Have you been to BF Homes within the jurisdiction of Las Piñas City lately? In case you missed the news, there was a disturbance that happened there and it involved foreign nationals who eventually got arrested by the local police, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Four Chinese were arrested by members of the Las Pinas City police for alarm and scandal and for possession of firearms on Monday (Jan. 24).
Police identified the suspects as Zhao Yi, 32; Zheng Chao, 32; Zhuang Zhi, 34; and Li Xue, 32, a businesswoman, all residents of Unit 617 Tower 2, Avida Tower, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Southern Police District (SPD) Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested at about 6:30 p.m. at Gate I Inner Circle Home Owners Association Inc., BF Homes, Barangay Almanza Uno, Las Pinas City.
Investigation showed the suspects were on board a black Ford Everest with plate number CAA 7449 driven by Zhao and tried to enter the subdivision but was prevented by security guards for having no homeowners association sticker and no valid ID.
The police said Zhao bumped the gate of the subdivision resulting in damages that prompted security guards to ask for police assistance.
Macaraeg said the three Chinese companions of Zhao tried to stop the police from arresting him that also resulted in their arrest.
The above report ended stating that a .45 caliber pistol loaded with six live pieces of ammunition was found in the possession of one of the foreigners.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Did you encounter any troublesome foreigners within your local community? What should the Bureau of Immigration (BI) do about the reported four Chinese nationals who got arrested?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
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
After much waiting and anticipation on the part of gamers wanting to play Crossfire X, it has been officially announced that the said rapid-fire first-person shooting (FPS) game will be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on February 10, 2022! To get yourselves engaged with the release date announcement, watch the newest CrossfireXtrailer below.
Now that you have seen the trailer, we can take things into perspective with the official press statement written by Smilegate West’s marketing team lead Jaren Wade and published through Xbox.com with the excerpt posted below. Some parts in bold face…
Attention mercenaries: It’s almost time to fight alongside the Global Risk and Black List factions, when CrossfireX makes its console debut on February 10, 2022. The world-renowned first person shooter makes its way to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles early next year and we can’t wait to see where the fight takes Xbox players.
It has been a long road for CrossfireX, full of excitement and feedback from our passionate community. We apologize for being unable to meet the 2021 expectations for the game’s release. A 2021 release date was something the entire team was striving for and unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to push the game’s launch back into early 2022. The CFX team wants to respond to that passion we’ve seen and share more about the game as we move forward to the February release together.
We wanted to share another glimpse at the single-player campaign with a new trailer at The Game Awards 2021. CrossfireX’s single-player component is developed by the master storytellers over at Remedy Entertainment. Working with Remedy has allowed CrossfireX to really dive into the narrative possibilities that has existed in this franchise, and we thank them for being able to bring those possibilities to life. We cannot wait for you to try Operation Catalyst and Operation Spectre when both campaigns launch alongside the CFX multiplayer in February 2022.
Soldiers and a machine behind them.
Speaking of the multiplayer component, one question that has been going around the community since the summer is what exactly are the Legendary Mercenaries? Teased by Executive Producer Mr. Boo, these characters are special transformations found in the game’s Modern modes.
Previously the Legendary Mercenaries were the final phase of the Tactical Growth System, which allows players to choose temporary buffs during Modern mode matches. They have since been separated due to balancing issues and now you can become these fearsome foes through the Modern mode exclusive Kill Streaks and Death Streaks. We wanted to share more information regarding these Legendary Mercenaries which are also known as The Boogieman.
Kill streaks grant additional match specific perks by consecutively securing enough kills. Death streaks are slower to activate, but allow you to make a comeback and turn the tides of battle. At the end of each of these streaks, you’ll get your chance to transform into the Death King. This Legendary Mercenary that dual wields twin SMGs, making him devastating in close quarters combat. In addition to his unique weapon, the Death King also has higher HP and speed compared to regular mercenaries. His ultimate skill allows him blink backwards after unleashing an AOE attack, making it a useful tool to escape from dangerous situations.
The Death King is just one of many different Legendary Mercenaries. With each multiplayer season, The Boogieman will be updated bringing a new set of abilities and skills to further showcase your dominance on the battlefield.
Finally, we cannot thank our community enough for its patience and we hope you enjoyed the new look at our single-player campaign. We’re excited to meet you in game in February 2022 and we can’t wait to see how you utilize The Death Knight in battle.
CrossfireX has a single-player campaign and a multiplayer campaign to entertain gamers.
For the newcomers reading this, CrossfireXis an Xbox-exclusive game and it is the latest entry in the CrossFire franchise of games that started South Korea on Windows PC way back in May 2007. Smilegate is the developer and publisher of the games and when it comes to CrossfireX, they collaborated with Remedy Entertainment (the same team behind Alan Wake, Quantum Break and Max Payne games) to make the single-player campaign which will come with an original story. Remedy has an established record of making games with stories, characters and memorable fictional settings or worlds and this convinced the CrossFire makers to team up with them.
