Oblivion – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 101

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. 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 videos I found.

#1 Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood Reaction Video – I have seen a lot of movie reaction videos of First Blood on YouTube, and almost all of them were by YouTubers who really never saw the said Rambo movie before. For the newcomers reading this, First Blood was released in 1982 starring Sylvester Stallone at a time when the Vietnam War was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. The film was a crucial success for the production company Carolco and its theme music from Jerry Goldsmith made waves in pop culture easily reminding people about Rambo. Recently I took time out to watch Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood reaction video which is entertaining to see as her reactions were really catchy. As First Blood is a classic among American action films and films related to the Vietnam War, I encourage you all to watch it entirely first if you have not seen it. Otherwise, enjoy Rhetorical Thrill’s reaction video below.

#2 Silent Hill (1999) Retrospective – I played Silent Hill a lot on PlayStation in 1999. I got far into the game’s story and through the many settings and challenges, but ultimately I never finished it. It was not just unique horror-themed video game. Silent Hill was very atmospheric and its approach on storytelling contributed a lot video gaming as a whole. If you want to discover who were the people responsible for Silent Hill and what the game had to offer, watch the two retrospective videos below.

#3 AI: Artificial Intelligence Revisited – AI (artificial intelligence) is wildly popular with people today for various purposes. Long before AI became a popular digital tool, the themes about artificial intelligence in general was explored by Steven Spielberg in a movie project that previously involved Stanley Kubrick (who died in 1999). That film was AI: Artificial Intelligence directed by Spielberg and released in 2001. I saw the movie on home video but it never engaged me. Of course, that did not stop AI: Artificial Intelligence from being featured in retrospective videos, review videos and movie reactions. To see what Spielberg’s movie is about, watch the selected videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Land Before Time – What can be said about the 1988 animated movie The Land Before Time? It was directed by American animation legend Don Bluth and it involved Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as executive producers. More notably, the movie was about a group of young, talking dinosaurs who go on a series of unexpected events and adventuring which touched a lot of moviegoers back in 1988. That being said, Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is a must-see.

#5 Ramen In Osaka – It has been almost thirty years since my first and only visit to Osaka in Japan. I had a fun few days of touring Osaka and there was a series of new discoveries I enjoyed there. I just could not remember eating ramen there. As such, I found a video about a certain ramen shop that has been serving customers with delicious meals for at least forty years now. You can learn about how ramen is prepared and what it takes to make delicious ramen that will keep customers coming back for more.

#6 You, Me and the Movies React To Pee-wee’s Big Adventure – What was the directorial debut of Tim Burton? It was in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, a comedy adventure film starring the late Paul Reubens and released in 1984. Some fans of the film called it a classic of the comedy genre and one of the funniest Hollywood comedies of the 1980s. The film keeps on making viewers laugh or smile, and you can see why by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.

#7 The Assassination of Charlie Kirk Exposes The Evil Of The Leftists – I have said it before and will say it again…the Left is so evil and so twisted, it is truly Satanic. I am referring to the woke, the Islamo-Leftists, the liberals, the socialists, the Communists and the more. To put things in perspective, a lot has happened since the assassination of Charlie Kirk who was an American patriot, a true family man, an ally of Israel and a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. His assassination drew cheers and celebration among the Leftists which exposed further the burning evil deep within them. The Leftists are so pathetic, they and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime are LYING to the people about the assassin Tyler Robinson and about the victim Kirk. Even Bethesda – the game publisher behind The Elder Scrolls video game franchise – shamelessly mocked Kirk via social media before deleting its Tweet. Watch and learn from the videos below.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 81

June 6, 2025June 2, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective videos of Krull – I was a young boy when I saw Krull inside the cinema way back in 1983. It was an entertaining experience for me as the movie had a clever mix of fantasy, science fiction and even horror in its presentation. As many years passed by, I replayed Krull as an adult on cable TV and DVD, and it still remained entertaining. For those of you who intend to learn more about (or rediscover) Krull, I posted below some videos for your enjoyment. If you have not seen Krull yet, watch the movie entirely first.

#2 The George Foreman Grill remembered – The late George Foreman will be remembered for a long time. He made an impact on the world in professional boxing during his younger days and made a tremendous comeback by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion at age 45. Along the way, he became a preacher of God’s Word, led a local church and managed a youth center. Along the way, the late Foreman found tremendous success by endorsing a product that became the George Foreman Grill. To find out more about the Foreman and the popular grill, watch the video below.

