Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1The precise differences between Christianity and Islam, Lord Jesus and Muhammad, and the Holy Bible and the Quran explained – The YouTube channel HolyLandSite is a favorite of mine as it has published a lot of very credible and detailed explanatory videos about the Holy Land in Israel, Christianity, the Jews and how everything is connected with the Holy Bible (the Word of God). In the recent video they published recently, the precise differences between Christianity and Islam, between Lord Jesus and Muhammad, and between the Holy Bible and the Quran are explained in detail by Pastor Todd. I strongly recommend watching the video below…
#2 The deep hatred of the Palestinians towards Israel explained – There is no doubt that hatred, violence and murder are core values that the Palestinians have been oriented with while living under very evil leaders (murderer/terrorist Yasser Arafat is just one of them). To date, there are very few Palestinians who overcame their evil orientation and pushed back against their evil leaders to become good people. In the video below, YouTuber Oren explains in detail why so many Palestinians grew up with hate and live by hate towards Israel and its people. Lastly, I should state once again that the Palestinians are a displaced people, are NOT natives of the land of Israel and they caused trouble when they occupied Jordan and Kuwait.
#3 Remembering the past video game company Working Designs – It has been almost twenty years since American game company Working Designs closed down and ended their business. For the newcomers reading this, Working Designs is best known for localizing several video games from different Japanese companies for the North American market and among their best known releases were Lunar: The Silver Star Story, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Dragon Force and Magic Knight Rayearth. Their business history is very interesting to examine and for your viewing pleasure, posted below is one video about Working Designs’ legacy and another video about their games released across different platforms.
#4 Man of Steel video reviews, analysis, trivia and reaction videos – The cinematic universe of DC Comics superheroes that started in 2013’s Man of Steel is officially over and the newest film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom won’t match its predecessor’s massive commercial success. Unofficially referred to as the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), the past cinematic universe of Warner Bros. had a very inconsistent record of commercial and critical results. That being said, it is high time to go all the way back to the very beginning with Man of Steel (starring Henry Cavill as Superman) through a series of varied videos I found for you to watch.
#5 DeepStar Six videos – Believe it or not, way back in 1989 there was not one, not two, but three movies that had underwater settings. One of them was DeepStar Six which was directed by original Friday The 13th movie director Sean S. Cunningham and, for some reason, was released in cinemas here in the Philippines with the title “Alien from the Deep.” While it grossed less than Leviathan and was made for a fraction of the budget of James Cameron’s The Abyss, DeepStar Six still has a long-lasting following and different kinds of videos about it were made. You can watch what I found below…
Welcome back, fellow gamers, geeks, role-playing games (RPGs) enthusiasts and fantasy lovers!
In recent times, I completed my first playthrough of Starfield on my Xbox Series X and it lasted me over 220 hours of fun, discoveries and intriguing moments. Having played it so long, I will replay Starfield with a new playthrough only after Bethesda implements the next series of patches/updates (to refine the game) and release the planned downloadable content (DLC).
That being said, I finally started playing the inspired Japanese-style role-playing game (RPG) Sea of Stars on my Xbox Series X. Having played some hours of it, I can say that I am really enjoying Sea of Stars and I intend to finish it. Oh yes, Sea of Stars is available on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) right now!
This is one of many great looking scenes composed of really fine 2D art style and pixel artistry in Sea of Stars.
Developed by Sabotage Studio, Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG with a strong retro feel that will remind you of past Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) like Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. The game follows the exploits of two Children of the Solstice who combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer. Along the way, the two Children of Solstice start a quest joined by their friend and together they travel to different places encountering different inhabitants and engage in situations that only they can solve.
Having played Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI and a lot of JRPGs from the so-called 16-bit era of console gaming, I can say that Sea of Stars is a very inspired game that has lots of elements common with the mentioned games (plus more) with regards to art style, gameplay, quests, music, character development and visual presentation. To put it short, the guys at Sabotage Studio took a lot of inspiration from the classic JRPGs to make something fun for this current console generation. I am having a lot of fun with the game which itself is available for Xbox Game Pass (XGP) subscribers to avail.
An important meeting about to happen in the game.
A boss battle early in the game.
This is just a part of the world map of Sea of Stars.
