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By Luke Plunkett Published August 28, 2016
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Warhammer 40K Gets The (Short) Movie It Deserves
Erasmus Brosdau, an art director at Crysis developers Crytek, has been working on a Warhammer 40K short film (in his spare time!) for the past six years. It’s now done, kind of, and it’s been well and truly worth the wait. Positioned as a prologue for a wider story, this 9-minute video may not have…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 28, 2016 -
Well, that’s all from me! Peter and I would like to thank the Kotaku staff and readers for letting us share our personal thoughts on recent and classic games this weekend. Here’s hoping we’ll see you again soon. You can follow Ben and Peter on Twitter at @SuperBentendo and @TieryasXu respectively.
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
Vita ‘Exclusives’ Are My Favorite Part Of The PlayStation 4
I was two years late to the PlayStation 4 party. It’s always hard for me to justify buying a new console, especially one that’s marketed to more “hard-core” gamers. Luckily I’ve found plenty of gems to play with my lovely matte parallelogram. While I’m finally down with the PS4 crowd, I’ve never touched a PlayStation…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
It’s Time We Got A Super Wario Bros. Game
Nintendo is notorious for surprising players with games that fall on both sides of the fan service spectrum. Whether we’ll ever get a title starring the beloved anti-hero duo that is Wario and Waluigi is unknown, but it would sure make for a wonderfully bizarre outing. For years now Nintendo has featured Wario and Waluigi,…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
Ko Takeuchi Is The Master Of Nerd Culture Doodles
You may not know his name, but chances are you’ve seen some of Ko Takeuchi’s art. Best known for his simple designs and bold lines, Takeuchi has helped shape the look of both the WarioWare and Rhythm Heaven series. He also draws a lot of nerdy icons, memes, and adorable characters in his spare time.…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
The Best (And Worst) Console Redesigns
It’s not uncommon for home and handheld consoles to get a drastic makeover in the years after their launch. Sometimes even after they’ve begun playing second fiddle to a new more powerful sibling. With the Xbox One S fresh in our memories and a thinner version of the PlayStation 4 all but confirmed, it’s the…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
Good News, Kotaku! I’m Your Sunday Guest Editor
Oh, I’m afraid it’s true. My name is Ben Bertoli and you’ll be stuck with me all day. May as well make the most of it, right? I promise we’ll have some fun. For those of you who don’t know me (at least in this form), I am a long time Kotaku commenter and the…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 28, 2016 -
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Is A Perfect Blend Of Strategy And Alt History
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (ROTK) is my Civilization, the tactical strategy game I poured hours of my life into without regret. As my parting article for my run as guest editor today, let me tell you why I love this series so much. Worldbuilding I grew up with the book on which the game…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
How Xenoblade Chronicles X Made Me Rethink JRPGs
Traveling the alien landscape of Xenoblade Chronicles X (Chronicles X) is sublime. You really feel like you’ve crashed onto a whole new world, where even gravity is different and you leap through the awe-inspiring environments of Mira. There’s whole ecosystems where creatures interact with each other and go about their business, too preoccupied to concern…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
The Helplessness Of Clock Tower
Most survival horror games give you weapons to improve your chances for survival. In the original Clock Tower on the SNES, all you can do is run, and even that’s limited by your stress gauge. Released in 1995 by Human Entertainment in Japan and inspired by an Italian horror film, Phenomena (Creepers in the U.S.),…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
The Immoral Morality of Ultima V
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar was a revolutionary game because there wasn’t a traditional villain to fight against. Instead, the focus was on becoming the Avatar, chasing after honor, sacrifice, humility, and spirituality. In Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny, the teachings you’ve embodied have become totally corrupted. Twenty years have passed since the events…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
Metal Gear Solid 2 Was A Twisted Experiment in Mind Control
It was E3 2000 when I nearly lost my shit. The sequel to one of the best games I’d played on the PS1, Metal Gear Solid, was coming out on the PS2 and the graphics showcased in Sons of Liberty were unbelievable. Realistic rain poured down on a tanker as it is taken over by…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
How 11 Developers Got Their Start In the Game Industry
I love origin stories, especially when they’re related to games. Back when I got my start in the game industry at LucasArts, there weren’t many schools for gaming or technical art. It was all about the reel. I made mine spending sleepless nights learning the 3D program, Maya, barely awake, sculpting polygons into spaceships and…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
GTA V’s Missions Are The Ultimate Thrill Ride
The Grand Theft Auto series is the modern epic, encompassing American culture in all its decadence and corrupted glory. The humor is crass, the violence is shocking, and the game’s allure keeps us going mission after a mission as we follow a cast of conflicted criminals. The latest in the series, Grand Theft Auto V,…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
JRPGs, Grand Theft Nightmares, And Retro Horror
Hail Kotaku Readers! My name is Peter Tieryas and I’ll be your guest editor today. That means lots of retrogames, existential musings, and a list of the strangest football games I could find. I’ve heard people rhetorically ask, can a game make you cry? While that’s a great aim, I want games that make me…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 27, 2016 -
No Man’s Sky Mods Make Everything Huge
Not awed by No Man’s Sky? Maybe you just need a change in perspective. The No Man’s Sky mod scene is still super young, but it’s already spawned some pretty popular mods. Among them, the BigThings mod stands tallest in that it’s already got extremely enthusiastic supporters and, well, it makes everything really tall. Trees,…
By Nathan Grayson Published August 26, 2016 -
The Attack On Titan Game Has One Job, And It Does It Pretty Well
All I wanted from Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom, the video game adaptation of the action horror anime sensation, was to feel like a badass swinging around town in my 3D maneuvering gear. As long as Tecmo Koei got that right, everything else could be wrong. The 3D maneuvering gear is the coolest anime…
By Mike Fahey Published August 26, 2016