Long before the birth of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and his incredible 2016 US Presidential Election victory, Donald Trump made his presence felt in video games.
I am talking about Trump’s participation in a short video that was presented during the Xbox conference of the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The video was a parody of Trump’s popular show The Apprentice in which he appeared in a business meeting with the executives of Team Xbox (the real-life Robbie Bach, J Allard and Peter Moore) and Team PlayStation (with actors playing the PlayStation executives).
Back in 2004, as I was anticipating online media coverage of that year’s E3, I visited one particular Xbox website which streamed the said Trump-Xbox-PlayStation video and even offered a downloadable version for Windows media. I downloaded the video, watched it and was delighted ultimately. For your viewing pleasure, posted is a direct-feed video of from the This Week In Gaming YouTube channel.
Next, I posted below for you all another video that is slightly longer, was recorded off-screen at the Xbox conference, and has the live audience reactions that you should listen to. Watch the video below.
Is the 2004 video (titled “The Novice”) entertaining? For me it still is fun to watch again and it is one of the more memorable moves Xbox executed at the E3 (which today no longer exists). It is intriguing and entertaining to see Trump at the center of the video about the console war between Microsoft and Sony at the time.
As an entertainment piece of history, The Novice video is a reminder about how exciting console gaming was back in 2004 (note: intense competition between console makers was the standard of the time) when compared to what happened in recent times. Xbox gaming this year has been disappointing considering the following developments that happened: 50% price hike on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service, Xbox Series consoles price hikes, thousands of game developers laid off, the sudden cancellation of unreleased Xbox games, and Team Xbox directed by Microsoft to go full multiplatform with their own games (examples: Gears of War: Reloaded and Forza Horizon 5 got released on PlayStation 5).
Over at the side of PlayStation, Sony itself was embarrassed with its over-budgeted and poorly made game Concord. Concord is easily one of the most expensive flops in the history of video games.
Indeed, a lot has changed since 2004. Trump is now on his 2nd term as President of the United States solving the nation’s many problems while tackling several matters happening overseas. Sony and Microsoft are still active in the video games industry in different ways and they are still having their respective consoles manufactured outside of America. Console gaming nowadays is getting too expensive.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you find Donald Trump’s participation in the 2004 video with Xbox and PlayStation entertaining to watch? Were you a constant viewer of The Apprentice? Do you own a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console?
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 CinePals react to Predator 2 – I saw Predator 2 a number of times since the 1990s. I even reviewed the first issue of its 2-part comic book adaptation. Predator 2 was essentially a police story with science fiction elements mixed in and it was a worthy sequel. That being said, I saw a lot of Predator 2 reaction videos on YouTube and in my view, the reaction video by CinePals is the most entertaining one yet. Watch the video below.
#2 How AMD overtook Intel – Do you own a personal computer that has an AMD chip inside it? Mine does not but our Xbox Series X console has. In the world of business, the rivalry between AMD and Intel on CPUs has lasted for decades. While Intel led the industry for a very long time, it has gradually lost market share to AMD over the past several years. The company behind Ryzen and Athlon CPUs bounced back significantly under the leadership of Lisa Su and their alliance with TSMC was a great gamble that paid off well. Watch and learn from the video below.
#3 Do You Like Japanese Pork Cutlet? – When was the last time you had a pork cutlet for a meal? In Japan, their pork cutlet called Tonkatsu is popular and there are lots of food joints that offer it to customers. Tonkatsu is composed of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet, and historically it started during the Meiji era in the late 20th century. I recently discovered a YouTube video about one particular Japanese food joint that offer Tonkatsu that look large. Watch and enjoy the video below.
#4 Clash of the Titans (1981) Reaction Videos by Rhetorical Thrill and You, Me and The Movies – As a very young boy, I was fortunate enough to have seen the fantasy film Clash of the Titans inside the movie theater. The 1981 film was also the final work of stop-motion visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen and it had Burgess Meredith (the same actor who played Rocky’s trainer in the first 3 Rocky movies) in a key supporting role. I found two entertaining movie reaction videos of Clash of the Titans (1981) from You, Me and the Movies and Rhetorical Thrill. I encourage you to watch their respective videos below.
#5 Get To Know IMAX Better – You may have seen some movies inside an IMAX theater but are you aware of what IMAX really is apart from the experience of seeing a movie on a very large screen? IMAX is a brand, a special film format, a series of large cameras, a chain of special cinemas and an enterprise to say the least. Among the Hollywood directors, Christopher Nolan is the most prominent one who uses IMAX cameras in films like Dunkirk, Interstellar, Oppenheimer and his two last Batman movies. You can learn more about what makes IMAX different from the rest by watching the video below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts to Iron Eagle – What is there to say about the movie Iron Eagle? A movie about fighter planes and American military culture, the film was released the same year as the more famous Top Gun. I only saw the film on home video but in 1986, I had friends who were raving about Iron Eagle. That said, you should watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video about the old movie.
#7 A Look At Silent Hill 2 – Back in 2001, I still remember there was a lot of pre-release hype for the video game Silent Hill 2. Released on the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox console (Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams), the game went on to achieve big commercial and critical success. To this day, a lot of gamers called Silent Hill 2 as the most definitive game of the entire Silent Hill game franchise. To know more about the history and production of Silent Hill 2, watch the video below.
