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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1The disappointing 9th console generation – If you are a long-time gamer who owns a PlayStation 5 (PS5) and/or an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console, you might have noticed how disappointing the 9th console generation (started in late 2020) has been when compared to the previous four generations.
Apart from the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic deeply altered the games industry on the sides of gamers and game developers, the 9th console generation has seen lots of unfulfilled promises from the console makers, Xbox Game Pass (XGP) changing for the worse, great gaming experiences not being realized, consumers getting screwed, the lack of focus towards the fans, woke garbage involved in game productions and a lot more. To understand what is going on in the 9th console generation, I urge you to watch the selected videos below.
#2 Illegal immigration in America is the new slave trade – More than ten million people illegally entered the United States through the US-Mexico border since 2021, resulting in rising crime, increased taxpayers’ money spending on illegal aliens, and more hardship for America’s own citizens. That’s not all. There are cartels taking advantage of the open border in the south that kept thousands of people – including children – flowing into America and those illegal aliens themselves are forced to repay the debts to the cartels. These should remind you how bad immigration became in America under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (border czar who loves criminals and terrorists). This PrageU video is a must-watch.
#3 Retro gaming reported by KTLA 5 – It is not every day you get see retro gaming reported on mainstream news outlets. In America, KTLA 5 made a video news report about the resurgence of retro gaming and it’s not limited to gamers buying collected editions of decades-old games for their modern game consoles. In fact, the video game store in KTLA 5’s report is selling old games in physical copies as well as old game consoles at affordable rates. Watch the video below.
#4 The history and American origin of the Lawson convenience store enterprise – Here in the Philippines, the convenience store chain Lawson has been gradually growing and becoming more competitive with the likes of 7-Eleven and Uncle John’s. Not only that, Lawson is gaining a following of customers who keep on returning because of the variety of food and beverage items offered plus convenient ways of doing financial transactions. While it is common knowledge that Lawson is from Japan and is a Japanese enterprise, not too many people are aware of its American origin. To learn about the history of Lawson, watch the video below.
#5 Israel’s intensified campaign against Hezbollah – After the recent attacks against several members of the Iranian-sponsored terrorist group Hezbollah through their pagers, Israel’s military campaign against the terrorists intensified. This happened even as Hezbollah kept on firing at Israel (in response to the pagers attacks) and even hitting Nazareth which itself has many Arabs and Muslims in its local population. Don’t let the pro-terrorist, pro-Islamist mainstream news media fool you with their persistent lying. Watch the videos from credible news sources below to realize the truth. Lastly, keep praying to the Lord to support Israel and bring down the forces of evil.
6. Kamala Harris’ dishonesty and pathetic acting about border security explained
In recent times, the Communist Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris visited the US-Mexico border to check on the situation there as illegal immigration added so much to crime. The problem here is that Kamala was simply acting to be responsible and working, and it is not a secret that the Democrats hired Communist Hollywood people to stage it behind the scenes. Sky News Australia’s video below is a must-see and remember that Democrats always love illegal aliens, criminals, abortion and terrorists. Kamala herself publicly declared her support for illegal aliens and defended them.
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the local police department received new support from the City Government in the form of fifteen bicycles which should help the police officers navigate congested urban areas and other places within the city, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas city government donated 15 bicycles to the local police on Monday, September 23, as part of its efforts in ensuring peace and security in the city’s communities.
During its weekly flag raising ceremony, Las Piñas Vice Mayor April Aguilar turned over the bicycles to city police chief PCol. Samuel Tafalla.
Tafalla thanked the city government for its continued support to the local police, especially on its bicycle police patrols.
According to him, some of the benefits of expanding its bicycle patrols include enhanced mobility in crowded areas wherein bicycles allow officers to navigate congested urban areas, parks, and pedestrian zones more easily than patrol cars and other service vehicles.
Bicycle patrols also increase community engagement for the police because officers on bicycles are more approachable and visible to the public, promoting positive interactions with the community that enhances trust and communication between law enforcement and citizens.
