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A Closer Look At Final Fantasy VII‘s Battle Cinematics
Final Fantasy VII did a lot of things, but one was revolutionizing the idea of how a turn-based battle could look and feel. On the latest episode of Boundary Break, YouTuber Shesez shows what these scenes look like from the outside. The Boundary Break series has become renowned for taking control of in-game cameras and…
By Ethan Gach Published December 17, 2017 -
One Of Star Wars: The Last Jedi‘s Biggest Problems Comes Straight From Video Games
As of writing this there’s currently an almost 40% disparity between the critics and audience’s response to the latest Star Wars on Rotten Tomatoes. For all of the high moments, satisfying pay-offs, and generally cool Star Wars stuff, a movie that runs two hours and 33 minutes is bound to fall flat in some areas.…
By Ethan Gach Published December 16, 2017 -
A $300 Shovel Knight Statue The World Definitely Needed
You asked (right?) and First 4 Figures has happily obliged with not just one, but three 15 inch tall replicas from Shovel Knight. I’m not sure why you’d be in the market for one of these but if you are you could probably do much worse. Of all the retro pixel animated games players have…
By Ethan Gach Published December 16, 2017 -
The State Of PC Gaming In 2017
In a year when PC gaming became more multifaceted and complicated than ever, it also popularized a genre—battle royale—with one of the simplest premises imaginable. As ever, PC remains at the forefront of gaming. Whether it’s the platform’s longtime advantage in the hardware department, its role as a breeding ground for interesting indies that go…
By Nathan Grayson Published December 16, 2017 -
Anime Scriptwriter Michiru Shimada Has Died
Michiru Shimada has written scripts for some of the biggest and best anime, including One Piece and Little Witch Academia. This Friday, her daughter announced that she had passed away. Shimada was 58 years old. After graduating from Waseda University, Shimada got her start writing TV anime Urusei Yatsura and Dr. Slump and Arale-chan. During…
By Brian Ashcraft Published December 15, 2017 -
Some Of The Best Anime References In Hip Hop
As I listened to pop singer Charli XCX’s latest mixtape, I perked up at rapper Mykki Blanco’s verse on “Fembot,” a song about being a horny robot. Blanco opened by describing herself as a “ghost in the shell and a beast in the sheets,” and goes on to reference going super saiyan in a feature…
By Gita Jackson Published December 15, 2017 -
Splatoon 2’s Lobby Ain’t What It Used To Be
Splatoon 2’s hub world of Inkopolis is a place to relax, try out new gear, and share awesome art. When the game launched in July, it was a metropolis brimming with positive illustrations. Five months later, it looks like a shitpost disaster town. The quality of art in Splatoon 2 has long been dependent on…
By Heather Alexandra Published December 15, 2017 -
Cat Dating Sim Purrfect Date Is Not What I Expected
Purrfect Date is a cat dating sim, but it’s not like that. There’s a little romance, sure, but there’s also drama, mystery and a fair bit of humor, twisted together in a cleverly-unfolding tail. Tale. Sorry. That one might expect Purrfect Date to be a game about having sex with cats is understandable given the…
By Mike Fahey Published December 15, 2017 -
The State Of Anime In 2017
In 2017, anime is being stretched in all directions. With a glut of new live-action anime adaptations, it’s being stretched into reality. With the airing of Naruto’s 720th (and final) episode, it’s stretching into the future. With behemoth streaming channels nabbing up licensing deals, it’s stretching into the mainstream. And by moving into the mainstream…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published December 15, 2017 -
The virtual reality side of Rockstar’s L.A. Noire revival is out today. HTC Vive owners can get up-close and personal with some of the best faces in gaming in seven self-contained cases pulled from the original game. L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files isavailable on Steam for $29.99.
By Mike Fahey Published December 15, 2017 -
Sorry, I Don’t Like Okami
I don’t like Okami. It’s taken me 11 years to admit that. I captured the confession in this video, which I present for your watching. Okami is one of the most breathtaking visual experiences yet committed to video game graphics, and a new version, Okami HD was just released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and…
By Tim Rogers Published December 15, 2017 -
It’s The Little Things That Make Final Fantasy XIV‘s 4.2 Update Great
New story quests, side missions, dungeons and raids are always nice, but the coolest changes coming in January’s “Rise of a New Sun” update to Final Fantasy XIV involve more inventory space, new ways to store special outfits and new ways for Bards to rock out. As excited as I am for fresh content coming…
By Mike Fahey Published December 15, 2017 -
Popular Streamer Dr Disrespect Says He Was ‘Unfaithful’ To Wife, Will Take Time Off
Popular PUBG streamer Guy Beahm, aka Dr Disrespect, said on a Twitch stream today that he has been “unfaithful” to his wife and will consequently be “taking some time away” from streaming. Beahm, who has 1.4 million Twitch followers, was awarded the Trending Gamer award at the Video Game Awards last week in Los Angeles.…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 14, 2017 -
New Adventure Time Game Coming In 2018
There’s a new Adventure Time game on the way for PS4, Xbox One, PC and Switch next year, and it’s all about being a pirate. Like Black Flag or Sea of Thieves, then, only…a lot cuter. The game is called Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion, and is set in a Land of Ooo that’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 14, 2017 -
The Nintendo Switch Gave Me Back My Video Games
For the longest time it felt as though video games were growing up with me. When I was a kid, video games felt like they were for kids. They were platform games with furry animal mascots. They were as vibrant and sugary as the cordial I guzzled whilst playing them. Even zeitgeist games like Street…
Mark Serrels Published December 14, 2017 -
The Switch’s Screen Is Great For Pinball
Zen Studios’ Pinball FX 3 might not look as good on the Switch as it does on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but neither of them play the long game like this. Zen’s community-driven video game pinball platform made its Switch debut this week. The latest iteration of Pinball FX allows players to earn…
By Mike Fahey Published December 14, 2017 -
Adding Predator To Ghost Recon Is A Cool Idea That Doesn’t Work
Ghost Recon Wildlands, a game about mindlessly blowing stuff up because some CIA bigwig said so, added the alien hunter from Predator in an update today. What’s it like to face off against such a deadly creature? A bit like high tech whack-a-mole. A small update to Ghost Recon Wildlands adds the Predator from today…
By Heather Alexandra Published December 14, 2017