Personally, I never got to play any CrossFire game but with CrossfireX coming to Xbox consoles exclusively in a few months’ time, I’m interested with it. Recently I just finished Halo Infinite’s single-player campaign which was truly an epic gaming experience on my part. Maybe CrossfireX’s single-player campaign might have something new and enjoyable as Remedy is in-charge of it. In line with the CrossFire series’ legacy, its multiplayer aspect should guarantee bouts of fun-filled shooting and action. Whatever happens, watch out for CrossfireX on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on February 10, 2022!
The new year 2022 will be another fun-filled, exciting and engaging year of Xbox-exclusive games and experiences that will delight gamers, and even the fanboys who hate Xbox will have new reasons to stop their bigotry and have fun on Xbox.
In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
Finally! Team Xbox and 343 Industries came out with a much needed preview about the single player campaign of Halo Infinite (set for a December 8, 2021 release for Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and Windows PC with Xbox Game Pass availability on launch day) very recently and it not only looks awesome visually but also succeeded in showing to gamers a fine taste of how the game will play, how immersive the new Halo is with open-world in mind and why a lot of fun awaits them all.
To start with, watch this official Halo Infinite Campaign Overview video…
Posted next is the official description from the video: The Banished have defeated UNSC forces and taken control of the mysterious Zeta Halo, threatening the survival of humankind. When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief returns to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Here’s a fresh look at the Halo Infinite campaign that introduces players to true Spartan freedom in the biggest, most wide open and adventure-filled Halo experience yet, launching on December 8 2021.
Check out Dealer Gaming’s Halo Infinite video below and listen to his opinion…
And also check out Colteastwood’s own video about the same game and campaign overview video, complete with visual comparisons that you must see.
My opinion
To begin with, the announcement by Team Xbox that they would release via YouTube the Halo Infinite Campaign Overview video (115K thumbs up and 3K thumbs down reactions as of this writing) was done on a short notice. I learned about its YouTube premiere several hours ahead of time but I made a point to anticipate its launch and view it all not on my smartphone nor on my computer but on our HDTV at home.
Ultimately, the campaign overview video proved to be a great preview and the team behind it went all-out not just to show the improved graphics (I noticed the adjustments made on the in-game lighting as well as the ramped-up detail on textures and many other elements) and in-game art, but also emphasized effectively the gameplay, what the opposition awaits players (as the iconic Master Chief) and what else to expect. Truly it was well worth the wait!
On Zeta Halo is a whole, wide and breathing world for gamers to explore. Think of the world in Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) but with a very detailed open-world design that encourages exploration, discovery and action complete with lots of freedom on doing your objectives.
This map shows a fraction of the world of Zeta Halo and few of the potential many new sites to discover.
Exploring Zeta Halo on foot and discovering one of many facilities of the Banished.
Apart from using it to reach far places, the grappleshot can also be used on enemies for a tactical attack.
Apart from Halo Infinite having a true next-generation look, I find the game’s concept of a massive, breathing open-world environment on Zeta Halo astounding and it clearly is the true essence of enjoying the game. For comparisons, I find Halo Infinite’s in-game world concept a cross between the memorable ring world in Halo: Combat Evolved and the inviting nature of the open-world maps in certain Assassin’s Creed games that I played. This reflects the new game’s offer of a lot of freedom for gamers to explore the wide environment of Zeta Halo, discover new places here and there, and take on the outposts or strongholds of the Banished in more ways than one. Along the way, gamers will have to find the scattered UNSC soldiers, regroup them and form a stronger force to take down the many enemy forces out there.
The next-generation visuals of this game made this classic Halo foe look more detailed and more menacing yet!
The equipment of Master Chief can be upgraded. This is one of the signs that this new game has RPG-inspired gameplay elements.
Shooting and action in Halo Infinite look intense!
Apart from the core mission, there reportedly will be side missions or additional activities throughout Zeta Halo for gamers to engage in. This game design, I believe, will fully immerse gamers into playing Master Chief in the most engaging and most immersive ways possible. No more playing as the Arbiter (Halo 2) and definitely no more wasting time playing as Agent Locke (Halo 5: Guardians). Master Chief is here to stay for players to portray and that’s the way I want Halo to be about. It’s great that 343 Industries learned from its shortcomings as well as those from previous Halo developer Bungie. That being said, I anticipate that Halo Infinite will offer gamers a lot more hours of gameplay based on their will to complete the game.
Meet the new AI companion called The Weapon. She looks like Cortana but has a completely different personality. Remember Cortana’s evil and destructive acts in Halo 5: Guardians? It seems The Weapon will have a key role to do in the new game.
There is nothing like driving a Warthog and then having surviving UNSC soldiers join you for both the ride and the fight!
More on the story, I was intrigued about the new AI called The Weapon who visually looks like Cortana (who in turn went evil in Halo 5: Guardians) and will be the new constant companion Master Chief will interact with. The Banished, meanwhile, look more varied in terms of presentation this time. Visually, they look like rehashed versions of the Covenant and the Brutes in the first 3 Halo games made by Bungie. In Halo Infinite, 343 Industries went the extra steps forward introducing enemies with personalities and boss fights (take note of the visible health bars on-screen on the boss opponents). And then there are two new enemies that were designed to be so formidable, the UNSC’s Spartans now have true challengers to face.
This is one very dangerous Banished enemy to deal with.
This new enemy is known for slaying Spartans.
