Tag: Xbox 360

Lara Croft redefined and remembered

Lara Croft redefined and remembered

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Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers! I want to share with you that in recent times, I played and finished Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (2014) on my Xbox Series X console.

This is not a retro review of the said game. I want to share with you all that I played Tomb Raider (2013) on my Xbox 360 a long time ago. While the game was indeed fun, I never actually replayed it. That being said, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was my way of replaying it except that I have a more modern console to enjoy it with plus more gaming content. I accumulated over 300 Microsoft points (Xbox achievements) along the way.

The very intense action sequence in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.

The overall game design by Crystal Dynamics is still fun to interact with and the game’s production values are still of good quality. What I liked most with Crystal Design’s work is the way they designed the tale to immerse players into the action-packed settings while also succeeding in redefining the iconic Lara Croft with both long-time fans and new gamers in mind. Achieving these two goals together is very challenging for most game developers.

For the newcomers reading this, the Tomb Raider reboot of 2013 has a story concept filled with chains of unfortunate events that players will experience as Lara Croft who in turn has to overcome tremendous obstacles to survive and help her companions live on.

The new Lara Croft that Crystal Dynamics came up with is a young British woman (played by Camilla Luddington) who is about to become the Tomb Raider (the brave explorer). Early in the 2013 game, Lara learned a lot about archaeology from her travels with her parents (note: her father is an established explorer) who went on several expeditions. In different times, she eventually lost her parents which led to her inheriting the family fortune while receiving care from Conrad Roth. Lara joins a group in what turned out to be her first-ever expedition with the goal to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai.

Crystal Dynamics’ revision of Lara Croft is radically different from the original version of the early Tomb Raider games that I played on PlayStation in the 1990s. The modern Lara – as defined in the 2013 reboot and the two sequels released in 2015 and 2018 – is a survivor who went through lots of pain and killing as she faced armed opposition (the group Trinity is the antagonistic force in Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider) that got in her way. By comparison, the original Lara Croft of the 1990s was a rich and very talented explorer who negotiates with prominent clients to do jobs (adventures around the world) that they can’t do.

Going back to the 2013 game, Lara Croft was portrayed to be vulnerable as the odds are so strong against her. Crystal Dynamics designed the game to make players relate with Lara’s gradual development into a fighter, survivor and hunter. This includes gameplay elements that were introduced from one stage to the next. That being said, by the time I reached the final stages of the game, I became experienced with the new capabilities Lara gained such as climbing, jumping great distances, shooting, firing with arrows, skinning the hunted animals, solving environmental puzzles and finding ancient artifacts.

Whether you play the 2013 game or the Definitive Edition, it is clear that Crystal Dynamics’ work on Tomb Raider is an undeniable success as they strongly redefined Lara Croft while establishing rock-solid gameplay. Crystal Dynamics hit their creative peak in Rise of the Tomb Raider (which I finished on Xbox One) before giving way to Eidos-Montreal (as lead developer) and provided support in Shadow of the Tomb Raider (I also finished this on Xbox One).  

Screenshot captured from the very late stage of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition.

Personally, I like the 2013 modernization of Lara Croft. While she is not the eroticized figure the original Lara of the 1990s was, she still has a strong sex appeal and the way she was portrayed in the three games (2013-2018) made sense as her personally kept developing in a believable fashion with each new game. That being said, I just hope that Crystal Dynamics and its partners will not ruin the gaming icon with wokeness, identity politics and the garbage of the Leftists in future big-budget Tomb Raider games. Lara Croft is well defined with adventuring, exploration, survival and a fighter against evil forces.

Elements of wicked Iran (wicked since 1979) would serve as fitting enemies of Lara Croft in a future big-budget Tomb Raider game. This one is from Tomb Raider (1999). Iran is a terrorist state and the chief sponsor of terrorists.

