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ReviewsMultiplatformHob: The Kotaku Review
Torn asunder by unknown forces and ravaged by corruption, the world of Hob is in desperate need of repair and rescue. Its nameless, silent hero’s quest to set things right is one of the most captivating and spectacular adventures of the year. Having established its mastery of the Diablo-style isometric action RPG with the Torchlight…
By Mike Fahey Published September 29, 2017 -
ReviewsHardwareGame Systems
SNES Classic: The Kotaku Review
The Super Nintendo Classic is a miniature blast of nostalgia, a sleekly packaged piece of hardware that will transport you back to the days of Dunkaroos and denim jackets. Although one could certainly complain about some of the choices Nintendo has made here, this is a mostly great package that highlights how well the 16-bit…
By Jason Schreier Published September 29, 2017 -
ReviewsPC
Total War: Warhammer 2: The Kotaku Review
Let’s keep this simple: Total War: Warhammer was a very good strategy game. Total War: Warhammer 2 is better. The game continues Creative Assembly’s tradition of building on the release of a new Total War with a sort of semi-sequel. In the past we’ve seen a bunch of these, from Napoleon (following Empire) to Attila…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 28, 2017 -
ReviewsRetro
Link: Faces Of Evil: The Kotaku Review
When Nintendo foolishly licensed The Legend of Zelda to Phillips Media in the early 90s, the result was more than just Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon for the company’s CD-i console. Link: Faces of Evil is the action complement to Gamelon’s adventure game sensibilities. It eschews subtlety for a dungeon crawl-fest that is better left…
By Heather Alexandra Published September 28, 2017 -
ReviewsVideo GamesDivinity: Original Sin 2: The Kotaku Review
I’ve put 81 hours into Divinity: Original Sin 2 over the last 12 days. When I wasn’t playing, I was thinking about it, or talking about it. It’s brilliant and frustrating in turns, and occasionally both at the same time. I adore it, but for now I’m glad to be done with it. Divinity: Original…
By Nathan Grayson Published September 26, 2017 -
ReviewsRetro
Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon: The Kotaku Review
In 1993, Nintendo made the inexplicable decision to license The Legend of Zelda to Phillips Media, creators of the CD-i. Among the resulting games is Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon. It’s known as one of the worst games ever made. Replaying it 24 years later reveals a game with interesting ideas marred by atrocious execution.…
By Heather Alexandra Published September 26, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatform
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: The Kotaku Review
Danganronpa has had a hell of a journey over the past few years, telling stories in the form of visual novels, anime, and even a third-person shooter. The latest entry in the series, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, feels like a fresh beginning of sorts. This piece originally appeared 9/22/17. If you aren’t familiar with the…
By Eric Van Allen Published September 26, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatformNBA 2K18 MyCareer: The Kotaku Review
I can’t believe 2K managed to screw this up so badly. Note: As we’ve done the last few years, this is only a review of 2K18’s MyCareer mode, not the entire game. I think its presence as the best-known singleplayer sports RPG, coupled with the focus 2K places on it in terms of creating and…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 25, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatformThe Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame: The Kotaku Review
The Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame is short and a little rough, but a dynamic new combat system and a couple surprising tweaks to aging mechanics make it one of the most exciting new Lego games in years. The eight story chapters in the game focus on rehashing the plot of The Lego Ninjago Movie. Green…
By Mike Fahey Published September 25, 2017 -
ReviewsKeyboards
Vava Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review: Not Bad For A Budget Board
There are a lot of big-name peripheral manufacturers making mechanical keyboards, but a search for the term “mechanical keyboard” on Amazon yields a ton of keyboards from companies you’ve probably never heard of. Like Vava, makers of the relatively good $80 no-name mechanical I’ve been typing on for the past week. At this point in…
By Mike Fahey Published September 20, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatform
Destiny 2: The Kotaku Review
As I struggle to fall asleep after a night of Destiny 2, the game keeps running through my mind. It’s like getting a song stuck in my head: I see the flash of combat and feel the rumbling controller in my hand. But I rarely hear the sounds of battle. Instead, I hear voices. They…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 19, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatformDishonored: Death of the Outsider: The Kotaku Review
Dishonored has always been about the journey more than the destination, discovering secrets in its levels and finding creative ways to fulfill its objectives. Death of the Outsider, the game’s new standalone DLC, stays true to this strength. It doesn’t reinvent the game, but it doesn’t need to. Narratively, Death of the Outsider fits with…
By Riley MacLeod Published September 18, 2017 -
Reviews3DS
Metroid: Samus Returns: The Kotaku Review
There was a time, so many years ago now, when it felt like we had too much Metroid. The simultaneous launch of Prime and Fusion in 2002, followed up with another one-two volley of Metroids two years later. “Slow down!” we cried. “We can’t keep up with all this Metroid!” Time makes fools of us…
By Chris Kohler Published September 15, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatformYs VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana: The Kotaku Review
The Ys series has been setting the bar for combat and music in action role-playing games since 1987. The latest game, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, is no different, but it does have something more recent entries have lacked—a memorable story. This post originally appeared 8/30/17. We’ve bumped it up for the game’s release day.…
By Mike Fahey Published September 12, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatform
Absolver: The Kotaku Review
Adal, the setting for Absolver, is large and untamed, but it fits. Overgrown ruins dot the landscape. There are cracks in the ground, ships washed far ashore. Something happened, but there’s little in the way of exposition or grand story. You play as a prospect who enters Adal to fight their way to the final…
By Eric Van Allen Published August 31, 2017 -
ReviewsMultiplatformXCOM 2: War Of The Chosen: The Kotaku Review
If you’ve never played XCOM 2, here’s my advice: Skip the vanilla version and start by playing the new expansion, War of the Chosen. It’s the best 2K’s XCOM series has ever been. War of the Chosen is a massive expansion, but it’s not quite a whole new game. Rather, it goes over XCOM 2…
By Nathan Grayson Published August 29, 2017 -
ReviewsSwitchMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle: The Kotaku Review
Mario’s power as an icon is defined by his versatility. The plumber doesn’t just jump: he fights, he drives, he plays sports, he parties. He does it all, really, without ever looking out of place. And yet earlier in the year, the announcement of a Mario and Rabbids mash-up was met by some skepticism on…
By Patricia Hernandez Published August 29, 2017 -
ReviewsMonitors
Philips 40-Inch 4K Curved Monitor Review: Giving Up The Ghost
A 40-inch ultra HD curved LCD monitor with the ability to display up to four full HD inputs simultaneously, Philips’ BDM4037UW seems like the perfect large monitor for a multi-platform gamer. And it would be, if not for a couple small missteps and one large stumble. The “MultiView” feature, as Philips calls it, is what…
By Mike Fahey Published August 25, 2017 -
Reviews
The 2017 Solar Eclipse: The Kotaku Review
Have you ever looked directly at the Sun only to find it wasn’t there? That’s the question asked by The 2017 Solar Eclipse, the ultimate can’t-miss entertainment experience of the year. Unless you missed it. After years of anticipation, The 2017 Solar Eclipse finally arrived on Monday, perfectly hitting its scheduled launch date. No delays…
By Kirk Hamilton Published August 22, 2017 -
Reviews
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy: The Kotaku Review
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is an easy video game to like in spite of its flaws. It’s buoyed by a winning cast of characters and has some of the prettiest vistas this side of an actual trip to India. It also includes one of the most entertaining hidden features I’ve ever encountered in a video…
By Kirk Hamilton Published August 22, 2017