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
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government raised the allowances of local scholars to P500 million, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The city has roughly 80,000 students listed as beneficiaries of the local scholarship program.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government has increased the allowances of students who are under its scholarship program.
According to the Muntinlupa Scholarship Division (MSD), the annual budget for scholarship grants has been increased by P100 million from P400 million to P500 million.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2023-143, passed by the City Council, which increased allowances of different scholars.
There are nearly 80,000 students in Muntinlupa who are the current beneficiaries of the scholarship program of the city government.
Under the High School Students and Elementary Pupils Assistance Program (HELP), the annual financial grants have been increased from P4,000 to P5,000 for elementary pupils, from P5,000 to P6,000 for junior high school, from P6,000 to P7,000 for senior high school, and from P2,400 to P3,000 covering six months for those under the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
For scholars under the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Continuing Assistance for Reintegrating Students (CARES), the general weighted average (GWA) has been changed and the grants have been increased.
Under the new policy, those under Bracket A with GWA of 1 to 1.5, the scholarship grant per semester has been increased from P10,000 to P15,000; Bracket B with GWA of 1.51 to 2, from P7,500 to P10,000; and Bracket C with GWA of 2.01 to 2.5, the grant has been maintained at P5,000.
Those under the Education Development of Government Employees (EDGE), the grant per semester is P3,000 to P5,000 for 50 city government employees taking up undergraduate courses or bachelor’s degrees.
A total of 100 city public school teachers and 50 city government employees who are to pursue postgraduate degrees will get P10,000 per semester.
Students working on their theses or dissertations will get a research topic grant from P10,000 to P30,000.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you think the City Government made the right move by raising the allowances of local scholars?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the outstanding residents and the achievements of the city were highlighted by Mayor Ruffy Biazon during the celebration of the city’s 106th founding anniversary, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in boldface…
Mayor Ruffy Biazon paid tribute to outstanding residents, including most valuable player in basketball Karl Kevin Argana Quiambao, and cited the gains of the city government this year as Muntinlupa celebrated its 106th founding anniversary on Dec. 19.
“Today, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, proud inheritors of a legacy that stretches back over a century. In fact, it has been 38,690 days since Muntinlupa was established as an independent municipality by the stroke of a pen by an American Governor-General of the Philippines,” said Biazon in his address at the anniversary celebration.
It was on Dec. 19, 2017 when Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison signed Executive Order No. 108 that made Muntinlupa a municipality.
“Muntinlupa remains a beacon of strength and resilience. Our city has weathered storms, both literal and metaphorical, and emerged stronger each time. As we reflect on the past year, let us not only acknowledge the challenges we faced but also celebrate the victories, both big and small, that have shaped our community,” said Biazon.
Awards – Biazon cited the different awards the Muntinlupa City government received this year.
One of them was the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), which, he said, meant that the city government has been delivering excellent services to the public.
Muntinlupa also received eight awards at the Urban Governance Exemplar Awards of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In city competitiveness, said Biazon, Muntinlupa garnered third place in resiliency and infrastructure pillars and fifth place overall most competitive local government unit among highly urbanized cities in the country.
Muntinlupa also received the Green Banner Seal of Compliance Award, “the highest recognition given to LGUs for its sustainable intervention programs to combat and completely eradicate malnutrition especially among children.”
“Each individual department and office of the City Government also has its own share of victories and triumphs. In the past year alone, we have welcomed and hosted several fellow local governments (cities and municipalities) both from Metro Manila and the provinces which conducted benchmarking activities and learning visits in the City,” said Biazon.
Outstanding residents – Biazon named residents who stood out in their respective fields this year.
One of them is tricycle driver Dexter Pacquiao from Barangay Cupang who returned P413,000 in cash that was left by an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
Quiambao, a resident of Barangay Bayanan, was also hailed by the mayor for being the MVP in basketball in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86.
Biazon also mentioned athletes who won medals for the country in different sports events including the 19th Asian Games.
Among them were Asian Games gold medalist Annie Ramirez of Barangay Cupang who won the feat in the Jiu-Jitsu Women’s 57KG category, and bronze medalist Kaila Napolis of Barangay Poblacion who bagged the award in the Jiu-Jitsu Women’s 52KG category.
He also cited brothers Shugen at Keisei Nakano who won silver and bronze medals, respectively, in judo in the 32nd SEA Games, and Daryl Mercado who won a bronze medal in the same sport.
The mayor also mentioned three students of Colegio de Muntinlupa who competed in the 2023 Vex Robotics World Championship. They were Arthur Simundac, Kenneth De Guzman, and Mark Lawrence Ragus.
“It has been 437 days since I assumed the post of Mayor of Muntinlupa City. It is not just the leaders who make reform and progress happen..it is often the hard work of those on the ground,” said Biazon.