In my experience and recollections from the past, Sea of Stars has visual style that is best compared with Chrono Trigger. Sabotage Studio really created a lot of nice looking 2D artworks and highly detailed sprites that made the new game look lively. With regards to the storytelling , character development and character expressions, the game has a wholesome tone that never felt childish. The tone as well as the humor made Sea of Stars comparable with several Japanese RPGs from the 16-bit age of consoles.
You will encounter really interesting characters who will join your party as the game progresses.
Sea of Stars is really fun to play and it is a great change of pace and style for me as I finished my Starfield playthrough which lasted more than 220 hours. This Sabotage Studio game will help ease my wait for the expected 2024 RPGs such as Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Xbox-exclusive Avowed. As much as I hope to see past JRPGs like Xenogears, Breath of Fire and Lunar get remastered and released for Xbox consoles (and XGP), I know such possibilities remain uncertain and Sabotage Studio’s game easily fills the void. If you are looking for a Japanese-style RPG that is fun, nostalgic and visually pleasing, you can’t go wrong with Sea of Stars. Go for the game on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass now!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of a very notable illustrated literature character named Turok.
I say very notable because Turok, an Indian (North American native), started in comics in the 1950s published by Western Publishing through its licensee Dell Comics. The comic book series Turok: Son of Stone started from 1956 until the early 1980s. In 1989, Valiant Comics was established by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and business partner Steven Massarsky which was the result of a failed 1988 attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment. In 1991, Valiant published Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom as its early titles which is notable because both characters were licensed properties from Gold Key Comics (which itself was involved in the original Turok series).
Then in 1992, a newer version of Turok was introduced by Valiant Comics in the 12th issue of Magnus: Robot Fighter and subsequently the character (along with established side-kick Andar) became involved in the Unity storyline which was Valiant’s first major crossover comics event. By the time Unity ended, the road was cleared for Valiant to further emphasize Turok for the modern comic book readers of the time.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Colombia (note: written as Columbia in the comic book) in South America in the year 1987. Deep in the forest, Turok performs a ritual believing that his spirit is getting cleansed and purified. He remembers the times when he and Andar discovered a land – filled with dinosaurs and other animals they never encountered previously – where time no longer held much meaning.
He and Andar got involved in an armed conflict with invaders who arrived with advanced technologies. The robot fighter Magnus then got involved and helped Turok and their side turn the tide of battle. Eventually a stunning phenomenon happened as a woman who called herself Mothergod appeared. Turok and Andar foolishly submitted themselves to her and soon, they started operating in her service with violence against those who opposed her.
After encountering Archer and Armstrong, Turok realized the error of his devotion to Mothergod and eventually joined forces with Rai, X-O Manowar and others who waged battle against her.
Back in the present, an intelligent, cybernetically enhance dinosaur attacks Turok…
Quality
Very intense violence drawn by Bart Sears which reflected the high intensity of Turok’s fight with the dinosaurs.
To get straight to the point here, when it comes to emphasizing a new version of Turok for comic book readers in the early 1990s, the creative team was quite successful in achieving that goal. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, Turok’s place within the huge shared universe of Valiant got established solidly and the Michelinie-Sears duo dramatized the Indian’s struggle (being lost in time and far away from where he belongs) in South America in the late 1980s.
Being lost in time and having to deal with deadly, intelligent dinosaurs brought not only the warrior within Turok but also the determine survivor in him as well. There is a good amount of character emphasis of Turok which served as an effective balance to all the spectacle (read: uncompromised bloody violence) the creative duo prepared. Instead of using thought balloons, you will read Turok’s thoughts through narration boxes all throughout which made an effective and interesting reading experience.
Considering his great skills in hunting and fighting, Turok is not really a super protagonist. He is as vulnerable as any other person and you will get to see him suffer and become so helpless, he has no choice but to avail of assistance from South American villagers who lived by the land but are themselves very vulnerable to the savagery of the intelligent dinosaurs. The symbolism regarding vulnerability as well as the ramifications of the Unity crossover on this tale is very strong. This is indeed very solid writing by Michelinie.
As for the art, Sears’ work here is very unique and his style on drawing people, monsters and locations made this comic book a visual standout among 1993 comic books. When it comes to the graphic violence, it is clear to me that Sears enjoyed the creative freedom he got and he really emphasized his imagination as to how gruesome violence caused by dinosaurs on human beings would be. That being said, there are lots of violent action scenes and images of physical damage (damage on the flesh specifically) that remain visually disturbing to this day.