#3 France’s President humiliated – With the way he is leading France as its President and the way he is helping Palestinian terrorists by antagonizing Israel, Emmanuel Macron is on the wrong side of history. He was back in the media spotlight as he got slapped by his wife recently. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Casper – It has been a little over thirty years since the live-action movie Casper was released in cinemas. As a young boy, I read some Casper comic books and saw some episodes of the cartoon shows on TV but I never was a fan of the character. I did not see the Casper film until it started showing on cable TV. Casper of 1995 does not interest me much but you should see how it draws reactions from Ashleigh Burton in the video below.

#5 PatmanQC examines Cruis’n USA – Cruis’n USA is one of those hit arcade games from the 1990s that I never got to play in Iocal arcades. Most of the time, I received information of Cruis’n USA primarily due to its port for Nintendo 64 (N64) being heavily reported by video game journalists back then. While the original arcade game was successful with both players and game critics, the same cannot be said about the N64 port. To find out more, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#6 Ramnexus examines Oblivion Remastered – It’s been over a month since Oblivion Remastered (full title: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Remastered) was released, and I still have not played it on my Xbox Series X. While it is popular with gamers, I still was not convinced to return to subscribing to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) for it. The original Oblivion of 2006 is one of my favorite RPGs of the 21^st century and I just might consider playing its remastered version someday. For now, I am just watching YouTube videos of the remastered game and I found a recent video by Ramnexus that turns out to be an engaging look at it. Watch Ramnexus’ video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 62

March 14, 2025March 10, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 VKunia reacts to The Terminator – The first time I ever saw The Terminator was on home video way back in the mid-1980s. I could not forget how the film blended elements of action, detective story, film noir, horror and science fiction together smoothly. Recently I viewed VKunia’s own reaction video about the 1984 movie and it was entertaining to watch as she felt its impact. I encourage you to watch her reaction video.

#2 Oblivion tested across multiple Xbox game consoles – Recently, I started replaying the 2006 fantasy role-playing game (RPG) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on my Xbox Series X console via Xbox Game Pass (XGP). But before doing that, I saw YouTuber Ramnexus’ video of Oblivion which he tested on Xbox 360 up to the more modern Xbox consoles. His video is loaded in-depth technical analysis and explanations which I really enjoyed watching.

#3 You, Me and the Movies react to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – If there was anything odd about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, it was the fact that it was actually made and released so long after Mad Max: Fury Road’s impact faded away. Directed by George Miller, the 2024 movie starring Anya Taylor-Joy was actually entertaining given its status as a spin-off and prequel, but I never felt any urge to replay it. If you want to discover what the movie is about without having to spend too much of your precious time, I encourage you to watch the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies below.

#4 The struggle of ramen restaurants in Japan – If you have been traveling overseas over the past five years, where you able to visit Japan and eat inside a ramen restaurant? Ramen restaurants there have been struggling with unfavorable economic factors and there is a growing number of them closing down. Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 Oliver Harper examines The Terminator video games – Believe it or not, there were several video games based on The Terminator that got released in the early 1990s. I myself never got to play any of them but thanks to the Internet and YouTubers who had the resources, several videos about the Terminator games have been uploaded on YouTube in the forms of longplays, retro reviews, reactions and more. Oliver Harper’s own video conveniently examines all the Terminator games and it is a fascinating retro gaming viewing experience.

#6 Basic Instinct trivia by Minty Comedic Arts – Remember how controversial Basic Instinct was when it was first released in cinemas in 1992? It was controversial for its intense approach on violence and sexuality under the direction of Paul Verhoeven, and also for the notorious short scene of Sharon Stone crossing her legs. Not only that, mobs of homosexuals protested the film and some of them even harassed people who bought tickets to see it. Recently, Minty Comedic Arts posted a trivia video about Basic Instinct which you should see.

#7 Avalanche examined by GoodBadFlicks – In the history of cinema, the 1970s was the decade that saw a slew of disaster movies from Hollywood studios. It was typical for a Hollywood disaster flick to have a large cast of actors playing different characters who are struggling with the disaster. In 1978, Avalanche was released and it was produced by low budget movie king Roger Corman. As the film was not successful, it became forgotten until GoodBadFlicks made a video about it. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves disaster films and the 1970s.

