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Team Fortress 2 Patch Hints At New Headgear, Huge Gameplay Changes
The most recent Team Fortress 2 update brings with it updates that may radically change the way we play the game, including the fascinating—but still unannounced—addition of headgear to classes. Oh, it gets much better. While the official Valve change log rather mundanely notes that the Team Fortress 2 team has “reworked the character loadout…
By Michael McWhertor Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
PlayStation Gamers’ Day: Why I Was Absent From Kotaku Today
Sony held day one of its pre-E3 PlayStation Preview days today, an event that consumed a day’s worth of posting for this Kotaku editor. Honestly, though, playing new games all day was better than posting. Unfortunately, we can’t really discuss much of what I got to go hands-on with today, as all of the preview…
By Michael McWhertor Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
Right Now, Microsoft Showing 31 Games For Japan
Today in Tokyo, Microsoft is holding its spring 2009 press conference. Xbox Japan boss Takashi Sensui announces that 31 titles for Japan will be covered. Before we get to them, Sensui confirms that a million Xbox 360s have been sold in Japan. To mark the occasion, a million Microsoft Points will be given out nationwide.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
Ninety-Nine Nights II Is Dark, Fiery And Smokey
Xbox 360 title Ninety-Nine Nights is getting a sequel with the clever temp title Ninety-Nine Nights II. As you can tell by these screenshots, the game’s visual hook is equally clever: light and dark. So original! As we previously posted, the game is currently 50 percent finished and slated for release sometime this year. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
This Is How You Get Me Interested In A Transformers Game
I didn’t want anything to do with the last Transformers game, partly because I’d heard it was awful, but mostly because it featured “movie” Transformers. Which are terrible, spindly things. Call me a purist, call me an asshole, I don’t mind, but when a Transformer looks like a Bionicle with a bone disease, it’s not…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
The Wii Is Perfect For Computer Illiterate Old People
Not that there is anything wrong with computer illiterate old people. Why our mother just asked us yesterday if it was difficult to use a PC mouse. Yes it is, we said. We lied! The above ad is for phone carrier NTT Western Japan and is eye-roll inducing if you understand Japanese. For those who…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2009 - Uncategorized
Muramasa Loses Its American Publisher
What is it with Wii games losing publishers? First Fatal Frame, now Muramasa – which was about the best-looking thing due on the console in 2009 – finds its American release up in the air. Vanillaware’s gorgeous 2D side-scroller was supposed to be released by XSEED in North America later this year (it was released…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Comparing Final Fantasy XIII Demo On HD TV And Analog TV
Not all televisions are built the same. For kicks, Japanese site Intermezzo compared the Final Fantasy XIII Blu-ray PS3 demo on two televisions (one HD, one analog). Let’s have a look. One of the televisions was a US$200 model 14-inch Sony WEGA from the year 2000. It was connected to the PS3 with composite cables.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Left 4 Dead Survival Pack: April 21
Tonight, it’s still April 20. But when you open up those sleepy eyes and greet April 21? Left 4 Dead’s Survival Pack will be there waiting for you. Valve announced today that the free content – which will introduce new gameplay modes and open up two campaigns for versus play – will be released on…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Kojima Productions: Who Wants Zone of the Enders 3?
Hideo Kojima doesn’t only make Metal Gear Solid games. He also makes Zone of the Enders mecha games — though, it’s been six years since the last one. He’s been busy, you know. ZoE spawned two three sequels as well as two anime. The first title was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001 with…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
ESA Welcomes Trion and XSEED
Just when you thought everyone was jumping ship, the Entertainment Software Association welcomes two new companies to its ranks. Trion World Network, Inc. isn’t familiar to most gamers – because they haven’t actually put out any games yet. The company is working on “server-based games and original entertainment” and made a couple of headlines last…
By AJ Glasser Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
New Madden Screens Bring The Wildcat
Last year, the Dolphins shook things up a little by breaking out the “Wildcat”, an offensive formation rarely used in the NFL. To sum up, it worked. So it’ll be available in Madden 10! And to ram that point down your throat, EA Sports have released three new screens for the game, showing RB Ronnie…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel Dev Falls Into Bankruptcy
Developer Ascaron Entertainment has filed for bankruptcy protection in its home country, Germany. Their newest game, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, hit the PC last November and the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 ports are due out this May. But as decent as the game’s been doing so far, that four year development cycle apparently murderized…
By AJ Glasser Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Super Robot Taisen – The Power Is In Your Chest
The official trailer for Banpresto’s Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier for the Nintendo DS proves once and for all that you’re more powerful when you’re nearly naked, even if you’re Kos-Mos. Xenosaga might have been a much shorter series if KOS-MOS had only learned her hidden power earlier. I myself never realized that…
By Mike Fahey Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Shadowbane Goes Into The Shadows
After a successful six-year run, MMORPG Shadowbane will shut down on May 1 according to publisher Ubisoft. Shadowbane is known to MMO devotees as a bastion of player-versus-player gameplay. I seem to remember sieges also being a big draw to bloodthirsty gamers. Ubisoft bought the game’s developer, Wolfpack Studios, back in 2004 and closed the…
By AJ Glasser Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Heathrow
To: Ash From: Crecente I flew into London yesterday along with quite a large contingent of game writers to meet up with Bethesda folks and see what their 2009 schedule looks like. It will be the only opportunity, I’m told, until E3 that they will be showing what they have in store and giving us…
By Brian Crecente Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Celebrate Hitler’s Birthday By Killing Him In These Games
On this day 120 years ago, the headman behind World War II and the Holocaust was born in what was then known as Austria-Hungary. He died in 1945, but lives on in video games as the eternal bad guy. “Celebrate” Hitler’s B-day or just seize an excuse to play video games with the following titles…
By AJ Glasser Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
L.A. Court Finds In Favor Of Scratch DJ
A California judge has ruled in favor of Scratch DJ Game LLC, granting a temporary restraining order against Activision Publishing, ordering all Scratch intellectual property returned immediately. Despite assurances on Thursday by Activision that the L.A. Superior Court saw no evidence of wrongdoing on their part, a judge today granted Genius Products and Numark Industries…
By Mike Fahey Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Getting A Demo
Monster Hunter Freedom Unit is hitting the states this June, and Capcom is preparing a tiny demo taste of the game to help players gauge their interest in really big game hunting. The demo for Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will be hitting the PlayStation Store in early June, a bit before the actual game hits…
By Mike Fahey Published April 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Games Journalist Quits Job For More Games Journalism
Stephen Totilo has long been a gaming journalist I’ve admired, from his thoughtful exchanges with Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal to his timely analysis of gaming stories that others, including Kotaku, let fall by the wayside. That’s why I’m so pleased to announce that Totilo’s departure from MTV doesn’t mean he’s landed himself a gig as a…
By Brian Crecente Published April 20, 2009