Welcome back Xbox fans, Resident Evil fans and fellow geeks!
This past weekend, Capcom unveiled Resident Evil Veronica which is a modern remake of Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. Already a lot of gamers and Resident Evil fans are talking about the remake which will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S some time in 2027.
For your excitement and curiosity, watch the official reveal trailer below.
Given Capcom’s record of making ambitious remakes of past Resident Evil games, Resident Evil Veronica has long been rumored to have been in development. Among the RE fans, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was memorable and yet it had certain elements that made it divisive (example: the annoying voice acting for Steve Burnside). As such, many viewed Code Veronica as the one game that really has to be remade and Capcom has only one chance to make a better and more definitive Code Veronica.
Originally released on the Sega Dreamcast way back in 2000, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was not just a follow-up to the popular Resident Evil 2…it was also a technological marvel as it had fully polygonal environments, more detailed polygonal characters and more immersive cinematic cutscenes. It was truly a next-generation RE experience for many gamers and I myself wanted a Dreamcast just to play it. The game also had Claire Redfield and her brother Chris as the playable major characters and both of them are still fan-favorites.
Going back to the trailer above, it is clear Capcom is making Resident Evil Veronica a darker, grittier and more horrific tale than the original game. The shots of Rockfort Island look very creepy, even nightmarish. While Claire Redfield has been revealed, Chris Redfield, Alfred Ashford, Steve Burnside and Alexa Ashford have not. Still, fans already pointed out that the masked man who grabbed Claire is Hunk (often identified with Resident Evil 2). Zombies were shown in a glimpse but the other monsters from the original game have yet to be shown.
Claire Redfield is back and she has gone to Europe to search for her brother Cris.
This facility on Rockfort Island looks terrifying and very difficult to escape from.
Remember the guns that Steve Burnside used in a key part of the story in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
A key location remade to be creepy and claustrophobic. Are you ready to discover more about the Ashford family?
Capcom describes Resident Evil Veronica as follows:
Resident Evil Veronica is a remake of 2000’s Resident Evil Code: Veronica. This new title preserves the essence of the original game, while introducing modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics.
In 2027, madness and intrigue, love and hate all combine to create a chilling new entry in survival horror.
3 months have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Claire Redfield, having survived along with Leon S. Kennedy and Sherry Birkin, travels to France in search of her brother, Chris Redfield.
However, what awaits her is not a reunion with her brother, but the Umbrella special forces unit responsible for the incident. They capture Claire and transport her to a mysterious island.
Now Claire must make a desperate attempt to escape the remote Rockfort Island, which due to another biological disaster, has transformed into a living hellscape of survival horror.
Resident Evil Veronica is set for release on game consoles and PC in 2027. Capcom has yet to show actual gameplay.
If you are a newcomer here who wants to discover what Resident Evil – Code Veronica was all about, I encourage you to watch the two retrospective videos below.
Are you gamers feeling excited for Resident Evil Veronica? Do you feel confident that Capcom will deliver a great remake like 2019’s Resident Evil 2? Have you ever played Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming fans and other gamers!
As a long-time Xbox fan, I am disappointed with the way this current console generation turned out. Xbox gaming as a whole has changed for the worse this year and millions of Xbox fans got angered over the cancellation of Xbox projects (including Perfect Dark and Contraband), Xbox console price hikes and most recently the declared drastic changes on Xbox Game Pass – including the 50% price hike on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service (watch Team Xbox’s pathetic and tone deaf announcement by clicking here).
But the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike of 50% ruined my plan to play The Outer Worlds 2 at launch entirely! I also noticed that none of the Team Xbox executives appeared in the pathetic October 1, 2025, video announcement of the drastic XGP changes.
Imagine the crashing ship as Team Xbox falling down hard because Microsoft forced them to make decisions and implement changes that made lots of Xbox fans and other gamers frustrated this year.
