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Portal 2 Wasn’t Going To Include Portals, According To New iPad App

For five months in 2008, Valve Software was making a version of Portal 2 that wasn’t going to include Portals. And it was going to be a prequel, set in the ’50s. The game, based on an internal prototype called F-Stop, was built around a new gameplay mechanic that thrilled people at Valve. But the…

PlayStation Outage Makes Some Capcom Games Unplayable Offline

The ongoing Playstation Network outage also makes a couple Capcom games unplayable, even offline. Capcom confirmed with Kotaku that Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 and the Final Fight/Magic Sword game pack are unplayable without an online connection. The issue is caused by Capcom’s use of a particular form of copy protection for the games which requires…

Girly Shoot ‘Em Up Otomedius Excellent Still Cute, Still Coming This Year

The side-scrolling shmup that’s part Gradius, part anime fetish fulfillment, Otomedius Excellent, is coming to the Xbox 360 later this year. Konami reassured fans of Gradius gameplay today that the brightly colored arcade shooter that features girls-as-spaceships is still on the cards with a handful of new screen shots. Otomedius Excellent features three-player online and…

Aksys Sees Catherine‘s Sexy And Raises Record Of Agarest War Zero

When Atlus put out a call for fans to appear in the next trailer for the sexy Persona spin-off Catherine, they probably never expected Record of Agarest War Zero publisher Aksys Games to respond. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!

What Is Japan’s Fetish This Week? Glasses

In game after game, comic book after comic book, manga after manga, there they are: characters with glasses. And Japan is totally gaga for them. Of course, glasses fetishism is not unique to Japan as it’s widespread in the West as well. Universally, glasses represent intelligence as well as authority, giving rise to stock characters…

Father and Son Bonding Over Hateful Robots and Edgeless Cubes

In a darkened room filled with boxes, we sit side-by-side and play. We talk. We laugh. We think. Time spent with my son is always a joyful, bonding experience. Sometimes it’s outside, sometimes it’s over a book, and sometimes it’s with a game controller in our hands. We’ve played through every LEGO game together, we’ve…

Section 8: Prejudice Versus The Video Game Critics

Can TimeGate Studios possibly succeed with the downloadable sequel to a retail first-person shooter that nobody played in the first place? Find out in the Section 8: Prejudice Frankenreview. Release in the fall of 2009 for the Xbox 360 and PC (a downloadable PlayStation 3 version came later), Section 8 was a first-person shooter with…

And Here Comes the Game of Thrones RTS

If Sunday’s Game of Thrones premiere has got you riled up into a fantasy-themed lather, then you might be interested in checking out these new screenshots of the upcoming Game of Thrones-themed RTS, A Game of Thrones – Genesis. Sure, the game may be cashing on the increased fanfare for the series from the HBO…

The Gods Must Be Defending The Ancients In Hi-Rez’s Smite

Who would win in a fight, Zeus or Anubis? Hi-Rez Studios, the creators of Global Agenda and the upcoming Tribes: Ascend are taking a divine stab at the defense of the ancients genre with Smite, full-on arena battles between mythical gods. Hi-Rez sure has their hands full these days, between running their free-to-play MMO shooter…

The Royal Wedding Is Much More Entertaining In The Sims 3

The royal wedding between Prince William and his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton on April 29 will be a lavish spectacle of celebrity and ceremony, a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that will be remembered for decades to come. That doesn’t mean it will be more entertaining than the Sims 3 version. Unless Prince William and Kate start making…

How TERA Online Plans To Step Up Your MMO Experience

When you’re the North American publisher of a Korean MMO like TERA Online, the biggest hurdle you have to face is convincing the western audience that your game isn’t just another pretty grindfest. Here’s En Masse Entertainment’s attempt. Developed in Seoul, Korea, by Bluehole Entertainment, TERA, also known as The Exiled Realm of Arborea, sets…

Rising Through the Ranks of L.A. Noire

As Rockstar’s L.A. Noire approaches release, we’re getting a closer look at how you’ll rise through the ranks of the L.A. PD and solve “unassigned cases.”

Fresh Details About Wii 2’s Unusual Controller (And Why It Won’t Kill The Wii Remote)

In the week since reports about Nintendo’s next home console began appearing in the gaming press, several aspects of the controller of the system’s controller have become more clear. Its main controller, as rumored, will include a touchscreen, two analog sticks and a camera, we’ve confirmed with our own games industry sources who are familiar…

Stand Up And Be Counted, Video Game Cheaters

In today’s episode of Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Phantomlink wants to know all about your deeply buried video game cheating past. Were you a cheater? Are you a cheater? Don’t be shy. Who here are cheaters? A pretty simple question. We’ve all had the temptation at one point or another, and everyone has given it…

Help Shape A Legend With Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version

Capcom is calling Mega Man Legends 3 for the Nintendo 3DS the first Capcom game to be co-developed by fans. That’s why there’ll be a prototype version of the game available for testing as soon as Nintendo opens up the 3DS eShop. That’s right, Capcom is releasing an unfinished version of a game still in…

Mega Gallery

Korea Institutes National Curfew For Kid Gamers

South Korea this week passed a new law that would ban children under the age of 15 from playing online games between midnight and 6 a.m., The Chosunilbo reports. The National Assembly legislation is aimed at “protecting children from game addiction”. It’s still unclear if this will be for computer games only or include all…

That Garage Band Version of Portal 2’s Theme Song You Haven’t Heard

You know what this Dean’s List Dropouts version of Portal 2’s Want You Gone wrap-up song is missing? Johnny Rotten screaming the Jonathan Coulton-penned lyrics. Oh, to dream. [Thanks Jer]

Talk Amongst Yourselves

If you didn’t like talking about video games you wouldn’t be here. So get to it. Let’s hear some talking! Our thanks to ever-dependable reader ShinLord for his Preteen Mutant Ninja Class Pranksters. Like to see your artwork featured on Kotaku? Submit your own at #TAYpics (Read this thread for directions on how to do…

Guild Wars 2 Charr Aren’t Your Average Cat People

In Guild Wars the warlike, feline Charr were one of the greatest threats the humans of Tyria had ever faced. In Guild Wars 2 they might be Tyria’s greatest hope against the power of the Elder Dragons, when they aren’t busy coughing up hairballs or desecrating innocent sandboxes. The Charr haven’t historically gotten along well…