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 Christine Grace Smith Reacts To A Video About Society Impacted When No Men Are Working – There is something new and engaging to learn about society whenever Christine Grace Smith posts a new video. Recently, she shared her own reaction to a video that explores what would happen to society if men stopped working. This is something that the woke and rabid modern-day feminists do not want you to see. I urge you all to watch her video now.
#2 Metal Gear Games Revisited – In connection with the recent release of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, it was not surprising that a lot of YouTube videos revisiting past Metal Gear games got published by different YouTubers. Some of those videos I found were entertaining to watch while others were reflective or even intriguing. For the newcomers reading this. The Metal Gear game franchise of Konami started in the late 1980s under Hideo Kojima when he was very young. That being said, I urge you all to take a look at the selected Metal Gear-related videos I shared below.
#3 How Alan Moore And Watchmen Spread The Wokeness Disease In Comics – YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance is back, and this time he strikes hard at author Alan Moore not personally but for sowing the seeds of wokeness in superhero comics with Watchmen as the turning point. By today’s standards, wokeness is the unfortunate new normal in superhero comics and it is a fact that Alan Moore is an anarchist and a Leftist as well. Watch and learn from the video below.
#4 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Revisited – Long ago, there were several comedy films made by Mel Brooks which delivered bouts of humor to moviegoers and raked in varying amounts in ticket sales. In the 1990s, he directed Robin Hood: Men in Tights which my friends enjoyed watching inside the movie theater. While the film is not a classic by any means – not even within the comedy genre – it still managed to entertain YouTubers through their reaction videos. Watch the selected reaction videos below.
#5 The Traditional Types of Food of Japan – While you may have enjoy varied types of food of Japan served through the many Japanese restaurants around the world, are you aware that there certain meals or delicacies of the nation that were simply not made available through those places? That being said, it would be enlightening – and even tasty – for you to visit Japan and try out the more traditional types of food the nation has to offer. Indeed, there are the 100-year food declared in Japan and you can learn more about them by watching the video below.
For the newcomers reading this, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars was released on March 6 and it contains Suikoden and Suikoden II (Japanese title: Genso Suikoden II). This is a cause for a celebration not only for fans of the Suikoden game franchise (created by the late Yoshitaka Murayama during his time at Konami) and JRPG enthusiasts but also for people who love retro gaming.
With Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars now available on multiple platforms, gamers – both the veterans as well as the younger players – now have the golden opportunities to play the first two Suikoden games.
Suikoden on Xbox
A lot of characters got their share of the spotlight in short scenes like this in Suikoden.
As mentioned earlier, Suikoden is my most played game on my Xbox Series X since March 6. The release of Suikoden games on Xbox platforms is highly significant given the fact that the franchise has often been identified with PlayStation for so long. What many gamers do not know is the fact that Suikoden was also released on the Sega Saturn and Windows PC in Japan in the late-1990s.
As history showed, most Suikoden RPGs released by Konami from 1995 to 2006 mainly on the original PlayStation console (the first two games) and PlayStation 2 (the third, fourth and fifth games). Spin-off games were released on PlayStation, PS2, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. That being said, there were absolutely no Suikoden games on the original Xbox console and Xbox 360.
The release of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and the aging Xbox One is indeed a game-changer. There are lots of Xbox gamers who are fond of Japanese RPGs and there are also Suikoden fans who happen to own Xbox consoles. The Xbox ecosystem itself now has lots of role-playing games (RPGs) released in this current console generation and there are lots of Xbox players who love RPGs. As such, Konami made the right move bringing the Suikoden franchise to Xbox consoles.
Playing the first Suikoden again but in shinier form
The group battle in the game. The remastered work includes presentation in high-definition and a variety of visual enhancements. The frame rate is also stable.
Since the launch of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, I have been playing the first Suikoden game a lot on my Xbox Series X. It has been a fun-filled nostalgic gaming experience on my part and I can also say that Konami – for the most part – did a good job remastering the game with high-definition visuals in mind.
Visually, this is the best the first Suikoden RPG ever looked! The in-game character sprites and creatures/monsters sprites from before have been preserved and because everything is in high-definition, the said sprites look larger and you can see the detailed pixels within them. When it comes to the visual effects to emphasize in-game magic and other spectacles, the new effects implemented resulted in a lot of pleasing eye candy.
Mini-games like this one added fun and variety to the game. If you keep winning in this one, you can make a lot of in-game money.
The occasional close-ups during group battles like this added to the spectacle of playing. The enhanced visuals also made this look better.
When it comes to the character portraits, they have been redrawn from scratch by Junko Kawano and each artwork per character looked clearer and more detailed than before. Some long-time Suikoden fans might find the new character portraits looking too clean and might make them miss the older artworks.
Suikoden’s story is about the Scarlet Moon Empire, political developments, corruption that goes beyond politics, and how they all affect the people. The playable protagonist is the son of the imperial general Teo McDohl, and through him you will witness political intrigue and unexpected twists that will compel you to stick closer with your family friends to escape the empire and form a new army of rebels by recruiting members across the land.
