My Five Favorite Kotaku Stories From Last Week

It’s Labor Day in the U.S., and I shouldn’t be working. But it’s also Monday, and Monday is when I highlight my favorite Kotaku posts from the previous week. In brief:

• Don’t. Preorder. Video. Games. | Luke with a new version of a perennial Kotaku post. No one does minimalist posts like Luke, as you’ll also see further below.
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: The Kotaku Review | Well-argued by Jason. And just the highest-profile entry of a heap of posts last week covering new games, big and small. Other games we reviewed or did written and/or video impressions of: Super Mario Maker, Stasis, Shower With Your Dad Simulator (believe it or not), Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX, Red Goddess, Bullet Boy, Nova-111, Sage Solitaire, Layers of Fear, Mad Max, Ray Gigant, and IA/VT -Colorful-. (To say nothing of our ongoing coverage of League of Legends, Smash Brothers and more.)
• The Best Story From Destiny’s Hidden Lore | Kirk with the most exotic Destiny discovery of them all—a good story was hiding in part of that game?!?. More good Kirk: Here Is A Good Way To Get Quiet In Metal Gear Solid V (Another great Bests post from this week, via Luke: The Best Isometric Video Games)
• My Nightmares Are Gonna Miss You, Wes Craven | Patrick with a touching tribute. More vintage Patrick, with a sensitive news story, deftly handled: Backlash Over Supposedly Educational ‘Slave Tetris’ Video Game
• Counter-Strike Champ Makes Cheating Teammate’s Life A Living Hell | Patricia with another tale of gamers doing extraordinary things.

Best headline of the week: Nope.

Best cosplay: Zero Suit Samus.

Best number: 560,439.

Best GIF, via Highlight Reel:

Best thank you:

Got thoughts about what we published last week or about stories you’d like to see on the site? Let me know.

To contact the author of this post, write to stephentotilo@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter@stephentotilo.

Top image from Tina’s terrific collection of readers’ retail horror stories, art by Tara Jacoby.