I am watching your moves, Crystal Dynamics. Don’t forget you have a responsibility to the fans. Please avoid falling into the temptation of turning the Tomb Raider franchise and Lara Croft herself into woke agenda vehicles. Going woke means betrayal towards fans and doing things the very wrong way.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Team Xbox should focus more on their fans and make more Xbox-exclusive games with the long-term in mind

Team Xbox should focus more on their fans and make more Xbox-exclusive games with the long-term in mind

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In recent times, Team Xbox and their studios officially confirmed that the Xbox-original (read: previously Xbox-exclusive) games Pentiment, Hi-Fi RUSH, Grounded and Sea of Thieves are heading to consoles of Sony and Nintendo. This is the result of what was discussed during the podcast (note: “the four games”) that had top Xbox officials updating people about their business plan and current direction. In case you missed that, watch the podcast right below…

To make things clear for the newcomers reading this, Team Xbox itself has already been publishing games on non-Xbox platforms for several years now. I’m talking about established titles like Minecraft and, in very recent times, the many games of Bethesda. By adding the newly acquired Activision-Blizzard into the Xbox family of companies, you can see Team Xbox’s publishing side has grown even bigger and the business impact should be felt over the next few years.

That being said, I should state that Phil Spencer and his Xbox team leaders should NOT neglect Xbox fans even as the business is moving towards multi-platform publishing and the “console-less” future in the 2030s.

In relation to what Spencer said during the podcast, the single-player games his team heavily invested in such as Starfield, Forza Motorsport (2023), Forza Horizon 5, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are still exclusive on Xbox consoles plus Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (the popular subscription service itself will not be made available on non-Xbox platforms anytime soon).

There are also more Xbox-exclusive titles that have yet to be released such as Towerborne, South of Midnight, Clockwork Revolution, The Outer Worlds 2, the Fable reboot plus the very delayed ones such as Perfect Dark and Everwild.

While it is true that those are a lot of Xbox-exclusive games that fans and other gamers (who are seeking fun and unique games to play that are NOT available on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles) can look forward to over the next few years, I still say that Team Xbox should invest more to make even more exclusive games and become more aggressive.

In the previous Xbox console generations, there were these exclusive games that had “Only on Xbox” placed on the front covers of their respective boxes. Check out the games below…

The start of something great!
Way back in 2002, this was the exclusive adventure and platform game to enjoy on the original Xbox console! It was flawed but still had fun.
If you are a long-time Xbox fan, were you able to buy this for your Xbox 360 console?
This exclusive game on Xbox 360 is a classic shooter to enjoy!

And, yes, there was a time when Team Xbox invested a lot to make exclusive sports video games under their Xbox Sports Network (XSN) franchise. Even the Top Spin game series actually started on the original Xbox console under the XSN label.

During the weeks leading to the launch of the original Xbox console in late 2001, I played NFL Fever 2002 on an Xbox kiosk. This was Microsoft’s exclusive NFL video game.
An exclusive racing game on the original Xbox that is rarely talked about. This game received many positive reviews at the time of its release.
The exclusive NBA basketball of Team Xbox from 2002.
It is absolutely true that Top Spin started as an Xbox-exclusive tennis video game made to entertain gamers on the console while also serving as a suitable competitor against Sega’s Virtua Tennis and Nintendo’s Mario Tennis.

Indeed, “Only on Xbox” in the old days had a very strong meaning – something fun and unique (if not special) was prepared for gamers and the only platform to play was on the Xbox console!

Going to the present leadership of Team Xbox, they seriously need to refocus on the exclusive games and confirm their dedication to all Xbox fans as well as the gamers seeking something fun and special to play on Xbox consoles or on Windows PC. A lot of people spent so much money to buy an Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or a new PC for their entertainment needs and having more exclusive games will add even more value into the ecosystem of Microsoft.

I really wish to see Phil Spencer and his team move aggressively to produce even more Xbox-exclusive games not just for this current console generation but also for the next generation and even further. Perhaps Team Xbox should explore making exclusive sports video games (note: challenging 2K and Visual Concepts’ dominance on NBA video games could do good for the gamers and the industry) or make games on genres they have been ignoring.

Whether Team Xbox utilizes its own game studios or make deals with independent studios through their Xbox Game Studios Publishing, making more exclusive games is crucial and when it is well executed, Xbox fans and other gamers will benefit. Seriously, the shift to releasing Xbox-original games to PlayStation and Nintendo consoles should not be the main goal because it clearly does NOT justify betraying Xbox fans around the world.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Team Xbox has a lot to prove to its fans and other gamers with the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12

Team Xbox has a lot to prove to its fans and other gamers with the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12

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Let’s put things straight here. Firstly, the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase is all set for June 12, 2022 (Sunday) which Team Xbox already announced.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Team Xbox’s announcement. Some parts in boldface…

Today, we are excited to announce that the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will stream on Sunday, June 12 at 10 a.m. PT. This show will feature amazing titles coming from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and our partners around the world.

