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Plastic Gun Roleplay Leads to Call for Video Game Ban. Wait, What?
Donned in camo fatigues and bulletproof vests, four masked men were on a villa rooftop near a government building in Abu Dhabi. Special forces arrived and arrested the four men. The men were carrying fake guns as well as plastic and metal clubs. They were videotaping themselves roleplaying. According to daily newspaper The National, Col.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
Own a Little Piece of Indiana Jones: the Fate of Atlantis
Lucasarts (and Indy) fans, hold onto your fedoras: this arts & craft session is going to blow your mind. Super-fan Fedora Smith builds replicas and nick-nacks based on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones flicks. So his Flickr page is home to loads of amazing tributes to the franchises, like a perfect…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 -
UncategorizedAlice in Makielab Land
If you are a long, long time Kotaku reader, you’ll know that Wonderland‘s Alice Taylor once graced us with her writing talents, turning out witty and charming posts. Taylor’s also known for her work at Channel 4, where she commissioned award-winning games for the broadcaster. Her next venture is Makielab, a toy and game company.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 28, 2011 -
UncategorizedCan You Hunt Animals In the Uncanny Valley?
People always talk about the uncanny valley in terms of relating to a human face. Few people stop to wonder what it means for games—like Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2012 here—where you shoot innocent animals in the face instead.
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
Hey Japan, There Are Some PSP Value Packs!
For summer 2011, Sony is offering a trio of PSP value packs, each priced at ¥17,800 (US$220). They come in Piano Black, Vibrant Blue, and Blossom Pink. Colors we’ve seen before, but they go on sale July 28 in Japan. “PSP®「プレイステーション・ポータブル」（PSP-3000）バリューパック” 希望小売価格：17,800円（税込） 2011年7月28日（木）発売 [Sony]
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
Later Today, People Will be Playing Journey. Those Bastards.
Journey looks like one of 2011’s most interesting—not to mention most beautiful—games, indie downloadable title or not. It was playable for a very privileged few at E3, but over the next week will be playable by a slightly less privileged few. Sony will be running a closed beta for the exploration game, beginning today, June…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 - CultureTotal Recall
The Evolution of the PlayStation Control Pad
It’s perhaps the most iconic design in the world of game controllers, and definitely the longest-serving. Today in Total Recall, we look back at over 15 years of PlayStation control pads. The primary PlayStation controller’s basic appearance has survived with only minor changes since it accompanied the first console to the marketplace all the way…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 -
UncategorizedThese Ladies Know the Sweet Smell of Success
Every story’s gotta start somewhere. This one starts in Hiroshima, with three girls who had the same kanji character in their names, 香. The character means “fragrance”, and the group was Perfume. Formed in 2000, Perfume was Ayaka Nishiwaki, Yuka Kashino, and Yuka Kawashima, who soon left the group and was replaced by Ayano Omoto.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mass Effect is Inspired by…Final Fantasy?
Yes, while there are some obvious influences on BioWare’s Mass Effect series – like Syd Mead and Star Trek – there’s one that may have slipped under most people’s noses. And it’s not hard to see why. In an interview with Xbox World 360 magazine, Mass Effect 3 art director Derek Watts says that Final…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
Sony Says it was Hacked Because it “Tried to Protect its IP”
At a shareholders’ meeting in Tokyo today, Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer got up on stage and had to field questions about the recent PlayStation Network attacks, which resulted in one of the biggest thefts of personal details in the history of the internet. Brushing off calls for his resignation, Stringer explained why, he believes,…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 28, 2011 - Uncategorized
KABOOM!!
Kotaku! It’s getting hot out there, so let’s stay cool with another open thread, our nightly refuge against the heat and conversations that are JUST about video games. C’mon in, the comments are fine. I’ve got an early day tomorrow, heading to MTV in Santa Monica for a GameTrailers taping where I’ll be talking about…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Slew of Assassins, From Sexy to Cybernetic, Re-imagined for Assassin’s Creed: The Encyclopedia
Ubisoft will release Assassin’s Creed: The Encyclopedia as part of the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations “Animus Edition,” a super fancy, not very cheap limited edition for European gamers. That encyclopedia features some of the following artwork, assassin’s from all walks of life and stages of history. U.S. gamers won’t get the pricey “Animus Edition” with its…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 -
UncategorizedGalaga Legions DX Brings Total Space Madness To Xbox Live Arcade This Week
The next entry in Namco Bandai’s “Namco Generations” line and the follow-up to Pac-Man Championship Edition DX hits Xbox Live Arcade this week. Galaga Legions DX, a revamped Galaga Legions, might make you take video game epilepsy warnings more seriously. I played this spectacular and confusing shoot ’em up lightshow at E3 2011 and I’m…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 -
ReviewsThe WWE All Stars Mad Catz Brawl Pad, A Guest Review
Writer Andrew Monkelban knows a lot about the ins and outs of video game controllers. As a disabled gamer, Andrew uses a variety of game pads and sticks to play video games in creative ways—like beating Final Fantasy XIII on a fighting game pad. In his first guest review, Andy explains the benefits of Mad…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 - Uncategorized
Duel of the Links
Link and his evil other half designed in classic playing card style by Winter-Artwork. This Zelda themed design will be heading to fangamer.net very soon! Related Rampages: GI Bullet | Frosty Ice Kream (More) Duel Links by Winter-Artwork (Flickr) (Facebook) (Twitter) Via: winterartwork Need your daily fill of geek eye candy? If so, head over…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 - Uncategorized
Tiny Addictive Towers
Tiny TOWERING Towers | I lost much of my weekend to the iPhone’s Tiny Towers. And it wasn’t just me. Tristan and Trish too spent the weekend operating elevators, stocking stores and building floors. Damn you, Russ, Damn you to hell!!! (Photo by Brian Crecente) First Amendment Trumps California in Supreme Court Battle Over Violent…
By Brian Crecente Published June 27, 2011 -
UncategorizedFinally, Some Gameplay Footage of the Free To Play Tribes Ascend
The next Tribes game, Hi-Rez Studios’ Tribes Ascend, will be free. It’s the loadouts in this online PC shooter that will cost you. The developer of Tribes Ascend (and free to play online shooter Global Agenda) tells IGN that the game will take a different approach to free to play than games like Team Fortress…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011 - Uncategorized
‘Portalmon’ Design Now a Catchable, Testable T-Shirt [Updated]
Remember Matt Parson’s ‘Portalmon’ mash-up design? For the next 48 hours, you can now buy it as a lovely t-shirt for €20 (plus modest shipping). Update: Qwertee has set up a special promotion for Kotaku readers. Simply add the code ILoveKotaku when checking out to get the Portalmon tee for €10—half off!—with €3 shipping anywhere…
By Joel Johnson Published June 27, 2011 - Uncategorized
Kotick, Riccitiello, Levine and More Praise Supreme Court Victory
This morning the U.S. Supreme Court put to rest, perhaps finally, the debate over not only whether video games are protected speech, but whether they are art. We reached out to more than half a dozen of the best game makers and publishers in the U.S. to get their reaction. Read on to read what…
By Brian Crecente Published June 27, 2011 -
UncategorizedCrysis 2‘s Ultra Upgrade Explained In Pretty Images and Even Prettier Video
Don’t know your parallax occlusion mapping from your custom shape based bokeh depth of field effects? Don’t worry about it! Crytek, maker of Crysis 2, illustrates what new tessellation and displacement mapping technology, part of the game’s new “Ultra Upgrade” pack, means for you, PC gamer. The free DirectX 11 upgrade for Crysis 2—with a…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 27, 2011