Conclusion
Very foolishly, Turok and Andar submitted themselves to a walking, evil idol. This should remind you that idolatry is both foolish and unholy.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) works nice as modern portrayal of Turok and it succeeds in establishing his place within Valiant’s comic book universe thanks primarily to the Michelinie-Sears duo. Turok himself is not exactly an interesting protagonist to me but I can say it is the creators’ way of portraying him that makes the plot and the comic book work as an entertainment piece. I also liked the way Turok was emphasized as a character who got lost not only in time but also dimensionally lost as he has to live within a whole new world while focusing on survival as well as his desire to kill his rival Mon-Ark (the intelligent dinosaur). If you know your American pop culture history, you will realize that this comic book incidentally paved the way for the Turok video games (starting with 1997’s Turok: Dinosaur Hunter of Nintendo 64) that happened years later.
Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) is recommended.
Welcome back, fellow gamers, geeks, Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) enthusiasts and fantasy lovers! As many of you are already aware, the much-awaited JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is set for release on April 23, 2024 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC and the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) subscription service.
Having enjoyed the 1990s JRPGs Suikoden and Suikoden II, I really am eager to play Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on my Xbox Series X as that new game’s developers include Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama and other talents who also worked on the Suikoden series. Having played so many Japanese RPGs for decades, I can clearly say that there is no JRPG that has the fun and clever mix of gameplay and features of the early Suikoden games Murayama worked on and we can experience the creator’s RPG magic in Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
Recently, game publisher 505 Games published a new 6-minute gameplay trailer of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes designed to orient gamers what they can expect in terms of characters, story, gameplay and other features. Watch the gameplay trailer below…
As you can see in the above trailer, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has a lot in common with Suikoden and Suikoden II in terms of gameplay, art style and variety. There will be group battles, large-scale army battles, fantasy world exploration, mini-games, headquarters expansion, character recruitment (which build up your army and affect the expansion of your headquarters) and more. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is looking very much like a Suikoden game but just without the name (and without Konami).
This one strongly reminds me of the cooking contest in Suikoden II.
A high-stakes meeting about to take place within the game.
Some of the many characters you can recruit throughout Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
If Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes can achieve tremendous commercial success, it just might spark a revival of the heavy use of pixel art in role-playing games (RPGs) and influence the way other game developers implement mini-games and features (common with the early Suikoden RPGs) into their RPGs.
Watch out for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass on April 23, 2024. For more about the JRPG, visit https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/eiyuden-chronicle
Since the initial announcement of the Xbox Game Studios partnership with Kojima Productions (led by legendary game creator Hideo Kojima who is known by many for his Metal Gear works) was made, a lot of gamers could not figure out what kind of game will be realized. The long wait and speculation ended as the two entities announced during The Game Awards 2023 the new game (designed by Hideo Kojima) titled OD (Overdose).
To begin, watch the official teaser trailer of the Xbox-exclusive OD below…
To add punch to the announcement, Kojima himself appeared on-stage during The Game Awards 2023 which you can see below…
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS and XBOX GAME STUDIOS officially announced OD at The Game Awards. World-renowned game creator Hideo Kojima has partnered with Academy Award winning filmmaker Jordan Peele, the acclaimed film director of “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Nope,” who will be one of several talented storytellers involved in the project.
“We are working with Xbox Game Studios and their cloud gaming technology to take on the challenge of creating a very unique, immersive, and totally new style of game – or rather, a new form of media,” said Hideo Kojima, Game Creator and Founder of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS.
A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME, OD explores the concept of testing your fear threshold, and what it means to OD on fear – while blurring the boundaries of gaming and film. The new teaser for OD also reveals Sophia Lillis (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”), Hunter Schafer (“Euphoria”) and Udo Kier (“Flesh for Frankenstein”), who will play the lead roles in the upcoming project.
While there were little details about OD unveiled and the teaser trailer showcased what the production team is doing with the technologies they have, the Xbox-exclusive project is intriguing to say the least. Sure, there was no gameplay footage shown nor plot elements but the unveiling showed that OD was aiming for a new experience with horror, suspense, emotion and immersion in mind.
Kojima Productions’ utilization of cloud gaming technology and Unreal Engine could result in something new and fresh from Hideo Kojima whom I believe must have been experimenting a lot with designs not only for video gaming but also for interactive viewing. It is also interesting to see that OD will involve the talents of selected actors and director Jordan Peele. I can only speculate that, in relation to Kojima’s quote in the press release, the game will be cinematic and will somehow get the gamer/viewer involved in ways not seen before.
