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Most Games are “Not Good Enough for Adults” Says Journey Creator
Jenova Chen thinks that video games don’t access enough of the human emotional spectrum. Sure, they do revenge and aggression well but they struggle to handle love or other kinds of deep connection. That’s why all of the games spearheaded by Chen—Flow, Flower and, most recently, Journey—have all proceeded from a clear mandate of wanting…
By Evan Narcisse Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Nominate Comment Of The Week Here (Plus A New Policy!)
Hello Kotaku. Happy Friday. Do you have good weekend plans? I was going to go to a concert, but now I have to cancel to play Dragon’s Dogma all weekend for review. Because of you. I blame you. Last week, Stephen asked you all to weigh in on what we’re doing over here at Kotaku.…
By Tina Amini Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Heavy Rain Creator “Not Interested in the Next Generation of Consoles”
We’re at a weird place in terms of expectations for the near-future of video games. Yesterday saw Epic Games unveiling the next iteration of their Unreal Engine and that— combined with a stream of leaks about the successors to the PS3 and Xbox 360—have people thinking about the possibilities of what’s next. But David Cage…
By Evan Narcisse Published May 18, 2012 -
ReviewsGame of Thrones: The Kotaku Review
I’ll confess: I really wanted to start this review with a choice quote from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels. “Winter is coming” is played, I just did a riff on “You Know Nothing, Jon Snow” the other week… maybe a less common one, like, “Jon Snow flexed his sword hand”…
By Kirk Hamilton Published May 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe World Revolves Around Video Games In Freddie W’s New Web Series
The first episode of Freddie W’s new Internet series, Video Game High School, is out. Episode 1 introduces us to the concept of the prestigious academy that is Video Game High School. I wish I lived in a world where video game skills were as highly regarded as they are in this show. Then again,…
By Tina Amini Published May 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedMy Compliments to Those Who Made This Could Hurt So Good
I’ve become so jaded by mobile gaming’s endless pleading for my attention that I recently removed every game from my iPhone except for three that I deeply admire. Today, I’m glad to add a fourth to that group: This Could Hurt by Orange Agenda. A shrewdly designed single-control platform challenge, This Could Hurt layers on…
By Owen Good Published May 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedNine Compelling Diablo III Features That Didn’t Make the Final Game
As I play through Diablo III, I can’t help but think back to all of the amazing features I witnessed over the course of three years of BlizzCon that didn’t make the cut. YouTube user AlluvianGarald compiles several of these into one disappointment-inducing video. The biggies are obvious. There’s the arena combat, which was shelved…
By Mike Fahey Published May 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedHere’s a Clip From Community, Entirely in 16-Bit Video Game Form
Do you love NBC’s comedy show, Community? I love Community. Though the show often pokes fun at film and television tropes—typically through the dorky, yet lovable character Abed—the characters sometimes toy around with video game jokes, too. Last night’s show was more than just a few funny video game quips and references. It was 20…
By Tina Amini Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Friday Watch This Play This
Watch! Missing content from Diablo III. Watch! I want to enroll in Video Game High School. Play! Owen takes on pain to protect the Great Oak in This Could Hurt on his iPhone. Watch! The cast of Community enters a video game.
By Tina Amini Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Borderlands 2 Loot Chest Wants to Get Players Pillaging
The team behind upcoming shooter Borderlands 2 first showed off their fancy loot chest last month at PAX East. The design came from community suggestions, made to look like the in-game loot chests, and they promised it would be filled with as-yet unannounced goodies. Well, now the goodies are announced. Nestled deeply in among the…
By Kate Cox Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
See How Spyro The Dragon Evolved In These Early Sketches
Sure, Spryo may be the ostensible core of Activision’s hit Skylanders franchise but once upon a time, he started off as a simple pencil-on-paper drawing. The sketches above come from an archive hosted at The Animation Academy and focus on the work of artist Charles Zembillas as he tried out multiple designs for the firebreathing…
By Evan Narcisse Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Talk Amongst Yourselves
It’s Friday and the power pellets are right around the coner. Welcome to Kotaku’s official forum, known affectionately as Talk Amongst Yourselves. This is the place where we gather on a daily basis to discuss all things video game and existential. Want to talk about new games, old games, games that aren’t even out yet?…
By Evan Narcisse Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Let’s Take These Games And Turn Them Into Dating Sims
Examining why I play the games I do sometimes yields surprising insight. It’s become clear to me that many of the games I like…are kind of dating simulators, despite what the presentation or marketing might suggest. I don’t think I’m supposed to admit that, though. To say something like that feels like losing legitimacy as…
By Patricia Hernandez Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
There’s a Mario Kart 7 Patch in This Week’s Nintendo Download
Thanks to advances in Nintendo downloadable content distribution, 3DS like Mario Kart 7 can now be patched to eliminate exploits. Awww man, I love exploits. But apparently Nintendon’t, so the “Wuhu Loop,” “Maka Wuhu,” and “Bowser Castle 1” maps have now been patched, and those patches are required for online play. Welcome to the future.…
By Mike Fahey Published May 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
You’ll Always Have Time for Treasure-Hunting With This Uncharted Watch
You idolize Nathan Drake. You half-tuck your henleys in the style of the handsome adventurer and quietly mutter to yourself when solving life’s puzzles. The only thing missing from your daily tribute to the PS3 hero is a rugged manly timepiece like the one Drake wears. Well, fret no longer. Over on Etsy, accessories designer…
By Evan Narcisse Published May 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedThere’s (Probably Not) a Full-Sized Chainsaw Wielding Cheerleader Robot in the Lollipop Chainsaw Special Edition
In fact, said special edition doesn’t actually exist, but if it did the ESRB rating would be through the roof. Blood, gore, adult situations and nudity, all before the game even makes it into your console. Completely fictional, of course. If the world could create robots that lifelike we’d be extinct within three generations. Think…
By Mike Fahey Published May 18, 2012 - Kotaku East
Schoolgirl Presidents, Aliens, and Super Saiyan Panda Fighting!
What if one day you went to sleep and when you woke up your teenaged neighbor was The President and you the vice president? Then what if all fell to you to defend the country from terrorists, a mad Korean dictator, crazed fanboys, and Josef Mengele—while returning everything to normal rested on the shoulders of…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published May 18, 2012 - Kotaku East
Tokyo’s Strict Poisonous Blowfish License Is Getting Lax
Fugu (blowfish) is a delicacy in Japan. If it’s not prepared correctly, the result is death. Since fewer people have died from fugu poisoning in recent years, the Tokyo government decided that, hey, it should lower the strict licensing required to prepare the fish. You follow that logic? Between 2000 and 2009, there were 338…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2012 -
Kotaku EastYour Favorite Games Get Anime Openings
Japanese video-sharing site NicoNico Douga is well known for having its own unique net culture and memes. One of the most interesting of these is the “tegaki” style of video. “Tegaki,” literally meaning “hand-drawn,” refers to a type of video where a popular clip —usually an anime or video game opening—is altered to portray a…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published May 18, 2012 - Kotaku East
Let Chun-Li Kick You in the Face with New Project X Zone Screens
Upcoming 3DS collaboration Project X Zone sure is getting crowded. Here’s a look at the latest screens of the pair-based combat game. From what I’ve seen so far, I quite like the game’s look. Hope I like how it plays. 『PROJECT X ZONE（プロジェクト クロスゾーン）』新たな登場キャラと戦闘システムを紹介 [Famitsu]
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 18, 2012