Microsoft - Page 158 of 238

Gears of War 3: The Kotaku Review

Gears of War has always felt as though it was built with metaphor in mind. The slam of a clip locking into place; the thudding, oversized boots of a COG soldier. The pinwheeling spokes of combat, lines of engagement moving in two opposing semicircles; the rev of a chainsaw’s motor. These are games filled with…

By Kirk Hamilton Published September 20, 2011

How Gears of War 3 Deals With Salty Language When You Don’t Wanna Hear It

We already knew you could turn on mature language and gore filters for Gears of War 3, but here’s a look at how that language censor works in action. Be warned, if you want to experience the Xbox 360 shooter completely free of lightly spoiling dialog, you might want to give this short video a…

By Brian Crecente Published September 19, 2011

Only the Brave and Lovely Endured the Tokyo Game Show

The 2011 Tokyo Game Show wasn’t even supposed to happen this year. During the spring, as the country was starting to put itself back together after the earthquake, the show looked like it was a no-go. Then, there were the blackouts, power consumption concerns, and a general feeling among many Japanese that they should refrain…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 19, 2011

Microsoft’s TGS Booth Contained Branded Underpants and Dancing Furries

For nearly a decade now, Microsoft has been fighting an uphill battle in Japan trying to get the locals interested in the Xbox. It hasn’t worked. And in 2011, for the first time, the strain of that battle may be starting to show. In previous years, Microsoft has had a huge presence at the Tokyo…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 17, 2011

Halo Anniversary is Exactly how I Like my HD Remakes

It’s the flavour of the show at this year’s TGS. It seems everywhere you turn there are HD remakes of old games, just waiting for the chance to get you to pay for the same game twice. As I’ve said with one such remake, MGS2, each is taking a slightly different approach to renovating an…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 16, 2011

Forza 4’s Magic Steering Wheel Doesn’t Look Very Magic

Not content with throwing some Kinect support into Forza 4, Microsoft is also releasing a wireless, motion-controlled racing wheel for the game. It didn’t sound too promising when it was first announced. And doesn’t look too promising in action, either. I shot this footage earlier today at Microsoft’s booth at the Tokyo Game Show. Note…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 16, 2011

Would you Camp Outside for 8 Days To Get a Copy of Gears of War 3? David Tyson Would

David Tyson, aged nineteen years, is sitting outside of the Best Buy Theatre in Times Square for next week’s Gears of War 3 launch party. If David had showed up today I would say that it is a little excessive, but it turns out he has been there since Sunday night. That’s right, he has…

By Chris Carolan Published September 15, 2011

The Kotaku Game Club is Playing Gears of War 3!

The wait is over, everyone: Game Club is back! September is the beginning of blockbuster season in the world of video games. The release calendar is rife with returning franchises and long-awaited new games. Most major publishers are bringing out their big guns. The CivWorld experience was great, but it’s time move on to something…

By Mike Epstein Published September 15, 2011

This Isn’t Your Father’s Panzer Dragoon

Project Draco is the latest title from the designer behind Panzer Dragoon The game is a sci-fi yarn in which humans colonized an unnamed planet inhabited by dragons. The humans are able to befriend the dragons and control them. Enter Project Draco The game is a Kinect rail shooter, but promises 180 degrees of freedom.…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 15, 2011

Do You Know Whose Voice Haunts This Game?

Haunt is the latest title from Masaya Matsuura, the designer best known for Parappa the Rapper Haunt is an Xbox Live title for Kinect. It’s set in a haunted house with players fending off ghosts and shining a flashlight down creepy hallways. It’s not scary, and it’s kid friendly. For gamers, Haunt has a special…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 15, 2011

Halo 2‘s “Headlong” Gets a Stunning Anniversary Makeover

With excellent sniping spots and what amounts to a vehicular combat arena at the bottom, Halo 2‘s “Headlong” multiplayer map is reborn as “Breakneck” in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Bask in the glorious gameplay footage and screens, plus get a peek at the very first Halo campaign level in all its remastered glory. Making its…

By Mike Fahey Published September 14, 2011

Are You Going Commando To the Gears Of War 3 Launch

GameStop sent us a box of underwear, t-shirts and steak seasoning to help promote their Go Commando Gears of War 3 giveaway… What now? The t-shirts all say Go Commando, as do the boxers, but what about that steak seasoning? “Omaha steak seasoning – to help prepare a Gears meat shield.” Wait, doesn’t the underwear…

By Brian Crecente Published September 14, 2011

There’s Xbox Live Inside Every Copy of Windows 8

Confirmed today during Microsoft’s 2011 Build developer conference in Anaheim, California, Windows 8 will have the Xbox Live service built right in. What does it all mean? Aside from further justifying the upcoming fall Xbox 360 dashboard update, the integration of Xbox Live into Windows 8 means more to Microsoft than it does to us…

By Mike Fahey Published September 13, 2011

Xbox.com, Xbox Live Down and Out

Xbox.com and Xbox Live is down for some as of 9 a.m. or so. Here’s the official word from Xbox Live’s Eric Neustadter: “Xbox.com is having issues at the moment. It’s being worked on – sorry for the hassle, folks.”

By Brian Crecente Published September 13, 2011

Culture

Age of Empires’ Art is Like Free-to-Play Ice Cream

When opting for “cartoon” graphics, there’s a fine line between looking stylish and looking childish. Age of Empires Online, I think, gets it just right. The fact the recently-released online game doesn’t look like the old Age of Empires has upset some fans, and that’s unavoidable. Still, it’s a shame, as the new game looks…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 13, 2011

Spend the Witching Hour With Gears of War 3

There will be more than 20,000 midnight launches next week to kick off the release of Xbox 360’s Gears of War 3. Among the events is a Times Square party at the Best Buy Theater in New York featuring Big Sean. Launching Sept. 20 worldwide, Microsoft says the game is the fastest pre-selling Xbox exclusive…

By Brian Crecente Published September 12, 2011

Win $10,000 and Score a Gears of War 3 Console in deviantART’s Wallpaper Contest

The ‘Shop Contest we run on weekends is for bragging rights only. deviantART don’t fuck around, however. It’s offering a $10,000 cash prize to whomever sends in the best wallpaper in a promotional Gears of War 3 contest offering a lot of other loot to the runners-up, too. For the first time, deviantART is permitting…

By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011

“Swatting,” the Hip New Griefing Trend, Sends the Cops to Xbox Live Mod’s House

Cops in Sammamish, Wash. are super pissed after being sent to a home here by a 911 call claiming someone inside had claymore mines and hostages. The caller turns out to be a prick seeking revenge on an Xbox Live moderator. Rolling Johnny Law up to someone’s doorstep just to cause them trouble is called…

By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011

With The Coming Dashboard Update, Your Xbox Might Finally Replace Your Cable Box

I haven’t had cable since I moved, and my Xbox 360 had a lot to do with that. Over the past few years, my Xbox 360 has become a bit of a “Netflix Box,” and more often than not I’m using it to stream episodes of Twin Peaks and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Yesterday,…

By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011

Microsoft Bans Users for Stealing Xbox Live Content

Last month, Microsoft very quietly swept a broom through the Xbox Live userbase, finding—and banning—a number of Xbox 360 owners for “illegitimately [accessing] Xbox LIVE Marketplace downloadable content”. As the company “will not divulge additional information regarding individual suspensions for these offenses”, it’s unclear what brought on the crackdown, or how the culprits were able…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 7, 2011