Crusader Kings II‘s New Roman Expansion Pack Wasn’t Built In A Day

No, it was built over a much longer period of time than that. But hopefully Legacy of Rome will be worth the wait—some of the DLC for the excellent strategy game has been disappointing, and some has been quite good. And let’s not forget that you can also mod CKII into the best Game of…

The Internet Game Critics Carry Madden NFL 13 to the 95 Yard Line

In a stunning upset over Madden NFL 13, Michael Fahey of the Atlanta Kotaku attempts to carry a football analogy too far and fumbles the ball. Then he explodes. And then there was a Frankenreview. It’s that time of year again. The time that I get swept up in the wave of Madden NFL fever,…

The NES Runs So Hot You Can Use It As A Toaster

This is just a render, but it almost seems a likely scenario. Be sure to expand for the full size. NES Toaster [deviantART via Inspirez via Ufunk]

I Learned How to Share My Toys By Kindergarten, But Modern Gaming Makes It Really Hard to Do

There are a few dozen games in our home that I haven’t really ever been able to play. The same goes for my spouse. It’s not a lack of interest, time, or ability that keeps each of us from experiencing these games; it’s Steam. Although Steam is hardly the only culprit, of course. Origin now…

Darksiders II is Incredibly Frustrating for the OCD Gamer

In today’s manic-action-packed installment of the TAY-powered Speak Up on Kotaku, our favorite OCD gamer, Daemon_Gildas, is on the verge of losing his shit over Darksiders II’s collectible chaos. So, I know I’ve complained about Mario games in the past for being absolutely atrocious for players with OCD, but it’s time to spread the love…

This NFL Player Would Like To Know Why Madden 13 Has The Wrong Photo For Him [UPDATE]

Pictured above is Marcus Thomas, defensive tackle for the New York Giants and a 76-overall player in Madden 13 Except that’s not the right Marcus Thomas. It’s actually the Marcus Thomas who hasn’t been in the league for three years. The Giants’ Marcus Thomas isn’t too pleased about this: This is what the defensive tackle…

Check Out How This Borderlands 2 Creature Evolves Into A Badass Version of Itself

Borderlands 2 will feature insect-like creatures similar to the ones you saw in the first first-person shooter/RPG hybrid from Gearbox. But Borderlands 2 enemies will grow right in front of your eyes if you don’t take them out quickly. The official Borderlands 2 Facebook page revealed this critter’s particular evolution today. Check it out in…

Why Did Scottie Pippen Come Around and Agree to Be in NBA 2K13? Ask His Wife.

From the sound of it, Jay-Z wasn’t the one who strong-armed Scottie Pippen into rejoining the Dream Team for NBA 2K13. It was Pippen’s wife and 11-year-old son. Pippen, the lone holdout of 12 superstars on the United States 1992 national team when 2K Sports announced it was bringing USA Basketball to NBA 2K13 this…

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan: The Kotaku Review

The Mass Effect games we play in the future could be so different from the ones we’ve been playing for the last seven years. That is one of the messages of Leviathan, the second single-player expansion to Mass Effect 3, the first since launch day. Here is a short, well-made $10 adventure set in the…

PlayStation All-Stars‘ newest fighter is Evil Cole. Is Sony running low on characters? Bring on Happy Kratos!

Four Comics That Will Seduce You This Week

If you’re here in the Panel Discussion programming block, you might be a lapsed comics reader, trying to find a way back to the JLA Satellite. Or you might someone killing time until you pick up your weekly Wednesday pull list. Or maybe you’ve said goodbye to dozens of longboxes to embrace the promise of…

Superman’s Match.com Profile Is Online Dating Kryptonite. What the Heck Is Wonder Woman Thinking?

I like Superman a lot. He gets a lot of flack for being a boring, all-powerful boy scout. But I feel like he’s a great, complex superhero character in the right hands. But, geez, if I saw his Match.com profile, I wouldn’t date him. All of nerddom has been atwitter over the announcement that Superman…

A New Dark Knight Returns Trailer Means We’re In For a Show, Kids

It’s a big deal when Batman disappears. It’s a bigger deal when he comes back. If you saw this summer’s The Dark Knight Rises, then the preview of the upcoming Dark Knight Returns animated movie above might feel a little familiar. Christopher Nolan’s film featured a beat-for-beat recreation of this iconic scene from Frank Miller’s…

When I Learned to Love Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby would have turned 95 today. So I guess now’s as good a time as any to say that I didn’t get him at first. The splayed, squared hands and gaping mouths that served as a signature of his style seemed frantic and feverish. They weren’t the smooth, Greco-Roman sculptures that first inspired wonder…

GameStop Is Now Selling Online-Only Strategy Guides For Some Reason

GameStop employees now have something new to harass you about: online-only guide packages. As part of a new program announced today, GameStop will sell digital strategy guides for games like Madden 13 and the upcoming Halo 4. Here’s the press release: Starting today, GameStop customers can purchase digital, web-access Prima eGuides at GameStop retail locations.…

Here’s a Piece of Adventure Time Dialogue Pen Ward Wrote Two Nights Ago

Last night I got to chat with Adventure Time creator Pen Ward about the upcoming 3DS game he’s co-writing. It’s called Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! As a huge fan of Pen Ward’s beloved animated series, I know this game could be awesome. Think about it: You can lead the…

A Team Of Seven Is Making A Game That ‘Shouldn’t Be Possible’

“We choose to go to the moon,” Hugh Jeremy says, “not because it’s easy but because it’s hard.” This oft-quoted John F. Kennedy line may very well be the mantra for the whole team at Unknown Worlds, the tiny studio behind the not-so-tiny game Natural Selection 2. They have only seven full-time staff. And they’re…

Colt Pokémon Keldeo is available now at GameStop. Get him in Black and White, transform him in Black and White 2

Scottie Pippen Changes His Mind and Will Appear on The Dream Team in NBA 2K13

Scottie Pippen will appear in NBA 2K13 as a member of the “Dream Team,” 2K Sports said moments ago. “Feedback on forums, social media, and community interactions were the driving force in influencing Pippen to sign a deal, as fans had shared widespread disappointment over his absence from the 1992 roster,” 2K Sports said in…

Clementine Holding a Gun Spells More Trouble for The Walking Dead

The third episode of Telltale’s episodic The Walking Dead series continues as of today on PSN (everyone else in North America will have to wait until tomorrow). Long Road Ahead, the third entry of the five-part season, will assuredly lead us all spiraling down to a gulf of bad decisions and unhappy situations. And I…