By looking at the collective feedback – both critics and gamers – about the newest sci-fi role-playing game from Obsidian, the bugs reported and the current prices, I have decided to pursue The Outer Worlds 2 later. It should be noted that the new game has two upcoming DLC episodes (story expansions) and there is no certainty as to when those will be released. As such, pursuing The Outer Worlds 2 later is the right thing for me to do because rushing for it now does not make sense at all.
What I did recently was I downloaded again my purchased digital copy of The Outer Worlds as well as the two DLC episodes on my Xbox Series X. Previously I played The Outer Worlds and the story expansions on my Xbox One, and replayed them on my Xbox Series X (enjoying the faster load times and improved frame rates) a few years ago.
So this year, I started from scratch again on a new single player campaign. I created a new character – her name is Vanilee – and customized the abilities with intelligence, science, engineering, lockpicking, persuasion, hacking and medicine in mind.
Meet my new character Vanilee.
Having played The Outer Worlds a few times already since late 2019, I decided to try other scenarios, find new dialog options (in relation to how I customized my character) and explored the maps in and out again. I had no trouble adjusting myself into the controls and overall feel of the game when it comes to response and precision. Take note that The Outer Worlds was developed by Obsidian at a time when it was not yet acquired by Microsoft/Xbox and Private Division was their publisher.
After going through the quests and side-quests in Edgewater – I diverted power to Edgewater helping Reed Tobson, the locals and convincing the deserters to return home – I entered the Unreliable with Parvati and Vicar Max as my teammates and proceeded to the Groundbreaker in space for further quests, scenarios and more options to build up my team.
Teammates Parvati and Nyoka in action against a monster in Monarch.
Vicar Max attacks an enemy with his shotgun.
So I kept on replaying the game rediscovering places, interacting with more characters and making decisions. Along the way, I spotted new dialog options emerging in connection with how I customized Vanilee from the start and built up with additional points accumulated for each level achieved. I ultimately reached the maximum of level 36.
Since I first played The Outer Worlds, it was clear to me that Obsidian did not have a massive budget as the creative and technical limitations were visible (examples: some repetitive interior designs, structures that cannot be accessed at all, lack of polish on stealth gameplay, my teammates getting in my line of fire, sluggish reloading, etc.). Instead of massive open-world environments, Obsidian came up with large maps but they ensured that each new location had something new for players to discover. I also admired the effort the developers invested on the art direction as well as making each map look distinct from each other while maintaining an artistic connection with the planet.
This is from the Murder on Eridanos DLC episode.
While the gameplay remains good for an RPG and first-person shooter enthusiast like me, what I admired best about The Outer Worlds was how Obsidian came up with connections between scenarios, the characters, the dialog options, and the consequences caused by decisions I made. That being said, I enjoyed watching the visual presentation and narration executed right after concluding the game. The presentation shows the endings of not just the main game but also those of the side quests completed and even the main quests of the two DLC episodes. How my decisions impacted the different factions and scenarios were clearly emphasized. In fact, the endings of the side quests and the two DLC episodes are seamlessly connected with the main game’s conclusion. As such, Obsidian succeeded in making The Outer Worlds worth replaying again.
Having played Starfield already, I realized that replaying The Outer Worlds was somehow a more satisfying experience. In my view, Bethesda tried too hard to make Starfield grand with a more galactic scope only to fail when it comes to exploration and long-term engagement. The Outer Worlds had a much smaller scope but it delivered the depth of fun, exploration, interaction and decision-making that strongly impacted the game’s conclusion.
Ellie in action in Gorgon!
At the same time, I find my character’s companions in Obsidian’s 2019 RPG more interesting and more engaging than those in Bethesda’s 2023 sci-fi juggernaut because of the following factors – better personalities, more clever writing and better voice acting. I believe it is time for Bethesda to start learning from Obsidian on how to make engaging dialogue and characters.
Right now, I am having a lot satisfaction replaying The Outer Worlds even though it has some flaws as well as creative and technical limitations as Obsidian did not have a very big budget. I wish the game had space battles as well as opportunities for the Unreliable to chase and dock enemy space ships which will allow me and my team to infiltrate. The game lacked mini-games which could have added more variety and fun when exploring the different locations on-foot (examples: the tossball facility in Monarch could have used a sports betting mini-game while the bars could have used card-based mini-games).