A lot of questions about the Xbox-exclusive OD remain particularly on how exactly will it be playable, what the plot is, will the game push photo-realism to the next level, how will it immerse gamers/viewers into it, when will it be released on Xbox Game Pass (XGP), when will it be released and more.
Whatever OD (Overdose) will be, we can only hope that Hideo Kojima and his team will create something groundbreaking and great. Stay tuned for future updates about OD here.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1Xbox-related announcements at The Game Awards 2023 – The Game Awards 2023 edition took place recently and like many of its previous editions, it was a spectacle of video game awards as well as announcements of upcoming games. Team Xbox, which now has giant publishers Activision-Blizzard-King and Bethesda under its umbrella, came out with very notable video game announcements that not only includes Hideo Kojima’s Xbox project but also a brand new game (the licensed property of a very popular entertainment brand) which I never anticipated coming. I should also state that Square Enix’s announcement of Visions of Mana includes the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S for future release. Watch the videos (including one from a YouTuber) below…
#2 Godzilla Minus One makes impact in America – While its current theatrical distribution in America is not too great, the Japanese-made Godzilla Minus One movie managed to make an impact with moviegoers and critics there. In fact, Toho’s newest Godzilla film even topped the American box office on specific days during the week (click here and here) even though it came with English subtitles (with original Japanese voices throughout) that had to be read by moviegoers. Why is Godzilla Minus One making an impact in America? Watch the videos below…
#3 The evil of the Islamo-Left – It is not surprising at all that Leftist elements continue to take sides with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas while opposing Israel’s war efforts in the Gaza strip (Israel’s response to Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks and abduction of hostages). If you do your research of history, you will realize that the unholy alliance between Islamic terrorists and Leftists actually go a long way back. That alliance is referred to as the Islamo-Left which is composed of Islamists and Leftists who are united by their hatred for Israel and their desire to commit genocide against the Jewish people. The Islamo-Left is the evil force that needs to be rejected and defeated. I also want to state again that the Palestinians are NOT the indigenous people of Israel, the Palestinians have no right to the land of Israel, and the Palestinians are still living under the wickedness of their leaders (Hamas and the Palestinian Authority). Learn more by watching the video below…
#4 Beware of charismatic criminals – In this divided world we live in, there are certain charismatic individuals who wield so much power, they managed to deceive people and commit crimes believing they could simply get away with it all. The charismatic criminals of recent times are specifically Elizabeth Holmes (convicted), Sam Bankman-Fried (convicted) and Charlie Javice. To find out who the charismatic crooks are, what happened to them and why you must never let them deceive you, watch the videos below…
#5 Unite with the Right to push back against the Satanic Left – Shifting to geopolitics, Sky News Australia published two videos that must be seen. The first one is about the political Right gaining significant ground in the Netherlands and Argentina (following the very inspired political shift related to Giorgia Meloni’s rise to power in Italy in 2022). The 2nd video shows why the Satanic Left often leads people to social, political and economic ruin as seen in Argentina. Let these two videos inspire you and members of your community to rise up against the Leftists and be united with the Right in future elections as well as with ongoing developments of the current government. Never let the Satanic Left take even the slightest space away from you. Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, diversity fanatics, inclusion fanatics, LGBT activists, the woke nuts, pro-Palestine zealots and all those other wicked Leftist elements are simply too chaotic to be given power.
It has been more than ten years since the day I first played Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV) on my Xbox 360 and that game was very in-depth and provided loads of fun gameplay. I replayed GTAV on Xbox One and most recently on my Xbox Series X console via Xbox Game Pass (XGP).
Recently, Rockstar Games released the official trailer of the much-awaited new game Grand Theft Auto VI (GTAVI or GTA6 for short) online ahead of schedule (note: someone shamelessly leaked the trailer which compelled the publisher to do an early launch) which attracted many millions of views from fans and gamers on varied platforms online. The new game will be released on Xbox Series X|S consoles sometime in the year 2025. To begin with, watch the official trailer below…
And below is a statement from Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser…
“Grand Theft Auto VI continues our efforts to push the limits of what’s possible in highly immersive, story-driven open-world experiences,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “We’re thrilled to be able to share this new vision with players everywhere.” (source – official press release)
A view of a beach and the buildings of Vice City. Clearly the city is inspired by Miami in real-life.