Watch for the showcase on June 12, 2022 (June 13, 2022 in Asia).

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will include everything you need to know about the diverse lineup of games coming soon to the Xbox ecosystem, including upcoming releases to Game Pass on Xbox and PC.

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will be streamed on a variety of outlets, in over 30 languages. You can choose where you want to tune in from:

For some insight about what could be showcased on June 12, 2022, watch this video by Colteastwood.

Secondly, my personal excitement is not too high due to recent developments with regards to Team Xbox’s Xbox-exclusive releases for this year which I was looking forward to playing on Xbox Series X. For one thing, I am very disappointed with the delay of Starfield into 2023. I do understand that Bethesda and Team Xbox want to make it a grand game to play that will ensure enduring bouts of fun and engagement, the previous assurances (note: this includes preview videos published by Bethesda) that the game will be released on November 11, 2022 proved to be meaningless. Why was the old release date decided on in the first place? Did the development team led by Todd Howard encounter serious problems while polishing the game? Howard and Xbox head Phil Spencer will have to explain why.

And there is also the delay of the Xbox-exclusive Redfall into 2023. That game was supposed to be released this summer and it has been months already since any high-profile Xbox-exclusive has been released. I know that there are other Xbox fans still playing Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite on their Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S units out there but without any new content or any other Xbox-exclusive games, fans craving should be satisfied as soon as possible. That being said, the June 12 games showcase becomes more crucial.

No Xbox-exlusive games for the rest of 2022? Team Xbox, Bethesda and their other studios have a lot of explaining to do if they cannot deliver anything this year.

As of this writing, the well of exclusive games for Xbox looks dry. So what can Team Xbox and its teams of developers and Bethesda do to solve the lack of exclusive games this year? Personally, I am anticipating the showcase of the next edition of the Forza Motorsport series of simulation racing games which will be done by Turn 10 and eventually they will announce a late-2022 release date. If the new Forza Motorsport (sometimes referred to as Forza Motorsport 8) will be released beyond this year, that would be a major bummer! For the still-hot Forza Horizon 5, I am anticipating Playground Games to showcase a feature-loaded DLC for release this year.

When it comes to unlikely scenarios, it would really be nice and exciting to see Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II showcased and announced for a late-2022 release. Such a development would really excite gamers and be a strong rebound from the Starfield/Redfall setbacks. I don’t have any updates about the very state and progress of Senua’s Saga but it has been more than three years since the game was initially announced. I can only speculate that the game’s development would be in the polishing stage by now and there would be enough time left for marketing it for a late-2022 release. If only Ninja Theory would update gamers at the showcase.

As for the other Xbox-exclusive role-playing game (RPG) Avowed, showcasing the game on June 12 would make a lot of sense in connection to the Starfield delay. Obsidian Entertainment should be far into the fantasy RPG’s development by now, perhaps reaching the stage of polishing. Showing the latest working gameplay footage of Avowed should be pleasing. And then there is the one other Xbox-exclusive sequel The Outer Worlds 2…any update about it will be very welcome. Going back to Playground Games, I personally am not expecting to see an update about the new Fable RPG at all.

As for Rare and The Initiative, I’m not anticipating anything from them. Still, it would be nice for Team Xbox to make things clear about the state of not only The Initiative but also the Xbox-exclusive Perfect Dark reboot (which now has external studio Crystal Dynamics involved). A Perfect Dark reboot showcase would be very surprising. Regarding one other Xbox game studio – Compulsion Games – it is high time for them to show something. A no-show will be disappointing.

When it comes to Xbox Game Pass (XGP), I would not be surprised to see the announcements of more games get added into the service for subscribers to enjoy. What would be surprising for me is adding memorable Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) like Suikoden, Suikoden II, Breath of Fire 1 to 4, Lunar: Silver Star Complete and Grandia into XGP. When it comes to what could be shocking, it would be the announcement of a Day One Xbox Game Pass launch of the Saints Row reboot. Whatever negotiations Team Xbox is having with game developers and publishers worldwide right now, you can be they are doing they could to keep on filling XGP with varied games.