The way I see the Xbox-exclusive Halo Infinite right now, it is looking great and its single-player campaign looks very ambitious and promising at the same time. This is truly the one video game to look forward to on December 8, 2021. How it will perform with the game critics, Halo fans, Xbox fans and all other gamers remains to be seen. Still, there is no denying that now is a great time for fans of Xbox and Halo, and gamers surely have something fun to look forward to in the final quarter of twenty-twenty-one. As a long-time Halo gamer myself, I can say that I am more confident about Halo Infinite.
Team Xbox and 343 Industries clearly learned from the criticism regarding Halo Infinite’s initial unveiling in July 2020, and the 1-year delay of the game’s release now looks justified. Remember that this year happens to be the 20th anniversary of both Xbox (click here and here) and Halo. The next thing Xbox fans and gamers should look forward to is the 20th anniversary celebration of Xbox on November 15, 2021.
Halo Infinite is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series, Xbox Series X and Windows PC on December 8, 2021.
In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos as well as more videos related to Halo Infinite’s campaign overview for your viewing pleasure.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Another crime news piece related to Parañaque for you all. This time it was reported by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) and it is about the illegal act of selling rapid test kits related to COVID-19. The illegal sale happened in Parañaque City, specifically in Barangay Don Bosco.
Three individuals were arrested for the illegal sale of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) rapid test kits in Parañaque City, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
PNP chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, citing a report from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, identified the suspects as Ace Dimaplis, Charisse Purino, and Aldrin Bacaran who were arrested in an entrapment operation in Barangay Don Bosco on Tuesday.
The operation stemmed from reports of the sale of illegally marketed medical devices such as Wondfo antigen rapid test kits which are placed in advertisements in illegal online selling websites.
A poseur-buyer ordered online 250 boxes of Wondfo rapid test kit, with each box containing 20 sets, amounting to PHP1.2 million pesos.
Recovered during the operation were assorted volumes of unauthorized rapid test kits worth PHP4 million, one magazine for .40 caliber pistol, various kinds of ammunition, two sets of caliper, a digital reloading scale, and smokeless gunpowder.
Meanwhile, the suspects failed to show to the operatives their license to operate (LTO) or special permit to sell and distribute the test kits with regards to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circular No. 2020-016 and authority to possess gun reloader and live ammunition.
“Further investigation reveals that the arrested suspects were sub-leaders of Chinese online groups who were involved in illegal online selling of unauthorized Covid-19 rapid test kit(s),” Eleazar said.
The report ended stating that the suspects were brought to the police force in Quezon City for appropriate documentation and the formal filing of cases related to violating Republic Act Number 9711 (Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 in relation to FDA Circular No. 2020-016) and Republic Act Number 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Philippine News Agency’s crime news report? Did you notice something strange going on in your local community there in Parañaque City? Are the local police and barangay tanods doing enough to secure your local community from criminals? Did you spot online any ads related to Wondfo antigen rapid test kits?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
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
If you are living in Parañaque City, did you notice something wrong or suspicious near you recently? Did you sense you were being stalked by someone? Did you witness any gun-related violence in your local community? The reason why I asked is because the Manila Bulletin reported a tragedy: a local was shot dead by an unidentified attacker while he was on his way home in Barangay Tambo along MIA Road. The victim died just days before his approaching birthday.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin’s report…
A man was shot dead by an unknown assailant while on his way home Monday night in Parañaque City just days before his birthday.
Police said the victim, identified as Darvin Baldovino, and a resident of Paranaque City, suffered several gunshot wounds in the body and died on the spot.
Baldovino was supposed to celebrate his 39th birthday on Saturday (May 8).
Investigation showed the incident happened at 8:35 p.m. along MIA Road in front of 711 Global Plaza, Barangay Tambo, Paranaque City.
According to a witness, Baldovino was walking when an unidentified suspect suddenly appeared and shot him several times in the body.
Baldovino’s wife, Janice, told the police that prior to the incident, her husband asked for her permission to go out of the house to buy a cellphone and failed to return home.
Janice also said that she learned from Rose Diestro, a desk clerk at Barangay Tambo, that her husband came from the barangay before the incident.
Diestro told Janice that a man filed a complaint against her husband in the barangay and that Baldovino had a confrontation with the complainant, walked out, and left.
The report ended that the police are exploring the possibility that the motive behind the killing could be connected with the complaint (filed against the victim).
But there is more! Watch these related YouTube news videos by GMA Network and ABS-CBN. The GMA Network news video even has certain details not found in Manila Bulletin’s report.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Manila Bulletin’s crime news report? Did you notice something strange going on in your local community there in Parañaque City? Are the local police and barangay tanods doing enough to secure your local community from criminals?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
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
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the V mini-series (Original Miniseries and The Final Battle) and the 1984 TV series, 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, science fiction fans, comic book collectors and fans of the V entertainment series of the 1980s! Before I proceed with the newest retro review of the V comic book series, I must share to you – both V fans as well as those who plan to discover the 1980s mini-series and TV series – that V: The Original Miniseries, and V: The Final Battle are all available on Blu-ray disc format on Amazon while the V TV Series is available on DVD format. If you are eager to collect them for your home entertainment collection and with your passion for V of the 1980s still burning, I suggest checking them out now by clicking here, here and here.