As expected, the GTA6 official trailer looks really impressive and I would not be surprised that the developers will make the gameplay experience more varied by means of implementing lots of features and play styles. The trailer even showed images of in-game social media which will most likely become a gameplay feature eventually as it will resonate with gamers who mostly spent a lot of years using social media accounts in real life.
In the press release, the fictional Vice City and the state of Leonida were explicitly mentioned. For the newcomers reading this, Vice City was the main setting in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and the said city will be getting the modern game presentation and design similar to what happened to Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto IV, and Los Santos in GTAV. Vice City is clearly patterned after the real-life city of Miami in Florida and within the new game are lots of parties (lots of neon colors too), populated beaches, wildlife, desolate locations for exploring and groove-related activities.
We will find out soon enough how detailed a populated in-game beach like this will turn out on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Interacting with the wildlife in the game’s more isolated environments could resonate nicely with those who played Red Dead Redemption 2 extensively.
Expect Rockstar Games to make adjustments and refinements not only with the core gameplay but also with the way cops and criminals will react to each other. Lastly, it seems that the developers took inspiration from the real-life American crime couple Bonnie and Clyde for the in-game couple that was several times within the game trailer. That being said, the developers are not only staying away from the 3-protagonist formula of GTAV, they are also challenging themselves to create something new and even more compelling with the GTA6 couple for players to experience.
I am also interested to see how Rockstar will design the open-world environments this time. I have never been to Miami but I visited Orlando during my one and only trip to Florida. I noticed how different Florida’s physical surroundings were compared to other states in America I visited, and I noticed in the GTA6 trailer the more desolate locations filled with varied forms of vegetation were inspired by the said state. Oh yes, there were also images of alligators in the trailer which remind me of real-life Florida sightings of the creatures in populated places. I can only imagine how this will add variety to the gameplay and exploration in GTA6. Check out the news videos below…
Grand Theft Auto VI is still far from release and a lot could happen as the release date gets closer. Here is hoping that Rockstar Games will deliver a game that is not only great but also turn out to be truly worth the wait of over a decade. For the Xbox fans reading this, do you think the Xbox Series S version of GTA6 will turn out good? If you already have an Xbox Series S as well as extra money, would you be willing to upgrade by buying the Xbox Series X console for GTA6?
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1Debunking the lies of the Palestinians and the Satanic Left – Israel has been all over the news for over a month now as the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked them on October 7, 2023, and committed acts of murder, kidnapping and torture of many innocent people (including foreign nationals). Israel responded by going into war with Hamas and already they have several soldiers operating inside the Gaza strip searching for the terrorists while trying to rescue the hostages.
Around the world, anti-Semitism has intensified as a lot of public rallies or protests events supporting the Palestinians and condemning Israel continues to happen. Unsurprisingly, the Satanic Leftist elements in governments, mainstream news media outlets and social media all organized a major misinformation campaign highlighting the Palestinians as victims while portraying Israel as the antagonists. Collectively these Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberal, diversity advocates and other anti-Semitic elements have been spreading lies repeatedly to attack Israel while lifting up the Palestinians.