#8 Ashleigh Burton reacts to X-Men: First Class – Back in 2011, I saw X-Men: First Class inside one of the old and original cinemas of Festival Mall here in the Philippines. The film was entertaining and cleverly done but back then, I did not find the new actors who played Charles Xavier, Magneto and Mystique convincing (note: they proved themselves worthy of their roles in X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014). At the same time, the movie was a soft reboot and a prequel together. Some people really enjoyed while others not so much. Regardless, I encourage you to watch Ashleigh Burton’s X-Men: First Class reaction video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 61

March 5, 2025February 28, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The Beastmaster revisited – I find it curious that there are not too many movie reaction videos about the 1982 fantasy film The Beastmaster starring Marc Singer. The film was not a big hit in cinemas but it was viewed by millions of viewers on home video and cable TV which resulted in a dedicated following. When it comes to searching for video reviews of the movie, there are more available for viewing on YouTube. For the Beastmaster fans reading this and for those who enjoy the fantasy genre, I posted below a reaction video by You, Me and the Movies, and a video review by Decker Shado.

#2 Misha Petrov’s inspiring testimony – Being a Leftist is not only a terrible way of living as it includes living with a very distorted view of reality, rebelling against family and order, and being twisted. YouTuber Misha Petrov was once a Leftist and she eventually left the Satanic Left to be liberated. Very clearly, being liberal means being foolish and wokeness is a disease that truly ruins those trapped by it. Learn from Misha Petrov’s inspiring testimony in the PragerU video below.

#3 Do not be fooled by socialist influencers – I like watching the videos of John Stossel as there are often informative and engaging. Recently, Stossel posted a video about what the many socialist influencers get wrong. It is a reminder that no matter how powerful the words spoken and no matter how unique the presentations looked like, socialists do not want you to know the truth that does not back up their claims. That being said, I encourage you to watch Stossel’s explanatory video below.

#4 Why the playable hero of Oblivion starts inside a prison – If there is anything consequential about the release of the current Xbox-exclusive fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed, it is the renewed public interest in two well established games that have similarities with the Obsidian-developed game – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. My previous blog post had a comparative video featuring Avowed and Oblivion. More on Bethesda’s 2006 RPG, it is remembered that the hero gamers got to play as started inside a prison whenever they begin the single-player campaign. As to why the playable hero is already behind bars, watch the analytical video below from YouTuber A Bard’s Ballad.

#5 VKunia and Ashleigh Burton’s respective Captain America: The Winter Soldier reaction videos – Back in 2014, I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier on opening day in a local cinema here in the Philippines and it was a very thrilling and engaging experience. Back then, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was still expanding its lore during the Phase 2 stage, and the Captain America movie itself was really a superhero tale told in the form of an espionage thriller. It was a bold creative direction that really paid off for Marvel Studios. When it comes to the YouTube reaction videos of it available, I find the ones from VKunia and Ashleigh Burton the most entertaining. If you have not seen the movie yet, I urge you to watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#6 PatmanQC examines R-Type – When it comes to sci-fi themed, 2D side-scrolling shooters in video games, Japan a lot of them and arguably the most popular game franchise related to the sub-genre is Konami’s Gradius. There is, however, another sci-fi 2D side-scrolling shooter series that started in Japanese arcades – R-Type. Like Gradius, R-Type went on to have sequels and many of its games were released on many platforms through the decades. To find out how R-Type started and what were the inspirations behind it, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#7 Baywatch revisited by Minty Comedic Arts – Back in 1989, Baywatch was launched on television and it went on to become a massive hit with TV viewers around the world. The series about attractive lifeguards working at beaches lasted more than ten seasons and ultimately became a pop culture phenomenon. It was also the sexiest show on TV during its time. Of course, there are lots of interesting details about the series and I urge you to watch the trivia video of Minty Comedic Arts below.

#8 Palestinian clerics openly call for genocide against Jews – As I mentioned before, the Palestinians have stake in the land of Israel and they as a people have destroyed their credibility a long time ago by following the their terrorist leaders and brainwashing children to hate the Jewish people. In recent times, religious leaders of the Palestinians used sermons calling for the extermination of the Jews. That being said, it is not surprising that the mainstream news media (which have not only a liberal bias but also Islamo-Leftist beliefs) does not even bother to cover the recent Palestinian campaign of hate targeting the Jewish people and Israel. While those corrupted news media outlets are staying away, CBN News covered the very issue. Watch their news video below. Keep on standing in support of Israel and push back against evil acts of the Palestinian terrorists and the wicked Palestinian Authority.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 60

March 3, 2025February 25, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Forza Motorsport (2005) revisited – The first time I ever played first-ever Forza Motorsport video game was on a rented original Xbox console in 2005. Right from the start, I was very impressed with how realistic yet accessible the game played even as it was designed by Turn 10 as a simulation. Years later, I played the succeeding Forza Motorsport games and became a fan of the series on Xbox consoles. It was delightful for me to watch the Forza Motorsport retrospective video by YouTuber Camp Xbox which you can view below.