He added, “We are here now celebrating this significant day because of all the men and women who showed up, who fought hard, whose battles were marred by defeat and victory, but showed up nonetheless in the arena.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa, are you delighted with what the city and the outstanding residents collectively achieved this year? Do you see a bright future for Muntinlupa City in 2024?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers arrested a Chinese national for illegally possessing two guns and several pieces of ammunition, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The arrest took place in Barangay Don Galo.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
A Chinese national was arrested by members of the Parañaque City Police Sto. Nino Substation after he was caught in possession of two .45-caliber pistols on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
Police said the suspect, identified as “Jung”, was nabbed at around 12:50 a.m. in front of a hotel on Macapagal Boulevard in Barangay Don Galo, Parañaque City.
A concerned citizen sought help from Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officers after seeing the suspect with a gun while on board a pickup truck. They then asked for assistance from the police to apprehend Jung.
The police said that upon their arrival in the area, the suspect immediately threw his gun into the back of his vehicle.
The suspect was arrested after police recovered from him two .45-caliber pistols with 13 live bullets.
He was immediately brought and detained at the Parañaque Police custodial facility.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more Chinese nationals moving around in your local community illegally carrying guns and bullets? Are you concerned that such foreigners could cause trouble locally?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
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.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco vowed on Monday to open more tourist rest areas (TRA) across the country to further boost the industry.
Frasco made the statement as she led the inauguration of TRA in Cebu province’s wildlife adventure capital.
In her speech, Frasco said the TRA in Cebu’s northern town of Carmen is the fourth in Cebu and 10th in the country and pledged to build 18 more of these facilities “all the way from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.”
The opening of these TRAs would be realized through the partnership with the local government units (LGU) and private stakeholders.
Frasco said more mayors in Cebu have requested her mother, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, to open the same facility in their respective areas, optimistic these would boost their local tourism efforts.
The Carmen TRA will be managed by the Cebu Zafari, a wildlife park that is home to over 1,000 animals of 120 species in a 170-hectare property.
“Gov. Gwen expanded the support beyond Cebu through her initiative to open TRAs in the sister province of Albay and Zamboanga-Sibugay,” she added.
Medellin, a sugarcane town also in Cebu north, is the first LGU in the Philippines to establish its own TRA. Other TRAs were inaugurated in Carcar City and Moalboal.
Like in three other facilities, the Carmen TRA offers various amenities, including a coffee shop, a pasalubong and souvenir store, a tourist information area, clean restrooms and free charging stations.
The souvenir shops not only sell local delicacies but also serve as a platform for Cebu’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their local products, providing them with additional livelihood opportunities and employment for the locals.
DOT-7 regional director Shahlimar Tamano said groundbreaking for TRAs in Bogo City, Dumanjug, Santander and Pinamungajan are in the pipeline.
“TRAs are precisely what we needed to promote tourism,” Garcia said in her remark during the inauguration ceremony at Carmen, citing complaints from local and foreign tourists that the Philippines lack restroom facilities for travelers.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think it makes sense for the DOT to establish more TRAs around the country to help the tourism industry? Do you think having more TRAs will be helpful in comforting tourists?
As far as Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos is concerned, firecrackers should be banned nationwide through the many local government units (LGUs), according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…
Fire crackers should be banned in all local government units in the country, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday.
In an ambush interview, Abalos said some local government units have already imposed a total ban on firecrackers and just designated an area for fireworks display.
“Marami naman tayong mga lungsod at mga munisipyo na mayroong ganito. Sana lahatin na natin. Kaya ako ay nananawagan sana naman magkaroon na tayo ng ganitong ordinansa,” Abalos said.
(There are many cities and municipalities that passed an ordinance on banning firecrackers, I hope all cities and municipalities will do the same. That is why I am calling for them to pass an ordinance already.)
“Anyway, kaya naman i-celebrate ang Bagong Taon nang maayos. Magkaroon ng fireworks display na lamang sa mga munisipyo sa isang lugar at maiwasan natin iyong ganitong disgrasya,” he added.
(Anyway, we can celebrate the New Year orderly. We should have a fireworks display in the municipalities in one area and avoid accidents.)
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you favor a total ban on firecrackers? Do you consider the purchase of firecrackers a waste of money? Is your local government willing to implement a ban on firecrackers?
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 Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Spider-Man monthly series.
Back in the late 1980s, Todd McFarlane proved to be a highly talented artist who helped Marvel sell a lot of issues of the Amazing Spider-Man series. McFarlane was also highly involved with the creation of Venom which not only became Spider-Man’s deadliest foe but also an icon of Marvel’s. In the year 1990, a brand new monthly series of Spider-Man was launched and it had Todd McFarlane writing and illustrating the tales.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man #1, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. This marks the beginning of the Torment storyline.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in New York City where countless people walk to their respective destinations not realizing that the local hero Spider-Man was swinging above them. In a dirty alley, Spider-Man prevents an armed thug from harming a woman and leaves him hanging covered with a lot of web.
Elsewhere in the city, a sinister figure conducts a ritual, prays to evil forces and begins using magic.
In yet another location, a hideous creature emerges from the water. It’s the Lizard…
Quality
This page is an example of Todd McFarlane creating a travel sequence that allowed him to draw something great. It’s a classic example of moving back into the comfort zone.