Bicycles also provide officers with better crime detection as it enables them to observe minor details that might be missed from riding a vehicle.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the bicycles will help police officers patrol the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
With the 2025 National and Local Elections gradually approaching, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) told candidates and political parties to have their social media and online accounts registered and they must follow the rules that were recently announced, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
For the newcomers reading this, the heavy use of social media, digital activities and websites is election campaigns of the past several years by candidates and parties or political groups is the new normal here in the Philippines and there is simply no stopping it from further rising. Along the way, fake news, rumors and misleading pieces of information transpired. If these negative elements are left unchecked, it could make election integrity in the Philippines very questionable.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Candidates and political parties that would use internet and social media in campaigning for the 2025 midterm polls have to register their accounts with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a Sept. 17 resolution made available Wednesday, the poll body said official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms of candidates, and parties intending to participate in the polls and their respective campaign teams that are primarily designed or used to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates should be registered with the Comelec-Education and Information Department (EID).
The registration period will commence within 30 calendar days after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) or from Nov. 8 to Dec. 13 this year. The filing period of COCs is from Oct. 1 to 8.
The registration form for social media accounts and other online and internet-based campaign platforms may be submitted only by the candidates and their authorized representatives, as well as authorized representatives of registered political parties/ coalitions, and party-list organizations.
The forms should be submitted to the EID, through the official online channels that will be provided by the Comelec.
Prohibited acts – The Comelec also listed acts that would be considered misuse and malicious use of digital technology in campaigning:
– use of “false amplifiers”, such as fake accounts, bots, and astroturf groups filled with fake users to propagate disinformation and misinformation in endorsing or campaigning against a candidate, a political party / coalition, or party-list organizations, or to propagate disinformation, and misinformation targeting the Philippine election system, the Comelec, and electoral processes during the election and campaign period;
– coordinated inauthentic behavior and utilization of hyperactive users for the aforementioned purposes;
– creation and dissemination of deepfakes, cheapfakes, and soft fakes for the aforementioned purposes;
– use of fake and unregistered social media accounts during the election and campaign period for the same purposes;
– creation and dissemination of fake news in furtherance of the aforementioned purposes.
It warned that such acts may constitute as an election offense under Section 261 (z) (11) of the Omnibus Election Code.
Task force – The poll body also created the Task Force sa Katotohanan, Katapatan at Katarungan sa Halalan (Task Force KKK sa Halalan) tasked to oversee the implementation of the guidelines, review of registration forms, validation, approval and endorsement to the Commission en banc.
It is also tasked to monitor registered and unregistered social media and online accounts or websites which are used to endorse or campaign against candidates, political parties/ coalitions, party-list organizations; to issue show cause order, and initial investigation of detected or reported prohibited acts under these guidelines; motu proprio filing of complaints against erring candidates, parties, individuals, and other entities.
The task force will be headed by the chiefs of the poll body’s EID and Law Department as chairperson and co-chairperson, respectively.
Election, campaign period – The Comelec added the election period for the 2025 midterm polls would be from Jan. 12 to June 11, 2025.
The campaign period for those seeking national positions (senator and party-list groups) will start on Feb. 11, 2025 and will run until May 10, 2025.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think all those many rules announced by COMELEC will help reduce, if not prevent, misinformation, fake news and other distortions from impacting the election campaigns and the voters? Do you agree with the COMELEC requiring candidates and political parties to have their digital accounts registered before they could campaign?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1Google in legal trouble in America – Did you notice how overwhelming power Google really is in business as well as in your daily lives? Are you aware that Google made multi-billion Dollar deals with its competitors to ensure its dominance on search, online advertising and other forms of business? Google is now in legal trouble with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in America and ColdFusion’s video below is a must-watch!
#2 Games to look forward to while subscribing to Xbox Game Pass – In recent times, there were changes on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) implemented by Microsoft which I did not like (click here and here to learn the details). If you own an Xbox and you still have not yet subscribed to XGP, you should decide first based on how much you can afford to pay the new rates (note: there are different tiers to subscribe to in Game Pass), what kind of games you really like and how much time you can spare for playing in the comfort of your home. If you are into adventure gaming, then the video by YouTuber Skycaptin 5 below is a must-watch for your reference. Take note that one of the games shown has yet to be released and a few of the games may require the Ultimate tier of XGP.
#3 A look back at Amazing Spider-Man movies of Sony Pictures – Do you have any fond memories of the two movies that had actor Andrew Garfield as the cinematic Spider-Man? I saw The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) in the cinemas and I can say that they never thrilled me nor satisfied me as much as the first two Spider-Man flicks of Tobey Maguire. Those movies directed by Marc Webb were not terrible actually but flawed works. Whether you loved or felt disappointed with the two Amazing Spider-Man movies, I urge you to watch the analytical video by YouTuber Owen Likes Comics below.
