Xbox.com – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 107

October 27, 2025October 20, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Lost Odyssey Revisited – Back in 2008, I played Lost Odyssey on my Xbox 360 console and it was my most anticipated game of the time as I enjoyed playing Final Fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) on different consoles several years prior. In my experience, Lost Odyssey truly is a Final Fantasy game without the name and it remains an Xbox 360-exclusive game that happens to be compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles (still available digitally online). For the newcomers reading this, Final Fantasy creator and former Square Enix producer Hironobu Sakaguchi co-wrote the story of Lost Odyssey and his own independent studio Mistwalker laid the foundation and the other studio Feelplus did the coding of the game. Not only that, famous game musician Nobuo Uematsu composed and scored the music of the Xbox RPG. To find out how the game was conceptualized, how its production happened and why it became an Xbox-exclusive game, watch the selected retrospective videos below.

#2 No Kings Protest Fails – In America, the Satanic Leftists, the woke extremists, the climate change zealots and other pawns of the Democrats organized the No Kings protests which eventually failed. The Leftists hatred for US President Donald Trump is so intense, they became out of touch with reality and they end up hating America. Lastly, many on the Left cannot tell the difference between a president and a king. The Democrats meanwhile are still obsessed with embracing immorality, destroying the traditional American family, empowering Islamic terrorists and support illegal immigrants. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#3 Delicious Meals With Big Portions In Japan – If you plan to do food trips while touring Japan, what exactly will you be looking for among the many food joins there? If you crave delicious food with big servings, there are indeed places to visit, and you can find what they offer and where could visit them by watching the Nippon TV video below. A friendly reminder for all who intend to visit Japan as foreign tourists…always behave yourselves by following local rules and being respectful to the Japanese.

#4 VKunia Reacts To Scary Movie – In 2000, Scary Movie was released in cinemas in America on July which was during the summer blockbuster season. The horror comedy parody film succeeded beyond expectations making almost $280 million worldwide on a budget of less than $20 million. Here in the Philippines, Scary Movie opened on November 1 of 2000 and I saw it that day inside the local cinema which was almost full. I noticed a lot of local moviegoers enjoyed its crude comedy under direction of Keenen Ivory Wayans and the performance of Anna Faris. Recently, VKunia posted her reaction video of Scary Movie and her reactions are similar to how the moviegoers around me reacted on November 1, 2000. Watch her video below.

#5 WarGames Revisited – Back in the 1980s, the Cold War was still hot in people’s minds and information technology (IT) itself was gradually becoming important in America. The 1983 movie WarGames featured a tale about war simulation, hacking, artificial intelligence (AI), the use of super computers for military operations and more. Back then, US President Ronald Reagan saw the film and this led to discussions with members of Congress, advisers and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A review of full nation security was eventually ordered by Reagan. In today’s age, artificial intelligence is very common and it is causing varied disturbances worldwide which makes WarGames still relevant. To see how the movie impacts YouTubers, watch the selected reaction videos below.

+++++

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 commits blunder by announcing PS5 version of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle before even releasing the Xbox version

September 2, 2024August 21, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

In case you missed the news, Team Xbox recently had a presence during Gamescom in Germany and they made several announcements and previews of upcoming video games there.

During the first day of Gamescom, Team Xbox announced at last the release date of the much-awaited Indiana Jones and The Great Circle which is December 9, 2024 (for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass). At the same time, they committed a blunder that the MachineGames-developed first-person adventure game is coming to Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) console sometime in 2025. That’s right, the Indiana Jones video game is no longer an Xbox-exclusive game. Watch the Gamescom trailer of the game below from start to finish…

As I mentioned earlier, Team Xbox committed a blunder by announcing a PS5 version of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle during Gamescom. It is a blunder in the sense that Team Xbox (which owns and controls Bethesda) could have delayed the PS5 version announcement and maximize efforts to sell as many copies of the game on Xbox and PC, sell as many Xbox consoles as possible, and convince many gamers out there to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass to play it.

Team Xbox could have waited until January or February 2025 to announce the Indiana Jones game for PS5. Instead, they shot themselves on the foot by blowing away the first-move advantage.

To put things in perspective, Microsoft/Xbox/Bethesda do not OWN the intellectual property of Indiana Jones which belongs to Disney-owned Lucasfilm. Considering the big financial problems Disney has as a corporation (note: the streaming service Disney+ continues to lose money since it first launched), I can speculate that they pushed Team Xbox and Bethesda to not only make a PS5 version of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle but also announce it very early to maximize sales potential and public awareness. Disney itself has a lot to benefit from collecting royalties if the game sells a lot on the two game consoles.