Even in subtle forms, the enhanced visuals made dramatic scenes like this look more lively.
While the storytelling is satisfactory at best, there is a wide variety of characters who collectively added colors to the narrative. This is due to the many types of personalities that the important characters have. Take for example Matthiu who is the calm and calculating strategist, Viktor is the brave and brash rebel, and Gremio is very dedicated to protecting the protagonist no matter what happens. Along the way, character development is truly limited which is not surprising because a lot of characters shared the spotlight.
In terms of game design and gameplay features, Suikoden has aged well. The battle systems – solo battle, group battle, army battle – are still functional, efficient and fun to do. While some grinding (leveling-up) is needed, it is not stressful to do because the auto-battle options make the group battles flow smoothly, especially when your characters (up to six) are collectively strong enough to overwhelm the enemies.
This is the formation of the members of your party. Those with short-range attacks should be placed on the front row but they need strong defense values to keep on fighting. Characters with long-range attacks are ideally placed in the back row.
Meet Odessa.
The gameplay is just as fun to do as before. I really like the fact that up to six characters can be part of my party/group as I went adventuring and focused on story scenes. The solo and army battles are understandably few but the payoff (in return to the build-up leading to them) was worth it. I should state that the unite attacks (limited to specific characters who are present in the party) are fun to watch and the creators’ approach on presenting the battle animations and spectacle are great to see.
A great, long border wall in the game.
While the gameplay is clearly fun, Konami’s remaster team did not fix one old problem the game had since the start – limited spacing of items per character. Each character has his/her/its own pieces of clothing to wear, specifically for the body, head and two accessories. The game counts those clothing items as part of the overall item spacing per character. Once you have the four items for a character to wear, the remaining spaces for carrying other items (examples: medicine, ore, anti-toxin) become severely limited for the character.
Along the way, there is the constant need for you to purchase stronger pieces of clothing to increase the defense value of the newest character who joined your army. That being said, you must earn a lot of money, take time to out purchase items, and equip them on new characters while dealing with limited storage per character. The item management problem is the one thing that prevented the gameplay from achieving perfection.
My long-time experience with the Suikoden franchise
Viktor is the brash and brave fighter who becomes part of the Liberation Army. He is an important supporting character which you will easily realize.
In my personal gaming history, I played and finished the original game on PlayStation way back in 1996. While I really enjoyed the game and its unique gameplay features, I never replayed it as my taste on PlayStation gaming kept changing in 1997. When Wild ARMs and Final Fantasy VII landed on PlayStation, I forgot about Suikoden until its sequel was released in English in 1999.
Fortunately, Suikoden II was so much bigger and better than its predecessor and it remains the most defining game of the entire Suikoden franchise (read my retro review by clicking here). That being said, I will start playing the remastered Suikoden II on my Xbox Series X soon.
Having played the remastered first game on my Xbox console, I can say that it was a fun-filled trip on my end. At the same time, I remembered scenes and several small character moments in between that I have forgotten long ago. Although a lot of characters were presented, following the narrative was still easy to do since it was light compared to what Suikoden II told.
Conclusion
A shot of a feast within the army of rebels with their leader Tir McDohl. The young McDohl is the playable protagonist.
With the first Suikoden alone, I can say I got really good value and enjoyment with my purchase of the digital copy of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars for my Xbox Series X. This is a fine example about retro gaming literally saving the day when Team Xbox failed to deliver the promised great fun with their own games.
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. Vendetta UK and North American arcade flyers
Vendetta arcade flyer for North America
Vendetta arcade flyer for the UK.
In 1991, Konami released the 2D side-scrolling beat-them-up game Vendetta in arcades around the world achieving commercial success. While it is hard to tell if the promotions helped the game commercially, there is no doubt that the arcade flyers for the North American and United Kingdom (UK) markets were indeed very eye-catching.
The North American Vendetta arcade flyer had a photographic approach showing models playing characters supposedly representing the Cobras gang and the Dead End gang. The display of wooden boxes and the rope was done to symbolize the rough city environments of the game. On the other hand, the UK arcade flyer has illustrated artwork that captured the look of the Cobras gang from the game.
2. Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters print ad
This ad has great art that strongly emphasizes its science fiction concept.
This print ad of Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters (PC version) really caught my attention when I read gaming magazines in the early 1990s. The painted artwork showing a human and a hideous alien in the background with a planet, space ships and space stations filling the rest of the space was very captivating to look at. So captivating, it enticed me to search for the game but our PC at home had really low specs. Strangely enough, I played another version of Star Control II on a rented 3DO Interactive Multiplayer console in 1995. For the newcomers reading this, the game was critically acclaimed and was declared as one of the very best PC games ever made. Enjoy looking at the print ad above.
3. Space Channel 5 print ad
The visual style and character designs are the result of the game designer’s research that includes interviews with lots of young girls over their interests and tastes in video games.
When Sega launched their Dreamcast console in Japan in late-1998, their financial health was already in a very bad state and the future looked grim. Even as they faced tremendous odds, Sega still went on to aggressively sell Dreamcast consoles with exclusive games and Space Channel 5 was one of them.