Wow. It’s been several months since my review of V issue #1. Almost all the retro comic book reviews I published since then were about superheroes. After going through all the superhero stuff, going back to the V comic book series is refreshing on my part.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at V #2, published by DC Comics in 1985 with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Carmine Infantino.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in a desolate part of California where members of the Resistance get out of their downed skyfighter. They are actually a short walk away from a small town. Moments earlier, the local residents approached them with smiles and small crates containing something living. After Mike Donovan introduced himself to them, the locals were mystified and ran back to the town leaving the crates behind. It turns out, the town folks thought they were the Visitors and the way they reacted suggests that the race of Reptiloids from space were accepted by them.
Mike, Julie, Willie and Hart discover that the crates contained white mice (which are food for the Visitors) which they let go.
Elsewhere at the marina north of Redondo Beach, Ham Tyler and Chris Farber (still injured) are held at gun-point on boat which turned out to be a drug-runner model. The two Resistance members successfully fight back against the two armed men and quickly took the boat to head out to sea.
Inside the mothers ship orbiting Earth, the sadistic leader Diana rejects the claims of one of her soldiers over the failure related to work farm G7. Diana believes that because the soldiers have been among the humans for a long time, they learned to grovel like them. Finding the failure inexcusable, she releases a flying device that blasts one of them…
Quality
Ham and Chris take on the flying Visitors who approached them.
In terms of writing, this is indeed a solid follow-up to issue #1 and I can say that the creators succeeded in not only continuing to capture the essence of the established V characters, balancing exposition, spectacle and suspense carefully but also raised the tension in key moments of the story which added to the engagement.
What I liked most about this comic book is its concept about a small town whose people (average age is above 60-years-old) bonded with the Visitors, engaged with them with an incredible deal (this alone will make you revisit the first episode of V: The Original Miniseries) and trusted them a lot. This story will also encourage you to reflect upon the whole concept of V and even consider other factors such as how many humans died for their freedom, how Diana’s command impacted Earth, and more.
Conclusion
This scene display’s Diana’s ruthlessness and her own way of improving her squad by making examples that involve death.
To be very clear, V #2 (1985) is a very compelling comic book and it will surely resonate with fans who saw the Original Miniseries, The Final Battle and the TV series. The cerebral approach of this comic book made it a fun read.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of V# 2 (1985), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $28 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $35.
Overall, V #2 (1985) is highly recommended!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Every great movie franchise starts small and as the decades pass by, its place in history will be marked and revisited.
This is my review of the first-ever James Bond movie Dr. No.
Ursula Andress and Sean Connery as Honey Ryder and James Bond respectively.
Released in 1962 based on the sixth novel written by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Dr. No brought Agent 007 to the big screen worldwide and its success led to a series of big moneymaking sequels, merchandise, novels, comic books, video games and other forms of contributions to pop culture. This movie also marked the beginning of Sean Connery’s journey towards becoming a cinematic icon as, arguably, the best cinematic James Bond ever.
The movie begins when British agents in Jamaica get killed off by henchmen who eventually retrieved highly confidential files. In England, the secret service sends Agent 007 to Jamaica to do detective work and he gets armed with a Walter PPK. Once in Jamaica, Bond starts talking to people, gathering clues and traveled to different places to find out who is responsible for killing his fellow British intelligence operatives. If you want to know more, you just have to watch the movie.
If you are a newcomer to the James Bond franchise or if you never saw this movie before, then you have to keep in mind that this very old movie is NOT an action film but rather it is a detective story laced with suspense and some action that follows James Bond performing his mission for Queen and Country.
Chances are, you must have seen many other James Bond movies that are heavy on action, stunts and explosions. As it was the first of the film franchise, Dr. No is nothing like those other movies of Agent 007.
Being a detective story, Dr. No is character-driven and laced with mystery and suspense. To describe it without spoiling the story, the narrative shows Bond searching for answers and as the suspense builds up, something or someone gets revealed which adds to the deepening of the plot. There is some action, stunts and explosions to spice up the movie which were pretty enjoyable for the early 1960s. However the car chase is very outdated and never believable. Naturally, the spectacle is tame by today’s standards but still, this movie is not boring at all for me.
The movie is nicely paced and makes clear what is going on. There is sufficient build-up leading to the next revelation or the next part of the chain of mystery or the next twist. By the time James Bond encounters Dr. No himself well after the 60-minute mark into the movie, I became oriented with both characters as their conflict finally starts. This will work for you if you take time with the movie’s pace and pay close attention to details.
Sean Connery as Agent 007 is charming, cool and cruel. The filmmakers and Ian Fleming himself really oriented the actor on how to portray the literary Bond in cinematic form. Connery’s Bond is charming and the filmmakers make it very believable on-screen that ladies would fall for his charm which in turn would give him the opportunity to advance in his pursuit of accomplishing his goals in the line of duty.
Ursula Andress, who had to be dubbed in post-production due to her accent, caught the world’s attention wearing the bikini on the big screen (in color, no less) as Honey Ryder who came out from the water with her equipment and sea shells. This was a daring scene to show back in the early 1960s. Of course, Honey is not just a pretty face but also a brave lady with a history of adventure and exploring. This makes her believable as a Bond girl who has what it takes to keep up with Agent 007 in the story, even going face to face with Dr. No.