#4 25 years of the American launch of the Sega Dreamcast – It has been over twenty-five years since Sega launched the Dreamcast console in America. In gaming history, the date of September 9, 1999 is still remembered as the time when Sega really made a very serious effort to re-establish trust with American gamers and they made record-setting numbers in the first 24 hours. As such, it was no surprise that “25 years” or “25th anniversary” videos about the Dreamcast suddenly appeared on YouTube and posted below are videos I selected for your viewing.
#5 You, Me and the Movies’ video reaction of Clash of the Titans (1981) – Whenever I search YouTube for movie reaction videos about the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, not too many pop out for some reason. If you are interested to see the film but don’t have the time or money to watch it in full, then the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies should entertain you.
#6 The fall of Circuit City explained – Way back in 2001, I visited a branch of Circuit City in California. I visited because I was curious and also interested in video games and also movies on DVD format. What I found was a variety of consumer electronic products and the presence of TV units with built-in DVD drives caught my attention. It was my one and only Circuit City visit and many years later, their brand re-emerged when there were these widespread news reports about its bankruptcy and liquidation. If you want to learn about the rise and fall of Circuit City, watch the video below.
#7 GoodBadFlicks’ comprehensive video about The Blob (1988) –The Blob remake of 1988 has always been very entertaining to watch. Not only does it have a really solid story to tell, it has a fine blend of spectacle with well-crafted action/stunt scenes and top-notch practical effects. On 4K Blu-ray, the movie looks better than ever and it is worth purchasing. When it comes to the making of The Blob (1988), the best video to watch online is the one from YouTuber GoodBadFlicks which is posted below for your viewing pleasure.
More than five hundred fifty thousand voter applications for reactivation were processed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday it has processed more than half a million applications for voter reactivation.
Citing its latest data, the poll body said it has received 556,231 applications for reactivation from Feb. 12 to Sept. 11. Of the number, 342,991 applicants have sought for their voter registration to be reactivated.
There are 102,410 individuals applied for reactivation with correction of entries while 81,649 people applied for transfer with reactivation. A total of 29,181 applicants sought a transfer with reactivation and correction of entries.
The number of reactivation applications is only 10 percent of the number of deactivated voter registration records. Latest data showed that there are 5,376,630 voters, whose records have been deactivated.
Majority of them, or 5,371,376, were due to their failure to vote in two successive preceding elections.
A total of 4,212 were deactivated due to exclusion orders from courts and 1,004 for failure to validate.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there many members of your local community who visited the nearest COMELEC office for voter registration or reactivation?
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 – specifically about fighting games that were released in the 1990s. The said decade marked the time when Street Fighter II became a massive hit in the video arcades (and on game consoles) which sparked a wave of new fighting games from business competitors. In that same decade, 3D polygonal fighting games were also released which added greater choices of fighting games at the arcades and on game consoles that players could choose from.
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. Dead or Alive Japanese arcade flyer
Dead or Alive was the start of new success that impacted the direction of Tecmo in the gaming industry.
The above arcade flyer of Dead or Alive gave Japanese arcade operators and gamers a taste of what to expect with the game. While the screenshots showed some resemblance with what gamers saw in Virtua Fighter 2, the character designs Tecmo and its developers came up with were unique.
Before Dead or Alive was released in Japanese arcades in 1996, company Tecmo was in financial trouble and they asked Tomonobu Itagaki to make a fighting game similar to Sega’s polygonal blockbuster Virtua Fighter. A breakthrough for Tecmo happened when Sega announced they were licensing their Model 2 arcade to third-party companies which paved the way for Itagaki’s team to make Dead or Alive with it. The game became a big hit and it paved the way for Tecmo to release it on Sega Saturn and PlayStation, and the sequels that followed years later.
2. North American Soulcalibur Dreamcast version print ad
Namco came up with a creative approach to emphasize heart-and-soul promoting their game and the Dreamcast.
On September 9, 1999, Sega launched their Dreamcast console in America. With a gap of around ten months between the Japanese launch (November 1998) and the American launch, Sega had time to prepare Dreamcast’s release to American gamers with a huge lineup of games (both Sega’s games and from other publishers). Fortunately for Sega, they had Namco (their rival on arcade games) supporting their console.