Going back to Xbox, we have to face the reality that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of Xbox as we know it. It is highly anticipated that in the near future, Xbox-exclusive games will no longer happen and the games of Xbox properties (examples: Halo, Forza Motorsport and Fable) will be released on Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. The Xbox brand itself will fade away and be replaced with something like “Microsoft Gaming” once Microsoft goes all-in as a multiplatform game publisher. It is also obvious that Microsoft wants a huge return for the combined $76 billion it spent on acquiring Bethesda and Activision.

I am still looking forward to playing the Indiana Jones game on my Xbox Series X console, but I can say that this latest development as well as the recent Game Pass adjustments brought my excitement down a bit.

For more details about Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle

+++++

From PlayStation to Xbox – Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy now available via Xbox Game Pass (XGP)

August 21, 2024August 18, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

In case you missed the news, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy was recently launched on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) effectively making the three classic games – Crash Bandicoot (1996), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (1997) and Crash Bandicoot: Warped (1998) – available for millions of subscribers to enjoy. In fact, Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy on XGP is already a massive success in terms of of player count increase reaching 2,808%!

*A clip I captured while playing the remastered Crash Bandicoot of 1996 on my Xbox Series X.*

The said release on XGP is very significant. Firstly, this is the initial offering for Xbox Game Pass that is directly connected with the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal. We are now living in the age of Microsoft-owned Activision and it should be remembered that Activision first released Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy on PlayStation 4 (PS4) in 2017 before landing on Xbox One and other platforms.

Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy on Xbox Game Pass is most likely the first of many Activision titles that will make their way on to the subscription service in the months to come. Think about the many Call of Duty (COD) games that will soon land on XGP and reignite public interest on the service which can help Team Xbox convince many players out there to start considering subscriptions.

*Caution and precision in key segments like this one happened during a snowy level on Crash Bandicoot 2.*

Secondly and more notably, the classic Crash Bandicoot games all started on the first PlayStation console and the titular character Crash (created by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin during their time with Naughty Dog) served as the mascot for Sony Computer Entertainment until the year 2000.

Each PlayStation-exclusive Crash video game released from 1996 to 1998 was a million-seller and also a hit with video game critics of the era. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy also sold millions when it was initially released on PlayStation 4.

*From one of the 2D side-scrolling levels of the first Crash Bandicoot.*

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on Xbox Game Pass is a clear indication that the PlayStation-related exclusivity on Crash Bandicoot games is over and there is nothing Sony could do to change that. With Microsoft owning Activision, it is only a matter of time before the Crash Bandicoot franchise will become solidly associated with Xbox commercially and culturally. I am speculating that Team Xbox and Activision must have plans for more Crash Bandicoot sequels and spin-offs with multi-platform releases and subsequent XGP releases in mind.

With my XGP subscription, I took some time out to replay parts of the three classic games in the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on my Xbox Series X console. I can say that regardless of which game I played, I enjoyed playing them again and it brings back memories of my enjoyment of them on the PlayStation console in 1996-1998. The remastered visuals (on gameplay and cinematic cut scenes) were nicely done and they looked lively on our UHDTV.

*From the sea water level in Crash Bandicoot: Warped.*

If you are an Xbox gamer who enjoys platform gaming or if you are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber looking for something new and fun to play, then Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is a good choice as it is fun retro gaming of the platform kind. I encourage you to play it while it is available and you can do your part by expressing your feedback to Team Xbox about having more Activision games on XGP.

For more details about Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy/c27xpr5xdmft

+++++

Visions of Mana coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC this summer

February 3, 2024January 24, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow gamers, geeks, and Xbox fans!

If there is anything that surprised me during the 2024 Developer_Direct event of Team Xbox, it was the guest participation of Square Enix which unveiled key details about their new action role-playing game (RPG) Visions of Mana which is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC this coming summer season. A release date will follow.

For the newcomers reading this, Square Enix announced previously that Visions of Mana is actually a multiplatform game. When compared to Team Xbox’s first party games unveiled during the Developer_Direct – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Avowed – Visions of Mana is the only non-exclusive game, the only 3^rd party game, the only game not coming to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and the first-ever game from the Mana series coming to the Xbox platform.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the Developer_Direct video presentation of Square Enix with Visions of Mana. Pay close attention to the details…

For added insight, posted below are selected excerpts from the Xbox.com article about Visions of Mana for you to read. Some parts in boldface…

What is Visions of Mana? – This sprawling new single-player action RPG puts you in the shoes of Val – a curious and carefree young man and skilled fighter. One eventful night, his childhood friend is chosen as an alm – someone who must travel to the Mana Tree and rejuvenate the flow of mana power. Val joins her as the Soul Guard to protect her on her journey, and an epic adventure begins.

