Stephen Totilo

Co-Op Metroidvania Anyone?

Yes, the lead developer of Shadow Complex entertained the idea of designing a co-op Metroid/Castlevania kind of game. But… One would think that with all the ambitions that Donald Mustard and his team at Epic-owned Chair Entertainment are trying to accomplish with their XBLA love letter to Super Metroid — 3D graphics, a huge world,…

Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG

The appearance of Facebook and Twitter logos at the end of a recent Dragon Age promo video got me asking questions. And the answers are mysterious. As a Dragon Age: Origins demo I received in a rented New York City nightclub was nearing its conclusion yesterday, I was shown a video that teased more of…

Brutal Legend Preview: The Game That Ripped My Jeans Leg

In possibly the most appropriate accidental PR move of the year, the corner of the couch I got up from after playing heavy metal adventure Brutal Legend tore the front of my jeans leg. I’m not a ripped-jeans kind of guy, but Brutal Legend’s publicist had already told me that the game’s chief creator, Tim…

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This Week In Video Game Comics

Here’s a rundown of the new video game-based comics going on sale in comics shops in the U.S. this week, including a Street Fighter showdown with Final Fight. (Oh, and President Evil is out this week too.) Click the thumbnails for more details. Sonic The Hedgehog #202… Written by Ian Flynn; Art by Steven Butler…

Wii Remote In Raised Fist: Possibly The Image Of Our Generation

Three times is homage, rip-off, a trend or simply a sign that this is the signature visual of the gaming era during which we live. Edge Magazine cover from 2005 back when the Wii was still called the Revolution (Via Edge cover gallery on Flickr) Nintendo Power cover from 2006 Cover to forthcoming book, A…

That Transformers Achievement Works Differently Than Presumed

Yesterday, I reported the curiosity that is the Good Mojo Achievement in Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen. I extrapolated all sorts of dark things about the game’s sales and Live performance. Activision has explained what I was missing. Never assume, people say, right? Revenge of the Fallen’s Good Mojo Achievement, according to its official description,…

Shadow Complex Impressions: Metroidvania Made Unreal

There is something winning about the game developer who can’t hold back when he meets with Kotaku’s man in New York. We’re talking about a game developer who always dreamed of making a game like Super Metroid and is putting one out this summer. He’s a developer so relaxed about showing his game that he’s…

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The Transformers Xbox Achievement We Didn’t Expect To Earn [UPDATE]

Ten days after the release of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was released, I earned an Achievement in the game that suggests the game has either slow sales, low online adoption or some other peculiarity. When does an Achievement reveal too much? The Transformers Revenge of the Fallen game was released on June 23,…

EA Announces Fight Night Round 4 DLC, Button Controls Slated For September

Following calls from fans critical of Fight Night Round 4’s current control options, EA is bringing a free alternative — and some other new content before that. EA Sports announced two upcoming free releases of downloadable content for Fight Night Round 4 today. The first, slated for early August, will add a new gym, “new…

New Nintendo Release Exacerbates Lefty Gamers’ Lament

One would think that the left-handed Shigeru Miyamoto wouldn’t let things like this happen. Not all games are for all people. This obvious statement somewhat less obviously pertains to more than just matters of taste, physical dexterity or tolerance of bad voice acting. It also pertains to handedness. The left-handed wing of Kotaku discovered this…

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Decepticon Owners Turn Tables On Autobot Gamers

A little over a week ago, we showed you that players of the Autobot version of the DS’ Transformers Revenge of the Fallen were beating Decepticons fans. Things have changed. The game’s first online meta-game battle did end with owners of the Autobot version of the game winning, having scored 48 million Energon points to…

Video Games Used As Shorthand In New Movie Trailers

Making a trailer for a major motion picture and needing to show that John Cusack’s fictional son is a bit detached? Need to show that Vince Vaughn is partying hard? Show video games. While sped-up sunsets, crowd scenes in Manhattan and the destruction of the White House are all common elements of Hollywood trailers, video…

Pay-Per-P Pricing Fading From Xbox Video Marketplace?

Two months ago, we reported that some video content on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace was priced high. 720 points ($9 USD) for a one hour 720p video. That’s changed, a little. It seemed like the prices for Ring of Honor pro wrestling and M-1 Challenge MMA series were off. But Microsoft told Kotaku that…

Why Did Twice As Many People Play Dead Space As Bought It?

In studying how Dead Space sold, a key stat loomed large for EA. EA’s Glen Schofield, studio manager for the company’s Dead Space team at Visceral Games, appeared on the second episode of EA’s official podcast to talk games, mention that Dead Space had co-op during some of its development cycle and explain the company’s…

What’s On The BioShock 2 Record

Why it’s the martial Rapture anthem, on two sides of a BioShock 2 promotional 45 obtained at gramophone-free Kotaku NYC last week! Armed with a record player on Sunday, I was able to hear a hidden message. Side A gives us the Rapture anthem, something that’s been around since the first game: Oh rise, Rapture,…

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How Dead Space Extraction Controls On Wii, With Side-Shooting Twist

The Wii’s September 29 prequel to last year’s Dead Space has a control scheme EA’s Visceral Games couldn’t put on an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. A new EA trailer shows how it works. Dead Space Extraction will be out September 29. As you watch, remember, EA calls this a “guided first-person experience.” Different platform.…