#2 You, Me and the Movies react to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies of 1990 and 1991 – Here in the Philippines, I saw the films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in local cinemas in 1990 and 1991 respectively. Each viewing experience was in a fully packed cinema which was not surprising because the TMNT franchise – specifically the animated series on TV – was already very popular among Filipinos and there was excitement to see the live-action versions of the popular turtles, Splinter, Shredder and April O’Neil. That being said, you should see You, Me and the Movies’ reaction videos of the two films.

#3 Israeli Air Force flies over the funeral of Hezbollah’s late leader – Several months after the successful elimination of Hezbollah leader and terrorist Nasrallah, a funeral for him was held in Lebanon and there were officials from terrorist state Iran who attended. And then something happened…fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force flew over the funeral and literally took the thunder away. The terrorist group of Hezbollah got very humiliated. Watch the analytical video of Hananya Naftali below.

#4 In-depth look back at the “DCEU” movies – Remember the DC superhero movies of the so-called DCEU (DC Extended Universe)? This year, Warner Bros., DC and director James Gunn will release an all-new Superman movie and now is a good time to look back at the previous franchise of DC superhero movies released from 2013 to 2023, and I found a very comprehensive video from YouTuber FilmyHead for you to watch.

#5 PatmanQC examines Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters – I never got to play the late-1980s game Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters in the arcade nor any of its ports. Being curious, I took time out to watch PatmanQC’s video about the game. It turns out, the game itself is an inspired piece of work and it was made by Atari. I urge you to watch the video below.

#6 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Starship Troopers – When it was first released in 1997, a lot of movie critics and moviegoers did not fully understand the themes and meaning of Starship Troopers. While many viewed it as a big-budget, loud and action-packed sci-fi flick, there was a minority of people who realized director Paul Verhoeven’s (RoboCop, Total Recall) use of irony within the narrative. Months ago, Popcorn in Bed posted her reaction video and you should see how the film affects her.

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Thomas Crown Affair – Remember watching The Thomas Crown Affair in 1999? Some people perceived it as a clever remake of the 1968 original while there were others who found it to be Pierce Brosnan’s most notable non-James Bond role of the 1990s. Recently, Ashleigh Burton saw the film and you must watch her reaction video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 59

February 26, 2025February 18, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Planet of the Apes (1968) – YouTuber Popcorn in Bed finally did it…posting a reaction video featuring the classic science fiction movie Planet of the Apes (1968). The video has both Cassie and Carly reacting to the Charlton Heston-led film. Considering how many Planet of the Apes reaction videos have been posted on YouTube, I can say that Popcorn in Bed’s video is entertaining to watch. Watch it now!

#2 Comparison video of Avowed and Oblivion – In case you missed the news, the long-awaited Xbox-exclusive fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed has been released and it is the latest game from RPG specialist Obsidian Entertainment (an Xbox game studio). Recently, someone posted a new video comparing Avowed with the 2006 RPG The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion focused on specific details. It’s clear that Obsidian still has a long way to go to truly make Avowed’s world a living and breathing realm. I encourage you all to watch it now.

#3 Slope Game Room examines the history of Zombies Ate My Neighbors – Recently, I purchased the digital collection of Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol for my Xbox Series X. As of this writing, I’m still playing Zombies Ate My Neighbors – specifically the Super NES version – and I’m enjoying it. First released in 1993, Zombies Ate My Neighbors was developed by LucasArts and published by Konami for the two 16-bit consoles of the time. It turns out, there is a lot of interesting details behind the development of the game, what led to the creation of Ghoul Patrol and more. To know more, watch the video of Slope’s Game Room below.

#4 CNN supports Hamas terrorists – I don’t trust the opinions and news publishing of CNN (originally called Cable News Network) which has turned into a propaganda machine for the corrupted Democrats, Islamo-Leftists, and woke mobs. In recent times, CNN had an entire segment defending the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the two personalities who spoke clearly have no love for Israel. To find out what happened, watch the video below.

#5 You, Me and the Movies react to Air Force One – At last, YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video featuring the 1997 blockbuster Air Force One with Harrison Ford playing a tough, fictional US President. It is an entertaining reaction video to watch and the old film itself is relevant once again as Trump-led America today has toughened its stance against terrorists. If you have not seen the film, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the video below.

#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to a 1999 comedy – I never saw the 1999 comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in the cinema but some friends of mind did and they found it funny and memorable. A few years later, I finally saw it on cable TV and home video and it was entertaining. Recently, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video and I enjoyed how she responded to it.