First released in Japan in 1999, Space Channel 5 was a musical, puzzle-oriented game that was the result of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s work backed with research he did that included interviewing young girls to find out what their tastes in gaming are. The print ad showing the highly stylized protagonist Ulala and a few screenshots really caught the attention of gamers and kept the Dreamcast in their minds. While the game did not achieve commercial success as a Dreamcast-exclusive, Sega went on to release a version of Space Channel 5 on the PlayStation 2 console, plus sequels.
4. Cybernator print ad
The mention of Terminator and RoboCop rivaled the artwork when it comes to grabbing people’s attention.
I remember seeing the print ad of Konami’s Cybernator (Japanese title: Assault Suits Valken) in several comic books I read back in 1992. I never got to play it but the print ad’s artwork was memorable as I was fond of robots in anime, movies and video games back then. What was arguably the most memorable aspect of the print ad was the line that mentioned RoboCop and the Terminator in a comedic way. This is a creative way to market the game.
5. NBA Basketball 2000 print ad
There were a lot more NBA video games back in the 1990s.
NBA Basketball 2000 was one of those basketball videos games of the 1990s that was not published by EA Sports nor published by the other established game publishers like Sega, PlayStation and Konami. In fact, the one thing on the ad that caught my attention was Fox Sports Interactive which published some sports videos games during the decade. The print ad also served as a reminder that there were a lot more NBA video games for gamers to choose from during the 1990s.
6. Food Fight arcade flyers
Food Fighter arcade flyer with illustrated artworks.
Food Fight arcade flyer with a photographic touch and actors.
I never got to play the 1980s game Food Fight in the arcades nor did I ever had the opportunity to play it on Atari consoles and Xbox 360. Released in 1983 in the arcades by Atari, Food Fight was designed to allow players to control a character moving through a 2D field to consume an ice cream on a cone (placed on the opposite end of the field) before it melts while avoiding the chefs who are out to chase and block the player.
The arcade flyer with illustrated artwork on the characters interacting with the arcade machine is really amusing to look at. Equally amusing is the other arcade flyer that had a photographic approach showing two kids (one playing the arcade machine and the other about to throw a pie) and four chefs. Considering the nice visual concepts Atari came up with for the arcade flyers, Food Fight actually never became a commercial hit selling only a few thousand arcade units.
7. X-Kaliber 2097 print ad
This print ad from the 1990s had a nice visual style.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) had plenty of 2D side-scrolling adventure games and among them was X-Kaliber 2097 released by Activision (now a Microsoft-owned company and integral part of Xbox) in America in 1994. The game had a really interesting story concept about a chaotic far future society plagued by overwhelming crime and violence. The print ad showed a mild taste about the game’s concept and gameplay, but it was more effective when it comes to showing the formidable foes that await the playable protagonist Slash. This print appeared in several comic books I read and was eye-catching.
8. Jet Moto 3 print ad
When was the last time the police caught you for over-speeding?
This print ad for Jet Moto 3 had a clever concept of showing a police officer apprehending a jet biker for over-speeding. The visual presentation was done in photo-realistic fashion to make the sci-fi aspect of the video game look real. The ad made me interested enough to do some research of Jet Moto 3 a few months before finally buying it for my PlayStation console.
9. Wipeout 3 print ad
Were you fond of futuristic racing and techno music back in 1999?
Released in 1999, Wipeout 3 was one of those video games that showcased what the PlayStation (originally launched in Japan in 1994) could do in terms of visual fidelity, special effects and frame rates. The print ad, which had a radical visual concept emphasizing intensity and energy, had style listing down vertically the technical details of the game which required a close look in order to be read. With only two screenshots displayed, the ad makers smartly included the E3 acclaim of “Best Racing Game of E3” as well as the names of artists behind the game soundtrack on the lower-right corner. This print ad was cool and intriguing to look at.
10. Breath of Fire II print ad
This was a good effort to lure American gamers to buy and play Breath of Fire II.
When Breath of Fire II was released on the SNES in America in late 1995, Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) were not yet wildly popular among American gamers. To grab the attention of gamers, Capcom and the ad makers came up with the eye-catching image of a sword and posted key questions to emphasize the fantasy aspect of Breath of Fire II. While the game received mixed reviews upon its North American release, Nintendo Power listed it as 171st best game in its Top 200 Games chart published in 2006.
Finally, an old wish of mine came true as GungHo Online Entertainment America, Inc. (GOEA) officially announced that the Grandia HD Collection – which contains the classic Japanese role-playing game Grandia and its sequel Grandia II – will be released on Xbox consoles on March 26, 2024. For the newcomers reading this, the said collection of the two Grandia RPGs was previously released for the Nintendo Switch and on PC in 2019. Grandia HD Collection has been listed on the Xbox store.
This surprise development is definitely much more exciting and better than Team Xbox’s releasing four Xbox-original games on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. For your excitement and enlightenment, watch the latest Grandia HD Collection announcement and trailer below…
To understand what the collection contains, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement by GOEA. Some parts in boldface…
The GRANDIA HD Collection features two genre-defining role-playing games: GRANDIA and GRANDIA II. These games send players on epic adventures with protagonists Justin and Ryudo, respectively, to explore the worlds of GRANDIA and protect them from the forces of evil.