As Val, you’ll explore vast areas, battle monsters, gain allies, and uncover the many secrets of this expansive world. And what a world it is! As you can see from the screenshots and trailer, it’s a beautifully vibrant game with rich colors and expressive characters.

The beauty is matched by equally appealing combat. Aerial combat allows for physical and magic attacks in mid-air, and the grand and mysterious powers of the Elemental spirits can assist players in the form of specialized weapons. It’s fast-paced, strategic, and endlessly satisfying.

In short, it’s a perfect entry point for those of you yet to experience a Mana game, as it brings together everything great about this incredible series.

What is the Mana series? – The Mana games are a long-running series of fantasy RPGs that typically feature fast-paced, action-based combat, appealing visuals and music, and stories that center around themes of nature and the majestic Mana Tree.

It’s one of the most immediately enjoyable series, with exciting combat, colorful worlds, and a desire to always innovate. Here’s how Mana Series Producer Masaru Oyamada defines it:

“There are different opinions on what makes a Mana game – as the Series Creator Koichi Ishii always tries to do something new with each game after all.

*Expect a lot of action and adventuring in Visions of Mana.*

“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.” – Masaru Oyamada, Mana Series Producer

“But from my own perspective, I think there’s very much a distinctive Mana style that is easily recognizable to everyone. You can see it in the Tree of Mana illustrations by the great Hiroo Isono, in Mr. Ishii’s unforgettable monsters, and in the characters that inhabit these worlds.

“I think we’ve managed to capture all of these elements in one consistent visual style for Visions of Mana, which really reflects the spirit of the series.”

Each Mana game is a standalone adventure, with its own characters, stories and even gameplay mechanics. There’s rarely any narrative connection between them – instead they’re connected by elements like repeating monsters, such as the adorable rabites.

In other words, you can jump into any Mana game as if it’s your first, and Visions of Mana is no different. In fact, it’s a particularly great place to start as it’s the first entirely new mainline Mana game in more than 15 years!

Which Brings Us to Visions of Mana – Visions of Mana offers a fresh new take on the series, with large areas to explore and a rich story, all portrayed with a beautifully colorful visual style.

That was something that the team was particularly eager to capture, as Mr. Oyamada explains:

“I asked the development team to try to create character models that captured the atmosphere of character designer HACCAN’s illustrations, and experiment to see if they could make a world that incorporated the beautiful depictions of nature from the artist Mr. Hiroo Isono.

“During this process of experimentation, I also managed to secure the support from Mr. Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series and designer of many of its classic monsters, asking him to oversee the updating of his past monster designs into 3D for current generation graphics. All this led to a world that I felt was recognizable at a glance as being from the Mana series.

*There is a lot waiting to be discovered in locations like this in the game.*

For me, Visions of Mana is a very enticing RPG that has open-world environments, nice art style and the gameplay shown looks highly playable. Even though it is not bound for Xbox Game Pass, I encourage Xbox gamers – especially those who love RPGs from Japan – to take a close look at the game and see how it would fit into their games-to-play-in-2024 list. It should be noted that Visions of Mana reflects the reinvigorated business relationship between Square Enix and Team Xbox. The more Visions of Mana sells on Xbox, the better. Lastly, if you watched Square Enix’s Developer_Direct presentation, you would have noticed the game developers/creators acknowledged the Xbox community.

Watch out for the release Visions of Mana on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC this summer.

+++++

Huge Xbox presence at Gamescom 2023

August 8, 2023August 3, 2023carlocarrasco

As far as Team Xbox is concerned, the road ahead is crucial and they announced that they will have a huge presence at Gamescom (also referred to as gamescom) this month in Germany. A huge presence in the sense that they will showcase first-party games as well as games from their strategic partners. The two major Xbox-exclusive games Starfield and Forza Motorsport (2023) will each have theatrical showcases there in Germany.

To find out more, posted below are selected excerpts from the Xbox.com announcement. Some parts in boldface…

Xbox Booth – We’ll have over 30 titles in the booth awaiting eager players, spread across over 150 gaming stations, amazing photo ops and experiences, and a specially constructed 300-seater theatre.