#7 RK Outpost explains box-office disappointment of Captain America: Brave New World – Are you aware that the woke Disney company, Marvel Studios and its wicked Hollywood media partners are lying to you and trying to manipulate you into believing that Captain America: Brave New World had a successful launch? YouTuber RK Outpost posted a video explaining in detail why the new movie (starring Anthony Mackie) is actually a box office disappointment upon launching, how the Hollywood players are lying, what facts are being ignored, and why you should not be fooled by Disney and its partners-in-crime. Watch and learn!

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Starfield’s successful launch boosts Xbox Series X|S sales in the UK

September 18, 2023September 17, 2023carlocarrasco

Starfield, the epic sci-fi role-playing game (sci-fi RPG) from Bethesda Game Studios (Oblivion, Skyrim and Fallout 4), tremendously boosted the sales of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (including the newer version) in the United Kingdom (UK) shortly after its very strong launch there, according to a report published by GamesIndustry.biz. Also available on Windows PC and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass (XGP), it is not surprising to see many gamers making decisions to buy the game brand new which helped it top the UK software sales chart.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GamesIndustry.biz report. Some parts in boldface…

The launch of Starfield and a new version of the Xbox Series S significantly boosted sales of Microsoft consoles.

GfK data reveals that Xbox Series S and X sales jumped 76% week-on-week for the seven days ending September 2nd.

GfK games boss Dorian Bloch says that the week is the biggest this year (so far) for Xbox Series S and X hardware sales in the UK. Meanwhile, the week ending September 9th is currently the second best week.

This was partially due to the launch of the new Xbox Series S 1TB edition, which accounted for 24% of all Xbox consoles sold during that week. The new version of Xbox Series S is roughly £50 more expensive than the standard Series S model.

*Starfield is filled with a lot of quests, activities, exploration and sci-fi action that really engaged millions of people worldwide as I write this. The scope of the game is very immense.*

But the jump in Xbox console sales was also due to the launch of Starfield. The Bethesda game officially launched on September 6th, but it was available on September 1st to those who were willing to pay for the Premium Edition. As a result, the standard Xbox Series X console posted a 46% increase in sales for the week ending September 2nd in the UK.

“It is currently the best week this year for Series X,” Bloch says. “And the following week [ending September 9th] is the fourth best for X. In-between is week one and week six, which were early year blips.”

Bloch says that the Xbox consoles overall had a decent showing for the week ending September 9th, with the new Series S 1TB model accounting for 20% of sales.

As mentioned earlier, Starfield is also a software sales success in the UK which GamesIndustry.biz also reported separately. Check out the excerpt below…

Starfield has topped the UK physical charts this week. GfK’s report showed that the space-action RPG sold more physical copies on Xbox than it did on PC.

Sarah Morgan is one of the key characters in Starfield. Interacting with her added a lot to the gameplay and engagement. Take note that Morgan is just one of the Constellation characters you will interact with.

Starfield’s premium upgrade (a box with a code that provided early access to the digital version) has fallen to No.34 after debuting at No.7 last week. This version experienced a 71% decrease in sales due to the game’s wider release on September 6.

The Xbox exclusive reached over six million players in two days, making it Bethesda’s biggest launch of all time.

As confirmed by the news above, the Xbox-exclusive Starfield succeeded big-time at retail in the UK and as Bethesda’s biggest launch of all-time (on a worldwide scale). Think deeply about those huge achievements that were realized without PlayStation at all. While lots of gamers in the UK spent a lot of money on the sci-fi RPG and Xbox Series consoles, there are also many Starfield players enjoying it on Xbox Game Pass. In fact, a lot of XGP subscribers paid for the early access to the game and that only showed how heavily anticipated Starfield really is as Bethesda’s newest intellectual property (IP). Apart from that, there is still a long way to go before the month of September 2023 ends.

The way the Xbox-exclusive game is succeeding as I write this, it is very likely that Starfield will grow into a franchise of in-depth RPGs in the years to come. Like Halo and the Forza Motorsport, Starfield will be an Xbox-exclusive franchise of games that fans and RPG-loving gamers can look forward to.

*Even without PlayStation, Starfield became a massive success at launch in terms of software sales, Xbox Game Pass subscriptions and Xbox hardware sales.*

On my part, I have been playing Starfield on my Xbox Series X for more than a week now and the more I played it, the more enjoyable and even intriguing the gameplay experience turned out to be. There is just so much to have fun with this sci-fi RPG and by now, I have gotten myself more oriented with the user interface and the functions laid out.

With regards to the shooting (specifically with on-foot activities), the precision and response here are comparable with those in Fallout 4. Flying spaceships and using the controls for flight and weapons are really good and responsive enough.