Two Nostalgic Stories: Fans can follow both iconic journeys in the world of GRANDIA with various upgrades once more. Discover what lies beyond the End of the World with the young adventurer Justin in GRANDIA and, eons later, protect the world from eternal darkness with mercenary Ryudo in GRANDIA II.
Modernized Visuals: This version of GRANDIA and GRANDIA II includes enhanced UI, sprites, and texture art that brings the iconic look of the retro classics to contemporary standards, including widescreen support and visually enhanced original cinematics.
A battle from Grandia.
This is what a battle looks like in Grandia II which had fully polygonal graphics.
Classic Old-School Combat: The GRANDIA series features classic RPG combat, with physical attacks and elemental spells in a battle system that combines real-time and turn-based mechanics. The addition of Hard Mode gives players a memorable challenge as they explore the world of GRANDIA II.
Language Support: The GRANDIA HD Collection includes Japanese and English audio options, as well as language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional).
I am really delighted that Grandia HD Collection is coming to Xbox (note: made for the Xbox One console which is fully compatible with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles) as I played and enjoyed the original Grandia game on PlayStation way back in 1999.
I do remember Grandia having a very imaginative fantasy world with a story cleverly structured to take players from one location to another to visit new places, meet new characters or tribes of people, and engage in quests. Playing that game was a whole lot of fun because developer Game Arts (the same team behind the Lunar RPGs) crafted a battle system that is highly playable and addicting. As I played Grandia, I saw the playable characters really develop not just with their personalities but also their battle and magic abilities.
Not only that, the music written by Noriyuki Iwadare was great to listen as I played. I also love the artistic approach applied on Grandia which had 2D sprites for the characters and monsters, nicely textured 3D polygonal environments, and very imaginative artworks (including those in animated cutscenes).
Grandia had characters and monsters in 2D sprite forms, as well as detailed textures on the 3D polygonal environment.
Of course, the many quests gradually built-up the tension of the main plot which turned out to be a grand event. Game Arts knew how to execute handsome pay-offs in relation to the build-up that preceded them. That being said, Grandia’s conclusion was really memorable to see.
If there is anything I hope to see within the Grandia HD Collection, it would be improvements on the English translation and the voice acting of the characters because the PlayStation version of Grandia that I played was lackluster with those mentioned elements. Clearly Sony Computer Entertainment (the publisher of Grandia on PlayStation) did not aim high with quality for the game’s American release.
As for Grandia II, I never got to play it as I never had a Sega Dreamcast nor a PlayStation 2 (PS2) console. I do remember some Dreamcast gamers expressing fondness and high enjoyment of the game and there were even a few who enjoyed it more than its predecessor. That being said, Grandia II’s inclusion in the Grandia HD Collection is an added incentive for me to purchase the collection for my Xbox Series X.
A mini-game in Grandia II. The sequel went all-in with 3D polygons which made it a big showcase of art and graphics on the Sega Dreamcast. The PlayStation 2 version of this game reportedly had inferior graphics.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and retro gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will examine print ads from the 1990s that caught my attention and I will explain why they are worth look back at. In retrospect, the 1990s was a decade of serious changes in the world of electronic gaming as the industry saw the shift of graphics from 2D sprites and flat backgrounds to 3D polygons, the shift from cartridges to CDs for software distribution, and more.
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 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 game details and images.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Castlevania: Bloodlines print ad
Creepy looking but not horrific. The simplistic approach turned out to be effective on making Sega Genesis gamers excited for this Castlevania release.
During the early stage of the so-called 16-bit console wars, Konami’s Castelvania series made the huge next-generation leap with Super Castlevania IV on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) which gave gamers loads of fun challenges along with technological improvements that added to the gameplay. Being a prolific multiplatform game maker, Konami knew it could not abandon its fans who own the 16-bit console of Sega and this led them to making a unique Castlevania experience with the Sega Genesis in mind – Castlevania: Bloodlines.
The above print ad of Castlevania: Bloodlines was very eye-catching as it showed a photographic presentation of the grave of the Belmont family (note: Simon Belmont is arguably the most known hero of the series) backed with a detailed text description as well as screenshots that showed exactly what Castlevania fans expected with gameplay and presentation. While the visual style of the ad had a subtle approach to horror, it succeeded in informing the public that another fun-filled Castlevania experience was coming. The game went on to be a hit among gamers and critics.
2. The Granstream Saga print ad
THQ really tried hard to sell The Granstream Saga in North America at a time when a lot more Japanese RPGs started coming into the market.
Back in the late 1990s, there was a slew of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) that got released on the PlayStation console in North America arguably because of the massive sales success of Final Fantasy VII in 1997. In 1998, THQ (note: then a newcomer in video gaming) made the daring move to release The Granstream Saga in North America and it was part of the company’s plan of releasing more RPGs. With regards to the 1998 print ad, THQ marketing team wisely emphasized the fact that the game launched at #1 in Japan (published by Sony) although, strangely, the rest of the short descriptive text did not emphasize the fact that the game was one of the first fully polygonal RPGs ever released. The ad had one image of an animated cut scene while there were two gameplay images. When I first saw the print ad, I became interested with The Granstream Saga as I was fond of both RPGs and anime. I never got to play it due to a lack of time and money back then.
