• Reviews

  Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies Review: Do Good, Inc.

  Be a hero. Be yourself. Do good in Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, a game in which you play a fallen angel trying to help other people down on their luck. As the mute warrior that will bear whatever name you’ll give him or her, you’ll join a randomly generated squad of…

  By Michael McWhertor Published July 23, 2010
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  Killzone 3 Looks Great, Plays Different, Sort Of Adds Yoshi

  I got my first hands-on with the PlayStation 3’s Killzone 3 this week. Fantastic graphics are a franchise given. I liked how this one plays and how it made me think of Mario’s dino. Killzone 3 plays faster than Killzone 2. It is still a first-person futuristic war shooter with a cover system, but development…

  By Stephen Totilo Published July 23, 2010
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  The Game Narrative Triangle

  There doesn’t seem to be a lot going on in the game scene right now (at least for people not interested in motion controls, ever-more-unsettling modern war shooters and misjudged forum policies), so I’m taking advantage of the quiet time to go back some of the basic structures in games. Today I’m taking a first-principles…

  Fraser Allison Published July 23, 2010
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  Green Lantern’s Light Shines In Rise Of The Manhunters

  In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s video game tie-in to next year’s live-action Green Lantern movie. It took a major motion picture starring Ryan Reynolds in a silly costume for Green Lantern to finally get his own video game, and for…

  By Mike Fahey Published July 23, 2010
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Readers of Talk Amongst Yourselves, did you ever feel like you’ve been cheated on? We will persevere! Talk here about video games please. Want to know more about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ

  By Stephen Totilo Published July 23, 2010
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  Neil Patrick Harris One of The Many Voices Of Spider-Man in New Game

  Neil Patrick Harris, the man behind Dr. Horrible and How I Met Your Mother’s Barney Stinson, will be the voice of one of the four different Spider-Men in Activision’s upcoming Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, according to the publisher. Harris will voice the Amazing Spider-Man, while voice actor Josh Keaton will be Ultimate Spider-Man, Christopher Daniel Barnes…

  By Brian Crecente Published July 23, 2010
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  Ants, Meet Vacuum Cleaner

  To: Crecente From: Ashcraft RE: Three for Three Haven’t read any of those yet. Reading through a Kurt Vonnegut book for the umpteenth time. Did I ever tell you I have Kurt Vonnegut’s autograph? I do. Oh yes. I made it through a week! I have survived! The child, Micro-Bash, is alive! Yay! One more…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  About The Time Darth Vader Robbed A Bank

  Vader held up a bank in Long Island, New York on Thursday. As seen on Boing Boing

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  First Look At Akai Katana Bullet Hell

  Cave, the studio behind countless shmup classics, is releasing a new maniac shooter for Japanese arcades. This is it. There hasn’t been much info about the game, but the game is a horizontal shooter. Interesting as the vast majority of Cave shooting games are vertical. Check out the video, filmed during the game’s location test…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  The Games To Play When You’re Not Playing Starcraft

  If the extent of your real-time strategy gaming extends to playing Starcraft and pre-ordering Starcraft II, boy have you missed a lot in the last ten years. While Starcraft II looks pretty great, we know from the beta that the fundamentals of the game remain largely unchanged since the 1998 original. If you want more…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  The 8-Bit Cities Of The World

  I recently did a spot of world travel, and while Google Maps was very helpful, it didn’t look (to me at least) enough like an 8-bit video game. Continuing a project that began with a map of New York City, the 8-Bit Cities Project has since expanded to include a number of other major locations,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  Nintendo DS Love Simulator Getting Arcade Version

  Busy this weekend? Those in Tokyo, you can check out the arcade version of Konami’s love simulator Love Plus. Or you can do something else. It’s really up to you. Not me. Details about the arcade version are scarce, but it looks like it will have a touch screen for players to touch. Love Plus…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  More LEGO Universe Trailers Than You Can Throw A 4×2 Brick At

  Warner Bros. has today released not one, not two, but three new trailers for upcoming MMO LEGO Universe. The one above is a charming piece. And while half of it is blown on the world’s nicest LEGO fan, the other half is a nice guided tour of some of the games’ fundamentals. If it’s 100%…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  Would You Like To Sing With Robbie Williams?

  Robbie Williams, whom Noel Gallagher once called “the fat dancer from Take That“, is returning to boy band Take That. He is also releasing a music game. We Sing: Robbie Williams features some of the popstar’s biggest solo hits. Like? Angels Let Me Entertain You She’s The One Old Before I Die While the full…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  Mafia II Makes A Demo You Can’t Refuse

  A playable demo for Mafia II will be released worldwide on August 10 for PC, 360 and PS3.

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  The Multiple Killers Of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

  Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, out this November, brings multiplayer to Ubisoft’s flagship franchise for the first time. It also brings men in funny masks, and women a little short on practical clothing. I appreciate the fact most of this trailer is, if not in-game, then at least in-engine, but all I’m seeing here is a bunch…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  Extra Character Slots For Super Street Fighter IV Arcade

  Capcom has already teased “new challengers” for Super Street Fighter IV arcade. At a recent location test, it was discovered that Capcom apparently has space for them, too. Pictured is the character selection screen for the arcade version of the game. There appear to be two blank slots, one on the right and one on…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  Gold Farming Research Digs Up Similarities With Drug Dealers

  A study by a student at the University of Minnesota suggests that gold farmers – the unscrupulous salt mine workers of the MMO world – have a lot in common with other undesirable lots, like drug dealers and street gangs. Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad, a PhD student, compared the structure of a group of gold farmers…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010
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  Guess What Inspired Vanquish’s Backgrounds

  You might be surprised. Previously, game designer Shinji Mikami revealed that Vanquish was initially inspired by Casshern. I can see that as there is a definite Casshern vibe going on. Now? Now he has revealed that the game’s backgrounds have been influenced by the so-so medieval romance Tristan & Isolde. Yeah, I can’t see that…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 23, 2010
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  Halo: Reach Also Gets A Wireless Headset

  Along with controllers and consoles, Microsoft today also quietly revealed a Halo: Reach-branded wireless headset for the Xbox 360. Selling for USD$50, the headset will be available a little ahead of the game’s launch in September, hitting stores worldwide in late August. Demand for these may not be as high for the shiny console, since…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 23, 2010