While I won’t be spoiling plot details here, I can say that the gameplay experience has been pretty varied when I do the main quests, side quests, activities and when I freely explore the many in-game environments from one planet to another across different star systems. Check out the images and their descriptions below…

There is nothing like spotting Ecliptic mercenaries marching together in the middle of nowhere followed by my character and companion taking them out by surprise. If you encounter a random situation like this, engage with it.

*I love the high-level of visual details as well as the impressive physics Bethesda prepared for space battles.*

*After defeating several armed bad guys and some dangerous turrets at a very discreet location, I got myself a brand new space ship! I now have four space ships as of this writing!*

There is nothing like being able to board an enemy space ship, defeating all the bad guys and taking the valuables (including the opportunity to claim the ship as your own if your pilot skill is high enough). Starfield allows such opportunities to happen during space ship battles. Don’t just focus on destroying the enemy ship entirely as you will miss out on the opportunity to board it.

Starfield is very enjoyable and I believe that it still has a lot more to offer. I finished several side quests and activities, and still there is a lot more to discover and engage with! Of all the Xbox-exclusive games released in this current console generation, Starfield is already the most engaging one I have been playing, even more so than Halo Infinite.

If you are eager to acquire a digital copy of Starfield, head on to https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/starfield. By the way, an update is now available. In ending this, posted below are Starfield-related videos for your enjoyment.

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Starfield is now available and I’m enjoying it on my Xbox Series X!

September 8, 2023September 7, 2023carlocarrasco

Starfield, the epic sci-fi role-playing game (sci-fi RPG) from Bethesda Game Studios (Oblivion, Skyrim and Fallout 4) has finally been released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and this early I am already enjoying it! Even gamers still hanging on with their aging Xbox One consoles could enjoy the game with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service and Xbox Cloud Gaming!

To put things in perspective, Starfield was made available to several gamers who paid for early access as early as September 1. The early access proved to be a big hit among Xbox Game Pass subscribers! This past March, the final release date of September 6, 2023 was announced. Even before that, a vague 2023 release was announced on June 2022 (note: November 2022 was the original release target for the game). In preparing for the game, I replayed Halo: Infinite and Fallout 4 on my Xbox Series X console, and I also watched Interstellar and Star Trek: First Contact on 4K Blu-ray disc format.

*There is nothing like being able to fly your spaceship through an asteroid belt in Starfield.*

A lot is at stake with Starfield which is the first new intellectual property of Bethesda and the team led by Todd Howard. Take note that Bethesda has been integrated into Team Xbox for more than two years now as a result of Microsoft’s acquisition agreement with parent company ZeniMax.

It is very clear that today, Starfield is the most ambitious Xbox-exclusive game and it was released at a time when the lack of Xbox-exclusive games was felt since early 2022. Apart from the positive reviews it received, Starfield just might motivate more people out there to buy Xbox Series consoles or new gaming PCs, stimulate sales at retail and boost the number of people subscribing to Xbox Game Pass worldwide. Not only that, this game is from the same team that made the much-beloved Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 3, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. Those four open-world Bethesda games are well known for the very deep engagement and intense fun that gamers enjoyed with a lot of longevity.

Ironically, the brand new RPG from Bethesda became a lightning rod of criticism and creative negativity from the PlayStation fanboys and the “Xbox has no games” zealots (plus other gamers who obsessively hate Xbox) who cannot help but be jealous and frustrated over the Xbox exclusivity. I understand that jealousy really hurts a person deep down inside and what is even worse is hatred towards Xbox combined with obsession caused by certain external forces. I know that there are gaming media writers, bloggers and vloggers who grew up with hatred towards Xbox and some of them even sold their souls to PlayStation in exchange for something. It is bad enough that in this divisive world, there are many so-called journalists who are actually political activists pretending to be journalistic.

*Watch out for the character Marika during your first city exploration in the game.*

*If you are very used to shooting in Fallout 4, you will have to adjust yourselves to become proficient and comfortable with the gunplay in Starfield.*

To those of you reading this, you are better off enjoying Starfield for what it is and what it has to offer regardless of what platform you have to play it on. This is, after all, a Bethesda game with the design and production led by Todd Howard and a team with an extensive record of experience, acclaim and success.

The PlayStation culture itself is toxic and I know because I myself used to be a PlayStation fanboy. That being said, I can say that PlayStation leadership today is the worst and I have seen lots of PS executives come and go. If the PlayStation people, their media partners-in-crime (read: IGN is just one of them) and other haters would not stop smearing Starfield and Bethesda itself because of Xbox and Microsoft (now owner of Bethesda), then there definitely is something wrong with those people. As such, you should NOT let them ruin your enjoyment of Starfield. The game is an Xbox-exclusive designed to entertain and engage gamers.