Joseph Wiseman as Dr. No.
Joseph Wiseman‘s performance as Dr. No is subtle and yet he remains creepy as a cinematic villain. When compared to other villains in the James Bond film franchise, he does not do much action but his portrayal as a very powerful sinister human being who controls a loyal group of personnel still makes him a competent franchise villain in by today’s standards. Having seen all the James Bond movies, I find Wiseman’s Dr. No a more engaging villain compared to Col. Moon (the dreadful Die Another Day), Hugo Drax (Moonraker), Kamal Khan (Octopussy), Alec Trevelyan (GoldenEye) and the 21st century Ernst Blofeld (Spectre) to name some.
In terms of production values, Dr. No is a mixed bag. There are some props that looked fake and cheap. The rear projection in the car chase is so fake looking. Ironically, the film shines with the sets designed by Ken Adams. The big room visited by Professor Dent to communicate with Dr. No, the hotel-like lair of the villain (where Honey and Bond are treated like special guests) and the elaborate room of the table meeting with Dr. No all are visually striking.
When it comes to presentation, Dr. No marked the beginning of many things that would later become cinematic traditions – the gun barrel opening, “Bond, James Bond”, the James Bond theme music, the mission meeting between Bond and M. (plus the nice chat between Bond and Moneypenny), the appearance of Felix Leiter during the mission etc.
The screenplay written by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkley Mather has quality in it not just with the narrative but also with the dialogue.
I love this exchange of words between Bond and Dr. No.
Dr. No: I’m a member of SPECTRE.
James Bond: SPECTRE?
Dr. No: SPECTRE – Special Executive for Counter Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, Extortion. The four great cornerstones of power headed by the greatest brains in the world.
James Bond: Correction – criminal brains.
And there was also this exchange.
Dr. No: The Americans are fools. I offered my services; they refused. So did the East. Now they can both pay for their mistake.
James Bond: World domination. The same old dream. Our asylums are full of people who think they’re Naploeon. Or God.
Overall, Dr. No is a classic movie and it is the kind of film that filmmakers today don’t make anymore because they know people won’t be satisfied without excessive action and spectacle. It is a James Bond flick in the form of a detective story which has a good amount of mystery, suspense and some action.
For sure, people who have gotten used to action-heavy James Bond movies won’t feel engaged with Dr. No. The best way to enjoy this film is to treat it the way it is meant to be – a piece of cinematic history that built the James Bond film franchise in the very first place.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Believe it or not, I completely missed out on Gears of War 4 on Xbox One back in 2016. I simply had other priorities and I was unable to raise the money needed to buy the game. A year after that, I downloaded the demo of the game and managed to play
Finally, thanks to a recent sale online at Xbox LIVE, I purchased the game at last and recently managed to finish it. Gears of War 4 proved to be a lot of fun and even until now it still is a gem of game design and visual art.
To put things in perspective, I played the first three main Gears of War games from 2006 to 2011 and those games were mainly designed by the talented Cliff Bleszinski who had NO INVOLVEMENT with the latest game. Gears of War 4, by the way, is the first-ever internally developed game of Microsoft through its studio The Coalition.
The good news is that Gears of War 4 manages to be fun and it is easily the best cover shooter game on Xbox One right now.
On face value, it looks like the creative team led by Rod Fergusson (The Coalition studio leader) and director Chuck Osieja decided to play safe on game design by retaining the gameplay functions from the past. Quite easily, I managed to reclaim that old Gears of War feel in terms of control, shooting, moving and aiming. Like past GOW games, you must take cover for protection from the bullets fired by the enemies then peak, aim and shoot. Then when possible move forward to take cover at the next protective object and make your way to beat the other side. Then there is the classic reload function which, when well timed, can grant you temporary stronger firepower.
Melee attacks in Gears of War 4 have improved and are more satisfying.
But as the game progressed, the new gameplay features emerged. For the first time, I can finally grab an enemy (who is crouched taking cover) from the other side of a protective object or barrier, pull the enemy and get to do a melee attack (or shoot with the gun). There is also the feature of the knocking the enemy off balance (by means of jumping over cover to kick the enemy on the other side) as well as performing the shoulder charge. Take note however that these new gameplay features – which add some depth on the classic GOW gameplay – can be used by the enemies against you.
And then there are the new weapons like the Buzzkill (watch those flying sawblades ricochet!) and the Dropshot (challenging to use but very satisfying when the target gets hit!) that add new dimension to the gameplay.
More on gameplay, if you are expecting enemy artificial intelligence (AI) to be the same as before (remember all the Locusts?), you will realize that’s not the case at all. The new enemies behave differently in combat and you will be compelled to change your strategies. Expect to see the enemies (which include robots) be more tactical with their movements and attacks, and you will also realize you will need to move out of cover more and search for a new place to take cover at.
That’s not all. The weather effects impact the gameplay a lot this time. There are these wind flares that not only blow strongly (watch the environment move) but also generate electricity that you must avoid touching. When the weather changes, you will not only have to take cover but be more strategic moving around as well as adjusting your aim when firing at the enemy (example: strong wind can alter the direction of the Buzzkill sawblade you fire). Lastly, there is a motorcycle chase scene that is quite action packed!