Fortunately, YouTuber Oren who handles the channel travelingisrael.com published in-depth videos that debunked the Arab-Palestine-Hamas-Leftist propaganda complete with details and facts that the liars did not even bother to check. I stand with Israel and the Holy Bible confirms that Israel is the land that God designated to the Jewish people (read Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 35:10-12), not the Arabs and certainly not the Palestinians. There really never was an ancient Palestine and the Palestinian identity as a people did not even exist before the 20th century (not even during the time when the Ottoman Empire had authority over the land of Israel). That being said, I strongly recommend you watch the videos below and pay close attention to the details…
#2 Trustworthy look at Israel – Still on Israel, I want to tell you all that you cannot trust the mainstream news media outlets as they have an anti-Israel and anti-Semitic agenda in connection with their Leftist worldviews. You cannot trust CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, BBC, Vox and others as they are laser-focused on smearing Israel and putting the lives of Jewish people in danger. Those abusers of media and information are spreading lies and hate! If you want a clearer and more credible look at Israel and the developments that happened, I recommend you follow CBN News (the news program of the Christian Broadcasting Network) and TBN Israel. Posted below are some of their YouTube videos for you to see…
#3 Macross nostalgia videos – And new we shift into the world of entertainment. When it comes to the world of anime, Macross is my favorite franchise. To be more specific, the Super Dimension Fortress Macross TV series, Macross: Do You Remember Love? (read my retro movie review by clicking here), Macross Plus and Macross Zero are the ones I enjoyed replaying and there were some video game adaptations released along the way (read my retro game review by clicking here). If you share my Macross passion or if you are simply interested with anime and related video games, I recommend you watch the videos below…
#4 Cloak & Dagger (1984) nostalgia – A few months ago, I published my retro review of the 1984 movie Cloak & Dagger which remains a very unique film by today’s standards. For one thing, the film was the 4th cinematic adaptation of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich. It also had Henry Thomas (the same kid in Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) as the protagonist, a plot filled with strong elements of espionage, a video game as a key item in the story, and most notably, a very intense tone complete with shooting and killings. Cloak & Dagger, which is now available on 4K Blu-ray format, is the kind of movie that Hollywood does not make anymore. Of course, I do understand that Hollywood has so many Commies and SJWs (social justice warriors) among its screenwriters, actors and directors who could not understand Cloak & Dagger. To learn about the 1984 movie, watch the videos below…
#5Friday The 13th Part 3 reaction and retro review videos – Some time ago I declared in my retro review that Friday The 13th Part 3 is the 2nd best film of its franchise (note: Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter is still #1). Sure, it was flawed and the filmmakers struggled to make the movie as they intended to film it with 3D cinema viewing in mind, but the way things turned out it marked a crucial turning point in Friday The 13th’s general formula on storytelling and the presentation with Jason Voorhees as the enduring antagonist. This is the very movie when Jason first got his hockey mask and the actor’s muscular build gave him a more intimidating look than in Part 2. That being said, it is no surprise that the 1982 movie became the subject of multiple movie reaction videos and retro reviews on YouTube and you can watch some of them (plus one trivia video by Minty Comedic Arts) below…
Ever since it was first announced, the stakeholders behind the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal worth almost $70 billion went through lots of hurdles that include opposition by Sony’s PlayStation division, a trial with America’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a rejection by the United Kingdom’s regulator Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The obstacles are over as the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal recently closed and already the Activision side of the business has officially started integrating into Microsoft. This deal is many times larger than the Xbox-Bethesda acquisition of a few years ago. Watch the related video by Team Xbox below…
Xbox chief Phil Spencer issued a statement related to the newly closed deal. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from his statement published through Xbox.com. Some parts in boldface…
We love gaming. We play games, create games, and know first-hand how much gaming means to all of us as individuals and collectively, as a community. And today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.
I’ve long admired the work of Activision, Blizzard, and King, and the impact they’ve had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture. Whether it was late nights spent playing the Diablo IV campaign with friends from start to finish, gathering the entire family in the rec room for our weekly Guitar Hero night, or going on an epic streak in Candy Crush, some of my most memorable gaming moments came from experiences their studios have created. It is incredible to welcome such legendary teams to Xbox.
As one team, we’ll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We’ll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone. We are intentional about inclusion in everything we do at Xbox – from our team to the products we make and the stories we tell, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community.
Together, we’ll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places so more players can join in, and we’ll engage with and delight players in new, innovative ways in the places they love to play including mobile, cloud streaming and more.
Players have always been at the center of everything we do. And as we grow, we’ll continue to keep players at the heart of it all. We’ll continue to listen to your feedback, build a community where you can be yourself, where developers can do their best work, and continue to make really fun games. As promised, we will also continue to make more games available in more places – and that begins now by enabling cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area, a commitment made to the European Commission. Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too.
For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win.
For their part, Activision Blizzard issued its own statement related to the biggest deal in video gaming with Microsoft. They are looking forward to the future of gaming with Team Xbox. Posted below is an excerpt from their statement with some parts in boldface…
It’s a big day for us at Activision Blizzard. For more than four decades, our players have inspired us to push the boundaries of imagination with iconic universes including Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, Overwatch, and Warcraft.
Today we begin a new chapter as we officially become a part of the Microsoft family, uniting with the amazing Xbox team and co-creating the future of gaming together.
In our earliest days we were a modest collective of designers who raided rivers, commanded choppers, and avoided pitfalls. Now as part of Xbox, we will continue our mission to deliver the world’s most epic interactive entertainment experiences to more people, more platforms, and across more worlds than ever before.