3. NBA Action 98 print ad
Do you find this print ad funny or disturbing or both?
The first time I saw Sega’s print ad of NBA Action 98 (a polygonal NBA basketball video game for the Sega Saturn), it caught my attention quickly mainly because of the concept of the imagery showing a really tall guy leaving the place after getting stretched to be tall (as emphasized by an adult operating a machine to stretch another kid’s body to get taller) as a kid from outside looks on. While it looked hilarious at first, the photographic imagery also had an unintentional dark tone as the adult operating the machine looked like he was torturing the kid. This print ad was really eye-catching in a rather disturbing fashion to me, so much so I did not have any interest left to check out the advertised game. The small size of the screenshots and the hard-to-read descriptive text did not help at all. In my view, this was a marketing misfire by Sega.
4. Flashback: The Quest for Identity print ad
This was indeed an eye-catching print ad.
Back in the 1990s, the CD-ROM was cutting edge technology in the world of computing and CDs (compact discs) helped game companies have their game content as well as multimedia files (example: full motion videos or animated scenes) released together conveniently. In the middle of the decade, a version of the game Flashback: The Quest for Identity (note: a game with computer-generated animation scenes previously released on PC) was released in cartridge format for the Sega Genesis as well as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). This was a big deal back in the days of the so-called 16-bit console war and the above print ad clearly emphasized it with the description “The First CD-ROM Game in a Cartridge!” The advertisers also assured consumers that the in-game 24 frames-per-second frame rate, the Hollywood-inspired high-quality visuals and related gameplay elements were intact for consoles. When I saw this particular ad, I became convinced to buy the game for my SNES (read my retro review by clicking here). To see how Flashback looks like on Sega Genesis, watch this.
5. Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean print ad
To make things clear, Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean is not based on any anime property. It was the 3rd game of its series and the first and only one to be released in English.
There is no denying the fact that Working Designs (closed since 2005) contributed a lot to console gaming by localizing and releasing several Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) in America at a time when such games were not yet popular. Apart from the Lunar RPGs and Dragon Force, the company brought Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean to the Sega Saturn console in America and they had a very eye-catching print ad promoting it. Like their ads for Lunar RPGs, the Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean print ad had a dominating anime-style artwork that highlighted the fantasy concept and characters, plus screenshots and in-game animated (note: not anime but detailed pixel artworks) sequences that were meant to attract RPG enthusiasts and gamers looking for the next-generation console gaming experiences. It should be noted that Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean was actually the 3rd game of its franchise that started in Japan, and it was the first and only Albert Odyssey game to ever be released in English. To this day, Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean still has not been re-released nor remastered for other consoles and original Sega Saturn copies of the game are very expensive to acquire. That being said, this particular print ad is a lively reminder of Albert Odyssey’s only Western release.
6. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis print ad
Capcom efficiently showed the new monster Nemesis, screenshots of the game and the return of Jill Valentine in this 1999 print ad.
After the release of the best-selling and acclaimed Resident Evil 2, Capcom approved the production of several Resident Evil projects that include sequels and spin-offs. Along the way, Sony announced in 1999 that the PlayStation 2 console will come out in 2000 and this had an impact on Capcom’s RE projects as many of them were being developed for the aging PlayStation (PS1) console. Before the PS2 announcement, Capcom had a PS1 RE game project with its story set on a cruise ship. That project was abandoned following the PS2 announcement and because Capcom did not want to leave its fans to wait too long for another Resident Evil adventure on PS1, they reviewed their list of proposed spin-off games and went ahead making Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (Japanese title: Biohazard 3: Last Escape) for a late 1999 release while the PS1 console was still in good demand.
In the above 1999 print ad, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was shown with 3 screenshots assuring RE fans that the game has the tried-and-tested design of polygonal characters/monsters moving within pre-rendered environments, the action, the horror and adventure elements of the previous games. More notably, the new monster Nemesis had the biggest image and he rightfully became the main antagonist until the very end.
Lastly, the RE3 print ad featured the return of Jill Valentine (one of the protagonists of the first Resident Evil) and this time she had a clear sexualized look wearing a tube top and a mini-skirt. As I mentioned in my RE3 retro game review, I believe that the sexualized look of Jill was done by the game developers who were most likely influenced by the sexy appeal and iconography of the character Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series of games. Like Lara Croft, Jill is sexy and capable of fighting with guns and other weapons. Whatever the intention of Capcom and the development behind the game, the print ad (which even had wrongful details about the timing of the story) clearly worked on getting RE fans and gamers’ attention as Resident Evil 3: Nemesis sold more than 3 million copies on PS1.
It took almost twenty years but Bandai Namco is finally releasing a version of their hit Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Tales of Symphonia on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on February 17, 2023, and it will come with a lot of stuff apart from the from the enhancements. Already pre-orders are being accepted.
In relation to this really good news, watch first the official Xbox trailer of Tales of Symphonia Remastered posted below…
For added insight, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement from Bandai Namco. Some parts in boldface…
Lloyd Irving and his friends journey is getting closer, confirmed for release on February 17th. Bringing veteran fans and newcomers in the worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe’alla, the game offers visual enhancements, gameplay improvements, and new features.
