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ReviewsYear in ReviewThe Best Video Game Surprises of 2018
It’s that time again: time to take stock of the year that was 2018. We’ll start with the nice stuff. We do this every year here at Kotaku. (See: the biggest surprises of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) We’ll post the biggest disappointments of 2018 later this week. Shadow Of The Tomb Raider…
Mike Fahey & Gita Jackson Published December 18, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe Year in Mini-Games, 2018
2018 has spoiled me with so many great games. But instead of listing what my favorite games were, I decided to go deeper and list my favorite games inside of those games. Here are my favorite mini-games of 2018, in no particular order. I’ve cut together a sweet video, but if you’d rather miss some…
By Paul Tamayo Published December 17, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in Review
The Year In Old Games, 2018
Whether you want to play your classic games on the Switch, the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, a half-sized wooden arcade cabinet, a tiny PlayStation, or a Genesis controller plugged into your TV, 2018 had you covered. It’s time once again for a look back at the year in New Old Games. While the majority…
By Chris Kohler Published December 17, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in Review
Fahey’s Top 10 Games Of 2018
While I spent a sizable chunk of 2018 in a hospital, I did manage to squeeze in time with some very good games. From virtual reality mice to the rebirth of a cool dragon, here are my 10 favorite games of the year. CrossCode If massively-multiplayer online role-playing games were around during the age of…
By Mike Fahey Published December 17, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of Twitch In 2018
By pretty much every measure that matters, 2018 has been Twitch’s biggest year ever. Already a force in the gaming world, Fortnite helped catapult the streaming platform into the mainstream. There were big moments, bigger numbers, and of course, lots of growing pains. In many ways, Twitch’s appeal in 2018 remained the same as it’s…
Nathan Grayson & Cecilia D'Anastasio Published December 14, 2018 -
ReviewsHeadsets
Victrix Pro AF Gaming Headset: The Kotaku AF Review
I am not sure what I like more about the Victrix Pro AF universal gaming headset. Is it the way it sounds, or the way its active noise canceling makes everything else shut up? Or maybe it’s the fact that they called it “Pro AF.” It’s kind of a ballsy naming convention, putting “Pro AF”…
By Mike Fahey Published December 14, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of Fandom In 2018
In 2018, the meaning of fandom is in flux. The relationship between fans and creators is in some ways more tense than ever before, even while fandom itself has reached a point where a simple piece of fanart can become an international sensation overnight. Fans Gain New Powers, For Better And For Worse The relationship…
By Gita Jackson Published December 14, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of PC Gaming In 2018
PC has never been a singular platform like, say, PlayStation or Xbox. Instead, it’s a series of disparate landmasses sharing the same turbulent sea. While this has allowed for plenty of innovation and experimentation over the years, in 2018 Steam—with its clutter and toxicity issues—has become less of a conduit and more of an impediment…
Heather Alexandra & Nathan Grayson Published December 13, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of The Nintendo Switch In 2018
As sophomore slumps go, the Nintendo Switch’s wasn’t so bad. When the Switch burst onto the scene in 2017, it could seemingly do no wrong. It was the new kid on the block: young and cool, with an air of mystery and excitement. So it goes with most new game consoles. In 2018, Switch hit…
Chris Kohler & Cecilia D'Anastasio Published December 12, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of The PS4 In 2018
The PlayStation 4 remains a top-flight gaming platform as it wraps up its fifth year and enters a 2019 sure to be full of PS5 rumors, interesting exclusive games, and the possible launch of the most-requested feature in PlayStation Network history. The PS4’s strong 2018 was highlighted by top-quality blockbusters God of War and Marvel’s…
Gita Jackson & Stephen Totilo Published December 12, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of Xbox One In 2018
In sports they call it a rebuilding year. Xbox One has had a few of those recently, but it’s an especially appropriate description of the console’s 2018. This wasn’t a year for new hardware nor a major blockbuster exclusive game. The most exciting announcement to come out of Microsoft was the news that it is…
Ethan Gach & Mike Fahey Published December 11, 2018 -
ReviewsYear in ReviewThe State Of Nintendo 3DS In 2018
At this time last year, I predicted that the aging Nintendo 3DS would probably be sent to its grave after Christmas 2018. Recent events have caused me to reconsider. I am now here to argue that you should prepare for the Nintendo 3DS to stay alive for a couple more years at least—if you can…
By Chris Kohler Published December 10, 2018 -
ReviewsSwitchSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate: The Kotaku Review
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the very best of the Smash Bros. series. If you’ve got 20 years of accumulated Smash memories, from the button-mashing neighbor kid suggesting you play Kirby in grade school to drunkenly playing a round of all Bowser, Poké Balls only in college, you’ll find that they are done great justice…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published December 6, 2018 -
ReviewsMultiplatform
Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom: The Kotaku Review
I spent an hour and a half tackling a single platforming sequence in Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. Not an entire level or area. Just a short series of perilous jumps that I couldn’t quite get my head around. I loved every teeth-gritting, cursing-under-my-breath moment. Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a spiritual…
By Mike Fahey Published December 4, 2018 -
ReviewsHardwareGame SystemsPlayStation Classic: The Kotaku Review
PlayStation Classic is a faithful reproduction of the experience of playing original PlayStation games in the mid-1990s. In that respect, it succeeds. What it lacks is passion. This piece originally appeared 11/27/18. We’re bumping it today for the PlayStation Classic’s release. With Nintendo roundly rejecting the idea of a Nintendo 64 Classic in the foreseeable…
By Chris Kohler Published December 3, 2018 -
ReviewsMultiplatform
Fallout 76: The Kotaku Review
Fallout 76 is filled with intriguing ideas, set amid an appealing post-apocalyptic sprawl ripe for exploration. It’s also a mess. The latest Fallout sheds the narrative focus of its its single-player predecessor, Fallout 4, and introduces an online multiplayer setup where the human-controlled strangers you meet are supposed to fuel a new sort of storytelling.…
By Ethan Gach Published November 28, 2018 -
ReviewsMultiplatformBattlefield V: The Kotaku Review
Battlefield V is complicated, sweeping, and enjoyable to play. Its narrative highlights World War II’s lesser known fronts, and its competitive multiplayer is fast-paced and action-focused. It’s romantic, it’s exhilarating, and I can’t shake the feeling that something is off about it. For every grand feat of daring, there is a tension that I can’t…
By Heather Alexandra Published November 20, 2018 -
ReviewsSwitchPokémon Let’s Go! Eevee and Pikachu: The Kotaku Review
Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee are going to be divisive. The games seem meant to introduce a new generation of players to Pokémon, especially players who started with Pokémon Go. The changes made to gameplay may frustrate longtime fans, including me; I started playing in the late ‘90s and kept up with the franchise…
By Gita Jackson Published November 16, 2018 -
ReviewsBoard GamesArchitects Of The West Kingdom: The Kotaku Review
Architects of the West Kingdom is what you get when a designer takes a very good board game they’ve already made and figures, you know what, I’ll now do something similar, only better I reviewed Shem Phillips’ Raiders of the North Sea earlier this year after absolutely loving it. A simple worker placement title, it…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 13, 2018 -
ReviewsMultiplatformHitman 2: The Kotaku Review
Hitman series protagonist Agent 47 isn’t an interesting guy. Despite his gleaming, barcoded head, he disappears into a crowd. He can somehow pass for anyone, no matter how famous; he can seamlessly live their life and look great in their pants. He uses this ability to wreak havoc everywhere he goes. Hitman 2 investigates this,…
By Riley MacLeod Published November 13, 2018