Mike Fahey

One Of My Favorite Tales Role-Playing Games Just Got Better 

Tales of Vesperia is one of the best entries in the long-running Tales series. Originally released worldwide in 2008 for the Xbox 360, it came out on PS3 only in Japan in 2009 with extra playable characters, a more fleshed-out story, full voice acting, new mini-games and more. Nearly a decade later, Bandai Namco finally gives…

Five Transformers Trading Cards Combine To Form Predaking

First, the official Transformers Trading Card Game gave us extra-large character cards. Then a super-sized Metroplex. Now, in the grand tradition of Yu-Gi-Oh’s Exodia the Forbidden One, the next Transformers Trading Card Game expansion gives us combiners—five cards creating one giant robot. Predaking is just one of six sets of combiners featured in the “Rise…

All I Do In Final Fantasy XIV Now Is Play Mahjong

This week’s 4.5 update for Final Fantasy XIV brought players an exciting new raid encounter featuringa Final Fantasy XII cameo, a new dungeon to explore and the first half of the conclusion to the exciting Stormblood storyline. It also added multiplayer Mahjong. Guess what I’ve been doing for the past two days. Competitive Mahjong is…

Final Fantasy XIV‘s First Bunny Person Is A Familiar Face

Ivalice’s resident rabbit people are coming to Final Fantasy XIV as a playable race in this summer’s Shadowbringers expansion. Who better to act as an early ambassador for the race than the most famous Viera of them all, Final Fantasy XII’s Fran? Fran appears in the latest part of Final Fantasy XIV’s ongoing raid event,…

Final Fantasy XIV upgrades to version 4.5 today with the launch of the expansive A Requiem For Heroes update. New dungeons, new hairstyles, new mini-games and the beginning of the end of the Stormblood storyline are just some of the highlights. Then, on January 15, we get Blue Mages. Finally. 

Razer Nari Ultimate Head-Vibrating Haptic Gaming Headset: The Kotaku Review

For years, gamers have been seeking ways to feel more connected to their games. The games industry has met that desire with force feedback controllers, flashing lights that synch up with on-screen action and evenfans that blow air to simulate movement. And now there’s Razer’s Nari Ultimate gaming headset, which vibrates my face numb every…

Soon, You’ll Be Able To Play Duck Hunt On Modern TVs

The NES Zapper light gun peripheral is an unfortunate victim of the relentless march of technology, rendered inoperable on modern flat-screen televisions. Retro console and peripheral maker Hyperkin aims to solve that problem with the Hyper Blaster HD, an NES light gun for the modern age. The Zapper doesn’t work on modern televisions because the…

Welcome To Apocalypseburg Is The Biggest Lego Movie Set Yet

The first Lego Movie introduced us to Bricksburg, an idyllic cityscape where everything was awesome. Arriving on January 16 ahead of next month’s sequel, the $300, 3,178 piece “Welcome to Apocalypseburg” set is awesome in a darker, grittier sort of way. Lady Liberty, or her shattered remains, serves as the centerpiece to the most impressive…

Starlink’s First Big Update Adds A Lot Of Boring Stuff

Ubisoft’s space opera Starlink: Battle For Atlas is a series of gorgeous alien worlds, a light story anda ton of repetitive filler. The game’s big holiday update, which launched shortly before Christmas, adds even more repetitive filler, which is not fun at all. I was super excited when Ubisoft announcedStarlink’s free holiday update, outlining what…

Dragalia Lost Gets Its First (Very Short) Story Update

Having torn through Dragalia Lost’s first six story chapters within a couple weeks of launch, I’ve spent the past few months collecting characters and dragons and participating in regular special events while I waited for the narrative to expand. Well, it expanded. I burned through the new stuff in an hour, and now I wait…

What Gaming Gear Did You Get (Or Gift) This Holiday Season?

Every year, once the Christmas dust settles, I pose to our dear readers the same question: What glorious gaming gear did you give and/or receive this holiday season? I’ll start. Behold my beautiful limited edition translucent pink Hello Kitty Dreamcast. I own a perfectly functional plain white Dreamcast, but the special Hello Kitty edition of…

The Best Toys Of 2018

2018 was a dark time in the toy industry, as one of the biggest toy retailers in the country closed up shop, forcing collectors to stalk the shelves of Walmart and Target for their fix. But Toys’R’Us’ demise didn’t stop some outstanding toys from being released. Let’s play! Toys’R’Us will be back one day, making…

Ubisoft’s recently-released toy spaceship game is lovely, butit needed more enemies and activities. Today’s free holiday update for Starlink: Battle for Atlas adds more enemies and activities, as well as a photo mode to capture all that sweet alien flora and fauna action. I love it when an update gives me everything I want. 

Final Fantasy XIV Update 4.5 Brings The Blue Mages Next Month

Before Final Fantasy XIV players can move on to this summer’s Shadowbringers expansion, we’ve got to finish the story of last year’s Stormblood. Part one of the epic conclusion arrives on January 8 in update 4.5, A Requiem For Heroes. A week later, the Blue Mages arrive. Blue Mages, one of the most player-requested professions…

Toy Somehow Makes Overwatch‘s Lucio Even More Adorable

The folks at Japanese toymaker Good Smile Company continue their quest to chibify the entire Overwatch roster with the Nendoroid version of Lucio. Look at his tiny tats! As Overwatch characters go, Lucio strikes me as one of the more confident, fun-loving members of the group. Good Smile’s tiny version captures his self-assured swagger perfectly.…

Nier Automata‘s 2B Is Too Good For SoulCalibur VI

When SoulCalibur VI launched with The Witcher’s Geralt as a playable character, I was like, “Okay, that makes sense. He’ll fit in.” This week Bandai Namco added Nier Automata’s android protagonist 2B to the mix, and well, I feel bad for the rest of the roster. She’s too much for them. It’s not YoRHa No.…

Here’s Razer’s Xbox One Keyboard And Mouse Combo

When Microsoft announced keyboard and mouse support were coming to the Xbox One, it also announced that green and black gaming hardware maker Razer was working on something special for the console. This is that—the $250 Razer Turret wireless mouse and keyboard combo for Xbox One. Rather than design something completely new, Razer revamped its…

It’s Easier To Appreciate Classical Music When My High Score Depends On It 

The holiday season is an excellent time to listen to soothing classical music. You know what’s better than listening? Playing it in Pianista for the Nintendo Switch, the classical version of DJMax. It’s like an involuntary music appreciation class. When I say Pianista: The Legendary Virtuoso is the classical version of DJMax, what I mean…

I Love Smash Ultimate’s Much-Maligned World Of Light

While most of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players on our staff are busy beating the living crap out of friends, family and random strangers, I’m having fun making my way through the game’s World of Light adventure mode. While our review called the side mode “unnecessarily involved,” juggling stats, skill points and power-ups is…

The Best Video Game Surprises of 2018

It’s that time again: time to take stock of the year that was 2018. We’ll start with the nice stuff. We do this every year here at Kotaku. (See: the biggest surprises of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) We’ll post the biggest disappointments of 2018 later this week. Shadow Of The Tomb Raider…