A flashy sequence during a battle.
Alone or with up to four players during battles, players will be able to experience or re-experience the deep and fascinating story in one of the most beloved “Tales of” titles.
Players will have the choice between two editions:
The Standard Edition, only available digitally
The Chosen Edition, containing a metal case, art prints and stickers, with pre-orders already available here
These are the characters in the game. Tales of Symphonia Remastered will come with anime cut scenes for the narrative.
For the newcomers reading this, Tales of Symphonia was originally released on the Nintendo Gamecube way back in 2003 followed by the PlayStation 2 in 2004, PlayStation 3 in 2014 and Windows PC in 2016. The game gathered lots of positive reviews from game critics and it sold more than 2,000,000 copies worldwide.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered coming to Xbox in early 2023 adds weight to the Xbox ecosystem becoming the best destination for gamers who love fantasy RPGs and other types of role-playing games. Already Xbox Game Pass has the remastered Ni no Kuni as well as Persona 5: Royal. There definitely is a growing demand for JRPGs in the Xbox ecosystem and it only makes sense for game publishers in Japan to release their JRPGs – be it new or old – on Xbox platforms. I myself never played Tales of Symphonia before and the news of its Xbox-bound release is really good. Now if only Square Enix would remaster Xenogears for an Xbox release. Capcom could do the same with their Breath of Fire RPGs.
In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.
While the sudden release of the remastered version of the hit Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Ni no Kuni on Xbox platforms and Xbox Game Pass (XGP) was indeed surprising, there was another major surprise pulled off by Konami that includes Xbox for a release some time in 2023 – Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. Watch the official English-language trailer below…
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official press release from Konami’s website. Some parts in boldface…
Announced during Tokyo Games Show 2022, KONAMI confirmed several fundamental improvements and quality-of-life features in the upcoming remaster collection:
Graphical Improvements
Pixel sprites and environment art enhanced with new screen effects including lighting, clouds, and shadow animations Flickering flames, smoldering smoke, the movement of leaves and insects, all add up to a lively in-game atmosphere!
The effects and direction have been redesigned, bringing memorable scenes back to life in more beautiful ways!
New Character Drawings
All character portraits have been updated in HD. Junko Kawano, who designed the characters for the original version of Suikoden released in 1995, has newly re-drawn all the character portraits for Suikoden I HD Remaster Gate Rune War.
Sound Improvements
Field Sound – A large number of environmental sounds not found in the original version, such as the sound of running water in the river, wind, insects, and running footsteps, have been added. You can enjoy an immersive experience like never before!
Battle Sound – All sound effects are now in HD. In addition to the impact of the 3D effects, the realistic sound greatly enhances the dynamism of the battles!
Game System Improvements
Many new features have been added, such as dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles, etc.
Footage of the remastered Suikoden JRPG from Konami’s official trailer.
The 2D sprites look the same but they do look sharper in HD. Even the background elements look sharper.
World exploration in Suikoden is no longer the flat 2D map it used to be.
As I have played Suikoden and Suikoden II on the original PlayStation console in the 1990s, the announcement of Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is big dream come true for me personally. I always wanted to replay Suikoden and Suikoden II without the hassle of having to spend a lot of money to buy a PlayStation or a Nintendo console. In my experience, Suikoden II is the peak of excellence of its own franchise as the creative team listened to the fans and learned from their shortcomings on making the first game which resulted in very rich gameplay, several fun features and compelling story. Suikoden II also remains a great example of using 2D sprites aided with 3D camera movements and some polygonal effects. Read my retro review of Suikoden II at https://carlocarrasco.com/2021/07/15/a-look-back-at-suikoden-ii-1999/
The lighting in this particular part of Suikoden II was enhanced to be dramatic looking.
Battle sequence from Suikoden II as shown in Konami’s trailer.
This touching scene from Suikoden II looks better than ever.
That being said, Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars coming to Xbox (note: Xbox One was officially listed as the Xbox console) is a big bonus not just for Xbox gamers who enjoy JRPGs but also for long-time gamers who loved the early Suikoden games who have not been spending much time with console gaming. As seen in the official press release from Konami as well as in the revealed footage in the official announcement trailer, there were several enhancements to make Suikoden and Suikoden II more presentable in today’s age of high-definition gaming. While the 2D sprites and in-game art works of the two classic JRPGs look the same (note: with some minor adjustments), I noticed the improvements on sound effects, the in-game lighting, some adjustments on textures, the higher resolution resulting in sharper images, and the redrawn character portraits (in the first game specifically).
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars coming to Xbox is looking like a great addition on the Xbox ecosystem’s growing global appeal as the haven for fantasy RPGs gamers and also for gamers who like other types of role-playing games! For Konami, selling the two classic JRPGs on Xbox could mean bigger sales than what they achieved on PlayStation decades ago. Remember that 2023 will see the eventual release of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Xbox-eclusive Starfield. Right now, Konami is still at work on enhancing the remastered Suikodenand Suikoden II and they will have to decide which date in 2023 should mark the release. Personally, I can hardly wait to play Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars on my Xbox Series X console. Watch out for Konami’s announcement of the official 2023 release date. Also, here is hoping Konami will do a good job remastering the two classic JRPGs and that the promises they made in their press release will be fulfilled.
