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UncategorizedI’m Not Playing Angry Birds Anymore but New Characters like This Might Pull Me into Angry Birds Space
When you think about it, the Angry Birds are like the collectible guns of a first-person shooter. Once you unlock them, each type does something different. So, if the titular avians of Rovio’s ubiquitous mobile hit are weapons in their own war, the upcoming Angry Birds Space will be increasing their arsenal with a few…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
There is Almost Nothing Entertaining About a Broken Sword
In today’s 88 percent durable edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Deuxhero wonders why game developers continue to include breakable weapons in their adventure games long after the novelty has worn off. So what’s the deal with breakable weapons? Some games do it right, and they generally fall into two camps. One is the…
By Mike Fahey Published March 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
BioWare Says It Hasn’t Ruled Out Changing Mass Effect 3‘s Ending
The developer posted on Facebook today to say it is “collecting and considering” fan feedback about the controversial ending. BioWare did not mention whether it will be going to the FTC to complain about its fans. [Facebook]
By Jason Schreier Published March 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
Talk Amongst Yourselves
On Monday, the early bird gets the alien. Or something like that. No matter what time you wake up, you can still enjoy the talk in 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…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 19, 2012 -
UncategorizedWe Like Kid Icarus: Uprising So Far, Because It’s Weird.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is Nintendo’s big 3DS game of early 2012. Hyped since the early days of the 3DS as one of the major titles for the system, we’ve now been able to play the finished game. It’s fun. It’s weird. No, it’s very weird. We’re not ready to review it just yet. We want…
Kirk Hamilton & Stephen Totilo Published March 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
International Star Wars Fan Groups Now Accepting The Old Republic as Costume Canon
It may have Lucas’ blessing, but a Star Wars product isn’t a true Star Wars product until the fans accept it into their hearts, or their costuming communities. Both the Light and Dark sides of international Star Wars costuming organizations are now allowing applicants to submit outifts based on BioWare’s massively-multiplayer online role-playing game. While…
By Mike Fahey Published March 19, 2012 -
UncategorizedSleeping Dogs Looks Like the Shiny, Vulgar Hong Kong Gangster Video Game I’ve Been Waiting For
I got to play a video game that came back from the dead and feel pretty hopeful about its resurrection. That’s because Sleeping Dogs might just fulfill a very specific desire of mine, which is to play through a video game that takes its cues from the movies of, say, Johnnie To or Chan-Wook Park.…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
What Guild Wars 2 Questions Do You Want Answered?
Another round of Guild Wars 2 beta testing begins soon, and this time I around am arming myself with your questions before taking the plunge into Tyria once again. What can I do for you? Having already learned much of what I wanted to know during my Guild Wars 2 weekend experience last month, I’m…
By Mike Fahey Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Because Having One Class Is Never Enough for an RPG
The open Beta test for RAGNAROK Online 2: Legend of the Second started in Korea on Feb. 22 of this year. With completely new graphics, systems, and quests, the only thing intact from the original RAGNAROK Online is its settings and world. Here’s some insight on what is going on currently with the open beta…
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published March 19, 2012 -
Kotaku EastThis Girly Commercial Is Grossing People Out
Late last week, a new candy commercial featuring girl group AKB48 began broadcasting on Japanese television. In the commercial, young idols passed the chewy Puccho candy via mouth-to-mouth. Online in Japan, there were the typical, “Oh, this turns me on” or “I want to join in” type of comments, but also harsh criticism, too. “I’d…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Thieves Had No Place To Run, Except for an Internet Cafe
Two young men in Yueqing, Zhejiang Province China, were taken in by police earlier last week for pick-pocketing. The two young men in question, Xiao Pan and Xiao Bing, are only 17 and 14 years-old respectively. Xiao Pan had ran away from home and had been living on the streets for a while, surviving by…
By Eric Jou Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
From Chun-Li to Final Fantasy, This Lady Gets Thumbs-Up
Meet Mei Wei. She’s one of China’s top coplayers (or “coser” as they’re called there). She appears in Chinese cosplay mags, at game promotions, and at event after event. Mei Wei’s image appeared on the flier for China Joy’s cosplay event; China Joy, of course, is the country’s biggest game event. Hailing from Tianjin, she’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Why Come to China? One Foreign Game Developer Responds.
Game development in China is no longer just a domestic thing. Foreign power houses such as EA, Zynga, and Ubisoft have major studios working on big titles in China. However, many of their best console titles won’t reach Chinese players until either the game is released in PC in Chinese or pirated by Chinese hackers.…
By Eric Jou Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Would You Sniff this Gundam? It Smells Wonderful.
There’s been giant Gundams built in Japan from metal and screws—as well as whatever the hell China used for its knock-off. Now, it’s South Korea’s turn. This Gundam, dubbed “Surface Gundam”, was created for a Korean art exhibit, making it not only one of the best looking large Mobile Suit creations, but best smelling. お花で作られたガンダムがなんだか独特の雰囲気…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
The Wonderful and Seedy World of Chinese Arcades
Hot, loud, flashy, and incredibly smoky. These are some of the best ways to describe the sensation of walking into an arcade in China. And when walking in during peak hours, the lines to play the latest fighting games usually snake across cabinets. It’s interesting to see that China still has a flourishing arcade industry…
By Eric Jou Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Let’s Try Guessing Her Hair Color
Project A14, the newest of the Alchemy-based Atelier series game was just announced by Gust. The Japanese role-playing game is to be released on the PS3 platform in June. The newest title will have a whole new world, heroine, and system along with renewed designs based on the game’s theme, which is “The promise starts.”…
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
The Greatest Manga Screw-Up of 2012?
If not the greatest, this has to be one of the greatest you’ll see this year. The most recent issue of Comic Yurihime offered up a doozy of a printing error. On page 173, one of the characters of Yuru Yuri exclaimed, “These clothes are so cute,” while reading the magazine. The magazine was blank.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
I Love the Power Glove Space Suit. It’s so Bad.
Leave it to Japanese musician Verbal from hip-hop group M-Flo to take Power Glove to the next level. In the latest issue of rock and fashion mag EyesCream, Verbal talks about his forthcoming album and poses in a spiffy, custom-made Reebok astronaut outfit with dual-wielding Power Gloves, just begging for some cosmic Rad Racer action.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Inappropriate 3DS Game Gets Inappropriate Art
Nintendo 3DS game Senran Kagura featured large breasts because the game’s creator really wanted to see boobs in 3D. With that as a starting point, you can already imagine what sort of illustrations the game can inspire. You don’t have to! A recent exhibition showed a collection of 57 Senran Kagura illustrations from 50 artists.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Nintendo Says Japanese Newspaper Is Making Crap Up. Again.
Late last week, respected Japanese newspaper Nikkei (and seemingly Nintendo’s nemesis of late) reported that the Kyoto-based game maker would be launching the 3DS in South Korea next month. That launch would be followed by a release in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. According to the Nikkei piece (viewable here), Nintendo now looks at…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 19, 2012