Attendees will be able to check out exclusive theatre presentations from Bethesda Game Studios’ highly anticipated Starfield, as well as upcoming Xbox Game Studios releases Forza Motorsport from the developers at Turn 10 Studios, and Ara: History Untold from the team at Oxide Games. Towerborne, the newest adventure from the developers at Stoic and unveiled at the Xbox Showcase, will be hands-on for the first time and we’ll have the latest content coming to The Elder Scrolls Online and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Over 25 titles from our third-party partners and ID@Xbox friends will be playable on the booth. This includes the world debuts of GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, Overkill Software and Starbreeze Studios’ Payday 3, DontNod’s recently announced Jusant, FromSoftware’s ARMORED CORE VI: Fires of Rubicon, Recreate Games’ Party Animals, CD PROJEKT RED’s Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Spotlight by Quantic Dream’s Under the Waves, Sega Atlus‘ Persona 5 Tactica and many more.

Attendees can also come and help us celebrate 10 years of ID@Xbox and experience a diverse range of ID@Xbox titles for hands-on, including Paradox’s Lamplighter’s League, Thunderful’s SteamWorld Build, Amplifier’s Lightyear Frontier, and lots more. Whatever you’re into, the Xbox booth will have something for you. For the full list of titles playable on the Xbox booth visit here.

And make sure you don’t miss out on the PC Game Pass Challenge! This adventure offers participants a fun opportunity to win thousands of exciting prizes including PC Game Pass memberships, OMEN gaming laptops, HyperX headsets, and NVIDIA GeForce NOW Ultimate memberships. Get ready to discover your next favorite PC games with PC Game Pass and reach new possibilities to game however, wherever you want.

Xbox remains committed to the belief that gaming should be safe, inclusive, and accessible for all. We’re ensuring that all areas of the booth are wheelchair accessible and Xbox Adaptive Controllers will be available on request, as well as select demo stations with adjustable height desks. We will also have multiple American Sign Language (ASL) and German Sign Language (DGS) interpreters and “Here to Help” staff to assist players of all abilities. Additionally, we’ll have sensory aids and a quiet room for anyone who needs them.

You will be able to find us at Hall 8 of the Koelnmesse, North entrance. See below for the consumer show opening times: 

Thursday, August 24 – 10:00am – 8:00pm CEST 
Friday, August 25 – 10:00am – 8:00pm CEST 
Saturday, August 26 – 9:00am – 8:00 pm CEST 
Sunday, August 27 – 9:00am – 8:00pm CEST

Xbox @ gamescom 2023: Live From The Showfloor – No matter where you are in the world, we will bring gamescom 2023 to you, with three days of approx. 3 hour live streams direct from the Xbox booth.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, join Team Xbox and friends for a series of streams taking a deeper dive into some of the highly-anticipated games at gamescom 2023, with gameplay, developer chats and community segments to give you a flavour of the show.

Whether you join us for every stream, or just dip in for the latest on your most anticipated titles, we’re looking forward to connecting with fans across the globe and showing off some of the amazing games coming to Xbox.

Keep an eye on Xbox Social channels for the full content schedule in the days leading up to gamescom.

The live English-language broadcast from Xbox’s gamescom booth will be available in German, Castilian Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish and Latin America Spanish along with ASL and English Audio Descriptions. You can catch the Xbox Booth @gamescom Live Stream on regional Xbox channels on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and elsewhere.

Xbox Social Media Coverage – For all the latest updates on Xbox at gamescom this year, stay tuned to the @Xbox X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube social channels, and the @XboxDACH Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube social channels. We’re using #Xboxgamescom as our event hashtag. 

To those who have been anticipating Starfield‘s worldwide release on September 6, 2023, expect to see a wave of videos and promos for the sci-fi epic RPG happen immediately with Gamescom no matter how the theatrical showcase of it will turn out. While Forza Motorsport (2023) will have its own increase of pre-release promotions and gameplay emphasis heading towards its October 10 launch, the Gamescom theatrical presentations could create new and exciting buzz for Xbox-exclusive games Ara: History Untold and Towerborne.

*Xbox-exclusive Starfield is set for September 6, 2023 worlwide release.*

*Forza Motorsport (2023) will be released on October 10 exclusively on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC.*

As for the other games part of Xbox at the convention, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl could surprise and delight gamers with its latest updates and, hopefully, a release date. The game is bound for Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and here is hoping it will deliver the exciting stuff for gamers who have been anticipating it.