To make things very clear here, this comic book is pretty shallow and hollow mainly due to its storytelling as this was the writing of a very young Todd McFarlane. There is no denying that his art here is great to look at from start to finish. In fact, this was one of McFarlane’s finest visual works ever with Marvel.
But if you look beyond the great visuals, the writing is very weak all throughout the issue. At best, this comic book is a grand-looking yet shallow set-up for the conflict of the Torment storyline complete with shared emphasis on the iconic web-slinger, the Lizard (looking more menacing than before) and Calypso (the one behind the magic and rituals).
In fairness to McFarlane, he added his own touch on emphasizing the personalities of Peter Parker and wife Mary Jane simultaneously as a couple. If you were used to seeing in-depth character development and witty dialogue about the two major characters as portrayed in the Amazing Spider-Man, Web of Spider-Man and Spectacular Spider-Man series of 1990, you won’t find them in this comic book. Under McFarlane’s writing, Spider-Man in this issue showed signs of sarcasm and cockiness in the first scene, and with Mary Jane he (as Peter Parker) expressed himself philosophically. To say the least, the portrayal of Spider-Man here is noticeably different under McFarlane.
The Lizard, a long-time rival of Spider-Man’s, was presented to be very violent and murderous in this issue. This was clearly McFarlane’s approach on emphasizing the force of opposition that awaits the iconic web-slinger and he obviously went for a more adulterated approach with the visuals. That being said, the violent content in this comic book is very unique and clearly stood out from the rest of the Spider-Man-related comics published by Marvel in 1990. Lastly, I should say that McFarlane’s visual take on the Lizard is the best I have seen.
Going back to the visuals, McFarlane implemented strong elements of horror, darkness and grittiness which went along well with the adulterated approach to violence. These mixed elements, as they turned out in reality, became part of McFarlane’s future works past Spider-Man.
Conclusion
McFarlane’s vicious and horrifying approach on visualizing the Lizard can’t be ignored. This Lizard makes the cinematic Lizard of the 2012 movie The Amazing Spider-Man look cartoony.
Spider-Man #1 (1990) is a very mixed bag when it comes to literary enjoyment. It clearly has great artwork by McFarlane whose adulterated approach on expression and spectacle made it very unique. The writing by McFarlane (who was very young at the time of production) is clearly the big letdown although his own approach on portraying Spider-Man, MJ and the Lizard are very notable. Take note that this was Todd McFarlane starting with writing while doing the art (his true strength), and at this point in comic book history his talent on telling compelling stories would not be realized until a few years later (particularly with Spawn and Image Comics). Notably, his use of visual horror and darkness predates his work in Spawn which makes his Spider-Man take very distinct. Ultimately, this comic book served as a build-up for things to come in the Torment storyline. Don’t expect too much when acquiring this comic book.
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the newest batch of local achievers in the field of education were honored and rewarded by the City Government, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government honored a board exam topnotcher and recipients of Latin honors recently.
This was through the city’s Muntinlupa Scholarship Division (MSD), which recognized 33 individuals who achieved impressive results.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon congratulated the honorees and lauded them for being an example to younger students.
One of them was Maureen Grace Usacdin who finished on top of the Real Estate Appraisers Licensure Examination last September. She received a cash incentive of P100,000 for her achievement.
The MSD also recognized 10 cum laude, 21 magna cum laude and one summa cum laude from different institutions in the city.
Each received a medal, certificate and cash incentives amounting to P30,000 for summa cum laude, P20,000 for magna cum laude, and P10,000 for cum laude.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted that the newest achievers in the field of education got recognized and rewarded by the City Government?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Two foreign sex offenders who arrived from Taipei by airplane were prevented from entering the country by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) which has a database of undesirable aliens, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Two Americans with criminal records for sexually abusing minors in the United States and the country were recently barred from entering the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City.
In a statement Tuesday, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the passengers were identified as Keith Michael Lacek, 63, who was intercepted on Dec. 5, and Peter Maehler de Leon Guerrero, 54, who was turned away on Dec. 2.
Both foreigners arrived at the NAIA Terminal 1 aboard Air China and Eva Air flights from Taipei. They were immediately sent back to their country of origin.
“We had to remove them out immediately after they arrived at the airport. They are undesirable aliens who pose a very serious threat to our children,” Tansingco said in a statement. “Consequently, they are perpetually banned from re-entering the Philippines.”
He noted that Lacek was excluded after his name prompted a hit in the bureau’s derogatory base, indicating that he was banned from entering the country for his involvement in sex tourism.
The BI blacklisted Lacek in June 2020 after the bureau received information from the Office of Cybercrime of the Department of Justice that he was reportedly involved in the online enticement and sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism.
Lacek allegedly enticed a Filipina to produce and send indecent photographs of children and to engage in sexual activity with a minor in exchange for money.
On the other hand, Guerrero is a registered sex offender in the US due to his record of conviction as a child rapist.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the BI will be able to detect and reject incoming sex offenders from overseas?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 