Visuals? This game really looks very great! The art is top-notch. The animation, the textures, the special effects and lighting effects really make a great showcase of the Xbox One, especially the Xbox One X (4K resolution with high-dynamic range). The character faces are very detailed. Facial expressions really will convince you into thinking you’re watching real people instead of computer-generated ones.
When it comes to storytelling, Gears of War 4 takes place 25 years after the previous game. You play as JD Fenix (son of hero Marcus Fenix and Anya Stroud) who is accompanied by Del and Kait. In terms of personality, JD is witty, striving to figure out things and he does not carry the cynical mindset of his iconic father. Del is also witty although the lousy execution of humor won’t bring much out of him. Kait has the strong, fighting lady personality while also turning out to be ignorant and self-centered. The good news here is that their respective voice actors performed nicely.
Father and Son.
Back to the plot, the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) has been reformed but something is not right and right from the start JD and Del deserted the coalition to join the group called the Outsiders. Government leadership is felt in the story and having the COG as the anti-hero element really makes Gears of War 4’s world really look and feel new. Forget about the memories of fighting for the COG in the old GOW games, Gears of War 4 is a whole new world to figure out what’s been happening while fighting to survive. If you are the kind of gamer who has the anti-authoritarian mindset, then this game is for you.
Strangely enough, this game’s story has some notable similarities with the 2015 blockbuster film Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Without spoiling the story, I should say that Gears of War icons like Marcus Fenix (the central figure of the franchise) return in supporting roles. Instead of being the hero, he is the mentor to his son JD and even to you the gamer. This creative gamble by the developers fell short as JD is not really compelling as the protagonist.
While the gameplay is very good, the storytelling this time lacks the depth of Gears of War 3 but that is because new game’s story was structured to show how much had changed in the world and society in general. Gears of War 3, by comparison, is a war story and the resulting build-up from the first two games led to it having a very engaging conclusion.
Back to Gears of War 4, the ending lacked punch and yet it has a lot of intrigue or even shock, especially if you paid very close attention to the small but key details in the previous games. The ending feels underwhelming as it happened following the high-octane, final battle sequence of the game. The conclusion really lacked punch. By the way, there is a post-credits ending scene to watch out for.
Overall Gears of War 4 is a good 3rd-person shooter and in some ways it has features that progressed from the classic Gears of War game design. Now that the game costs much less, it is a great bargain! At the same time, it makes sense now to play GOW4 as Gears 5 (Gears of War 5) is expected to be released this year.
Gears of War 4 is recommended.
Thank you for reading. If you find this game review engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrascoand follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
I am a gamer who owns an Xbox One console and I always want the best value possible in return for the amount of money I spend on buying new video games.
Ironically, something from the embarrassing build-up of Xbox One finally got released commercially and that game is Crackdown 3.
To put things in perspective, Crackdown 3 was first announced at E3 of 2014 exclusively for Xbox One. It went through a very troublesome production and it was heavily delayed before finally getting released on February 15, 2019.
Now that the game is out, you must be wondering how did the video game critics react to it. Sad to say, Crackdown 3 was not the stellar hit and I’m not really surprised.
According to the game critics…..
Crackdown 3 shows very little in the way of learning from the past or learning from the other open-world games that have graced consoles over the last nine years. Instead it feels slight, mindless, and dull. It feels like a gussied-up first-generation Xbox One game. ~ Giant Bomb
Crackdown 3 is just more Crackdown. For some players, that will be enough. But compared to what Crackdown 3 initially promised, what we ended up with seems lacking in depth and destruction. ~ EGM
Crackdown 3 makes no sense on paper. Its story is nonsense, you spend way too much time searching for hidden orbs and leveling up, and the presentation isn’t anything spectacular. And yet, the over-the-top madness and hilarious, memorable moments it brought me made it impossible to put down. ~ GamingTrend
Crackdown 3 just doesn’t meet contemporary standards as a premium $60 title, with dated visuals, thin gameplay features, and an under-delivered story. There are too many open world superhero-style games that simply do it better. ~ Windows Central
Forget Crackdown 2 ever happened, Crackdown 3 is the sequel we deserve. ~ GameSpew
As a big fan of the first part, it’s not easy for me to say that, but Crackdown 3 is at least five years late…This is all the sadder, because the mechanics in Crackdown 3 are quite solid and I especially enjoy the search for the movement Orbs. But the bottom line is the sobering result of a developmental odyssey, which will probably be the last nail for the series. ~ GamePro Germany
It certainly delivers on letting you blow things up and jump around the city. However, a dozen years after the first Crackdown offered that same experience but failed to provide you with enough interesting content surrounding that, it’s truly disappointing to see this latest iteration suffer from the very same problems. ~ GameSpot
The game isn’t the visual masterpiece one would expect from a AAA production, but it isn’t without its charm. It’s with Wrecking Zone that Sumo Digital stretches their wings thanks to the chaos of destructible environments, but the glaring lack of content and missing features makes it more of a curiosity rather than a fully fleshed out mode. ~ Hardcore Gamer
Crackdown is back with a fun game that ends up being quite repetitive. Sumo Digital has done a great job finishing this title, but we expected a more evolved concept after so many years. ~ Vandal
Crackdown 3 is a good Crackdown game, which, unfortunately, doesn’t mean much anymore. ~ Destructoid
There you have it. Some reviews and statements for your reference in case you are thinking about spending a lot of your hard-earned money on Crackdown 3.
