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My Five Year Struggle To Beat A JRPG 

Every year since 2013, I start a new file in a specific JRPG. I grind, I level up, I do side quests. I pour anywhere from 20-30 hours in, intent on seeing the credits. I get a little further every time, but it’s no use. Something always happens and I leave the game unfinished, dooming…

Nintendo Adds User Reviews, Immediately Pulls Them [UPDATE]

Late last week, Nintendo began allowing users to post reviews on the Switch’s eShop for certain games, with ratings and comments also appearing under each game’s listing on the Nintendo website. This morning, Nintendo suddenly pulled the feature, and it’s not clear why. The new feature, which was originally brought to people’s attention last Friday…

Now that all of the content for Injustice 2‘s $100 Ultimate Edition out, Warner Bros. announces the March 27 release of the $60 Injustice 2 Legendary Edition, containing all of the DLC only much cheaper. Just because it always happens doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting.

What could possibly make someone buy Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition on Origin instead of Steam? Llama super hero costumes? Sure, go with that. They look a little silly, but once you see them in action, set to dramatic Final Fantasy music, they are completely ridiculous.

Hasbro Assembles Two Waves Of Avengers: Infinity War Figures

A movie so big it’s split into two parts is going to have at least two waves of Marvel Legends action figures. Here’s a look at the 15 figures from comics and movies making up series one and two of Hasbro’s Avengers: Infinity War  line, including a trio of exclusive reveals (hint: look up). Hasbro’s…

An official Kacho necktie is going on sale! Starting March 10, a Game Center CX Museum opens for around a month at HMV & Books Shibuya in Tokyo. Shinya “Kacho” Arino’s official silk neckties will be among the items on sale.

The Tokyo Olympic Mascots Look Like Pokémon

Children across Japan voted for the Olympic mascots they liked best. Surprise! The two they picked resemble Pokémon. That’s not just me, as others thought the mascots looked like Pocket Monsters. The reaction is similar among Japanese Twitter users. During the presentation announcing the winners, one slide features quotes from the kids that voted. One…

Old and New. Tokyo, Japan. By John Bovellan | Instagram JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!   

Sega Accidentally Released Yakuza 6 For Free

Yakuza 6’s demo, made available on the PlayStation Store earlier today, clocked in at over 30GB. There was a good reason for that: the download actually contains the full game, with only the opening stages made playable. The idea was that if you later decide to buy it, you’d be purchasing an unlock code. That…

Call of Duty: WWII’s Long-Promised Gun Customization Is Still MIA

It’s been almost four months since Call of Duty: WWII launched with its ambitious new Headquarters social space, but one promised HQ feature is still missing in action. There are plenty of things to do in WWII’s Headquarters. When you venture to the back half of the social arena, you can test out all the…

There Was A 1908 Board Game About Women Fighting Cops In The Streets

Over 100 years ago, a board game was released called Suffragetto. The game pitted Suffragettes—women seeking the right to vote—against London police, with players basically orchestrating running street battles between the groups. It’s easy to look at the setting as a sensationalised product of the times—oh no, the women are rebelling!—but there’s historical grounds for…

The Best Quest in Dragon Age: Inquisition Barely Has Any Combat

‘Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts’ is the best quest in Dragon Age: Inquisition, and it makes me feel like shit. If there’s one thing you’ll learn about Orlais before ‘Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts,’ it’s what they call The Grand Game. Orlais is a wealthy country that prides itself on its complex codes of honor…

The Internet Is Using Fortnite To Test Their Relationships

You’re playing Fortnite. You’ve made it to the final ten, and the pressure’s on. Suddenly, there’s a buzz from your phone. It’s your significant other. You can either continue your dogged push toward victory, or respond to keep the dwindling flames of your romance alive. Which do you choose? Our hyper-connected future society brings with…

Half-Life Fan Game Has Messy Launch On Steam

In 2016 a demo was released Hunt Down the Freeman, a Half-Life 2 mod starring the leader of a squad beaten down by series hero Gordon Freeman. It was not very good. Last week the standalone version of the mod went up for sale on Steam, and it’s a huge mess. In its current released…

Oh No, Chrono Trigger Looks Awful On PC

Excitement for the surprise Steam release of Chrono Trigger quickly turned into dread today as fans realized that this port, like most of Square Enix’s PC ports, looks like garbage. Why has Square had such a hard time getting this right? No, Square Enix hasn’t replaced all of the character models with washed-out sprites as…

This VR Girlfriend Simulator Is About More Than Cybersex

I have often wondered what the future of VR socialization is. Is it a tool for single-player gratification and fantasy, or for multiplayer friendship-building? Maybe it’s too soon to answer that question, but last week, I played VR Kanojo, and it gave me a good idea of what’s happening in VR now VR Kanojo, which…

Ten Games For Your Friends Who Don’t Play Games

It’s only natural to want to share your hobbies with people you love, but video games can sometimes have a barrier of entry based on skill. If you have friends who you’d like to play games with, but haven’t played any before, here’s a few good places to start. Quiplash Almost all the games in…

Russian News Accidentally Airs Video Game Clip During Segment On Syrian War

Russian state news network Pervi Kanal accidentally aired footage from military shooter Arma 3 during a segment about the Syrian War on Sunday. After the fact, Arma 3’s developers told Kotaku that although they’re happy that their “efforts to make authentic simulation gameplay [appear] pretty successful. . . this is definitely not a method we…

Halo: Reach Players Spent Seven Years Trying To Get Into A Cutscene Room

Halo: Reach’s ninth campaign level, The Package, has a cutscene where Noble Team goes through a destroyed science wing. This area only exists for the story—it never becomes playable, nor was it meant to be explored by real people. And so, a team of hardcore Halo fans sought to achieve the impossible: they wanted to…

Chrono Trigger Gets Surprise Release On PC

The best thing about today’s surprise announcement of Chrono Trigger on PC is that Square Enix hasn’t changed the graphics. This is a port of the mobile version, which didn’t get the sort of ugly remake that Final Fantasys V and VI received. UPDATE (2:44pm): Oh no The $15 purchase of 1995’s Chrono Trigger, widely…