? With subscription numbers slowly-but-surely dropping, Blizzard launches the new Scroll of Resurrection program, granting returning players a free upgrade to the Cataclysm expansion and an instant jump to level 80 — they just need to be asked. Current World of Warcraft…
By Mike Fahey -
Map Packs? Bah! Battlefield 3 Changes the Game with Three Themed Expansion Packs
Eschewing the normal practice of releasing intermittent “piecemeal” map packs, DICE intends to deliver three completely new experiences to Battlefield 3 players this year in the form of a trio of expansion packs, delivering new game modes, “innovative” gameplay, and unique environments with each release. It’s maps plus! Judging by the official descriptions, each of…
By Mike Fahey -
Will the Next Star Wars: The Old Republic Update Make it the Game You Want to Play?
Today BioWare released a video outlining the sweeping changes coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic in game update 1.2. With the evolution of the game’s Legacy system and new Warzones, Flashpoints, and Operations in the pipes, is it sad that what I’m most excited about is new lightsaber colors? Yes, this is very sad,…
By Mike Fahey -
Seven Game Reviewers Fail to Label Mass Effect 3 a Steaming Pile of Crap
You honestly expect me to believe that seven completely different individuals gave Mass Effect 3 generally positive to excellent review scores simply because it’s a good game? I suppose that’s reasonable. Here at Kotaku Frankenreview Central (the desk in my den) we’ve yet to play Mass Effect 3, so I have no first-hand knowledge of…
By Mike Fahey -
Street Fighter X Tekken Drops Game Critics with a One-Two Punch
Street Fighter. Tekken. Game titles followed by periods. These are the sort of weighty things on the minds of video game critics as they explore the fighting genre’s latest epic crossover. Epic. Crossover. Street Fighter X Tekken combines the great taste of Street Fighter with a creamy Tekken-flavored filling. It’s the first part of a…
By Mike Fahey -
Grand Theft Auto Would Be Much More Exciting if the Carjacking Victims Sought Revenge
Every day millions of innocent people are ripped violently from their vehicles, left sprawled out on the street as a gruff anti-hero with a twisted sense of right and wrong makes off with their ride. No more, says internet movie maker Freddie Wong. In his latest special effects-laden spectacular, Freddie Wong takes on an issue…
By Mike Fahey -
Love and Hate for the Ghost Recon Online Beta
For the first time in Speak Up on Kotaku history two commenters involuntarily join forces to present two different views of Ghost Recon Online‘s beta test. Dante’s Advocate loves it. Rampage doesn’t. Let’s find out why. First up, Dante’s Advocate spreads the love. So the Ghost Recon Online beta’s first night just ended half an…
By Mike Fahey -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
We can all be friends no matter the color of our overalls or our desperate need to kidnap princesses, as long as we gather daily to discuss video games in Kotaku‘s official forum, Talk Amongst Yourselves. Snufkin did a marvelous job on this Mario-powered TAYpic. I’d hang a print of this on my wall in…
By Mike Fahey -
XCOM: Enemy Unknown Puts You in Command of the “Most Elite” Military Force in the History of the World
Not just anyone can defend the Earth from mysterious aliens in XCOM: Enemy Unknown. This is the “most elite” fighting organization in history, so you can expect at least some sort of written test, maybe a talent competition. It’s the price you pay for being the bestest. While I continue teasing Enemy Unknown lead designer…
By Mike Fahey -
The Power of the Giraffe Compels You
I don’t care how damn old it is, they put me in charge of the Open Thread post while Kirk is at the Game Developers Conference and if that means giraffe pictures, then so be it. With my luck they’ll be some sort of Gawker-wide moratorium on giraffe pictures resulting in instant termination. In case…
By Mike Fahey
Mike Fahey
Mike Fahey's posts