Behind the scenes, Namco’s developers worked hard to not only port their arcade hit Soulcalibur to the Dreamcast, but to enhance the graphics using the console’s more advanced technology. The visual enhancements include rendering all of the games stages (and backgrounds) into full 3D polygonal environments. Namco also implemented different game modes and added even more content to ensure satisfaction to Dreamcast gamers.
The above 3-page print ad of Soulcalibur on Dreamcast was undeniably strategic and captivating to look at. The ad described the console as the heart, showed Soulcalibur character Mitsurugi (one of the game’s most popular characters) in the middle and then described the game (with 3 screenshots of game rendered with Dreamcast graphics) as the soul. It was a strong way to promote both the game and the console. In the years that followed, Soulcalibur grew into a popular fighting game franchise and the Dreamcast version will always be remembered as the crucial turning point.
3. X-Men: Children of the Atom arcade flyer
Anyone who read lots of X-Men comic books in the 1990s should be able to tell which character was drawn by which artist.
When Capcom first released X-Men: Children of the Atom in the arcades in the mid-1990s, I was surprised because I did not anticipate the day would come when the company behind Street Fighter II would actually make a 2D fighting game showcasing the Marvel’s mutants. Even more intriguing was the X-Men art Capcom used for the arcade flyer to promote the game. I recognize Jim Lee’s artworks of Magneto, Cyclops and Colossus. The art of Wolverine shown was drawn by Andy Kubert. It was a wise move for Capcom (with Marvel as a business partner) to use established X-Men comic book artworks instead of having their internal illustrator draw the characters. That being said, this arcade flyer still looks great and captivating to look at.
4. North American Ranma ½: Hard Battle print ad
A print ad promoting the game while saving some space to promote the anime and comic books.
By 1993, Street Fighter II and its upgraded follow-ups were wildly popular both in the arcades and on game consoles around the world. At the same time, there were many other 2D fighting games released to compete with and cash-in on Street Fighter II’s success. Believe it or not, the established anime franchise Ranma ½ saw a video game adaptation in the form of a 2D fighting game – Ranma ½: Hard Battle.
The North American print ad above published by DTMC (in cooperation with Viz Communications) promoted the game (one screenshot, the SNES game box and images of the characters as they appeared in the game) as well as Ranma ½ on anime videos and comic books. The way it was presented, the print ad promoted Ranma ½: Hard Battle without much heart nor passion.
5. Fatal Fury: King of Fighters arcade flyer
An intriguing visual presentation on the front.
You get to know the characters and what the game features are.
There is no doubt that Fatal Fury: King of Fighters is the most significant game that SNK made. Apart from being the company’s first fighting game for the Neo Geo system, it established the fictional “king of fighters” tournament that became the core concept for The King of Fighters series of games in the years that followed. Fatal Fury itself is notable for being designed by Takashi Nishiyama, a former Capcom employee who created the original Street Fighter game. What Nishiyama could not do with Street Fighter, he accomplished while making SNK’s fighting game. Compared with the combo-oriented approach of Street Fighter II, Fatal Fury was designed to emphasize the timing of special moves, confrontational play, cooperative play and the 3D-like spacing between characters (background row and foreground row in each stage) while telling a story in a solid way.
The above arcade flyer of Fatal Fury has this unique looking artwork on the front showing stylized rectangular shots of the major characters Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard and Joe Higashi. On the other side of the flyer are the details that emphasized the creative concept of the game, who the characters are and what they could expect with regards to gameplay features. This flyer is still captivating to look at and it could entice you to try playing the original Fatal Fury game before trying out the sequels and spin-offs.
6. Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes arcade flyer
This is NOT a comic book crossover.
If there is anything that truly emphasizes the essence of a fictional crossover in terms of visuals, it’s the art that Capcom and Marvel agreed to for Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Superheroes which is evident on the front of the above arcade flyer. By looking at how the Marvel characters were drawn, it looks like someone at Capcom illustrated the artwork as the Capcom characters still maintained that particular art style seen in the artworks of the Japanese company’s other games like Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Mega Man and Strider. Regardless, the artwork still is amusing to look at.
7. Art of Fighting arcade flyer
The front of the flyer.
The cast of characters showcased on the other side of the flyer.