My crew inside the Unreliable.
On its own, the 2019 game is still a lot of fun to play and the role-playing element remains strong. The Outer World characters are memorable and the developers’ writers added humor to the dialog which prevented the game from becoming too dramatic or depressing. Indeed, The Outer Worlds is worth replayingand those who never played it should go for it!
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, role-playing game (RPG) enthusiasts and other gamers!
It is official! Following this year’s Xbox Games Showcase, Team Xbox announced that the sci-fi role-playing game (sci-fi RPG) The Outer Worlds 2 will be released on October 29, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Battle.net, Steam, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5 and also on the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service (Ultimate level).
Watch the in-depth presentation of The Outer Worlds 2 by Xbox studio Obsidian Entertainment in the video below. Also check out the game’s official trailer.
To find out what to expect when playing The Outer Worlds 2, posted below are selected excerpt from the Xbox.com post. Some parts in boldface…
From branching chaos to faction-fueled futures, everything unfolds across Arcadia: a lawless new frontier where your choices cut deeper, the stakes hit harder, and the corporations somehow got even worse. Bigger choices, weirder science, stranger weapons, and even worse decisions. Just the way we like it.
Cut off from Earth, Arcadia is a colony cracking under pressure, torn apart by space-time rifts, shifting alliances, and three power-hungry factions locked in a war for control. It’s louder, riskier, and more unpredictable than anything the Halcyon system ever threw at you.
You’ve been sent in as an Earth Directorate agent, but how you handle the mission – who you help, hinder, or exploit – is entirely your call. Build your character with expanded traits, flaws, and backgrounds that shape every decision and unlock new ways to fight, sneak, talk, or blow things up.
Players can play the game in 3rd-person view.
At the heart of The Outer Worlds 2 are three factions with fundamentally opposing visions of what humanity should be:
The Protectorate: A military regime powered by endless resources that believes people are happiest when they don’t have to think for themselves. Order is peace. Obedience is comfort. Truly loved by all loyal citizens – just ask them.
Auntie’s Choice: The loud, smiling merger of Auntie Cleo’s and Spacer’s Choice. They promise freedom, fulfillment, and a future where your only real choice is which Auntie’s product you’ll need next.
The Order of the Ascendant: Rogue scientists turned faith-based futurists, determined to perfect humanity by solving the Universal Equation. They worship patterns, predict the future through math, and perform rituals in labs with terrifying precision all in service of a better tomorrow.
Each faction has its own areas, followers, audio design, and propaganda. You’ll see the war in real-time as towns change hands, radio stations shift tone, and the world responds to your choices.
And thanks to Arcadia’s ever-present radio system, you won’t just hear the news – you’ll be the news. Your decisions are retold with spin, bias, and cheery jingles tailored to each faction’s agenda. One station might call you a folk hero. Another might name you public enemy number one. All of them think you should try their new line of health tonics.
RPG systems have been reimagined for this sequel to give players more freedom and more flavor. For example, Traits and flaws dynamically evolve based on how you play. Steal enough and you’ll be offered Kleptomaniac, which boosts loot sales but risks auto-theft when you so much as glance at an item.
Science weapons and armor return in full force. The Shrink Ray is back – only now, you can crush enemies underfoot once they’re bite-sized. And yes, there’s a suit of armor made from something that used to be alive. His name is Gary.
First-person view is available for those who want it. Lots of new weapons and unique shooting experiences await gamers.
Movement and combat also feel better across the board. Dash, leap, and parkour your way through Arcadia, or switch to third person and marvel at how cool you look while doing it.
You’ll travel with six companions, each with personal stakes in the colony’s future – and their own opinions on what you’re doing.
One might beg you to spare a faction leader. Another might ask you to murder an entire town. Sacrificing a companion could help you survive a key moment, but lock you out of their questline – and you’ll hear about it. On the radio. From the faction you just betrayed.
This is one of the companions players will encounter in the game.