ARMORED CORE VI: Fires of Rubicon, Jusant and Persona 5 Tactica could each attract their own audiences at the convention.

Watch out for Xbox at Gamescom this month.

In concluding this post, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your enjoyment.

+++++

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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Play over 1,000 retro games on Xbox with Antstream Arcade!

July 25, 2023July 24, 2023carlocarrasco

If you are long-time gamer who misses the many fun games from them past, then you will delighted to know that you can play over one thousand retro games on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One with the Antstream Arcade service which is now available for $29.99 annual subscription and $79.99 lifetime pass.

For the newcomers reading this, Antstream Arcade is the grand gaming arcade with over 1,300 classic games from the 1980s to the 2000s that were released across varied platforms such as the video arcade, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the PlayStation One to name a few. Antstream Arcade on Xbox platforms just made the global Xbox ecosystem even more exciting to those who love playing multiple types of games. Posted below is the official Xbox launch trailer of Antstream Arcade!

To gain a deeper understanding of Antstream Arcade on Xbox, posted below is an excerpt from the Xbox.com article. Some parts in boldface…

We’re excited to share that Antstream Arcade, a cross-platform streaming platform focusing on retro games, is now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, bringing its current library of over 1,300 retro games to Xbox consoles. Jump in today and play classics like Mortal Kombat, Pac-Man, Asteroids, and Earthworm Jim from your couch. Experience classic PS1 and Nintendo games such as Loaded, Indiana Jones Greatest Adventures, and Super Star Wars with your Xbox controller in hand. With Antstream Arcade you can experience these games today, fully optimized, and ready to go at the push of a button. Simply create an account, sign in, and start playing!

The Importance of Game Curation to Antstream – When the company was formed in 2013, one of the key motivations behind the product was preservation. There are decades of incredible games which are no longer available legally. Sure, many of these titles can be downloaded and played with emulators and ROMs but that experience is uncomfortable. The configuration of Emulators and ROMs is a technological barrier for many gamers.

Antstream’s easy ‘pick up and play’ mechanic makes these games accessible to everyone. In my position as Customer Support manager, I’ve had emails from six-year-old kids telling me that they’ve had a blast playing Double Dragon. Another recent email was from a 72-year-old who needed help completing Dizzy. Antstream is incredibly easy to use.

“Many of us grew up playing these games, so the ability to stream them on Xbox consoles and share these experiences with our friends and family is incredible,” said Sarah Bond, CVP of game creator experience and ecosystem at Microsoft. “We’re pleased that with Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub’s technology benefits and Azure cloud services we can help enable Antstream to reach more players.”

Coming back to the preservation aspect. It’s painful to see games lost to time. Antstream is a fantastic platform for people to experience games that they have never played before. Also, to find and discover games that were cancelled or not released. We are crafting a catalogue of titles which raise awareness of gaming history and keep the spirit of their creators alive.

This has been recognized by TIGA, Antstream has won an award for games curation.

New’ Retro Games on the Platform – A unique aspect to Antstream’s approach to game curation is how we support independent developers who are continuing to release games on retro platforms. For example, Turbo Tomato is an Amiga game released last year. It has become hugely popular thanks to Antstream. We also include these in our challenges and tournaments.

Challenges and Tournaments – Antstream is also creating longer lasting appeal with classic games with our unique challenge system. These titles are back-engineered to create a competitive system which allows you to experience these well-loved titles in new ways. These are ‘game modes’ such as ‘one-life challenges’ that extend the life of these titles and create new interest in the community.

In the past 12 months, we have introduced a new mode called Giant Slayer. This is centered around our growing community. One person sets up a challenge and then is presented to the community. They must try and beat the challenger for kudos and precious gems. Giant Slayer challenges are created by the players for other players. This keeps our community constantly engaged and involved in the product in a greater way than other streaming services.

We also feature tournaments. Here you can pit your high scores and feats against others in games like Dig Dug, Marble Madness, Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat. Scoring highly in these contests payout gems that you can spend on other games or for entering future tournaments.

The ‘power’ of Antstream – Speaking to Microsoft Game Dev Blog about how Azure powered Antstream, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Antstream Arcade Steve Cottam shared, “Microsoft was the right technical ally for us because it has a high density of servers globally, which was how we knew we could scale our service. By connecting gameplay to a nearby Azure virtual machine, we make sure that the time between a player pressing a controller button and something appearing on their screen is less than 50 milliseconds.”