Following the success of Fatal Fury, SNK went on to release Art of Fighting in arcades in 1992 and it became successful enough for the company to make sequels. With regards to the realm of fantasy, Art of Fighting was part of the same fictional universe as Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters, and there were times when its own characters appeared in other SNK games.
Art of Fighting’s arcade flyer had an energetic visual concept on the front with a rectangular lightning portion on the left balanced with five screenshots of the game itself. Once you get to the other side of the flyer, you will see really nice art of the characters with Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia as the most dominating figures. Sakazaki and Garcia are the major characters of the Art of Fighting series. This flyer confidently introduced the characters and succeeded in making them look interesting.
8. Fighter’s History arcade flyer and print ad
Great looking front artwork showing the game’s characters, posing and some action.
If you look closely at the controls, you will see the six-button layout and functions which are the same with those used in Street Fighter II.
Data East offered two ways for gamers to enjoy Fighter’s History – pay a high price for the SNES version or gamers can go play the game in the arcade by dropping a few coins.
In 1993, Data East released their fighting game Fighter’s History in the arcades around the world. Along the way, the company released their arcade flyer which had a very captivating art work on the front featuring their characters and some action. The other side of the flyer showed the technical details on how to play, how the control works and who the characters are. Fighter’s History was nicely received in the arcades and the success led Data East into porting the game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). If you look at the print ad above, you can see how clever Data East was promoting the SNES version of the game while keeping an image of the arcade machine which serves like a subtle reminder that the same game is still available in video arcades.
Shortly after the release of Fighter’s History in the arcades, there were gamers who noticed that it had certain visual and gameplay elements that made it so familiar with what Street Fighter II had. When Capcom became aware of the similarities, they sued Data East claiming that Fighter’s History was too similar to their game and that copyright infringement was committed. Capcom lost the case ultimately and Data East went on to release two more Fighter’s History games.
9. Virtua Fighter 3 arcade flyer
Virtua Fighter 3 truly raised the standards for arcade game graphics back in 1996.
When it comes to gaming innovation and standing out among the rest, Sega did exactly those when they released Virtua Fighter 3 in arcades in 1996 and it had the best-looking and really mind-blowing graphics at the time. Developed by AM2 (led by Yu Suzuki) on the very expensive Model 3 arcade hardware, Virtua Fighter 3 broke new ground on graphics as it moved over 1 million polygons per second, had highly detailed visuals on the characters and surroundings, realistic reflection effects, detailed shining, parallel lighting and high-specular Gouraud shading to name some. Even the characters’ eyes followed the opponent’s position.
The Virtua Fighter 3 arcade flyer showcased their reflective, metallic character Dural who in turn was part of the graphical showcase (emphasizing reflections, smooth animation and liquid metal effects) when the game was previewed in the 1996 AOU event in Japan. The words “The New Standard” written on the lower-left corner of the front of the flyer was justified and truthful.
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters print ad
This print ad had a nice visual presentation and was easily recognizable to the many TMNT fans.
In 1989, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) franchise made quite a splash on video games which is not surprising as the multimedia franchise was already a popular in the West. More video game adaptation of TMNT were released in the early 1990s providing fans and gamers a lot of fun gameplay at the arcades (click here) and on consoles. Konami had the video game rights of TMNT and in a clear response to the sudden popularity of fighting games, they released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters on the most popular game consoles of the time achieving varying levels of success critically and commercially (note: the SNES version stood out as the best). This print ad of the fighting game was effective in visually promoting the three console versions and the displayed text contained enough information to lure the attention of both fans and gamers.
Let’s be honest here. There are changes regarding Xbox Game Pass (XGP) that are disadvantageous to both Xbox fans and the gamers who subscribe for the best value in gaming. In fact, the said subscriber service is getting is getting worse as reported by Windows Central Gaming. You heard about the Standard tier of XGP? Are you aware that certain first-party games are not even part of the services below the Ultimate tier of XGP?
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Windows Central Gaming’s news report. Some parts in boldface…
Xbox Game Pass has long been the key differentiator for Microsoft’s gaming business, offering an alternative subscription-based store against Steam on PC, and offering heaps of value on console against PlayStation with its day-one games pledge. That covenant has been undone now, though.