These aren’t just followers. They’re allies, wild cards, and occasional liabilities who breathe fire (literally). And each one brings something different to the table:
Niles: Another Earth Directorate recruit torn between duty and defection.
Inez: A former experiment from Auntie’s Choice with a grafted combat edge and a moral core.
Aza: A chaos-loving Rift worshipper with a taste for violence and room to grow – maybe.
Marisol: A stoic killer from the Order of the Ascendant with calculations to settle.
Tristen: A walking tank and judge from the Protectorate, looking to dispense justice – or redefine it.
Valerie: A floating, chirping support unit with unexpected upgrades and untapped potential.
The Outer Worlds 2 will be available in two editions: Standard Edition for $79.99 USD and a Premium Edition for $99.99 USD. The Premium Edition includes up to five days early access, DLC Pass for two future expansions, Corporate Appreciation Premium Pack (Golden Moon Man armor and helmet, signature melee and long-range weapons, a loyal Golden Sprat pet), plus a digital artbook and soundtrack.
If you purchase the Standard Edition or are playing with Xbox Game Pass and decide you want the Premium Edition, you can upgrade at any time for $29.99 USD. Upgrade before launch to play up to five days early and get the pre-order bonus Commander Zane Battle Pack, in addition to all the digital extra content.
Having seen Obsidian’s video presentation and the detailed information released on Xbox.com, it looks like The Outer Worlds 2 will be a loaded and feature-rich game. The developers added new features here and there, ensured the conversation sequences have enough depth, made some adjustments on gameplay features inherited from the 2019 game, and they came up with an all-new sci-fi setting (a new colony with environments that are large and ideal for exploring personally) as well as a new cast of characters.
Instead of the “blank slate” protagonist seen in The Outer Worlds, the sequel has Earth Directorate agent as the playable protagonist and there will be ways on how gamers can play the game as they want to (within the limits set within).
Quite predictably, the upcoming game still has that anti-capitalism theme like the first game, only this time they added themes of dictatorship, propaganda, and war.
While Obsidian Entertainment’s video presentation of The Outer Worlds 2 is clearly comprehensive, they failed to emphasize the aspect of space travel in the sequel. Considering the limited budget of The Outer Worlds, it was understandable that the game’s space travel was simplistic and really limited in terms of scope and freedom of travel.
I was hoping The Outer Worlds 2 would have better space travel and more interactivity such as being able to pilot the space ship and be able to blast enemy ships similar to what Bethesda pulled off in Starfield. Perhaps Team Xbox and the developers will come up with another trailer of The Outer Worlds 2 showing space travel.
To put things in perspective, I am a fan of The Outer Worlds (2019) and I replayed it a lot – including finishing the two DLC releases – on Xbox One and on Xbox Series X over the past few years. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, The Outer Worlds was technically Fallout with space travel and some Wild West-inspired elements. The 2019 sci-fi RPG clearly does not have the high production values and epic design of Starfield, and yet it has certain elements and features that made it more enjoyable than Bethesda’s 2023 game.
Are you ready to explore new worlds and take part in combat and intriguing tales? Obsidian Entertainment really looked like they gave it their all in The Outer Worlds 2.
The way I look at it right now, The Outer Worlds 2 looks very promising and it could deliver the great stuff and high enjoyment that Avowed lacked. If the upcoming game really turns out great to play on October 29, 2025, I might be convinced to go back to subscribing to Xbox Game Pass again to play it. Right now, The Outer Worlds 2’s retail prices are simply too high for me and I am certain there are other Xbox fans and other gamers who feel the same way. Do you have $79.99 for the standard edition of The Outer Worlds 2? Are you satisfied with what Team Xbox prepared for the $99.99 premium edition?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Japanese Macross video games print ads
This 2-page ad had Minmay, Misa and Hikaru.
Computer-generated image of the Skull Leader Battroid was used here.
