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Batman Comic Book Writer Advocates More Video Game Violence?
Landry Walker, writer on comic book Batman: The Brave and The Bold, recently played Batman: Arkham Asylum and did not like what he saw. In his own words, “Batman doesn’t get shot. He doesn’t get shot, because he’s Batman.” As a comic book writer with the name Batman in his bibliography, Walker says he has…
By AJ Glasser Published December 28, 2009 -
Not Exactly a Quote That Inspires Hope for Retail Season
The New York Times took a first look at holiday sales and, while finding that it didn’t suck as bad as last year for retailers, found someone to remind us that stores aren’t the only ones deserving of concern. “This is not the year for silly stuff,” said Keith Browning, 50 of Columbus, Ohio. He…
By Owen Good Published December 28, 2009 -
Study: Female Everquest II Players Still Logging More Hours, Still Not Honest About It
Men may be the more stereotyped hardcore gaming gender, but a study of Everquest II players published in the Journal of Communication says that women regularly out-MMO men—but that women aren’t as honest about the hours logged gaming. Those findings back up a study from the University of Southern California published last year, which said…
By Michael McWhertor Published December 28, 2009 -
Assassin’s Creed Fan Film Shows You How Altair Lost His Finger
High quality fan films can enrich video game lore as much as yaoi fanfiction damages it by filling plot holes and visualizing pieces of the game’s back story we only hear about in passing. Take for example the loss of Altair’s ring finger on his hidden-knife-hand. From playing Assassin’s Creed, we know he lost it…
By AJ Glasser Published December 28, 2009 -
Xbox Live’s Major Nelson Takes Your Calls During This Week’s Podcast
Microsoft’s Xbox Live director of programming, Major Nelson, will be our guest host on the Kotaku call-in podcast this week, filling in for … me. The good Major joins Crecente live, Wednesday, ready to field your live calls. Major Nelson will talk about anything Live-related that you can dream of. Such as: Why is there…
By Stephen Totilo Published December 28, 2009 -
Pac-Man Bracelet Goes Waka Waka On Your Wrist
This hand drawn, handmade bracelet features Pac-Man and Ghosts in a never ending circle. It was drawn as a vector image and then screened onto acetate and layered into durable clear resin. Neato! pac-man bracelet chomps its way around your wrist on [Technabob]
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
Oh Yeah, That Other Final Fantasy Release
It may not look, sound, or play quite as good as its numbered big brother, but the recently released Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers does have one advantage over Final Fantasy XIII – I can understand it. I’ve played around 10 hours of Final Fantasy XIII now with zero-Japanese comprehension skills, and it’s…
By Mike Fahey Published December 28, 2009 -
Report: Sony Working On Multi-Core Design For PS4
Just because Sony said that the PS3 would have a ten year life span, that doesn’t mean the company isn’t apparently moving forward with the PlayStation 4. According to insider info (along with some speculation!), Japanese website PC Watch is reporting that Sony is looking to alternatives to the PS3’s Cell architecture, which some developers…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Little known fact: Crecente was once a fencer – and not of stolen goods. At least I think he was; he spoke of it often back in our Denver days. He could have been bluffing against my rapier-like wit. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.
By Owen Good Published December 28, 2009 -
Can The West Cosplay With The Best Of Them?
There is a stereotype — an unfair stereotype — that Westerners cannot cosplay. “A Japanese friend of mine told me very casually, in a totally matter-of-fact kind of way, that the difference between Japanese and American cosplay is as clear as moeru and naeru,” says Patrick Galbraith, author of The Otaku Encyclopedia, University of Tokyo…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
NEW YEARS HERE I COME
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Looking forward to heading back to Japan — really enjoy the New Year’s holidays there, much more than in America where New Year’s simply feels like a denouement to the December holidays. What you missed last night Something Modern Warfare 2 Got Wrong About Pakistan Call Him “Xbox 360 Kid” South…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
Terror at 30,000 Feet: Game-Free Transcontinental Flights?
I found myself doing something strange as I prepared for a 14 hour flight back to the United States this week: Buying games. While games have long been my time-waster of choice for the frequent international flights I take, it’s usually video games I stock up on. Not so for my Sydney to San Francisco…
By Brian Crecente Published December 28, 2009 -
Something Modern Warfare 2 Got Wrong About Pakistan
Pakistani reader Saad was thrilled when he heard that Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was getting a multiplayer map set in the city he calls home, Karachi. That is, until he played it. “I, being a Pakistani, was so excited at seeing a Karachi map and then immediately so disappointed when I…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
A Bayonetta You Can Touch And Pose
Well, not quite yet. The unpainted prototype for Square Enix‘s Play Arts branded Bayonetta figurine was revealed at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. At the Jump Festa this month, a painted version was finally shown. Here you go. The fully poseable figurine, along with character Jeanne, has not yet been dated. One day, it just…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
What Are Japan’s Top Xbox LIVE Arcade Games of 2009?
Another top whatever list — this time the top XBLA games in Japan. They are… …drumroll please… 10. Mega Man 9 9. The King of Fighters ’98: Ultimate Match 8. Ikaruga 7. Shadow Complex 6. R-Type Dimensions 5. Trials HD 4. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 3. Castle Crashers 2. Battlefield 1943 1. Virtual On: Oratorio…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
Underwear To Shoot ‘Em Up In
Another Cave matsuri (festival), more Cave underpants. The event this past August brought sexy gothic lolita drawers. The recent December event? Dodonpachi final boss underoos. Danger, indeed. Yours for ¥4,800 — large size is already sold out! Other Cave goods were available as well, including keychains, cell phone straps and the like. Garage kit of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
What Japanese Erotic Game Voice Actresses Look Like, Part 2
It’s their voices that players fall in love with, but here is a look at the some of the biggest names in the eroge voice business. This is what they look like. Voice actresses have dedicated fan bases in Japan — and some are so well known among players that their voice acting is used…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
The Year I Appeared In A Comiket Doujinshi With Hideo Kojima
As 2009 draws to a close, it’s time to look back and reflect. A lot has happened, and a lot has not. Funny, that. But it’s not over yet, and there’s still things left to be done. Like appearing in a doujinshi at this year’s Comic Market — something I didn’t even know about until…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009 -
The Top Thirty Games in Japan of 2009
The year is almost over. Almost, but not quite. Still, that hasn’t stopped the number crunchers at ASCII Media Works from listing the top thirty titles of the year. Let’s have a look: 30. SD Gundam G Generation Wars Launch: 8/6/09 2009 Sales: 306,985 Life-to-date: 306,985 29. Gyakuten Kenji 5/28/09 313,891 313,891 28. Wagamama Fashion…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 28, 2009