Culture

Lesser-Known Moments From World War II That Should Be In Video Games

Call of Duty has returned to World War II. It wasn’t so long ago that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare saved us from drowning in World War II games. Unfortunately, its success meant we spent the next several years drowning in modern military shooters instead, and when we got tired of that, game devs…

Let’s Talk About THAT Scene From God Of War

There are a lot of cool sequences in God of War. Let’s talk about the coolest one. No seriously, that is a spoiler warning! This conversation quickly spoils one of the best surprises in God of War. It happens towards the middle of the game. We don’t actually go into detail about endgame spoilers, final…

Amazing Celeste Speedrun Includes All The Extras

Speedrunners can rush through Celeste in about thirty minutes but collecting everything and completing all challenges is much trickier. Last night, someone finally completed a 114% speedrun, collecting all hidden items and completing the game’s most difficult levels without dying. Achieving 114% in Celeste is difficult even when you’re taking your time. It involves collecting…

Maybe Kratos Isn’t That Strong

Today on Highlight Reel we have Labo creations, God of War laziness, inter-dimensional nut punches, and much more! Watch the video then talk about your favorite highlight in the comments below. Be sure to check out, like, and share the original videos via the links below. Subscribe to Kotaku on YouTube for more! Catch up…

Boy, Read This: The Internet Pokes Fun At Kratos In God of War

For such a grim, serious and violent game, God of War sure is making people on the internet laugh. God of War is a pleasant surprise. Playing as Kratos, the curmudgeonly dad and his precious son Atreus is both narratively satisfying and has interesting gameplay. It’s also given rise to one of my favorite current…

Seven Years Later, Goldeneye Speedrunner Finally Ties World Record

Speedrunner Marc Rutzou has held the world record for Goldeneye 007’s Train level since 2010, improving on times that no other runner could match. His long reign has finally come to an end as another runner finally managed to tie his record. Goldeneye 007 speedrunning is refined to the point that even saving a second…

New City-Building Game Frostpunk Is Great For Those Of Us Who Love The Cold

In Frostpunk, a new snowy city-builder by This War of Mine studio 11 Bit that is out today, the player develops a city in a frozen wastelands. You must fuel the churning generator at the heart of your town, feeding it enough coal to keep your people alive. The cold is your first and greatest…

Track: There Goes The Fear | Artist: The Doves | Album: The Last Broadcast Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Rest In Peace, Green Axe

Suzanne Helmigh is an artist who has worked on stuff like Magic: The Gathering and Horizon Zero Dawn She’s currently got a personal project, the illustrated fantasy novel Caldyra (which she’s been working on since 2012!), up on Kickstarter. Below you’ll see a bunch of art from the book, along with some of Helmigh’s other…

The Time Snoopy’s Iconic Doghouse Burned Down

Snoopy’s doghouse is so well-known and recognizable that even when there are no Peanuts characters in the frame, it is impossible to mistake it for anything else. The red, wooden structure has a distinctive mushroom profile, with three slats on the top and three slats on the bottom. When it burned to the ground in…

Westworld Season Two Is Off To A Frustrating Start

HBO’s wild west androidapalooza Westworld is back for its second season, and we’re here to talk about it. Jason and I weren’t in love with the Season 2 premiere, for reasons we got into on a special bonus episode of Kotaku Splitscreen. You can listen to our whole chat here: You can download an MP3…

The Week In Games: Big Robots and Frostpunks

Giant robots and snow-covered landscapes are great science fiction, and we’re getting both of those in this week’s jam-packed lineup of games. I love a good tactical experience, so Battletech seems like it’s going to be right up my alley. It looks like it’s the exact right level of fiddly interaction and number crunching to…

Track: Friday | Artist: Shota Shimizu | Album: Friday (single) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Track: I Want To Hold Your Hand | Artist: Melvins | Album: Pinkus Abortion Technician Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

I See Your Point

Nikita Bulatov is a freelance artist based in Moscow. You can see more of Nikita’s work at his VKand ArtStationpages. To see the images in their native resolution, click on the “expand” button in the top-left corner. Fine Art is a celebration of the work of video game artists, showcasing the best of both their…

How Some Of The Best Cosplay On Earth Is Made

While the traditional idea of building cosplay invokes the image of one or two people toiling away on an outfit, Henchmen Studios work on an almost industrial scale, drawing on the talents of massive teams to produce work so good that they’re often hired by Blizzard to help debut Overwatch characters. Take the company’s latest…

Track: City Looks Pretty | Artist: Courtney Barnett | Album: Tell Me How You Really Feel　 Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

‘Shop Contest: Gaming Grows Up

The release of God of War has opened up the possibility that the icons of gaming can grow up to take responsibility for the world around them. Kratos is trying to raise his son, but what does growing up look like for other famous protagonists? Mario has to mow the lawn for his friend Peach.…

What It’s Like Auditioning To Be Star Trek’s Newest Composer

This week on Kotaku Splitscreen, I talked with composer Austin Wintory (Journey, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate) about what it was like auditioning to be the composer for Star Trek: Discovery, and why he’s glad he did it even though he didn’t get the gig. For the first part of the show I was joined by my…

Sunday Comics: Floor Swords

Hello! It’s time for Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published April 16. Read more of Awkward Zombie Corpse Run by Alex Di Stasi. Published April 19. Read more of Corpse Run Double XP by…