Personally I have no intention of buying the game right now not because of the critical reception but it’s because I am still enjoying Resident Evil 2 “remake” and Tales of Vesperia on my Xbox One. Even if I get tired of those two games, there’s no guarantee I’ll buy Crackdown 3. As far as open-world games are concerned, I want a game that has very in-depth gameplay combined with sufficient cinematic storytelling, high production values and of course enduring, high level of enjoyment. Believe it or not, I still have not played Red Dead Redemption 2 and that game alone is the better choice over Crackdown 3 as far as open-world games of recent times are concerned.
Thank you for reading. If you found this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
First released in late 1999 on the PlayStation console in America, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (Japan title: Biohazard: Last Escape) was a notable game of the Resident Evil franchise that not only proved to be a lot of fun but also a memorable experience for fans. To this day the game is fondly remembered.
In recent times, the Resident Evil franchise made waves with gamers worldwide with Resident Evil 7 (which came with a very daring change of style and gameplay) and the Resident Evil 2 remake demo (which I played the full 30 minutes of). The RE2 demo instantly brought back my own memories of enjoying the PlayStation version of early 1998. Granted, Resident Evil 2 in 1998 was truly a great sequel and its concept was epic compared to its predecessor’s. Because that game was a major blockbuster, Capcom had to come up with worthy follow-ups.
Then something happened over at Capcom in Japan. The initial concept for a sequel to RE2 was in the form of a story set on a luxury cruise liner but the company decided it lacked the time to produce a game out of it and this was related to Sony’s unveiling of the PlayStation 2 console.
After some shuffling of executives and creative people, a team composed of not-so-experienced talents led by game director Kazuhiro Aoyama was formed to produce a spin-off with a plot penned by company writer Yasuhisa Kawamura. The story was reviewed and approved by Flagship (an internal team that led the creative charge of Resident Evil projects) and RE creator Shinji Mikami worked as producer on the project.
Regarding its status, Resident Evil 3 was developed in tandem with the Sega Dreamcast-bound game that became Resident Evil: Code Veronica which was a bigger project and was the true sequel to RE2. The tricky part was that Capcom decided that its RE games released on PlayStation will carry a number on the title for “consistency” while RE games released on other platforms would carry subtitles.
RE3 followed the exploits of Jill Valentine, who was a protagonist in the 1996 original Resident Evil game. The story begins with her stuck in the middle of Raccoon City surrounded by flesh-eating zombies and she has no choice but to fight, run and escape to survive. Along the way, she discovers that what she learned from Umbrella in the first game was nothing compared to the more sinister intentions of the company she discovers in RE3. Making matters even harder for her was Nemesis, a large walking bio-weapon whose purpose is to destroy members of the city’s police unit S.T.A.R.S. (which Jill belongs to).
For what started as a spin-off, Resident Evil 3’s gameplay showed notable improvements over that of Resident Evil 2. As a survival horror game, it has the awkward tank-like controls, the static pre-rendered environments with fixed camera angles and challenges of moving from one place to another while dealing with zombies or monsters.
The most notable improvement made was the addition of the ability for players to do 180-degree quick turn-around movements when controlling the character. Not only does this make moving the character easier, it also adds more speed and strategy into the game itself especially when the protagonist is surrounded by many zombies or monsters. The pace of gameplay also quickened with the quick turn-around.
Another addition is the ammunition crafting system that allows you to make more ammo for your weapons by combining the raw material (example: gun powder) into the in-game ammo-making device. This results making different types of ammunition for different weapons. By the time you reached deeper into the game, more powerful ammunition for newer weapons can be made and used.
Meanwhile the game had key moments that compel players to make a decision as that the narrative and gameplay would move forward. The element of choice is a nice gameplay addition and each choice made showed different results as to what happened next. When Nemesis appears, the game’s movement slows down presenting choices for gamers to make. The good news here is the decision making affects the quality of the story’s ending.
The one addition I find questionable in the game is the dodge which works rather unpredictably in terms of response. There are times it worked and there are times it failed. No matter how you use the controls and time them with the action, the results are always inconsistent.
The biggest addition, not to mention the biggest impact, made in the game is Nemesis himself. Unlike Mr. X in Resident Evil 2, Nemesis is the unrelenting stalker whose presence and action deepened the gaming experience. Not only was Nemesis tough to fight with, he also appeared when gamers least expected and he runs a lot to get to Jill (or the mercenary Carlos who was also controlled temporarily by players). The music accompanying Nemesis’ presence also heightened the fear factor. It is argued that Nemesis himself is the most defining feature of Resident Evil 3 and deserved to have the game’s subtitle made after him.