Speaking of Team Xbox dealing with game companies, the June 12 games showcase would be a great opportunity to make announcements about the latest projects under Xbox Game Studios Publishing. I’m eager to find out any breakthroughs regarding Project Belfry (Stoic Studio), Project Indus (Oxide Games), Project Dragon (IO Interactive), and of course, Contraband (Avalanche Studios). If Team Xbox cannot show anything about those mentioned projects at all, they can at least announce whatever new deals and projects they made with other game companies. While it is possible that Team Xbox could announce something related to their Activision-Blizzard acquisition, I’m not anticipating anything as the acquisition has yet to be completed.

Have you gamers played Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising on Xbox? I recently finished it and I had a lot of fun with it. From this point on, I really want to play Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (scheduled for 2023) and I hope to see Team Xbox welcome Japan-based developer Rabbit & Bear Studios and lead game designer Yoshitaka Murayama (responsible for Suikoden & Suikoden II) onto the stage to show the latest gameplay footage and announce the final release date during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. More on Japanese-developed games coming to Xbox, it would be nice to see Square Enix have its own spotlight in the same showcase to show the latest gameplay footage of Star Ocean: The Divine Force and The Diofeld Chronicle, plus their respective release dates. As for Final Fantasy VII Remake possibly coming to Xbox, I’m not anticipating it at all.

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase is just days away from happening as I write this. While the 2021 showcase was great and delightful to me, I’m more cautious now about the June 12 event. Considering what happened recently and how painful the delays of Starfield and Redfall really were, the pressure is now on Team Xbox, Bethesda and its other studios to not just deliver great stuff June 12 but also actually release high-profile Xbox-exclusive games plus DLC THIS YEAR. We will find out soon what Phil Spencer, Todd Howard and other Xbox producers/executives will reveal.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Saints Row reboot delayed to August 2022

Saints Row reboot delayed to August 2022

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If you are eager to order in advance a copy of the upcoming Saints Row reboot – AKA Saints Row (2022) – you should consider waiting first because the said game’s release has been delayed all the way to August 2022 as confirmed recently by Volition’s Creative Director Jim Boone and the developers simply cannot complete their work on the game based on their current situation.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Saints Row website post by Jim Boone. Some parts in boldface…

Can you imagine Johnny Gat beating all these four and tell them they are not worthy of carrying the Saints Row title? Also what’s with the SJW look on the character designs?

Saints Row will no longer release on the originally announced date of 25th February 2022, instead it will launch worldwide on 23rd August 2022.

Our priority is to create the best Saints Row game yet and, if we released on the original date, it wouldn’t be up to the standards we’ve set ourselves, and that you’re expecting and deserve. The team just need more time to do our vision justice; we’re doing some fine tuning and there won’t be much change in the game outside of overall quality and polish.

In all honesty, we underestimated the impact COVID would have on our schedule, although everyone adapted very quickly to the working from home arrangement and continued to be incredibly productive.

However, due to the size and scope of our new Saints Row, it’s become apparent that to create the best game possible, we need to give our team longer to perfect their craft.

As you can see in the above excerpt, Volition needs more time and opportunities to polish Saints Row (2022) and make it the best and most enjoyable game possible. Volition’s situation of having employees work at home due to this COVID-19 crisis is not surprising at all. I can only guess that their previous announcement of a February 2022 release was decided rather too aggressively. How long exactly have Volition’s workers been working from their homes remains unclear.

Boone also mentioned on his post that Saints Row (2022) will be their “biggest and best Saints Row game ever,” while confirming that “there will not be any changes to the story or the characters.” With those details declared, it’s obviously clear that revising the story or the characters will consume a lot of time given the creative processes involved. Still, I would prefer that they revise the character designs of the new age Saints Row who currently look more like misfits molded with Commie-oriented diversity concepts. Were Volition’s artists influenced by images of the Cancer Culture and Black Lives Matter mobs?

For those who missed out on updates about Saints Row (2022), the game was recently featured by Game Informer with videos showcasing how it plays, what the concepts are, how the writers reacted to its quality, etc. Check out the Game Informer videos below…

Saints Row (2022) will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X on August 23, 2022. If you have decided already to order the game in advance, click right here.

For the long-time Saints Row franchise fans reading this, classic SR games like the original Saints Row, Saints Row 2, Saints Row: The Third and Saints Row: The Third Remastered can all be ordered online via Microsoft’s store.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox and Saints Row-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K_sGV1mM7A

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Xbox 20th Anniversary celebrated!

