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UncategorizedThe Heartbreaking Final Fantasy VII Song That Makes Me Smile
One of Final Fantasy’s most iconic songs doesn’t even make my top 10 favorite list. That said, it’s also one of my most cherished. What makes it special is that it’s tied to one of my fondest memories—but not in as sweet a way as you may think. On this the last day of 2017—which…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published December 31, 2017 - Esports
Rocket League Player Argues With Tournament Over Plane Ticket To Scotland
The upcoming Twelve Titans Rocket League tournament will pit 12 players against each other in a winner-take-all one-on-one brawl. Isaiah Sharrieff was set to be one of those players who would play in the tournament in Scotland—until he revealed on Twitter that he had already played his first round and won’t fly to Scotland. In…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 31, 2017 - Uncategorized
Purple Coins Are Super Mario Odyssey‘s Best Collectible
By balancing scarcity and value, Mario’s newest platforming hit finally brings second-tier collectibles into the limelight. There are plenty of classic gaming icons associated with everyone’s favorite pudgy plumber. Mushrooms, stars, turtle shells, and more come to mind when picturing Mario and the magical world he inhabits. And though many different Mario items and collectibles…
By Ben Bertoli Published December 31, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Sublime Battles Of The Last Story
I never thought my favorite part of a Hironobu Sakaguchi game would be the battle system, especially since Final Fantasy and Lost Odyssey are renown for their compelling stories and dramatic character arcs. But in The Last Story, the combat was not just the best part of the game. It represented a refreshing evolution of…
By Peter Tieryas Published December 31, 2017 - Uncategorized
Five Video Game Moments That Stressed Me Out In 2017
Video games gave me much comfort in this very trying year. They also stressed me out like you wouldn’t believe. As 2017 is coming to a close, it’s time to let go of all the worries and start anew. Before that, it’s good to reflect and confront those demons as part of a healing process.…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published December 31, 2017 - Esports
Turbo Mode Makes A Game Of Dota 2 Less Of A Commitment
I have something of a Dota 2 habit. Every week, I find time to play at least a few hours of the game—frequently, if not a game a day. But part of my frustration with Dota 2 has always been the time commitment it requires, as games can take upwards of 40 to 50 minutes…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 31, 2017 - Uncategorized
Who’s Your Favorite Game Character Of 2017?
There were so many great games in 2017 with fantastic stories and equally great characters. Persona 5’s entire ensemble added something to the gripping narrative and I found myself sympathizing with all of their plights. Nier: Automata had an amazing cast of robots who were memorable and fascinating, even if most of them ended up…
By Peter Tieryas Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
The Tragic Sidequests From Nier Automata’s Machine Village
Nier Automata is cruel to its characters. An action role-playing game from Square Enix, very few games have made me react as strongly to the story as Automata. While Yoko Taro’s games have always been disturbingly provocative as they dig at deep existential questions, the optional sidequests from the Machine Village exemplify what makes Automata…
By Peter Tieryas Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
These Food-Based Pokémon Concepts Are Simply Delectable
Developer and illustrator PaperBeatsScissors has prepared an entire menu of tasty Pokémon creations over the past few weeks. The Pokémon series is well known for turning anything and everything into a collectible monster. Keys? Yep. Chandelier? Absolutely. Steaming pile of garbage? You better believe it. But despite there being over 700 Pokémon in the current…
By Ben Bertoli Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
The World of Ruin In FFVI Is About Searching For Hope In Desperate Times
In Final Fantasy VI, the villains triumph. It’s one of the most shocking moments in gaming. As devastating at the moment is, the journey the protagonists take to defy the overwhelming odds against them is a message of hope during bleak times and represents what I most love about the series. Warning, spoilers abound!!! Celes’…
By Peter Tieryas Published December 30, 2017 -
UncategorizedEnter The Gungeon‘s Addictive Gameplay Is Fueled By A Killer Soundtrack
No matter how many times the “You Died” screen pops up, I restart and keep pushing forward. Enter the Gungeon is punishing and hilarious. And its incredibly bad-ass soundtrack is what I love most about it. This year I discovered Doseone. After seeing him perform at Devolver Digital’s E3 parking lot party in June, I…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
How Originality And A Shaky Launch Crippled One Of 2017’s Best Games
DropMix is fantastic. With the holiday season coming to a close, it’s a darn shame more folks aren’t talking about Harmonix and Hasbro’s new musical card game. As the creator of the original Guitar Hero franchise, as well as its expanded-instrument successor Rock Band, Harmonix is no stranger to the world of risky rhythm endeavors.…
By Ben Bertoli Published December 30, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Trials And Tribulations of Shining In The Darkness
There’ve been lots of difficult games in my life. Shining in the Darkness was one of the hardest in my 16-bit era experience. A Sega Genesis game that was part dungeon crawler and part JRPG, Shining had a relentless enemy encounter rate and a Labyrinth that was very easy to get lost in. At the…
By Peter Tieryas Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
Star Vs The Forces Of Evil Has Dimensions Worth Exploring
Star Butterfly, the titular character of Star vs The Forces of Evil, is a perfect princess for a show that’s filled with rainbows and magic. Don’t be fooled, however, as this modern heroine is anything but the delicate pushover her name implies. Created by Daron Nefcy and currently airing on Disney XD, Star vs The…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published December 30, 2017 - Uncategorized
It’s The End Of The Year As We Know It, And We Feel Fine
Prepare to end 2017 with a bang alongside guest editors Ben Bertoli, Narelle Ho Sang, and Peter Teriyas. Boy howdy. What a year it’s been. Aside from all the terrible happenings in the world, 2017 was a surprisingly stellar year for gaming. The Switch brought Nintendo back into the home console spotlight, SEGA released a…
Ben, Narelle, and Peter Published December 30, 2017 - Esports
Police Kill 28-Year-Old After ‘Swatting’ Call [Update]
A 28-year-old man was shot and killed by a Wichita police officer after a reported hostage situation call last night. At a press conference this afternoon, Wichita police said it was a false call meant to draw SWAT officers to the scene, an act known as “swatting.” It appears to have been linked to an…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 29, 2017 - Culture
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
The weekend is for having just installed a new graphics card and being pretty pumped to cancel all your plans and see how great all your video games look now. Yay! While looking back, I realized it’s been about a year since I was determined to finish The Witcher 3, and yet, readers, I have…
By Riley MacLeod Published December 29, 2017 -
UncategorizedFinal Fantasy VIII Retrospective: The Greatest Love Story
How do you follow the biggest role-playing game of all time? How do you look at Final Fantasy VII and make something even better? If you’re Square in the 1990s, the answer is simple: You break everything. This is part eight of Kotaku’s Final Fantasy Retrospective, in which we take a look back at every…
By Jason Schreier Published December 29, 2017