Heather Alexandra

The Strange, Essential Worlds Of Cosmo D

I’ve been covering indie games here at Kotaku since 2016 and sharing all sorts of fantastical worlds with readers. Some are loud and flashy. Others are moody. Some of the best have come from the mind of developer Cosmo D. In February, I showed off his next game, Tales From Off Peak City. In the…

To The Horizon

Blue Rogues, it’s time. You know what this is. A farewell post isn’t a shock anymore. Especially since I gave you 24 hours notice on Twitter. I suppose a few folks are probably like “Fuck, no! Wait! Don’t leave!” That’s sweet but it’s counterbalanced slightly by the chittering of Twitter gremlins and YouTube shouters. You…

Games Criticism Is A Kindness

Writing about games invites accusations of taking things too seriously. Criticism, it sometimes seems, is a dirty word. I don’t think that’s true. I think that whether you are praising something or condemning it, criticism is an act of love. I suspect that the word “criticism,” when read in isolation, evokes a negative connotation in…

A Late Game Boss Fight Shows Final Fantasy VII Remake At Its Best

Final Fantasy VII Remake’s combat kit-bashes the series’ role-playing battles with the hefty action of a game like Monster Hunter World. Part action, part tactics, it usually works even if some camera woes mess things up from time to time. One fight later in the game—a fight that wasn’t in the original 1997 classic—highlights everything…

The streets are full… of RAAAGE! I am playing Streets of Rage 4 with the best dude Paul Tamayo right now on Twitch. Join us for good music, fisticuffs, and chill times.

Knife Child Terrorizes Local Sector

It’s important to analyze games with rigorous consideration. Games are art and we need to hold them accountable for everything they contain. So please understand how serious I am when I say that Tonberries are the funniest fucking thing on the planet. The Tonberry (Tonicus Berricus) is one of the most iconic enemies in the…

Majora’s Mask Still Hits Hard 20 Years Later

The Legend of the Zelda: Majora’s Mask is 20 years old. It’s been the dawn of the final day for two decades, and looking back after all this time reveals one of the most interesting games of its time. It’s creative use of limited assets led to an experience drenched in anxiety. Existential, human, experimental.…

It’s kinda earth day in Animal Crossing! It’s earth day adjacent?! I’m gonna meet up with my buddy Leif and spruce my island right now on Kotaku’s Twitch channel. Come join chat to talk about how cool trees are and such.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Is Haunted By What Came Before

Final Fantasy VII Remake bears a heavy weight on its shoulders, needing to recreate a beloved classic in a way that can ignite the imaginations of old-school fans and newcomers alike. There is an expectation surrounding the game: Be like the thing that existed in 1997. Be the game we loved. Be the game we…

Happy 10th anniversary to the original Nier! Please enjoy the game’s opening monologue, wherein a magical book is called a “dumb-ass” and “little bitch.”

Fan-Run Marketplaces Rise To Meet Animal Crossing: New Horizons Players’ Needs

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is nominally a chill game about seeing what each day holds and adjusting as you go. But if you’re an intense interior designer or an entrepreneurial turnip seller, you’ll want to pick up the pace. Thankfully, there’s an entire ecosystem of tools and websites to help you make tons of bells…

Spotted on a quick quarantine-breaking walk in Brooklyn: this fantastic Pokémon mural. Considering Red has no ‘mons of his own, I think he’s gonna lose this battle. (Click to see a full gallery!)

Mods are asleep so I’m playing MAXIMUM Action right now on Twitch Come join chat for John Woo shenanigans and mayhem on this laziest of Thursdays.

7 Indie Gems You Finally Have Time To Play Under Lockdown

There are plenty of big name video games to play right now. You can relive old memories (or make new ones) with Final Fantasy VII Remake and embark on intense demon-slaying adventures in Nioh 2 or Doom Eternal. But the experience of social distancing doesn’t have to just be about playing the biggest games. Here’s…

Nintendo Has Made Animal Crossing Visits As Annoying As Possible

When I was in college, I was one of the folks living off campus. That meant guests all the time, and it meant house parties. I’m an introvert, but even now, I’m glad to put together brunch or whatever with friends. Thanks to Animal Crossing, I have an entire island where goofy stuff can happen.…

What We Remake

From fan-made revamps like Black Mesa to the highest of AAA productions like Final Fantasy VII Remake, enhanced, often reimagined takes on familiar games packed the early months of 2020. Remakes tug at nostalgia and deliver a comfort that players seek desperately in complicated times. But many of these games forge new paths, interrupting the…

Animal Crossing Speedrun Shows K.K. Slider Isn’t That Picky After All

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is about luxuriating by a fishing hole or meticulously planning out your town’s layout. That is, unless you’re a speedrunner. While some runners race to pay off their loans to Tom Nook, others are plotting the most efficient way to get K.K. Slider to come to their island and thereby kick…

It’s here! I’m playing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake right now on Twitch. Taking it from the top and steaming long to see What Is New And Up With This. Come join chat to talk all things materia-related.

Final Fantasy XIV‘s Latest Relic Hunt Is A Compelling Story Quest

If there’s one thing a good MMO needs, it’s fancy loot. That can mean World of Warcraft’s various class artifacts or Final Fantasy XIV’s relics, some of the best weapons in the game. The latter come with each new expansion, and it’s finally Shadowbringers’ turn. There’s a twist: What used to be a painful and…

Valorant‘s Mix Of Hardcore Action And Magical Powers Kicks Ass

Riot Games’ latest project, the hero-focused shooter Valorant, kicked off a closed beta today. After playing plenty of matches, it’s clear that while it invites inevitable comparisons to other games, Valorant can stand on its own as a shooter that will scratch players’ itch for a tactical experience. I imagine many people will want to…