Digital | ON: GAMES Jun 17, 2018
Nintendo's new game changers
Nintendo's summer releases include a new look for "Pokemon" characters, an unusual sushi battle game and a tennis game that has already stood the test of time.
Brian Ashcraft
Brian Ashcraft is a senior contributing editor at Kotaku and has been writing about video games for The Japan Times since 2007. He is also the author of two books, “Arcade Mania!” and “Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential.” A graduate of Cornell University, Ashcraft has called Osaka home for over a decade.
For Brian Ashcraft's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Digital | ON: GAMES May 27, 2018
Exploring our human senses
"Lumines" is back with a haptic rumble, "Detroit: Become Human" will have you questioning android life and "PixelJunk Monsters 2" goes 3D.
Digital | ON: GAMES Apr 22, 2018
Classic ways to boost new games
Nintendo goes analog, "Dark Souls" remains relentless and "Gods of War" finds new mythology
Digital | ON: GAMES Mar 25, 2018
Follow-ups that outdo originals
Fukuoka-based game-maker Level-5 has released "Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom," which looks just as beautiful as the original 2011 PS3 fantasy game.
Digital | ON: GAMES Feb 25, 2018
An onslaught of new arrivals
'Metal Gear' is a survivor When Hideo Kojima , the creator of the original "Metal Gear," left Konami, it seemed like the action-adventure series was over. Yet here it is again — this time in the form of "Metal Gear Survive," which introduces zombie attacks ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Jan 21, 2018
Beloved games get bigger and better
'Dissidia' breeding' In the "Dissidia" games, "Final Fantasy" characters get together and beat the crap out of each other. The latest entry is no different, but that doesn't mean it's just another "Dissidia Final Fantasy." Developed by Square Enix, the first "Dissidia Final Fantasy" debuted on ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Dec 24, 2017
Gaming is on a winning streak
The gods are back "Okami" is one of the most beautiful and imaginative games ever made. It first came out in 2006 on the PlayStation 2 and was dubbed the best game of that year. Over a decade later it is still wonderful. "Okami" is a ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Nov 26, 2017
Getting your money's worth in the game world
The power of the Xbox One X It was an amazing sight. On the morning of Nov. 7, it seemed the impossible had happened: A sign outside the Yodobashi Camera electronics store in Tokyo's Akihabara district read "Xbox One X Sold Out." What happened? It turned ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Oct 22, 2017
Fun with zombies, kaiju and Mario in your living room
Hungry for a new PSVR experience? For those who haven't yet purchased the PlayStation VR, Sony is releasing an updated version, model number CUH-ZVR2. Unlike the original PSVR, the new one has a new processor unit, integrated stereo earphone cables and a slimmer connection lead. In ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Sep 24, 2017
Better games for serious hardware
Get the Playstation 4 revved "Gran Turismo Sport" is Sony's long-running "Gran Turismo" game's PlayStation 4 debut. The first "GT" was released in 1997 on the PlayStation 1, and 20 years later, "Gran Turismo" is still going strong, holding on to its title as "the ...