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  These Video Game Shootings Might Gross You Out a Little

  The recently-released Sniper Elite V2 is, for want of a more in-depth review, a pretty lacklustre third-person stealth/action game punctuated by moments of extreme excitement. Those are the times you actually get to do some proper sniping. And, as you can see in this video (be sure to click the “HD” button first to see…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  One Man’s Quest to Redesign a Video Game

  Jet Moto, aka Jet Rider, is a bit of a cult classic from the PlayStation days. It did well enough to get a bunch of sequels, but even then, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a new game in the series. Which has upset designer Ian Galvin, enough to drive him to imagine…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  Today is “International Day Against DRM”

  DRM, or Digital Rights Management, is the system whereby restrictions are placed upon the use of your content by the people who made or sold you said content. It affects all mediums, from e-books to movies, but it’s especially important/hated in the video game industry for the way it’s implemented on certain games, especially those…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
• Culture

  From EVE Online to…Deadwood?

  Andrei Cristea is a lead character artist at CCP, the developers behind EVE Online. You know those awesome human face screenshots we showed you the other day? That’s the team Andrei is on, with work pioneered by guys like Jeff Miller and Vigfus Omarsson. But pretty faces and hair aren’t all Andrei can do. So…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  First Elder Scrolls Online Details Make it Sound Like Just Another Fantasy MMO

  The issue of Game Informer packed with info on the newly-announced Elder Scrolls MMO is already in some people’s hands and, well, if you were hoping for a game that was basically Skyrim only with real people, you’re in for one hell of a disappointment. From everything contained in the article, it sounds like “Elder…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  You’re Now Drawing Ads in Draw Something

  Once was a time there were just normal ads in Draw Something. Now, thanks to research by the game’s new owners Zynga, you’re actually drawing advertisements. Having quietly tested the idea with more iconic brands like Nike, KFC and Doritos – “People loved to draw the Colonel and bags of Doritos”, says Zynga’s Dan Porter…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  Asshole Sims Won’t Let Fish Babies Sleep

  When Stephen said an eye needed to be kept out on the “Sims Gone Wrong” tumblr – showing the wonderful ways one of the biggest games on the planet can break – he wasn’t kidding. Hey, buddy. The fish baby is just trying to get some sleep. Don’t be a jerk. Just gonna sit here…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  PRESS ALL THE BUTTONS

  Stock images, TV, movies, they all usually shows people playing video games doing one of either three things: boasting like madmen, staring at a screen like a zombie or smashing something in frustration. The first and last are extremes for extreme people, and the middle is what happens when you play by yourself. What they…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  Tell EA What You Really Think of Origin

  Electronic Arts has run a surprisingly frank piece on the Origin blog, which basically amounts to “yeah, we know, this service isn’t that great, so tell us how we can fix things”. Which means we should all tell them how to fix things. But here’s the thing: let’s try and be adults about it, OK?…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
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  “Acclaimed Artist” Actually Just Stole Video Game Images, Printed Them Off

  So an “artist” by the name of Iani Papadopol recently held an exhibition in Romania called “UpDate 3D Loading”. It was a local hit because the “paintings” he showed off were, for a guy nobody had ever heard of, amazing. Turns out there was a reason for that. He’d stolen them. The images turned out…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2012
• CultureTotal Recall

  Cover Your Eyes, it’s the Horror of Third-Party N64 Contollers

  I hated the N64 pad. Hated it. Didn’t like the button placement, didn’t like the ergonomics, really didin’t like the fact the little joystick was broken on half the controllers you ever picked up. But you know what? I could easily live with it if I had the choice between Nintendo’s official pad and those…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 3, 2012
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  CultureTotal Recall

  “Celebrate” May 4th With Possibly the Worst Star Wars Video Game Ever Made

  There are loads of terrible Star Wars games. We’ve talked about them here before. But there’s different reasons someone can say a game is terrible. They might not like the genre, or the platform, or the way the game has treated the Star Wars canon. One thing many will agree on, though, is that the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published May 3, 2012
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  Into Each Generation, A Slayer Is Born

  Hello Kotaku. Welcome to your Thursday night open thread. Who’s this sitting next to me? Oh, that’s just Mr. Pointy. Say hello to the readers, Mr. Pointy! Here, from the internet, are some things to talk about. Man, I can’t believe this is official Obama merch – Also, I want one. If Aaron Sorkin had…

  By Kirk Hamilton Published May 3, 2012
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  Minecraft Creator Calls Electronic Arts a ‘Bunch of Cynical Bastards’

  The hip, small-time boutique publishing label Electronic Arts revealed its “Indie Bundle” yesterday—curiously for sale over Steam and not Origin, and there was a passionate response from many observers of the video game artistic community. Including Markus “Notch” Persson, better known as the creator of uber-indie hit Minecraft “EA releases an ‘indie bundle’? That’s not…

  By Owen Good Published May 3, 2012
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  No One is More Prepared to Play Diablo III Than This Guy

  It’s less than two weeks before the release of the most eagerly anticipated PC (and Mac!) game of the year. Some of us are pretty excited about it. This guy is way beyond that. Diablo III forum-goer Scrambles shared his preparations with the game community yesterday, linking a few pictures of his new computer setup…

  By Mike Fahey Published May 3, 2012
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  No Instrumental Cover Has Ever Done Justice to Metroid’s “Brinstar”

  We’ve heard all of the Super Mario Bros. themes performed by an orchestra. Simon Viklund’s blood-pumping update of the Bionic Commando soundtrack is still on my workout playlist. And this version of Tecmo Super Bowl‘s opening cinematic makes me eat lightning and crap thunder. The great NES chiptunes of the past have all had great…

  By Owen Good Published May 3, 2012
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  From Uematsu to Lucasarts: A Kotaku Melodic Mix-Tape Roundup

  Ever since we started Kotaku Melodic, our own video master Chris Person has been creating lovely Mixtapes featuring various themes, composers, genres and games. I’ve loved every one of them, and I thought this week would be a good time to share his first seven mixtapes in one place. Here now, the first seven volumes…

  By Kirk Hamilton Published May 3, 2012
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  The Melodic Mailbag Returns Next Week

  Got questions about music and video games? We got answers! The Melodic Mailbag will be back next week, so email me your questions at [email protected]. Put “Melodic” in the subject line.

  By Kirk Hamilton Published May 3, 2012
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  The Elder Scrolls Online‘s Massive Soundtrack Could Unite All of Tamriel

  Today, Bethesda officially announced The Elder Scrolls Online, which will allow players to enter the vast land of Tamriel. I agree with the five things that Mike said he’d like to see in the game. But the moment I heard the announcement, I coudn’t help but imagine that the game might include the music of…

  By Kirk Hamilton Published May 3, 2012
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  How A Video Game Rock Band Made Me Long for Winter in Toronto

  I’ve only been to Toronto once, and it was in high school for a band trip. I think we went to “Medieval Times”? But the New York-based chiptune/rock band Anamanaguchi makes me want to go back. Not for any big event or anything, just to sort of slack off and wander around. Maybe get into…

  By Kirk Hamilton Published May 3, 2012