In my honest opinion, Nemesis reminds me a lot of the horror icon Jason Voorhees from the Friday The 13th slasher horror movie franchise. Like Jason, Nemesis is heavily disfigured (horrific to look at), stalks his prey relentlessly and does a lot (and anything) to kill his prey. Nemesis’ killing of Brad only shows how deadly he is. Like Jason, Nemesis cannot be reasoned with nor does he feel any pity. He simply won’t stop until he kills you in the game.
In terms of technology, RE3 used the same game engine as RE and RE2. By this time, the technology experts at Capcom improved the visual quality and the 2D pre-rendered backgrounds always felt convincing to me each time I played. Rare are the times when I noticed the 3D polygonal characters or monsters stood out from the 2D environments. With regards to the anti-hero elements, the zombies are more varied and most of all the monsters are creepier to look at. The Hunters made a nice return as well.
In terms of exploration, Resident Evil 3 makes heavy use of the city environment complete with many varied interiors mixed with believable exteriors. There were these alleys, streets (with some stores to enter) and more. The many puzzles as well as machines that required key items to be retrieved provide a good challenge although some may find the backtracking a bit tedious.
The return of Jill
Jill Valentine made a nice return as the protagonist of the game. Right from the start, it was explained that she had resigned from the police force. Regarding her skimpy appearance (the blue tube top she wore with short skirt and boots), it turned out she was on her way out of town when the zombie infestation of Raccoon City begins in RE3.
More on Jill’s sexy default appearance in the game, I believe that Capcom’s creative team designed her like that in response to the sexy, armed woman charm popularized by Lara Croft of the best-selling Tomb Raider game franchise.
Take note of this. The first Resident Evil was released in 1996 many months before the first Tomb Raider came out. By the time Resident Evil 3 was released, the Tomb Raider franchise already had three games (note: there was a 12-month cycle for releasing sequels back then) that each sold in the millions and Lara Croft was quickly established as not only as a pop culture icon but also as a digital sex symbol idolized by millions of guys worldwide. I have this theory that some members of the Resident Evil 3 team subconsciously came up with the tube top look for Jill Valentine with Lara Croft as an influence. To say the least, both Jill and Lara are brave women capable of fighting with varied types of guns.
Sex appeal aside, Resident Evil 3’s story is truly a defining tale of Jill Valentine as a character. By connecting her RE3 tale with that of the events of the first game from 1996, I come to realize that her stories made sense. Her becoming disillusioned with the failure of the city police department to go against Umbrella and eventual quitting from the police force was believable. In addition, Nemesis proved to be the ultimate monster she ever faced and all the monsters she encountered in the first game paled in comparison to him.
Alone and without having access to police resources, Jill’s struggle in Resident Evil 3 is a story that won’t be forgotten and the game’s fun and engaging gameplay only made her story even more memorable.
The cinematic “adaptation”
Sienna Guillory as the cinematic Jill Valentine at the left. With her were Sophie Vavasseur as Angela Ashford and director Alexander Witt. (credit: Screen Gems, Inc.)
In 2004, the second Resident Evil live-action movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse was released in cinemas starring Milla Jovovich. The concepts of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis were carelessly adapted by the movie showing a Raccoon City filled with zombies and a live-action Jill Valentine played by Sienna Guillory who appeared with the tube top, short skirt and boots. In a sequence in the movie, Guillory even tried moving like her character’s video game counterpart.
While attention was paid on Jill’s Resident Evil 3 look, Guillory’s portrayal of her was nothing special and this has a lot to do with the screenplay by Paul W.S. Anderson, the directing by Alexander Witt (not really a prolific director) and notably Milla Jovovich’s dominance of the spotlight.
Whenever I watch Guilloy’s Jill in the movie, I really never felt like watching RE3’s Jill at all. Also the film had Jill being inferior to Alice (Milla Jovovich) on screen. There are two scenes in the movie wherein Jill does something to solve the problem, Alice comes in to do it better than her.
Having seen all Resident Evil live-action movies, which I regret for the most part, it is no secret that the filmmakers treated the concepts, characters and other elements from the RE video games with no real respect and certainly with no care about the concerns of Resident Evil game fans.
If you have not seen Resident Evil: Apocalypse and have been interested to see it for the RE3 elements, better not waste your time. Better play the video game instead.
Conclusion
Ultimately Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a classic even though it was never meant to be the big budget sequel to the classic Resident Evil 2. The game deservedly got released on the Sega Dreamcast, the Nintendo GameCube and Windows PC.
Now that Resident Evil mania is back in gamers’ minds right now, I should say that Capcom should consider re-releasing digitally RE3 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Windows 10 if ever possible. Even though its tank-like controls are very outdated by today’s standards, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a classic that gamers of different ages must enjoy without having to go through the hassle of acquiring old existing copies of it (not to mention having an existing old console to play it). I myself am willing to pay for RE3 to be re-released and play it on my Xbox One. Very recently an enhanced re-release of Onimusha: Warlords was done by Capcom. Making the same treatment with RE3 only makes sense.
Who knows what impact a re-released RE3 would create? Such a re-release could lead to a popular demand for Capcom to make a big budget remake of Resident Evil 3 similar to what they have done with RE2. This will also give today’s gamers an opportunity to experience the one defining story of Jill Valentine.
In ending this article, I posted some YouTube videos of RE3 for your enjoyment.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
Author Carlo Carrasco 