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Joust: Legacy Explains Why Flying Ostrich Battles Are Inferior To Lightcycle Battles
It may be a little behind the curve, but Sam Macaroni‘s spin on Disney’s Tron: Legacy, filtered through the gladiatorial combat of Joust, is a super short burst of delightful parody. Or maybe I just like talking ostriches. Tron: Legacy soundtrackers Daft Punk did its own take on lance-on-lance combat in the Tron universe, which…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 23, 2011 -
Which Console Does L.A. Noire Better?
Multi-platform video game lovers sometimes face hard choices. But it appears that the decision to play Rockstar Games and Team Bondi’s L.A. Noire is a relatively easy one, based on a side-by-side analysis of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game. Many L.A. Noire buyers probably made up their mind to purchase one or the…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 23, 2011 -
Watch a Woman Strip Naked Using Only Magic!
I could tell there was a sex scene brewing in The Witcher 2 when Geralt of Rivia and his comely redheaded sorceress companion Triss stumbled upon this ancient Elven bathhouse, and I wasn’t planning on sharing the resulting NSFW video. Then Triss tapped into the vast mystical forces of the universe to remove her clothing.…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
Another Sexbot Fails the Turing Test
Reporter Clive Thompson recently chatted with “babygurl01475”, an Instant Messenger persona developed by someone out there to get people like Thompson horny enough to part with his credit card number. Because Clive is supposed to think that babygurl01475 is a real person who wants him badly. Babygurl failed. Thompson wasn’t fooled. But he did manage…
By Stephen Totilo Published May 23, 2011 -
Paul Feig Is A Fan Of Vagina Blankets
Recently, Bridesmaids director Paul Feig stopped by and showed us how much he loves vaginas. Or at least, making movies with people who have them, and endorsing blankets that claim to be as soft as them. (Yes, we know the proper term is vulva). Bridesmaids showed exceptional momentum at the box office in its second…
By Irin Carmon Published May 23, 2011 -
Voodoo Vince, Kazooie and the Crew from Brute Force Not Part of the Xbox E3 2011 Hype
What can a gamer glean from an invitation sent to reporters for Microsoft’s 2011 E3 press briefing? Not much. What can that gamer glean from the stickers that came with it—especially if this gamer’s sleuthing skills were recently enhanced by L.A. Noire? Not much more. You’re looking at a set of stickers mailed received by…
By Stephen Totilo Published May 23, 2011 -
A Classical Musician’s Love for Nintendo Music
It used to be that apprentice musicians and composers would have no choice but to labor through The Well-Tempered Clavier and attend stuffy conservatories. Well, that’s still true, for the most part. But it’s hard to keep new blood out of even the most ancient art forms, as contemporary classical composer Nico Muhly could attest.…
By Drew Cohen Published May 23, 2011 -
Two Wildly Different Ways to Blow Up Airships in Bioshock Infinite
There’s a giant mechanical bird to escape, a young lady to escort, riotous mobs to skirt, rails to clamp to and swing from through a floating city. But I just want to hang out on a corner and people watch – such is the allure of a game fashioned by Ken Levine. It’s Bioshock Infinite‘s…
By Brian Crecente Published May 23, 2011 -
The Maker of Modern Warfare 3 Has ‘Moved Beyond’ Its Modern Warfare 2 Tech
Infinity Ward, the studio behind Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, is leaving its previously used game engine technology behind for Modern Warfare 3. Will that put an end to cracks about the developer using Quake III Arena-era tech? While those digs against Infinity Ward may have been unfair and inaccurate—its in-house IW Engine has…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 23, 2011 -
How Many Game References Can You Find in This Glorious Pixel Music Video?
Inspired by the 8-bit era of gaming, artist and animator Mike Scott created this astounding pixel music video for South African band Goldfish’s song “We Come Together”, riddled with references to classic video games. How many can you spot? Scott tells me that he created this labor of love “with Kotaku’s appreciation of 8-bit heritage…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
A Rare Video Game Re-Mix of the Bible, in the Form of a Gorgeous Action Game
Lucifer is charming in what is probably his biggest video game appearance of the year. He’s a pal. He’s smooth. He calls God on a cell phone. He wears fashionable jeans. “Lucifer is likable in this game,” Shane Bettenhausen told me as he was recently showing me his company’s next big adventure, El Shaddai: Ascension…
By Stephen Totilo Published May 23, 2011 -
Rift Lets Players Rift To Other Servers for Free
When the next major update for Trion World’s massively-multiplayer online game Rift hits this summer, players and whole guilds will earn unlimited free weekly server transfers, taking all stats, items, currencies, and achievements with them.
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
Want a Massive Bloody-Bladed Firearm With Your Copy of Gears of War 3?
Think you’re a hardcore Gears fan for preordering the $149.99 Epic Edition of Gears of War 3? Drop an extra $80 on the Retro Lancer bundle and then we’ll talk. GameStop weaponizes all three versions of Gears of War 3 with the addition of bundles featuring a full-sized replica of the Retro Lancer, crafted expertly…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
The Undercurrent of Domestic Violence in Bioshock Infinite
“I’m sorry. I never should have left. I never should have left. Take me back. Take me back. Take me home… please.” The girl is crying as she says it. The tears remind me of what she said earlier, when we were alone, her hand against her face, smiling sadly: “Promise if it comes to…
By Brian Crecente Published May 23, 2011 -
Is One of Japan’s Bloodiest Directors Working on an Ace Attorney Movie?
Japanese film director Takashi Miike, well-known for the over-the-top violence depicted in movies like Ichi the Killer, also has a softer side, which should shine through in his next project, a light comedy courtroom drama based on a Nintendo DS game. Are we getting a live-action Ace Attorney movie? The Ace Attorney (or Gyakuten Saiban)…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
Now Everybody Can Play APB Again for Free
Proof that you can’t keep a moderately okay multiplayer online game down, GamersFirst launches the open beta testing phase for APB: Reloaded. Welcome back to San Paro! Originally launched in June of last year, Realtime World’s APB showed a lot of promise, with many referring to it as an online version of Grand Theft Auto.…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
Nintendo’s E3 2011 Showing Will Be Televised
Fans eager for latest news on the next Nintendo console and the games coming out for it can tune into Nintendo’s E3 website starting June 7, where the company will be streaming its 2011 media event live at 9AM Pacific.
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
The Witcher Takes a Swing at The Lord of the Rings
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a dark and gritty sword and sorcery game, so removed from Tolkien’s legendary high fantasy epic that it takes a moment to swipe at it from afar. One of the myriad ways The Witcher 2 improves over the first game in the series is its writing, particularly its…
By Mike Fahey Published May 23, 2011 -
How To Kill a Pedestrian in L.A. Noire
The citizens of Los Angeles, as rendered in Team Bondi and Rockstar Games’ L.A. Noire are fleet of fun. It is hard to run them down, as we’ve made clear in video before. But it can be done. I had thought, originally, that L.A. Noire‘s pedestrians were unkillable, that their reflexive repulsion from the approaching…
By Stephen Totilo Published May 23, 2011