It is fun and intriguing to watch Sarah Morgan (a significant character you will spend time with) interact with another character she personally knows. Pay close attention to what they say to each other.

Going back to the game itself, I managed to find time to start playing it on launch day here in the Philippines. Without spoiling plot details, I can say that it took me three hours of learning and experimenting with Starfield’s gameplay and functions. Getting myself oriented with the new game proved tricky as I just finished replaying Fallout 4 on my Xbox Series X. For comparisons, I got myself oriented with the gameplay and functions of Oblivion, Skyrim and Fallout 4 within two hours of initial play respectively.

By the time I reached the 4^th hour of my 6-hour launch day session, I finally got myself oriented (this includes lots of on-foot exploration, space flights and misadventures before taking on the main quest) and Starfield became much more engaging as more quests, more characters and more locations emerged. By the time I stopped playing to get some much-needed rest, my enjoyment of the game really intensified complete with a growing sense of wonder about what awaits me in the huge galaxy Bethesda prepared. That being said, I went back to playing Starfield yesterday and I found myself enjoying it even more as I proceeded with the main quest while finding time to do side-quests. I have gotten more proficient with the way the game functions.

Right now, I am really eager to keep on playing Starfield during my free time, discover more within the game and have more fun along the way. Literally, I am only scratching the surface with Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG and as I played it, there were moments when I noticed the game had some similarities with Obsidian Entertainment’s own sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds.

*My character and the first-ever spaceship I got.*

If you are eager to acquire a digital copy of Starfield, head on to https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/starfield

To get yourselves oriented early, check out Team Xbox’s Starfield guides by clicking here, here and here.

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Xbox 20th Anniversary celebrated!

November 17, 2021November 16, 2021carlocarrasco

Believe it or not, Xbox is now 20-years-old and I’m not just referring to the line of video game consoles from Microsoft. Xbox today is also a following of dedicated fans as well as a very thriving ecosystem that covers Xbox game consoles as well as Windows PC! Xbox is also home to popular game franchises such as Halo, Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon and, by means of Bethesda’s integration into Team Xbox, the established franchises of The Elder Scrolls, Doom, Dishonored, Fallout and many others!

The other night, I got to watch live the Xbox 20^th anniversary celebration via the official Xbox YouTube channel and I can say that it was worth the wait since it was first announced coming. That being said, I posted below for your viewing pleasure the very Xbox 20^th anniversary celebration video which lasts a little over 30 minutes…

Wow! That was a blast of nostalgia, the Xbox development history, games and big-time entertainment there! Were you able to absorb all of that in just one viewing?

Cutting through the stuff, I can say that I was surprised to see 343 Industries announce the sudden release of the Multiplayer Beta of Halo Infinite which itself has a December 8, 2021 release for its very promising single-player campaign. Watch the video below…

That looked awesome! That being said, I should not be surprised of the sudden release of the multiplayer beta because November 15 is the anniversary date of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, and this year also marks 20^th anniversary of the said game and the Halo franchise as a whole. Another reason not to be surprised by the announcement is the fact that the multiplayer feature of Halo Infinite was very positively received since it was first unveiled months ago. I believe that having millions of Halo fans play Halo Infinite’s multiplayer beta will add to the growing anticipation of the single-player campaign’s release which is only weeks away from happening. At the same time, I should state that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer aspect will not be limited to last a few years but will be updates more and more and be able to last even more years than any multiplayer feature of past Halo games!

Moving on, I am very delighted with the announcement by Team Xbox that a lot more classic games (from past Xbox consoles) have been made compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S! Among the new additions into the Xbox backward compatibility program were Dead or Alive 3, F.E.A.R., Max Payne, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Oddworld: Munch’s Odyssey, Ridge Racer 6, Skate 2, and TimeSplitters 2 to name some.

Adding even more awesomeness to this backward compatibility development is the confirmation enhancements (note: frame rates, resolution, etc.) being applied on classic games making them play best on Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X! Posted below is the excerpt from the Xbox.com article containing the very specific details…

Backward Compatible Games play best on Xbox Series X and Series S

A core tenet since the very beginning of the backward compatibility program has been to not only preserve the games you know and love, but also to enhance them using the latest technology so they look and play better than ever before while still staying true to the original creator’s vision. With Xbox Series X|S, we introduced innovations and improvements such as FPS Boost, Auto HDR, and faster loading times, which breathed new life into classic titles.

