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UncategorizedPlease Be Kinder To Shitty Teams, Sports Games
I got to choose a lot of things in my life. My job, my wife, my friends, my dog—all have been good and wonderful. Some things, though, I have been born into, and supporting Aston Villa Football Club is sadly one of them. My grandmother was born and grew up a block away from Villa…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedThe next Total War game—a Saga title,like Thrones of Britannia—is called Troy. Here’s the debut trailer.
By Luke Plunkett Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureThere’s An XCOMish Narcos Game, Which Just Might Work
There’s already one game based on Netflix’s excellent series Narcos, and it sucks. The second game, though, is looking a lot more promising, as it’s a turn-based tactical combat experience similar to XCOM Announced today, the game is out in Fall 2019 for PC, Xbox One and PS4. For a licensed game coming so long after…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedBorderlands 3 Patch Removes Screaming From Boss Who Screamed Too Much
Borderlands 3 is fun, but it’s had some problems since launch. It takes an absolute lifetime to boot up and occasionally hangs during simple actions like opening the menu. This morning, developer Gearbox pushed out a hot fix that deals with the most pressing issue of all: the incessant screaming of an endgame boss. WARNING:…
By Ian Walker Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedModern Warfare Makes Night Vision Goggles Mandatory (And Fun)
Night vision goggles in first-person shooters often felt like a gimmick, so I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying them in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare beta over the weekend. The PlayStation 4 beta featured two maps, “Azhir Cave” and “Hackney Yard,” in a nighttime setting with night vision goggles that you toggle…
By S.E. Doster Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedIn the wake of complaints from developers earlier this week, Valve is conducting an experiment with game pages’ “More Like This” sections. Developers of unreleased games, especially, complained that recommendation sections were no longer surfacing their creations, leading to significant drop-offs in page traffic and wishlists. Valve’s experiment, which it told Kotaku has gone out…
By Nathan Grayson Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureSplitscreenWhat’s Your Weirdest Video Game Ritual?
Do you have any bizarre rituals that you always perform in a video game, no matter what? This week on Kotaku Splitscreen, we discuss that question and much more. First, Kirk, Maddy, and I talk about the great new visual novel AI: The Somnium Files, the wonderfully addictive Fire Emblem, and Remnant: From the Ashes,…
By Jason Schreier Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureFrench Court Says Valve Must Allow Steam Users To Resell Games
Back in 2015, Valve got sued by a French consumer organization called UFC-Que Choisir (not to be confused with non-French, non-consumer organization the Ultimate Fighting Championship). UFC-Que Choisir had a multitude of bones to pick with the longtime Steam steward, the biggest among them being that Steam doesn’t let users resell their games. Four years…
By Nathan Grayson Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedDevil May Cry 2 Is Out On The Switch So Here’s The Deal
Devil May Cry games kick ass. The stylish and over-the-top antics of demon hunter Dante and his cohorts helped define the action game genre. This year’s Devil May Cry 5 made everything sleeker, sexier, and energetic. Dante’s had great games over the years, but there’s one game that doesn’t shine. Devil May Cry 2, whose…
By Heather Alexandra Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedApex Legends‘ Third Season Will Bring A New Character, Changes To Ranked Mode
Respawn has officially revealed the next champion slated to join Apex Legends. Players can get their hands on hacker Crypto, a brand new weapon, and a slew of battle pass goodies alongside extensive changes to the game’s Ranked mode when season three, called Meltdown, arrives October 1. Today’s “Stories from the Outlands” cinematic isn’t the…
By Ian Walker Published September 19, 2019 -
OpinionImpressionsApple Arcade Is Mobile Gaming Without All The Bullshit
Entering into the busiest video game season of the year, we didn’t exactly need Apple Arcade, nor did we really want it, given Apple’s mediocre stewardship of video games for the past decade. What a shock, then, that Apple Arcade is one of the best gaming launches we can remember, and that we can recommend…
Michael Fahey & Stephen Totilo Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureAsk Dr. NerdLove: I Still Hate My Ex
Hello, you hideous and shimmering sexbeasts, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating advice column to guide you through the Metroidvania of love. This week, it’s all about the end of relationships. Break ups and divorce aren’t the end; they’re the beginning of a new chapter in your life. But how do you…
Harris O'Malley Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureI Wish Games Didn’t Update So Much
Where a video game goes, a patch will surely follow. It wasn’t that long ago that updates were rare things, but today almost every game will get updated at some point—some far more than others. While it may sound strange, there are times when I wish that biweekly updates just weren’t a thing anymore. Sometimes…
William Antonelli Published September 19, 2019 -
UncategorizedTurn-Based Survival Game Overland Is Like An Indie Rock XCOM
In my couple of hours with turn-based survival game Overland, I’ve lived multiple short, doomed lives in the post-apocalypse. These lives unfolded in in gas stations and on street corners, and they were filled with the pursuit of gas cans and pieces of garbage, like potted plants and lighters. Overland’s art is minimalist, but the…
By Riley MacLeod Published September 19, 2019 -
Tips & GuidesTips For Playing The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Link’s Awakening is not a challenging game, but it can be a little abstruse. Originally released for the Game Boy in 1993 and overhauled for Switch in a delightful remake that’s out this week, the fourth Zelda is full of secrets, mysteries, and weird quirks to discover. Here are some tips to help you leave…
By Jason Schreier Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryI Have Had It With Games That Always Send Me On Detours
I don’t trust waypoints anymore. You know, those little icons on video game maps that show you where your goal is? They’re filthy liars, and I wouldn’t trust them with my coffee money. It happens all the time: A character will tell me that I need to get to a certain location to get a…
By Joshua Rivera Published September 19, 2019 -
ReviewsHardwareGame SystemsNintendo Switch Lite: The Kotaku Review
The Nintendo Switch Lite is one of the finest handheld gaming devices I’ve ever used. It’s sturdy, stylish, and comfortable. It launches with a library that’s already over 2,500 games strong. If all you’re looking for from the Nintendo Switch is personal, portable play, it’s perfect. But is that all you’re looking for? From its…
By Mike Fahey Published September 19, 2019 -
CultureHaven Island, the next location in the Hitman 2 Expansion Pass, arrives September 24. Set in the Maldives and following up on the events of the previous Bank map, Haven comes with a host of new challenges and full support for Contracts mode. It also comes with this excellent new trailer.
By Joshua Rivera Published September 19, 2019