Xbox 20th Anniversary celebrated!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Xbox story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Pay close attention to Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the exclusive games being made by their partners

Pay close attention to Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the exclusive games being made by their partners

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Nothing changes the fact that Team Xbox and its 23 game studios are hard at work producing exclusive games that will provide years’ worth of fun-filled content to Xbox console gamers, PC gamers and the many millions who subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP).

Were you able to read my recent article about Stoic (The Banner Saga) and its current work on an exclusive game with Team Xbox? For those who missed out on it, Team Xbox is actively working with varied game studios (examples: Avalanche Studios on Contraband, and IO Interactive on Project Dragon) on producing even more Xbox-exclusive games and the said studios are still free being independent entities.

Very recently, Miles Dompier of Windows Central Gaming wrote an in-depth article about the moves and projects of Xbox Game Studios Publishing in cooperation with the independent game makers. To start with, watch this WCG video of WCG and Miles Dompier…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Dompier’s article. Some parts in boldface…

In addition to a staggering first-party future including titles like Hellblade 2, Fable, Everwild, Starfield, and many more, we also know of roughly 10 Xbox Game Studios Publishing titles potentially in the works. Xbox understands that strategic partnerships on games published through Xbox may make more sense than outright acquisitions when it comes to building meaningful relationships with developers. And who knows? Maybe some of these teams will love their experience working with Xbox, which could lead to more permanent relationships.

For now, we’ll be recapping all the Xbox Game Studios Publishing projects we currently know about as well as revealing one brand new codename. Here are several reasons why we should all be very excited about the future of Xbox Game Studios Publishing.

Xbox Game Studios Publishing codenames

As Dusk Falls is still in production.

Let’s start with the small list of Xbox Game Studios Publishing titles that have officially been announced so far. First up, we have the interactive drama As Dusk Falls. This stylized game from Interior/Night promises an engaging narrative with player choice driving the story. As it stands, there’s no release date or window for this project.

Next, we have the upcoming co-op heist title Contraband from open-world experts Avalanche Studios. Set in the 1970s, this seemingly ambitious open-world game allows players to execute the perfect heist with unique vehicles and gadgets. While there’s no official release date yet, we’ll likely get more details on the project sometime in 2022.

Now we’ll touch on some Xbox projects we’ve previously covered or teased in the past. The infamous Project Dragon from IO Interactive has been in the rumor mill for quite some time now. This action RPG aims to deliver a vast and ongoing multiplayer fantasy experience. A release or even reveal may be a ways off here, but it’s still exciting to think about the possibilities.

Project Belfry is another exciting potential Xbox exclusive. According to Jeff Grubb and his luscious mane, this side-scrolling brawler from The Banner Saga developers Stoic Studios is comparable to the PlayStation exclusive Dragon’s Crown in terms of gameplay, but will feature the painted art style this team is known for.

An Xbox Game Studios Publishing title that has me particularly interested is Project Shaolin. Reportedly in development by BrassLion Entertainment, this action RPG will reportedly feature an anime aesthetic and focus on the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. With four-player co-op and a seasonal loot system, this project sounds right up my alley.

Fans of 4X strategy titles like Civilization should be interested in the upcoming Project Indus from developer Oxide Games. With turn-based strategic elements, city building, empire advancement, espionage, diplomacy, and warfare, this should scratch a specific itch for fans of the genre.

As you can see in Dompier’s article above, the Xbox-exclusive projects made by independent game makers are in production and will fill the gaps on the Xbox portfolio to not only provide content for console, PC and Xbox Game Pass gamers but also to meet the varied tastes or interests of gamers. Action-oriented role-playing? Project Shaolin! Interactive drama? Watch out for As Dusk Falls!

The years-old belief that “Xbox has no games” is idiotic and totally untrue by today’s standards. I know there are lots of Xbox-haters and console fanboys out there who just keep bashing Xbox by lying and ranting, disregarding the many upcoming Xbox-exclusive games and even dismissing the growing business partnerships Team Xbox made with independent game companies and even the Microsoft-SEGA strategic alliance. Whatever the Xbox-hating mob does, nothing changes the trend that gaming on the Xbox ecosystem will only grow bigger, offer gamers lots of choices and become a lot more fun than ever before. Speaking of growing excitement, watch out for the Xbox 20th Anniversary Event online today (November 15), the universal acclaim of Forza Horizon 5, the December 8 release of Halo Infinite, and the December 16 release of the Xbox-exclusive The Gunk!