Every backward compatible title added today will experience improved visual quality with Auto HDR on supported displays, which automatically adds HDR enhancements on Xbox Series X|S.
Original Xbox games will experience a resolution increase on all Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles on supported displays.
- 4x resolution increase on Xbox Series X and Xbox One X
- 3x resolution increase on Xbox Series S
- 2x resolution increase on Xbox One S and Xbox One
Players will experience even smoother gameplay on 11 titles added today via FPS Boost, which doubles the original framerate up to 60 FPS, including F.E.A.R., F.E.A.R. 3, Binary Domain, and NIER.
We are also excited to announce we enabled FPS Boost on 26 more titles from the existing catalog including top requested titles such as the entire Gears of War franchise, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Dragon Age: Origins, Dead Space 2 & 3, Alan Wake and Sonic Generations.
And beginning today, FPS Boost is rolling out to 33 titles via Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) that were previously enhanced on Xbox Series X|S including Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and The Evil Within 2.

Players can easily toggle FPS Boost as well as Auto HDR on or off under the “Manage Game” section for any title. You decide how you want to experience your favorite games, whether in their original form or enhanced with Auto HDR and FPS Boost enabled.

Having played Xbox games since the original Xbox console, I can say that the enhancements on old games running on any Xbox Series console is very delightful. Very soon I will replay The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on my Xbox Series X console to rediscover its open-world and quests while enjoying the 60FPS frame rate which will make it a buttery smooth gameplay experience! In relation to these, check out the following videos below showing classic Xbox games enhanced on Xbox Series X.

My Xbox story

Some of you might be wondering what my Xbox story is and how does the Xbox 20^th anniversary resonate with me. I can tell you right now my personal experience on witnessing the very launch of the original Xbox game console way back twenty years ago!

The day was November 15, 2001. I was in Hawthorne, California and back then I was still a PlayStation gamer who just happened to be intrigued by Microsoft’s entry in the video game industry.

Being very curious and interested, I hiked all the way to the nearest Best Buy. As I did not have much money, I simply went there to enter and observe. Shopping was not the point of my visit.

As I approached Best Buy through the parking area, I noticed a group of about ten people lined up outside as well as some people entering. It turns out the ones who lined up were there for the Xbox console launch, ready to purchase and waiting for their respective turns. Since I was not there to buy the console, I went inside without hassle.

*The original Xbox console with Controller S (which was released in 2002 replacing the original bulky controller).*

As it turned out, inside Best Buy, there was a controlled approach organized by the retailer to ensure that the customers buying Xbox, its games and peripherals would have ample time to pick up what they wanted and go to the counter for payment and exit. In other words, it was a turn-based approach on launching the Xbox console locally in a very orderly manner. I also learned that the customers waiting outside the front each had numbers for the Xbox console launch.

While walking around, I saw the original Xbox consoles in their boxed stacked together for the numbered customers to pick up. I also saw shelves of Xbox games and accessories nearby.

Among the customers I witnessed buying the Xbox, I saw a lady moving forward with her pushcart full of varied products (DVDs, CDs, video games and more) and the Xbox stood out among them all! That was a sight to behold!

And that was my personal Xbox 20^th anniversary testimony for you all!

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/

Xbox-exclusive The Gunk all set for December 16, 2021 release!

November 12, 2021November 11, 2021carlocarrasco

The wave of high excitement and fun for both Team Xbox and all the gamers playing on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X or Windows PC continues to be felt as the universally acclaimed Forza Horizon 5 achieved tremendous success before and during launch in terms of being played by MILLIONS of gamers around the world! The success was so tremendous, Team Xbox chief Phil Spencer confirmed it on Twitter!

In addition, the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy – The Definitive Edition just launched digitally and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas became available on Xbox Game Pass (XGP). Oh yes, Bethesda just released The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition which has new content related to its predecessors The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (note: this I played on Xbox 360 way back in 2006.)

Adding even more to the excitement of gaming on the Xbox ecosystem, Thundeful announced officially via Xbox.com that The Gunk will be released worldwide on December 16, 2021 exclusively on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Windows PC and also on Xbox Game Pass! To start with, watch the latest video about the game below…

Personally, I am interested in playing The Gunk on Xbox Game Pass as soon as it becomes available. At the same time, I am more interested in the talents of game developer Thunderful which is responsible for the SteamWorld franchise of games. I never got to play any SteamWorld game before and as such, The Gunk will be the first Thunderful-made game for me to play ever!

The Gunk, as it turns out, will NOT be the last Xbox-exclusive coming from Thunderful. In fact, the SteamWorld developer is working on another console-exclusive game for Xbox Series consoles and the aging Xbox One which will be released in 2023…Planet of Lana. Check out the trailer below…

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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

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