• Uncategorized

  The Darkness Returns With Hellish Quad-Wielding Action

  Four years after his tremendous video game debut, comic book anti-hero Jackie Estacado returns in The Darkness II, and this time he’s bringing all four of his arms to bear at once. The Darkness is one of the greatest comic book video games of all time. The first-person shooter told the story of mob kid…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Your official Kotaku forum lives on, ready to host your comments about video games. Perhaps, dear Talk Amongst Yourselves readers, you’ve noticed the redesign. We’ll be moving more and more redesign discussion to #redesign, where I’m trying to keep people updated. (One of the problems, sadly, is that Reply Notifications and comment-expansion preferences are both…

  By Stephen Totilo Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Three New Looks At Gears of War 3

  A trio of new Gears of War 3 screenshots appear in a new Gamespot blurb for the game. Here’s one. Gears 3 hits Xbox 360s late this year. [Gears of War 3 Gamespot blurb]

  By Stephen Totilo Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Lego Video Games Should Be This Cool

  I like most of the Lego video games. They present breezy opportunities to fight and explore. Their charm compensates for an over-emphasis on collecting things. I like these games, but I don’t think they are as magnificent yet as this concept art for the spring’s Lego Pirates of the Caribbean Indiana Jones [Sorry! I got…

  By Stephen Totilo Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  Last Night’s Big Stories

  Sorry I couldn’t speak up! There were other people around wondering what the eff I was doing. I did it for you all! What you missed last night From Castle Crashers To…Cold War Missile Drama Mother Russia (in this case The Behemoth, developers of Castle Crashers) needs to send a care package to the capitalist…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Boy’s Xbox Spending Spree Bleeds His Single Mother Dry

  This is Brendan Jordan. He’s 11 years-old and he racked up £1082.52 (US$1,743.90) on Xbox Live. And now, his 37-year-old mom, Dawn, is working two jobs just to make ends meet. “When I put my card details in 18 months ago I thought it was just for his membership to play online with his friends,”…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Disabled Gamer’s Dead Space 2 Complaints Heard Loud And Clear

  Gareth Garratt, who has cerebral palsy, cannot use his hands to game and must control his mouse via his chin. And as Kotaku previously posted, he is campaigning to get customized controls for Dead Space 2. Ask and thy shall receive, because it looks like he’s getting just that. After purchasing Dead Space 2, Gareth…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Don’t Buy And Sell Pokemon Data In Japan, You’ll Make People Angry

  Japan is going a bit copyright crazy of late. It’s not cool to sell customized figures online, it’s not cool to rent video games in love hotels, and now, it’s apparently not cool to sell Pokémon save data. On Japan’s Yahoo! Auctions, there is a cottage industry in which saved in-game Pokémon are bought and…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Model Of Classic Shooter Painted In Pure Beauty

  Ikaruga, the 2001 shoot’em up, is a gorgeous looking game. So if an Ikaruga model is going to be an accurate reproduction, it needs to be gorgeous. This finished model does not disappoint. Late last fall, an unpainted version was shown at the All Japan Hobby Show in Tokyo. Here is a completed version, painted…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  From Castle Crashers To…Cold War Missile Drama

  Mother Russia (in this case The Behemoth, developers of Castle Crashers) needs to send a care package to the capitalist dogs in the United States. In a missile. And that’s where you come in. Super Soviet Missile Mastar is a free iPhone game released earlier this week that looks — and sounds — like it…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Nintendo 3DS Gets Aussie Price, Release Date

  The Nintendo 3DS will be released in Australia on March 31, and will sell for AUD$349. It’ll be available in black and blue, same as other Western markets.

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Nintendo Wanted To Drown Game Stores In Puppy Games

  There are three different versions of DS pet simulator Nintendogs: Dachshund, Lab and Chihuahua (later a Dalmatian version was released). But initially, Nintendo wanted more than three versions. Many more. “I think we internally began by discussing 12 versions,” says Nintendogs producer Hideki Konno. “No, it was 16 at first,” corrects Mario producer Shigeru Miyamoto…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Splinter Cell, Prince Of Persia HD Collections Coming To Xbox 360?

  According to the ESRB’s website, the Splinter Cell and prince of Persia HD collections due for the PlayStation 3 will also be making an appearance on the Xbox 360

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  These Games Had 2010’s Most Amazing Visuals (And Trailers!)

  Earlier this month, the Visual Effects Society honoured the winners of the 9th annual VES Awards, meant to recognise the best achievements in special effects and visuals for movies, commercials, TV, animation and, yes, video games. While Inception was the big winner on the night, taking home four awards, we’re more interested in who won…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  Japanese Cosplay Once Again Titillates, Surprises And Shocks

  Over the weekend, collectible figure event Wonder Festival steamrolled through Japan. We’ve already seen the figures. Now, let’s have a look at the cosplay. These are figurines, real-life ones. There are a wide array of gaming related cosplay, like Metal Gear Solid and Pokémon as well as movie, anime and manga characters. At events like…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  So, Video Games, Where Are All The Good Jokes?

  You ever wonder why there aren’t more genuinely funny video games? One of the few genuinely funny men in the business, Double-Fine’s Tim Schafer (Psychonauts, Full Throttle) has an idea. [image]

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Rival Company Wants The PS3 Taken Off Store Shelves

  Consumer electronics giant LG has asked the International Trade Commission to block the sale of PlayStation 3 consoles in the United States as part of a patent dispute. LG, who is itself facing similar charges from Sony, claims that several Sony Bravia television sets and Blu-Ray players — including the PlayStation 3 — infringe on…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• Uncategorized

  Are PS3 Games Getting Serial Numbers? We Sincerely Hope Not

  Sony is currently embroiled in a lawsuit against hackers who have managed to completely circumvent the PS3’s security system. While that could be bad news for them, there could also be bad news in store for all of us According to sources speaking with Dutch site PS3-Sense, Sony is preparing to implement a “serial code”…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  The Xbox 360 Game Bundled With A Vibrating Wand

  Some people play video games to relax. Other people do other things to relax — like get a massage. A new Japanese Xbox 360 game is combining both. The limited edition version of CROSS†CHANNEL comes packed with pocket-sized massager. Larger versions of these massagers are used to loosen stiff backs as well as loosen other…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011
• 

  Uncategorized

  North Korea May Be Japan’s Forbidden Bad Guys

  One of the last year’s most uncomfortable experiences was sitting in a room full of Japanese press and watching as North and South Korea united and then overran Japan. That experience, however, is now lost to time, and the game, first person shooter Homefront, is all the less interesting because of it. Homefront was written…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011