Looking at the history of Macross video games released only in Japan, there were these notable games that catered to the fans with different tastes during the period of 1997 to 1999. The two Japanese print ads here promoted the PlayStation version of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (read my retro review by clicking here) and Macross: VF-X2 (only on PlayStation). 1997 marked the 15th anniversary of the entire Macross franchise and game publisher Bandai Visual kept the excitement for fans on high gear by aggressively promoting the two advertised games for their respective releases in 1999. These two print ads still resonate with long-time fans as each were clearly made to emphasize the games (with details, screenshots and original artworks) while using the right images of the Macross franchise for relevance.
2. Star Raiders print ad
This Star Raiders print ad made me interested enough to play the game on Atari 2600.
I remember the old days of play Star Raiders on the Atari 2600 back in the early 1980s. Strangely enough, I don’t remember seeing this old print ad. Regardless, I really like the way the ad makers used hand-drawn art work to dominate the space while leaving enough space for text description, a screenshot and the picture of the Atari console with the TV set. In my view, this old ad is both amusing and attention-grabbing.
3. The Empire Strikes Back arcade flyer
This is still a great looking arcade flyer.
Here is a Star Wars game I never played but managed to play it on a home computer. Released by Atari in 1985, The Empire Strikes Back (full title: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) arcade game was the follow-up to the very popular Star Wars arcade game. Like its predecessor, it used vector graphics and certain sounds from the 1980 film for immersion. This arcade flyer is well designed showing three selected screenshots, a picture of the arcade cabinet and a portion of the AT-AT walker from the movie. The flyer truly showed gamers and arcade operators what they would get by selecting The Empire Strikes Back.
4. Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break print ad
Clearly the promoted game is for adult players only.
In the realm of computer gaming, there were certain games that catered to the more mature players. One example is Steve Meretzky’s Spellcasting 301: Spring Break which was released on for personal computers running on DOS (Disk Operating System) in 1992. This print ad clearly shows the adulterated nature of the game emphasizing sexy women with a paradise setting. This is the kind of print ad that you only in computer gaming magazines which had predominantly adult readers.
5. Pitfall! print ad
Still a great looking print ad.
Back in 1982, 2D adventuring on the Atari 2600 reached new heights when Pitfall! was released. The game garnered wide praise for its gameplay and graphics, and because it was so enjoyable, it sold millions of copies and its success spread across other platforms. A key factor to its commercial success and strong identity with the Atari 2600 was this colorful print ad. The ad makers daringly used original artwork to emphasize the jungle, wilderness and adventure concept while leaving some space left to show a screenshot and the Atari 2600 game cover. Pitfall! is a video game classic.
6. Mario Bros. print ad
I saw this comic-style print ad while reading a comic book.
A few years before Nintendo skyrocketed with the massive success of Super Mario Bros., there was Mario Bros. on the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. Published by Atari on their consoles, Mario Bros. was already a hit in the arcades. To capitalize on the popularity of the game, Atari came up with this comic-style print ad to capture people’s attention with the hope that the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 ports will sell a lot. I first saw this ad while reading a comic book and it remains entertaining to see.
7. Ghoul Patrol print ad
Too bad the screenshots, the game box cover and white descriptive text were too small to look at.
Released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Ghoul Patrol is the accidental sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This was because the game did not start as a sequel but rather as an unrelated project that used the same gameplay engine of its predecessor. Since Zombies Ate My Neighbors already had a dedicated fanbase, a decision to turn the game into a sequel followed. Ghoul Patrol’s print ad took a different creative approach on its presentation by trying to look cool and catchy with a dominating pink background and slightly adulterated descriptions in green leaving little space left for screenshots and the white descriptive text. The print ad of Zombies Ate My Neighbors remains more engaging and more eye-catching than this one.
8. Silpheed print ad
This ad caught my attention and even made me interested on the Sega CD.
Released in 1993, Silpheed on Sega CD was a remake of the original game of 1986. Like its predecessor, the Sega CD had 3D effects but used pre-rendered computer animation for a background that actually was full motion video. The print ad of this game had this fantastic looking computer-generated artwork and displayed four screenshots that looked really exciting back in 1993. If you look closely at the captions, the ad emphasized the CD-quality look and the cinematic graphics the game had. This old ad has aged well.
Author Carlo Carrasco 