Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest: The Kotaku Import Preview

When picking up Fire Emblem Fates, I had two choices: the stereotypical “good guy” story in Birthright, or the far darker “good people forced to do bad things” story in Conquest. Even as I slaughtered the would-be Birthright heroes, I was glad with the choice I made. Fire Emblem Fates is three games, not one—though…

Hi Chun-Li!

Yinxuan Dezarmenien is a freelance 3D artist based in France who suddenly has me wishing there was a legal loophole that would allow Chun-Li to appear in Disney Infinity. You can see more of Yinxuan’s work at herpersonal site and ArtStation page. To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big…

something something over 9000. Cosplay by MeganCoffey, photo by BriLan Imagery

Taking Mionix’s New Gaming Mouse For A Spin

For years now, Mionix mice have been my primary go-to for both gaming and work. Partly for their specs, sure, but mostly for the things most important to me as someone who spends 10-12 hours a day using a mouse: build quality and ergonomics. I need a mouse that feels good and lasts for years,…

Actual Archaeologist Is Digging Through World of Warcraft, Skyrim

Archaeologist Andrew Reinhard has dug through humanity’s past among ancient ruins in Greece. These days, though, he digs a little closer to home. There’sa great interview on Motherboard with Reinhard—who has a Masters in archaeology from University of Missouri-Columbia—where he talks about how he’s moved his work into video games, in what’s becoming known as…

Twitch Goes Too Far, Tries To Play Dark Souls

Twitch famously played through Pokemon. And Metal Gear. But that’s given them false confidence. The hive mind has grown drunk on power. They think they can beat Dark Souls. They can’t. Surely they can’t. They’ve gone too far this time. But holy hell, they’re going to try. Seriously, if they can get past the first…

Hi, Let’s Stream Some Metroid Prime [Stream Over]

I hear Metroid Prime is a pretty good game. Let’s stream it! After taking a few months off to play other things, I’ve come back to my first playthrough ofMetroid Prime I figured it’d be fun to stream some of the game as I go. The stream is over now, but you can watch the…

How To Unlock “Very High” Quality Streaming From Xbox One To PC

You might have noticed that the Xbox One-to-PC streaming currently on offer via Windows 10…doesn’t always look as good as you might have hoped. Turns out there’s sometimes a reason for that. And, as luck would have it, a workaround as well. Users are finding that in many circumstances, even when their internet+wifi speed should…

Deathclaws Just Wrecked My Fallout Shelter

They don’t call them ‘Deathclaws’ for nothing, you know. Fallout Shelter got a new update today, and with it came a bevy of new features. These include some gameplay tweaks, some bug fixes, and a fancy new robot butler known as Mr. Handy. Oh…and Deathclaws. Those are in there too. Players who have experienced Fallout…

Ask Dr. Nerdlove: My Husband Always Makes Me The Jerk

Hello, Internet! Welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating column that moonlights as one of the hard-rocking Hong Kong Cavaliers. This week it’s all about relationship maintenance. Just because you’re dating doesn’t mean you’re done bar the squishy noises. Whether it’s one partner doing most of the emotional (and literal) work or simply a…

Dragon Age: Inquisition’s New Descent DLC Is An Uneven Adventure

While its other qualities may be less evenly distributed, I can say this about the new Dragon Age: Inquisition expansion The Descent: The title is accurate. You spend the whole thing going down, down, down. Now, to be clear, we’re not talking about this kind of Descent: We’re also not talking about this kind of…

Nintendo Fires Employee For Speaking On Podcast

Last week, Nintendo localization editor Chris Pranger made an appearance on a small podcast called Part-Time Gamers. This week, Nintendo fired him. “Hello friends and family,” Pranger wrote in a heartbreaking public Facebook message this morning. “As many of you have probably seen, I am no longer at Nintendo. I was terminated this week due…

Heroes Of The Storm Games Are Getting Longer

A defining characteristic of Heroes of the Storm the developer Blizzard loves to highlight is the fact that average match lengths are much shorter than those in Dota 2 and League of Legends. While that’s still the case, data compiled by dedicated fans suggests HOTS game times are gradually increasing. Using data drawn from the…