All of our history and success leading to this moment is because of you, our incredible gaming community.
Unsurprisingly, the approved Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal made tremendous waves through social media and through YouTube. Watch and learn from the videos below starting with an interview with Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick (note: pay close attention to his words)…
The Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal is not just another multi-billion Dollar business breakthrough…it is a tremendous boost for the credibility of Xbox as a video gaming, PC gaming, cloud gaming and mobile gaming entity.
While it is made clear that Microsoft-controlled ABK will still release games on multiple platforms, the new owners can make the new and upcoming games Xbox-exclusive (meaning released only on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus cloud and mobile devices which collectively are more numerous than Nintendo and PlayStation consoles). For insights about potential Xbox-exclusive Activision Blizzard games, watch Colteastwood’s video below…
More on exclusivity that include games, DLC releases and other matters, it is clear that the pre-existing contracts between PlayStation and Activision will never be renewed (read: PlayStation is no longer the home of Call of Duty). PlayStation, whose leader Jim Ryan has been so arrogant and dishonest when opposing the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal, will have a lot to worry about on the gaming subscription side of business once Activision Blizzard games get added into the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service some time in 2024. As much as Team Xbox and Microsoft are benefiting from this mega deal, gamers across different platforms will eventually benefit as well in various ways. Expect new customer-oriented choices to be made through the games under Xbox’s banner.
As of this writing, Xbox fans are rejoicing over the closed Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal while PlayStation fanboys cannot help but agonize with anger and jealousy. All you have to do to see the PS fanboys’ anguish is search for them on social media over their collective negative reactions. The “Xbox has no games” zealots are looking and feeling bad nowadays. Indeed, things are working in Team Xbox’s favor and I personally cannot wait to see the benefits of the ABK deal get realized in my gaming experience. Also there is nothing like seeing ABK’s established franchises like Call of Duty, StarCraft, Warcraft and many others listed with Xbox’s own franchises such as Halo, Forza Motorsport, The Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Fallout and others.
Personally, I look forward to playing Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot (a game property that started on PlayStation) other Activision titles on my Xbox Series X console through my Xbox Game Pass subscription in the near future.
Finally! It was announced that the anticipated Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will officially be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (XGP) on April 23, 2024.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement via the Eiyuden Chronicle website. Some parts in boldface…
Today we proudly announce the April 23, 2024 release date of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes! We are pleased to unveil a new key visual featuring the three main characters Nowa, Seign, and Marisa.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a JRPG from legendary game developers Yoshitaka Murayama’s (Suikoden I & II) and Junko Kawano (Suikoden I & IV) which takes the turn-based strategy game experience to the next level. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes features a finely crafted six-character battle system, meticulously created 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds, a riveting story with over 100 playable characters and engaging gameplay designed to bring players a modern take on classic JRPGs.
“We are thrilled to finally announce the release date of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes,” said Studio Lead Yoshitaka Murayama.
For the newcomers reading this, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an independently produced JRPG that involved key creators from the Suikoden game franchise which was previously announced for a vague 2023 release. The game developers needed more time to ensure a high quality RPG which explained the delay into 2024. This new JRPG is the 2nd Eiyuden Chronicle title to be released on Xbox. The first one was Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising.
A battle within the game.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a JRPG that I’ve been anticipating for more than two years now. I enjoyed the first two Suikoden RPGs on PlayStation 1 (note: read my Suikoden II retro review) and the upcoming game is very clearly inspired by them. Ironically, the remastered Suikoden and Suikoden II look like they won’t be released this year as Konami itself announced that more time is needed to ensure quality performance.
As I myself am pretty busy enjoying Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG Starfieldon my Xbox Series X console, it seems to me that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes’ April 2024 release schedule feels just right. The more I play Starfield, the more I discovered more quests and activities which really deepened the fun. There is no telling how long I’ll keep on playing the sci-fi RPG. Apart from Starfield, Forza Motorsport (2023) is the other big-time Xbox-exclusive game to play starting October 10.
Apart from completion and polishing, the publisher of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will have the major challenge of marketing the game to get JRPG fans and other gamers to buy it. The said game is bound for release on Xbox Game Pass which itself also has hundreds of video games – including RPGs – available for subscribers to play. It will take a solid effort to make Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes stand out in XGP.
Watch out for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass on April 23, 2024. For more about the JRPG, visit https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/eiyuden-chronicle
Author Carlo Carrasco 