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I’ve Played Deus Ex. She Hasn’t. Now We’re Playing It Together
Earlier this year, games journalist-about-town (and Kotaku columnist) Leigh Alexander and I did a little experiment—I had never played the classic JRPG Final Fantasy VII, a game that she counts among her very favorites. The idea was that I would play the game for the first time, and as I went through it, we’d write…
Kirk Hamilton & Leigh Alexander Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Activision Says No Thanks to Facebook Gaming Because It’s Already Kicking Ass In Pay-to-Play
The CEO of Activision Publishing (that’s not Bobby Kotick—he is the CEO of Activision Blizzard) pointedly said his division does not share rival Electronic Arts’ interest in Facebook gaming because “Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game.” Ruh roh. That’s another bon mot offered by Eric Hirshberg at the…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Whole Lot of Mega Man and 8 Million new Spider-People Headline a Big Week in New Comics
There are new comics out every week, but this week doesn’t just have a strong batch of new books that are hitting store shelves. It’s also got an unusually strong amount of legitimate digital downloadable comics, including a re-issuing of a few issues of the Detroit-era Justice League of America. You know, the worst incarnation…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Marvel Vs. Cute Capcom
MvC – Yes, yes. I’m going a bit Minimates crazy lately, but those tiny bat wings are just SO cute. Gamification is Bullshit In his short treatise On Bullshit, the moral philosopher Harry Frankfurt gives us a useful theory of bullshit. We normally think of bullshit as a synonym-albeit a somewhat vulgar one-for lies or…
By Brian Crecente Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Epic Mickey Lands In Japan, But Is Less Epic Than Kirby
Disney’s Epic Mickey made its (rather late) to the Wii in Japan last week, debuting in the top ten, but not in the top five. Another adorable mascot, Nintendo’s Kirby, fared much better overseas. The week’s real winner, however, was Sega’s J-League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 7 Euro Plus for PSP. The soccer sim…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Komes to Blu-ray This November
The nine episode web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy will come to a Blu-ray near you this November, courtesy of Warner Bros. and director Kevin Tancharoen, delivering live action Jax, Sonya, Scorpion, Sub-Zero and more onto one high-def disc. Hi-Def Digest has details on the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Blu-ray, hitting November 8 for $19.98 USD, revealing…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Madden Munchies Find a Winning Flavor and Stick With It
Following a breakout rookie year, “Stadium Nacho,” the Madden NFL Dorito flavor, returns for a sophomore campaign on grocery shelves. There’s free stuff in the bag, too. “Stadium Nacho” helped right the ship with stoners after a meal deal with with Kentucky Fried Chicken turned in a Jamarcus-esque performance in 2009. Nacho overshadowed teammate “Tailgater…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Fan Pleas for Half-Life 3 Enter Negotiating-via-Cardboard Phase
The two guys on the left showed up at Valve Software recently, hoping the guy on the right would hear (or read) their plea. I’m a little confused, though. Is the guy all the way on the left saying that Canada wants Half-Life 3 to be released? Or is he offering to trade Canada for…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
PvP and Penny Arcade Turn The Horrors of Game Testing Into Our Own Version of The Office
I’ve never been a game tester, not by choice, but reviewer is often one step up from that front line in the war against game-killing bugs. Testing by accident, finding bugs and even having a few “named” after me, is painless for me because I can just give up, waving the controller in the air…
By Brian Crecente Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedI Think the PlayStation People are Trying to Hypnotize Us
There’s some sort of writing on the European PlayStation blog about the Dazzle Eye dynamic theme for the PlayStation 3 and PSP. Artists’ project, platform for creativity, etc., etc…. something about the pattern for Dazzle Eye originating in a World War I design that was intended “to bewilder the enemy.” Press play on the video…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedThis Lizard Piggy Went to Anarchy Reigns
The latest addition to the cast of Platinum Games’ battle royale, Anarchy Reigns, also carries the best name of the bunch: Oinkie. Oinkie is a human mutant that uses a substance called “The Juice” to transform him from pig creature to lizard pig creature, sort of a Spider-Ham meets the Lizard meets the Kingpin, with…
By Mike Fahey Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedMight and Magic Heroes VI Gets an Announcement Trailer for Its Announcement Trailer.
I confess, I find the practice of teasing a future tease frustrating, and I’m not quite sure why the video game hype machine is so fond of this. It befuddles me. The actual “trailer” in question however, is not befuddling, but quite rousing, in an inspiring, high fantasy manner. But again. Using a tease to…
By Joshua Rivera Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedJonathan Blow, Opinionated Creator of Two Video Games, is ‘Attempting to be Profound’
Jonathan Blow is a video game developer whose critics call pretentious and grouchy. He once had the audacity to wonder aloud why more people don’t make video games for adults who like reading books. That was some time after he had the temerity to criticize the game-making of the geniuses at Nintendo. That was also…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Rock Band 3 Has A New Publisher—Mad Catz!
Harmonix’s rock solid 2010 rock ‘n’ roll game Rock Band 3 will be re-released later this year under the guidance of a new publisher, Mad Catz. That’s right. The people who make Rock Band guitar and keyboard controllers are now publishing the game. Mad Catz, better known for its joysticks, gamepads and expensive flight sim…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
So You Want to Score a 3DS for $170 Two Days Early?
In addition to news that Wal-Mart was getting all antsy and selling the 3DS for $170 before its official August 12 price drop, shoppers on Twitter and Cheap Ass Gamer are also reporting that Target has also joined Wal-Mart in dropping the price early. We called a few Target locations, and while most still quote…
By Joshua Rivera Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
That Awesome “Revenge of the Jedi” Moment in Bioshock Infinite? That Came from a Game We’ll Never See
Near the beginning of the E3 demo of Irrational Games’ Bioshock Infinite, there’s a moment when… well, it’s the sort of thing that when you talk to other people who have seen it you say, “You know… that part?” And they nod knowingly and say, “Oh yeah. That part. That was awesome.” It starts when…
By Kirk Hamilton Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Todd Hollenshead Explains Why Quake Live Isn’t a Success Yet
Quake Live is a browser based free-to-play version of the classic FPS Quake III Arena that has been out of beta for a year. In a recent interview with VG24/7 id CEO Todd Hollenshead discussed what hasn’t gone right. “The thing for us with Quake Live is that there’s one specific thing that can be…
By Max Abrams Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Five Disappointing Things About My First Hours on Dead Island
From its bittersweet debut trailer to its brutally gore-ified combat, Dead Island has captured the attention of zombie gamer around the globe. Earlier this week it captured my attention for several hours, and I wasn’t entirely pleased. We’ve seen plenty of Dead Island here at Kotaku since it made a splash earlier this year. Drew…
By Mike Fahey Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedThe Astounding Talking Wheatley Puppet Overcomes Valve’s Design Flaws
During the creator’s commentary in Portal 2, Valve animator Richard Lord called the eye portion of lovable personality sphere Wheatley’s design a physical impossibility. Cosplayer Furin’s talking Wheatley puppet seems to have done well enough. After Portal 2‘s release made her switch gears from her planned Fullmetal Alchemist cosplay for this year’s Dragon*Con, cosplayer Furin…
By Mike Fahey Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedResistance 3 Dev Diary Highlights the Most Underrepresented Aspect of Game Development
The new Resistance 3 Dev Diary says it’s about the game’s motion capture. And yes, for the most part, that’s true. But it also spends a fair amount of time delving into something that I feel isn’t shown nearly enough by devs in this era of AAA titles that routinely feature plots in which entire…
By Joshua Rivera Published August 10, 2011