For the complete details about Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the future Xbox-exclusives, I encourage you all to read Miles Dompier’s article at https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox-game-studios-publishing-secret-weapon-new-exclusives

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  HavenorFantasy@twitter.com and also on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Star Ocean The Divine Force is coming to Xbox consoles and PC (via Steam) in 2022

Star Ocean The Divine Force is coming to Xbox consoles and PC (via Steam) in 2022

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Star Ocean, the long-running Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) series under Square Enix, has a brand-new RPG coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PC (via Steam) sometime in 2022 titled Star Ocean The Divine Force. Take note that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Star Ocean game franchise and the new game is being made by tri-Ace.

To start with, watch this official Star Ocean The Divine Force trailer below…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official press release issued by Square Enix. Some parts in boldface…

Developed by tri-Ace Inc., STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE will transport players to an expansive sci-fi fantasy world and take them on an exhilarating journey with fast-paced action combat, rich exploration and an original story. With STAR OCEAN celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, THE DIVINE FORCE builds on that rich history with new features that are sure to delight for many years to come.

To watch the STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE Debut Trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/jIJe4ZUD0Gc

The Debut Trailer showcases various new and returning elements to the STAR OCEAN franchise that players can look forward to:

  • Super-high-speed action battles
  • No random encounters – players will seamlessly enter battles with enemies that populate the world
  • Players can float in the air, dive at enemies and fly around areas
  • Richer exploration – climb towering mountains, venture into dark, vast valleys and investigate the castles and towns present in the world

Showcasing a diverse cast of playable characters, STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE will tell a gripping story that seamlessly melds science fiction and fantasy elements and can be enjoyed by newcomers to the series and veterans alike. The game features dual protagonists, which offer different story perspectives and gameplay experiences: Raymond, the captain of the space trading ship, Ydas, and Laeticia, the princess-knight of a kingdom on an underdeveloped planet. Fate will bring Raymond, Laeticia, and several other ally characters together, all designed by renowned artist Akiman (STAR OCEAN: Integrity and Faithlessness, STREET FIGHTER series).

For the newcomers reading this, the very first Star Ocean video game made by tri-Ace and published by Enix was released on July 19, 1996 for the Super Famicom console in Japan. The first Star Ocean game translated into English and released outside of Japan was Star Ocean: The Second Story which I myself played on the original PlayStation console in 1999. In 2003, Enix and Square Co. merged and became Square Enix. In 2008, Square Enix announced Star Ocean: The Last Hope for Xbox 360 and its release in Japan and North America took place in February 2009.

Going back to Star Ocean The Divine Force, which is the sixth main game of the franchise, the trailer shows the ever-present fast-moving action scenes taking place in real-time during battles. As with past games of the franchise, there will be lots of slashing and fantasy inspired elements even though the game has a science fiction concept. At least tri-Ace keeps on striving with making key locations look grand.

Expect to see so much of hack and slash action in this RPG.
What a grand looking place, tri-Ace! How about showing how much exploring and fun gamers can have within it?

The artistic approach on rendering the characters in polygons within the game, however, shows a lack of willingness to evolve on the part of the developer to do better. To begin with, take a look at the character concept artworks below for the game.

Those are interesting character design concept artworks.

Now take a look at how the above two characters looked like in polygons within the game below…

She looks too cartoonish and even plastic-looking than her concept art version.
Could someone please tell me who at tri-Ace is responsible for this kind of polygonal character work?

When compared to other Japanese RPG franchises, Star Ocean’s unique approach on action, battles and the presentation of locations still stands out and that’s pretty incredible considering the 25-year history of the franchise and all those other JRPGs that came out along the way. The new game’s story and overall concept will have to live up to gamers’ impression and expectations and we will find out how the game will turn out next year. When it comes to the growing number of upcoming RPGs – from both East and West – on the Xbox ecosystem, Star Ocean The Divine Force adds variety to say the least. I believe that the tri-Ace-made game, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising will easily capture the interest of Xbox gamers who love JRPGs. Don’t forget that many other future RPGs exclusive to Xbox are coming such as Starfield, Avowed, Fable, The Elder Scrolls VI, The Outer Worlds 2 and more. Truly the Xbox ecosystem is becoming the premier place for gamers who love RPGs which is something Sony and Nintendo CANNOT stop as those two competitors don’t have their own wide range of RPGs to make. As for Square Enix and other RPG makers in Japan, they should be seriously considering releasing more games on Xbox and Windows PC because Team Xbox’s heavy investments on RPGs will eventually achieve tremendous sales in the near future.