Now, only users on the $19.99 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier will get day one games on console, with PC users retaining them at $11.99. The big change is to the basic “Console” tier, which has now essentially been removed for new users. The new Standard tier will start at $14.99 for new customers, and will include the Xbox Live Gold (Game Pass Core) multiplayer paywall specifically for premium games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6. Crucially, though, it won’t actually include Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
Previously, Xbox Game Pass’ promise was to offer day-one Microsoft-owned titles into the service. Games like Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Flight Simulator, and many other heavy hitters dropped straight into Xbox Game Pass Console, PC Game Pass, and Ultimate, granting the service far better value on paper than competing options. Xbox Game Pass Standard no longer guarantees day-one access to Xbox games, meaning the hotly anticipated Call of Duty Black Ops 6 will be available only to PC Game Pass users, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Despite paying more than PC Game Pass users, Xbox Game Pass “Standard” members will not get access to said games.
To compound matters, it was discovered recently (via Forbes) that Xbox Game Pass Standard has removed access to a wide variety of games that are currently active on the deprecated Xbox Game Pass “Console” tier, which is only available for users who maintain a subscription. If you swap out your subscription to gain access to Xbox Live Gold, which isn’t available on Xbox Game Pass “Console,” then you’ll lose access to a huge list of titles.
I hope understand what was reported. Specifically for those who own Xbox consoles, the three Xbox Game Pass services available for your choosing are Core at $9.99/month, Standard for $14.99/month and Ultimate for $19.99/month (note: only $1 will be charged for the first 14 days before the regular rate gets implemented).
It is clear that Microsoft is trying to lure gamers to take the most expensive XGP service – Ultimate. This can be disadvantageous to not only Xbox fans but the many millions of gamers out there who have yet to discover and subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.
As for those who have been XGP subscribers since at least a year ago, they are still enjoying the access to the above-mentioned heavy hitters while paying the same old monthly rate as before. If they stop subscribing now, they will lose their privileges and if they decide to return to the service with the same experience as before, they will have to subscribe to XGP Ultimate at $19.99 a month for the Day One access as well as the access to premium games.
Indeed, Xbox Game Pass is changing for the worse. In fact, it could be the first sign of things to come. I’m talking about the future of gaming under Microsoft that could mean the end of Xbox as we know it and Team Xbox becoming a multiplatform game publisher. Microsoft’s love and care for Xbox fans is fading away, and what they’re doing could turn off potential new gamers related to the changing demographics of the world.
This screenshot from Red Dead Redemption II should remind you that Microsoft is aiming at the wrong direction with regards to its video gaming strategy. Imagine being part of Team Xbox receiving orders from Microsoft’s top management that don’t make much sense with regards to gaming and the interests of the players.
If you plan to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass at all, start doing your research carefully before deciding to subscribe. Click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass
Recently in the City of Parañaque, local authorities raided a scam hub and arrested four Chinese nationals, according to a news report by the Philippine Star. The report also includes the arrest of a Chinese fugitive as a result of a separate operation in Parañaque.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Philippine Star report. Some parts in boldface…
Four Chinese were arrested recently during a raid on a suspected cryptocurrency investment and love scam hub in Parañaque City.
The facility reportedly posed as a licensed Philippine offshore gaming operator to conceal its illegal activities.
Wei Hanbing, 33; Wang Bo, 32; Wang Zhaoshan, 37, and Guo Dong, 26 were detained on Aug. 31 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. Authorities have turned them over to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Meanwhile, Zhang Xi, 38, who is wanted by the Chinese government and the Interpol, was apprehended on Sept. 8 in Parañaque, according to BI fugitive search unit chief Rendel Ryan Sy.
Zhang allegedly led an online criminal ring that designed a computer virus to remotely control around 4,200 computers in China, which gained over seven million yuan in ill-gotten profits since 2023.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more Chinese criminals secretly doing illegal operations within your local community? Why is it that Parañaque is still a hot spot for POGOs, scam hubs and criminal activities involving Chinese nationals?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
If you love classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) or if you are passionate about retro gaming, then be aware that Konami finally confirmed that Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will be released for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on March 6, 2025.
The good news is here is that customers who proceed with their pre-orders of the game will get the following from Konami in digital form: Prosperity Orb, Fortune Orb and 57,300 potch (in-game currency to purchase in-game items).
