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Mass Effect Prankster Livens Up TV Show
Q&A, an Australian current affairs program, ran an episode over the weekend about Easter. A big part of the show is that, while conversations are taking place in the studio, a ticker on the bottom of the screen lets viewers get their $0.02 in. Given the topic involved religion, then, it’s easy seeing how ceekel…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 - Uncategorized
Bulletstorm Probably Won’t Get a Sequel, PC Pirates Blamed for Poor Sales
Bulletstorm, one of 2011’s more surprising critical successes, wasn’t as big a hit at the register, with Epic Games boss Mike Capps telling GameSpot that “From a sales perspective it was good, but not amazing. I think EA was hoping we’d do better.” In terms of whether this means we’ll see a sequel or not,…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 -
UncategorizedIs This Footage From Valve’s Mysterious Space Game?
It’s been whispered about for years now that Half-life creators Valve either are, or at least were, working on some kind of sci-fi game. There were rumours, there was rumoured concept art of spaceships, and now there might be test footage of the game (or at least its universe) in action as well. Gray Horsfield,…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Cutest Damn Video Game, Comic and Movie Stars You’ve Ever Seen
Artist Mike Mitchell recently held a show at the kinda-famous Gallery 1988, in which he showed off a whole ton of nerd superstars with enormous heads, enormous eyes and tiny, tiny little arms. You can buy prints of just about all of these from Gallery 1988’s site, or if you’re after something more authentic, some…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 10, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallIn 1974, Arthur C. Clarke Predicted the 2001 Internet
Not just as a vague concept, either. The famed science fiction author absolutely nails it, from the bank statements to the hardware to the social changes to the possibilities for communication. “Visionary” is an awful, over-used word, but it’s cases like this which are the rare exceptions you can actually use it and it fits.…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallRIP, the Man who Helped Get me Into Video Games
When I was four years old, my father took me out to a local electronics store and said we were buying a computer. OK, I thought, not really knowing why that was such a big deal. Twenty-seven years later, I now know it was one of the most significant days of my life. That day…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Wait, I’m Doing the Open Thread Tonight? Quick, Find Me a Cat With a Cherry!
Thank goodness for Reddit. Otherwise you’d be staring at something other than this picture of a cat with a cherry right now, and that headline would make absolutely no sense. Kirk is out today, having traveled to Imagination Land to be given the key to the city for his bravery in doing something very brave…
By Mike Fahey Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedGrand Theft Auto: Iraq is no Game, It’s Just Assholes With Guns
Mercenary outfit Blackwater has been accused of some pretty terrible things during its time operating as a “security contractor” in Iraq. Something captured in these shocking videos. Part of a great feature over on Harper’s (registration required), they show what happens when angry men are overpaid and set loose on a country that, while everyone…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe Guild Wars 2 Collector’s Edition is That Much More Enticing When Set to Music
Perhaps a mere picture of the Guild Wars 2 collector’s edition wasn’t enough for you. Perhaps early access and name reservation isn’t your thing. No, that’s not it. You just haven’t seen it in video form with a dramatic score. Prepare yourself. Guild Wars 2 pre-purchase begins tomorrow, giving gamers all around the world (well,…
By Mike Fahey Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Has A Horde Mode, Too
Developer/publisher Ubisoft didn’t show off much of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier at PAX East. I experienced the tactical shooter through rounds of Guerilla mode, tackling up to 50 waves of increasingly difficult hordes of soldier enemies with three fellow elite Ghosts. For those not familiar with the franchise, it’s easy to recognize the heavy emphasis…
By Tina Amini Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedFighting Gamers Tell Their Stories of Loss And Redemption
Competitive gamers play to win — it goes without saying, really. The desire to come out on top is what motivates almost every conflict, especially among professional and competitive fighting gamers. But every time there’s a winner, there’s a loser. And even the best players can’t go forever undefeated. Fighting game site I Play Winner…
By Kate Cox Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedWatch One Unpredictable Match Of Skulls of the Shogun Right Now
Every time I write about Skulls of the Shogun, I use the same buzzwords: “Advance Wars.” “Wu-Tang Clan.” It’s one of the most stylish turn-based strategy games on the horizon. And it plays really well. It’s streamlined and complex at the same time. It’s stuffed with a 15-hour campaign and four-army multiplayer. Do I need…
By Stephen Totilo Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedBook Two of Dragon Fantasy Is Pure Super Nintendo RPG Nostalgia
Book One of Adam Rippon’s Dragon Fantasy was non-stop 8-bit nostalgia. Book Two doubles that. You can get a brief glimpse of the upcoming indie role-playing game in this video, shot at PAX East last weekend. The first few episodes of Dragon Fantasy are already out on the iTunes Store, but the new-and-improved 16-bit second…
By Jason Schreier Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedA Heist Game Forever In the Making, Monaco Looks Spectacular
Later this week, the indie game Fez will be released, and so we’ll need to give some new game to title of Coolest-Looking-Indie-We-Can’t-All-Play-Yet. Which game deserves it? Spy Party? The Witness? I submit that Monaco, the co-op heist game from Andy Schatz, is a game for this throne. The video here makes the argument. Monaco…
By Stephen Totilo Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedNew Characters, Monsters, Traps Ensure That Orcs Must Die Again
Here’s the PAX East demo of Orcs Must Die 2, the sequel to last fall’s popular downloadable tower defense game. Although we didn’t get a chance to check out the new cooperative mode in this PC-exclusive sequel, we did see the new Sorceress class and some of the new physics mechanics. And you can hear…
By Jason Schreier Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedTake This 20-Question Video Game Quiz. It’s Gorgeous.
This neat, super-tricky video will put your video game knowledge to the test. Can you guess all 20 games these planets are from? Check the YouTube description for the full list of answers. [YouTube]
By Jason Schreier Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
David Gaider, Ken Levine, and Chris Avellone Discuss What Matters Most in Games: the Words or the World?
This Saturday, at PAX East, I had the pleasure of attending the “Plot vs. Play” panel, moderated by Joystiq’s Ben Gilbert and Kotaku‘s own Jason Schreier. The panel brought together three developers who have all worked on landmark, story-driven games to discuss their differing philosophies on the presence and purpose of story in gaming. Ken…
By Kate Cox Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Cranky Merlin Hates All the Magical Flirting in This Demon Knights #8 Preview
Listen: all you gamers who grew up on Dungeon & Dragons, R.A. Salvatore or Gauntlet should be reading DC Comics’ Demon Knights. Written by Paul Cornell, the monthly series throws together a motley crew of medieval adventurers out to defeat powerful necromancers for personal reasons that vary wildly. The basic approach may sound like standard…
By Evan Narcisse Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Unlikely Fan Fiction Crossover Battle: Link Encounters Resistance
Colorful. Bright. Cartoonish. These are all adjectives used to describe the light-hearted and airy adventures found in Insomniac’s Resistance series. What happens when Nintendo’s dark anti-hero Link comes on the scene? Glorious chaos. In the realm of video game crossover fan fiction there are plenty of pairings that make perfect sense. Mega Man and Street…
By Mike Fahey Published April 9, 2012