Yannick LeJacq

Let’s Hope The Sims 4 Looks This Good Someday

The Sims has always been a beautiful series of video games. Save for the occasional foray into high fantasy, however, it’s mostly drawn from modern suburbia for its artistic palette. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Some gorgeous concept art that was recently posted online gives an alternate vision of what The Sims…

PayDay 2 is getting a special Hotline Miami-themed DLC later this month, Overkill Software announced this morning. I wonder what it’s gonna be like getting up close and personal with all that ultra-violence!

I Love Reading Other People’s Sims Stories

Came across this image this morning, with a touching description: My Sim’s wife divorced him, leaving him depressed. He immediately went to cuddle their newborn son, and looked like he was holding tightly to the last piece of his happiness. I love seeing how invested people become in the lives and emotional states of these…

Track: No Surprises | Artist: Radiohead | Album: OK Computer Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

The Sims 4: The Kotaku Review

The Sims 4 is a big game. But like any so-called life simulator, it only seems that way when you add up its countless tiny bits and pieces into one giant mosaic. Actually playing the game feels like you’re both telling and watching a series of private, intimate stories. Let me start with one of…

Kratos Is Even More Imposing Without Arms

Kratos. Now there’s a rage-filled video game character for you. Just look at him, perched there, glaring through the screen. He doesn’t even have limbs and I’m still scared he’s gonna come beat me up. For $600, I can let him try. Gaming Heads has finally pulled the curtain back on its new bust of…

Using Mario Kart 8’s Green Shell Like A Champ

Of all the shells on the Mario Kart spectrum, the green one gets the least love. Probably because it’s the hardest to use, compared to the homing missile of the red shell and “The Great Equalizer” that is the blue one. But that just makes a proper snipe with the green bullet all the more…

The Absolute WORST Way To Lose In Mario Kart

Whether you’re just playing for fun or you’re in it to win it, Mario Kart 8 is a game that stirs the competitive spirit. And then, sometimes, you end up losing to somebody who just happened to get a bullet at the last minute. IT’S NOT FAIR.

EA Says They’re Fixing The Sims 4’s Gay Filter

Since The Sims 4 launched last week, some players have discovered that the game won’t let them share Sims through its online “Gallery” system if they use words like “gay,” “homosexual,” or “queer” in the character’s name or description. EA told Kotaku today that it’s aware of this problem and is fixing it. Kotaku first…

Some Questions For People Playing The Sims 4

The Sims 4 came out last week. I’ve been enjoying my time with the game so far. But I’ve also seen a wide array of reactions to it online—some pleasant, some less so. I’d like to understand these better, so let’s talk about the state of The Sims. Here are a few questions I’ve come…

A New Look At The Influence Of Japan’s Early Video Game Music

Video games have been around long enough that countless musicians have grown up and come into their own, creatively speaking, as gamers. A new documentary series, Diggin’ In The Carts, examines the early history of Japanese video game music at it applies to this trend. It’s produced by the Red Bull Music Academy, so I…

‘I just quit my job while taking a shit. It’s great.’

Some strong praise for The Sims 4’s multitasking features from Reddit user CrazyWood.

How The Sims Has Changed Over The Past 14 Years

A big question many gamers have had since The Sims 4 launched last week is how the latest installment compares to the other three core games in EA’s longstanding series. Now, one Sims fan has attempted an answer in the most literal way possible: by playing all four on one PC at the same time.…

Track: Zero-Sum | Artist: Nine Inch Nails | Album: Year Zero Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is finally making its way to consoles on November 5th, creator Edmund McMillen announced today. He’s been talking about a console-compatible remake of his famously difficult and emotionally disturbing game for a while now, so this is pretty exciting. The new(ish) game will be available on the PS4, PS Vita,…

Devil May Cry’s Story Was Nonsense, And That Was Fine

There are some video games that you love and hate at the same time. The Devil May Cry reboot is high up on that list. It was enormously fun, but also sort of a train-wreck. Let’s reflect on where such a good game jumped off the rails. YouTuber Dartigan, who previously broke down the nonsensical…

Last-Gen Destiny Comes With A Free Current-Gen Upgrade (For Now)

Destiny launches next week on a bunch of different consoles. Since developer Bungie has a ten-year plan for the game, it may outlast some of the devices its debuting on. But if you’re starting Destiny on the Xbox 360 or PS3, don’t worry: jumping to the next generation won’t cost you anything—for now. Activision and…

Sims 4 Cheat Leads To Giant Toilets

I know EA loves to say that there are many different ways to play The Sims 4. But are Godzilla-sized sanitation fixtures what they had in mind? I think we’re gonna need a bigger Sim, people. Images of gigantic appliances and furniture from The Sims 4 began to circulate online yesterday after people discovered an…

Nintendo, Why Must You Be So Cruel?

This is a plush Yoshi doll. It is very cute. Not just cute, it’s painfully adorable. This is the level of cuteness that makes me cringe with something that feels like genuine pain. So what’s the problem? It’s being released for Club Nintendo Europe. That means I am going to have to go to incredible…

Track: Many Men (Wish Death) | Artist: 50 Cent | Album: Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.