For the newcomers reading this, the Suikoden game franchise’s core concept has been based on the motif of the Chinese classic novel Water Margin and the creative team back then (led by a very young Yoshitaka Murayama who is now leading Rabbit & Bear studios making Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes) created role-playing games that had engaging fantasy stories, feature-rich gameplay and a wide lineup of characters who collectively contribute to the game endings. The first Suikoden RPG of the mid-1990s follows a protagonist whose father is one of the empire’s five generals, as he gathers his 108 Stars of Destiny and friends to fight against the oppressive rule of the Empire in ruin. Suikoden II happens three years after the first game’s story, further evolving the game systems unique to Suikoden, such as Rune magic, the 108 Stars of Destiny, home base management, and Army Battles, which were well received in the previous game. Three childhood friends, including the protagonist, are tossed about by a great whirlpool of destiny.
Historically speaking, the Suikoden video game franchise has been strongly identified with PlayStation platforms. Suikoden and Suikoden II were released on the first PlayStation console while Suikoden III, Suikoden IV and Suikoden V were released on PlayStation 2. There were also some versions of Suikoden games that got released on Sega Saturn, Windows PC and Nintendo platforms. That being said, the inclusion of Xbox One as a platform for the upcoming Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is very notable, even exceptional.
For your excitement, watch this official announcement video…
The next video below is about the production of the game which includes words from varied creators at Volition plus actual gameplay footage. Watch closely and pay attention.
Now to put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Xbox.com article written by Deep Silver Volition chief creative officer Jim Boone. Some parts in boldface…
Saints Row is back and better than ever! We’ve completely rebooted the game, with a brand-new setting, new characters, and new tone, bringing the Saints franchise up to date for today’s gamer.
The game is set in Santo Ileso, a vibrant fictional city set in the American Southwest with nine unique districts and two deserts, currently controlled by three enemy factions: Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall Defense Industries.
You start out as the future Boss, our charismatic murder machine, and you get to decide who you want to be, with extensive customization options; you literally get to be Self Made. You team up with your three best friends, Neenah, Eli, and Kevin and begin your mission to rise to the top and build your criminal empire.
However, as this is Saints Row, it’s not an easy ride. You must defeat the three enemy factions and take Santo Ileso as your own. Experience epic gunfights and highspeed chases as you explore the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever, laced with the signature humor the series is known for.
An arsenal of extensive, customizable weapons is all available to you, with cars, bikes, VTOLs, helicopters, and wingsuits all adding to the enormous fun. And two-player co-op means you can enjoy all this with a friend.
Shooting and high-speed chases are part of the Saints Row formula of gameplay.
I am personally very interested with this brand-new Saints Row game. I first got to play the original Saints Row on Xbox 360 way back in 2006 and it was one of my first games on the console. That original game was developed by Volition and published by THQ. I had even more fun with Saints Row 2 and I had the best and most fun-filled gaming sessions with Saints Row: The Third. Saints Row IV turned me off, however, as it was way too outlandish and it was made at a time of uncertainty.
Going back to the Saints Row reboot, based on the above details and the short gameplay clip, I still see some traces of the key gameplay features that defined the Saints Row franchise’s first three games. Players will get to lead a gang and gain respect as they build themselves up in the presence of rival gangs within a fictional city that is divided into sections. The feature of customizing your weapons and vehicles is also back. Also it has been confirmed that character customization is back.
Honestly, this creative design as the default look of the “Boss” that gamers will get to play is ugly and ill-conceived. Good thing that gamers will be allowed to customize their character.
How many cactuses have you spotted in your city?
Here is hoping that more updates about the features and setting of the new Saints Row game will be released over the next few months heading towards the February 2021 launch. I am hoping that the game developers will seriously pay attention to the features that made the Saints Row: The Third so much fun such as owning properties, cyber blazing and the signature activities like Mayhem, Snatch, Insurance Fraud, Trafficking, Heli Assault, Tank Mayhem and Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax.
As the new Saints Row is a reboot and has a very brand new setting as well as an obvious Millennial-inspired cast of characters (it looks like there are some woke, politically correct and diversity-obsessed people inside Volition), it is uncertain if most of the above-mentioned gameplay features will be included.
Saints Row and Xbox
The new in-game setting reminds me of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
A helicopter lifting a car. The in-game action should be wild like before.
The connection between the Saints Row and Xbox brands is notable and real even though it is not obvious enough to be noticed. In my experience, I played the first SR games on my Xbox 360 and by the time I played the 3rd game, my console was already aging. Fortunately my Xbox 360’s problems did not prevent me from fully enjoying Saints Row: The Third.
When backwards compatibility on Xbox One was realized, I replayed the three SR games on my console and had a lot of fun replaying them. As for the remastered version of Saints Row: The Third, I have yet to play it but it has been confirmed to run at 60-frames-per-second with dynamic 4K resolution on Xbox Series X. Just imagine how the new Saints Row will run on Xbox Series X.
Will the Saints Row reboot be a fun and engaging game to play once it finally comes out? We will only find out on February 25, 2021.
In ending this piece, here are some Xbox and Saints Row-related videos for your enjoyment.
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