How many of you Xbox fans are looking forward to Star Ocean The Divine Force?

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos as well as a few videos related to past Star Ocean games for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Crystal Dynamics partners with The Initiative on developing Xbox-exclusive Perfect Dark reboot

Crystal Dynamics partners with The Initiative on developing Xbox-exclusive Perfect Dark reboot

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There sure was a lot of buzz that rocked the Xbox gamers community. This was about the breaking and very surprising news that the Square Enix-owned game developer Crystal Dynamics (best known for the Tomb Raider trilogy of 2013-2018) has joined Xbox game studio The Initiative as a partner on the development of the Perfect Dark reboot being made exclusively for Xbox platforms.

The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics are co-producing Perfect Dark.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from PureXbox.com’s article. Some parts in boldface…

Here’s some breaking news – The Initiative has announced it will be partnering with Crystal Dynamics to help it bring the new Perfect Dark game to the next generation.

Crystal Dynamics is best known for series such as Tomb Raider and was also behind the Square Enix project Marvel’s Avengers. In a follow-up tweet, The Initiative noted how the game was still “early in development”.

Although Crystal Dynamics has a lot of history with third-person action titles, it’s worth noting how this new entry in the Perfect Dark series is still being referred to as a “first-person” spy thriller.

Eurogamer has also pointed out how The Initiative was originally founded by the former Crystal Dynamics boss Darrel Gallagher, and how Tomb Raider reboot director Daniel Neuburger is also part of the Perfect Dark team.

Posted below are the tweets from The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics…

Read closely.

Furthermore, Xbox chief Phil Spencer stated on Twitter: Great to see continued momentum and progress on PD. Thrilled to have Crystal Dynamics partnering with The Initiative.

While it is indeed surprising that another game developer, not owned by Team Xbox, would come in to assist in the production of the upcoming Perfect Dark, it still makes sense not just because The Initiative’s Gallagher and Neuberger used to work for Crystal Dynamics, but also because the ambitious Xbox game studio (formed in 2018) was meant to be small and agile (additional reference here) and be able to work with partners on the production side of things of projects. The Initiative clearly does not have the workforce of 100 to 200 people it needs to make Perfect Dark and that is exactly where the Square Enix-controlled game developer comes in.

Remember Lost Odyssey, the very memorable Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) exclusive on Xbox 360? A lot of gamers remember Mistwalker as the developer of that game in relation to Hironobu Sakaguchi’s (AKA Final Fantasy creator) involvement and studio leadership, and yet the other team involved – Feelplus – is often overlooked. The other Xbox 360-exclusive JRPG Blue Dragon had Mistwalker and Artoon as co-developers. Artoon did much of the software development work.

Going back to Perfect Dark, I speculate that The Initiative will be more focused on the game’s overall design, the planned gaming concept and supervision with Crystal Dynamics doing the software development and other technical aspects of production.  The most recent Crystal Dynamics-developed games I played were the first two games of the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy…the 2013 game on Xbox 360 and the first sequel on Xbox One. I also played Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Xbox One but that game was mainly developed by Eidos-Montréal. I should state that I had the most fun playing the Tomb Raider games made by Crystal Dynamics even though Shadow of the Tomb Raider had new gameplay features.

While Marvel’s Avengers clearly received a mixed reception from video game review writers and even cost Square Enix a bundle of money, there is still no reason to worry about Crystal Dynamics negatively affecting the development of Perfect Dark. On the contrary, Team Xbox granted its game studios a lot of creative freedom along with continuous funding which I believe will benefit both Crystal Dynamics and The Initiative on making the Xbox-exclusive reboot. The internal attitudes and atmosphere of producing Perfect Dark will be totally different from that of Marvel’s Avengers. I would not be surprised to see Crystal Dynamics learn from their shortcomings during the making of the superhero video game with Square Enix. It should be noted that Gallagher’s history of work and management with Crystal Dynamics will ensure a bond of trust between the Tomb Raider developer and The Initiative. Trust between the collaborators is essential to ensure production will progress and be completed on time. The speculation that Perfect Dark’s production is in trouble (leading to Crystal Dynamics’ involvement) is just nonsense!