In the remastered collection, Suikoden and Suikoden II (read my retro review) will be released with enhancements to look more presentable in high-definition with modern game consoles in mind. According to Konami, the graphical enhancements include: 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!
There are also new character drawings updated in high-definition particularly with the first Suikoden RPG with the involvement of none other than Junko Kawano (the character designer of the said game’s original version from the mid-1990s).
Konami also confirmed that there are game system improvements which are as follows: dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles and more.
For the newcomers reading this, Suikoden and Suikoden II were original released on the first PlayStation console in the mid and late-1990s respectively. Those games were nicely received by gamers and video game critics which resulted in a long-lasting following. I myself played both games on the PlayStation and had a lot of fun collectively. While its predecessor was good, Suikoden II turned out to be bigger, better and more enjoyable. I should state that the sequel was clearly a direct follow-up to the first Suikoden and it was special to see memorable characters from the first game return such as Flik and Viktor. In my honest opinion, Suikoden II is one of the very best JRPGs ever released in the 1990s.
As for Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars itself, the said collection was supposed to be released in 2023 but Konami ended up delaying it. The collection is coming out on March 6, 2025 and I can only hope that Konami’s team did a good job with the enhancements and other technical stuff to justify the delay. I know for a fact that there are gamers out there who are disappointed with Konami’s handling of re-releases or enhanced versions of their classic games. For Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, I’m willing to give Konami a chance to prove that it took good care of the product with fans and JRPG enthusiasts in mind.
When it comes to RPGs on Xbox, the collection will be released over a month after that of the Xbox-exclusive RPG Avowed. Xbox fans have two promising RPG releases to look forward to in the 1st quarter of 2025.
If you are an Xbox fan who is fond of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), then I encourage you to buy Grandia HD Collection which is available for Xbox online. I am saying this because recently I enjoyed replaying the classic JRPG Grandia on my Xbox Series X a lot and I finished it once again (my 2nd time overall including my 1999 completion of the game on PlayStation). This is not a game review of Grandia but a commentary of replaying it from start to finish.
Feena and Justin are very memorable protagonists. The writers of Game Arts really did their jobs developing and defining the personalities of the characters.
For the newcomers reading this, Grandia HD Collection contains Grandia and the sequel Grandia II. Grandia was originally released on the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1997 and was ported to PlayStation shortly after. It was on the PlayStation when Grandia was translated and dubbed into English and released to gamers in the West. Grandia II was released originally on the Dreamcast console in both Japan and America in 2000. Eventually the sequel was ported to the PlayStation 2 and Windows PC in 2002.
Going back to the original Grandia, the game has visuals that were remastered and made clearer to look at while still maintaining the vibrant colors of its late-1990s version. It took me a little over fifty hours to complete on my Xbox Series X and I can say that the entire replay experience was indeed a lot of fun to do. I’m so happy and satisfied with finishing Grandia, I already got my money’s worth with the entire Grandia HD Collection. I’m currently playing Grandia II and so far I’ve been enjoying it.
Game Arts was exceptional with their work on the graphics and art style.
Without spoiling the story, I can say that Grandia was written and made to emphasize the wonders and risks of adventuring while managing to dramatize a tale of epic fantasy proportions. Along the way, the game has a memorable cast of characters – Justin and Feena are clearly the leads – and the creative team of Game Arts really ensured that their personalities got developed (as the story moved on) and became worth caring for.
The gameplay is also fun to go through once again. There is a satisfying room for exploration whenever I visited a new location and the battle system is still top-notch in terms of mechanics, presentation and functionality. I should say that the battles are not too stressful to do and that means it is more doable to do some grinding to make your characters stronger and their abilities better.
After finally defeating the main villain and completing the last conflict, it was really nice to see the story’s ending (told with a labor of love by the game developers) as well as the follow-up cut-scene that played after the end credits rolled (read: post-credits ending). It’s like 1999 all over again but with much better visuals and the benefits of playing the game on Xbox Series X connected to our 4K TV. This is both retro gaming and fantasy role-playing of great quality and deep enjoyment!
By finishing Grandia and enjoying it a lot, I already got my money’s worth with Grandia HD Collection.
There is no doubt that Grandia is the best gaming experience I’ve had on Xbox this year. That being said, I encourage you fellow Xbox gamers as well as those who love JRPGs to seriously consider buying Grandia HD Collection while it is still available.
Author Carlo Carrasco 