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Is the Pre-Rendered Cutscene a Gift or a Curse?
In today’s episode of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Aikage laments the general lack of pre-rendered cutscenes in today’s video games, a feature many were glad to see die out. Which side of the gorgeous CGI fence do you fall on? Maybe I’ve been playing the wrong games, but I miss the pre-rendered / anime…
By Mike Fahey Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Behold the Sleek and Sexy New Xbox 360 Bluetooth Headset and Media Remote
Last year Microsoft updated the white and clunky original Xbox 360 with the slim model, a slick black beast of a gaming console. Suddenly peripherals for the old system looked like ass in comparison. Today Microsoft fixes that, introducing the gorgeous new Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth and Xbox 360 Media Remote. Less high-tech…
By Mike Fahey Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Seize the day! For there is no day like TAYday to talk about video games. A very special thanks goes out to Brian H. May for today’s TAYpic. You too can create a featured Talk Amongst Yourselves image. The instructions to get on that path to glory are in our #TAYpics thread right here
By Sam Winstrom Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Look at One of 2012’s Most Promising Shooters
Plants Vs. Zombies, PixelJunk Monsters, Command & Conquer: A lot of video games come to mind when you first play Starhawk, none of them are shooters. But really, that’s what this game is. “We are definitely a shooter,” said Sony Santa Monica senior producer Harvard Bonin. “There are inspirations from real-time strategy and tower defense…
By Brian Crecente Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedDeathSmiles Makes Me Smile
Cave’s bullet hell shooters aren’t exactly the types of games many players don’t even like to play with control pads. So how’s this iPhone version supposed to work? Not too shabby, actually. Going into DeathSmiles, I was apprehensive. Previously, Cave brought Mushihimesama, a shooter I really like, to the iOS as Mushihimesama Bug Panic, a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Japanese Super Creators Making Social Games
Super Duper | TOKYO, JAPAN: Big name Japanese game designers like Yuji Naka, Keiji Inafune, and Goichi Suda eye social games. (Photo: Game Impress Watch) Boring Booth Babe Outfits, These Ain’t Wonder Festival is a bi-annual event to showcase gaming and anime figures and models. It’s also a chance to showcase fancy booth babe outfits.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Boring Booth Babe Outfits, These Ain’t
Wonder Festival is a bi-annual event to showcase gaming and anime figures and models. It’s also a chance to showcase fancy booth babe outfits. These aren’t typical booth babe outfits! These aren’t typical booth babes—née booth companions But for the Wonder Festival, cosplaying booth staff handing out fliers is typical—and welcomed. Check out the pics…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Nice Nintendo Gift for Quake Victims
An individual who apparently is in a refuge shelter because of the March 11 earthquake received a special package from Nintendo. This, it seems, is it. Nintendo is sending out DSi units with DS Terebi attachments. Released in 2007, DS Terebi is a 1seg-based tuner that enables the DS to receive 1seg television broadcasts. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Culture
This Concept Art Flies Right Into the Danger Zone
In 2008, publisher THQ shitcanned a project called Stormbirds, an aerial combat game that was looking to take on the likes of Ace Combat and HAWX While the game died, its surprisingly colourful art lives on, and today we’re looking at concept artist Stuart Jennett’s wonderful contributions. Jennett, formerly a comics artist with Marvel, is…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Even Nathan Fillion Wants you to Chill On the Uncharted Movie Talk
We get it. You want Nathan Fillion to play the part of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted movie. Sony knows it, we know it, Fillion knows it. He knows it so intimately, in fact, he’d like you to stop being so crazy about it. “I am certainly still interested in playing Nathan Drake”, the Firefly…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedA Robot Begins His DDR Odyssey
What are you doing this summer? This dude is having his robot friend Darwin pick up Dance Dance Revolution. Beats cutting grass! But if some DDR players think using the bar is poor form, what will they think about attaching oneself to it by velcro?! Next up, Mike is teaching Darwin to see the arrows…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
An Amazing Mass Effect Gun That Exists In the Real World
Harrison Krix, aka Volpin, is a master craftsman. We’ve featured his work here on Kotaku before, whether it be related to Portal or Fallout 3. But this Mass Effect 3 gun is on another level. At first glance, it’s no more impressive than his other guns. It doesn’t blink, for example. But a look at…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Quick! Zone of the Enders or Miku Hatsune Figures? Which Do You Want?
What do Gradius, Zone of the Enders, Love Plus, and Miku Hatsune have in common? Plastic! At the recent Wonder Festival in Tokyo, figurines and sculptures went on full display, with fan favorites like love sim Love Plus and virtual idol Miku Hatsune appearing in spades. Check out the images in the gallery, courtesy of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Ladies of Team Fortress 2
These aren’t the first depictions of Team Fortress 2‘s (mostly) male protagonists as women. Won’t be last, either. But it may well be the most adorable! Artist botjira’s take on the cartoon mercenaries as pin-up girls gets sexy when it has to, but mostly just keeps things cute. Though, going by the spirit of the…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
From Creepy to Cute, Cosplay at Wonder Festival
This weekend, the bi-annual Wonder Festival, an event for video game and anime figurines and sculptures, roared through Tokyo. And whenever there’s a nerd gathering, there’s gonna be cosplay. Sister site Kotaku Japan and website Gigazine were on hand to check out the festivities, the figures, and the costumes. 「TIGER & BUNNY」コスプレ, 「本気」スキル発動のジンオウガ装備＆『モンハン』, 「コード・オブ・プリンセス」コスプレ, アツい夏のホットな女子コスプレイヤーたち…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Former Microsoft Developer Killed In Traffic Accident
Former Microsoft Game Studios developer Steve Lacey, who had worked on titles like Crimson Skies and the Flight Simulator series, has been tragically killed when a drunk driver smashed into his car while trying to collide with another vehicle in an incident of “road rage”. Lacey was 43. [King5]
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Esports
Watch EVO 2011 Go Down from the Comfort of Your Couch
The world’s biggest, baddest fighting game tournament, EVO 2011, is fast approaching (it’s this weekend!), and if you can get there and see it in person, that’s awesome. If you can’t, that’s OK! You can still watch it from home. First things first, if you’re at a PC or are packing a laptop, you can…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedGlenn Beck, Nazi Germany, Angry Birds, Oh My!
Angry Birds is not just a game. See, the birds are angry because the pigs took their eggs—eggs the birds worked for. Redistribution of eggs, Nazi Germany, and comparing the police to pigs. A snippet of pundit Glenn Beck’s talkshow, courtesy of Jeff Grub at Bitmob Seriously, why would we play Angry Birds when Tiny…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Here’s One Theory Why Japanese Games Aren’t as Big as They Used to be
Ever since this console generation kicked off in 2005/06, Japanese developers have become increasingly irrelevant to the purchasing habits of many Western gamers. There are plenty of theories as to why this is. And Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki has one. “In Japan, in this industry, they are lacking not just in technology, but…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011