With The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics now co-producing the return of Joanna Dark, we can only wait until the next big update of the game gets released. Perhaps at E3 of 2022?

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Psychonauts 2 coming to Xbox and other platforms on August 25, 2021

Psychonauts 2 coming to Xbox and other platforms on August 25, 2021

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Before I start this, I should state that I completely missed out on the original Psychonauts video game as I did not own an original Xbox console nor a PlayStation 2 console back in 2005. I learned about that old game through online articles and video game magazines of the time. By the time I bought my Xbox 360 in 2006, I have forgotten about Psychonauts.

A few years ago, the brand of Psychonauts returned with online buzz as Microsoft acquired Double Fine and established it as an Xbox game studio. During Team Xbox’s E3 2019 conference, Double Fine founder Tim Schafer made an appearance and delivered his remarks. Schafer went on to clarify that their studio’s culture and independence won’t be affected under Xbox Game Studios. The sequel Psychonauts 2, which was first announced in 2015, was first revealed visually with a trailer in late 2018.

This past June, Psychonauts 2 was shown worldwide during the successful Xbox-Bethesda games showcase. I personally was pretty impressed with the video prepared for the showcase.

In recent times, Psychonauts 2 gained a lot of buzz not simply because its August 25, 2021 release (for Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 with compatibility with PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S plus the Xbox Game Pass subscription service) date is nearing but rather some members of the gaming media got to play it. For you enjoyment, check out these most recent videos of Psychonauts 2.

So what exactly is Psychonauts 2 about other than being a sequel? Based on what has been shown so far, it is a 3rd person-view platform game with elements of action, adventuring, exploration puzzle solving and cinematic storytelling.

Players will get to play as Razputin “Raz” Aquato who could leap through the air, run around, do acrobatic moves and, most notably, use psychic abilities (which includes levitation, telekinesis and pyrokinesis). As the game progresses, players will explore cleverly designed levels and meet with several NPCs (non-playable characters), and learn new details related to the plot.

The one on the foreground is Raz.

At its official page at Xbox.com, this upcoming game has been described as follows: Psychonauts 2 serves up danger, excitement and laughs in equal measure as players guide Raz on a journey through the minds of friends and foes on a quest to defeat a murderous psychic villain.

Other than being a game meant for fun, Psychonauts 2 touches on themes of mental health, respect and empathy. On the mental health issue, check out the excerpt from the Washington Post’s Psychonauts 2 article quoting Tim Schafer below…

For the second game, Schafer said he made sure each level has a unique setting, reflective of a character’s mental state, a specific art style and an additional gameplay challenge such as having to move through relative gravity or bubbles. Double Fine enlisted mental health experts to review the game, and to suggest ways to improve the game.

“They’re just small changes, sometimes to language [to make it less] stigmatizing, or depictions of characters, often just very simple changes can make the game less harmful to more people. More inclusive and more people able to enjoy the game because you’re more sensitive to what people are going through,” Schafer said.

Best on Xbox Series consoles?

Recently, data regarding resolution and frame rates plus HDR support and VRR support of the game per platform was published. GamesRadar.com noticed that Psychonauts 2 performs better on Xbox Series S than on PS5 as Sony’s new console runs the game via backward compatibility with the PS4 version.

Xbox Series X console owners looking forward to the new game can expect the following technical details of Psychonauts 2 – 3840 x 2160 resolution at 60FPS and the 1440p/120Hz mode is also available. Those who own last-generation Xbox consoles can expect the game to run at 1920 x 1080 resolution at 30FPS on the basic Xbox One, and 3840 x 1080 at 30FPS on Xbox One X.

Conclusion

The in-game environments look enticing for exploration!

The way I see it, it would be best to buy and play Psychonauts 2 on Xbox Series X to enjoy the game at its best technical performance and most lively presentation made possible with the best gaming console hardware available. Of course, the gamers and Psychonauts franchise fans who don’t have an Xbox can avail of the new game on other platforms. What is clear is that Psychonauts 2 looks very promising and we will soon find out how much of an impact it will make on gamers and game critics. Remember, this is a labor of love of Tim Schafer and his team, and at the same time it is exceptional that a sequel was made at all! Watch out for Psychonauts 2 on August 25, 2021.

In ending this piece, here are some Psychonauts 2 and Xbox-related videos for your enjoyment!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com