In addition, there is this very in-depth video that answers a lot of questions about Antstream Arcade posted below for you all…

Having Antstream Arcade on Xbox is very appealing to me personally. I still have some fondness of games I played long ago on the arcades such as Elevator Action Returns, Star Wars, Defender, Robotron: 2084, BurgerTime, Cloak & Dagger, Fighter’s History, Double Dragon, Space Invaders and Asteroids plus so many others I cannot just write down here. Not only that, Antstream Arcade is also an opportunity for me to play many, many other games I never got to play such as Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures (SNES), Metal Dragon (MSX), and more.

As mentioned in the Xbox.com article, it was indeed a great move for Microsoft to be the definitive technical ally for the Antstream Arcade developers not only because of the established global servers available but also because the retro gaming service fits right in with the Xbox ecosystem of games and the global userbase of millions.

*The Cloak & Dagger arcade game that had a severely limited release decades ago has gotten more available for millions of users via Antstream Arcade on Xbox.*

*The arcade hit Elevator Action Returns.*

*The Super NES version of Zombies Ate My Neighbors.*

*Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures on SNES.*

One of these days, I will avail of Antstream Arcade to make the gaming experience on my Xbox Series X even more in-depth. It will be a matter of timing, cost, the number of games updated and how the Antstream Arcade developers will be able to fix whatever bugs they will encounter as the service has just launched. If you are already availing of the retro games service and you encountered technical glitches, you better report to the developers online.

To see what games to expect to Antstream Arcade, check out Pure Xbox’s very long list by clicking here.

In concluding this post, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your enjoyment.

+++++

Forza Motorsport (2023) all set for October 10 release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass

June 27, 2023June 23, 2023carlocarrasco

Finally, the much-anticipated Xbox-exclusive simulation racing game Forza Motorsport (2023) is set for a global release on October 10, 2023 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC with availability on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Steam. This was announced during the recent Xbox Games Showcase 2023/Starfield Direct double feature.

To begin with, watch the official game trailer below…

To put things in perspective about what gamers can expect from Forza Motorsport (2023), posted below are selected excerpts from the official Xbox.com article written by Turn 10 Studios’ Creative Director Chris Esaki. Some parts in boldface…

Experience Over 500 Cars at Launch – As we mentioned in January, Forza Motorsport launches with 20 completely rebuilt tracks from around the world with multiple layouts, including 5 never-before-seen tracks in a Motorsport game. Each feature fully dynamic time-of-day with weather, living crowds, and tracks that rubber in and react to temperature changes.

As for the cars you’ll be racing on these tracks, Forza Motorsport starts with over 500 cars at release including modern race cars.

Wield Specialized Track Competitors in the Builders Cup Career Mode – Out-build the competition by earning over 800 performance upgrades and race our most advanced AI opponents yet in an all-new, fun and rewarding single-player campaign, the Builders Cup Career Mode.

Race the World Alongside Your Friends – Compete for the podium in Featured Multiplayer events with a race weekend inspired structure or create the racing you and your friends desire in Free Play.

*A sneak peek at the car customization.*

Online racing is safer, more fun, and more competitive with AI-powered Forza Race Regulations, tire and fuel strategy, and new driver and safety ratings.

Pre-order Forza Motorsport to Receive Early Access – Pre-order the Forza Motorsport Premium Edition and be first on the starting line with 5 days of early access beginning October 5, 2023. Xbox Game Pass members, as well as Forza Motorsport Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition players, can upgrade to the Premium Add-Ons Bundle to receive early access and all other add-on content included in the Premium Edition.

Steam players, add Forza Motorsport to your wish list starting today to be notified when pre-orders are available and follow the game to receive the latest news and announcements delivered to your Steam library.

That’s not all! A short time after the Xbox Games Showcase, Turn 10 organized a walkthrough with actual gameplay of Forza Motorsport (2023) (running on Xbox Series X at 4K resolution and 60FPS) which emphasized what gamers can expect and enjoy. You can watch it in the video below and I encourage you to watch it entirely.

I have been anticipating Forza Motorsport (2023) for a really long time now and I really am looking forward to its October 10 release. I am eager to experience Turn 10’s new approach on the career mode (level-build-dominate according to Chris Esaki) as well as enduring the thrill and suspense of simulation racing with next-generation technologies implemented complete with time-of-day changes, in-game weather effects, tire traction on varied surfaces and more.

I am looking forward to other gameplay features such as online racing, car customization, the new car mastery system, acquiring/collecting cars, racing against the promised more advanced AI, experiencing the benefits of the revamped physics and much more.

*In-game night driving as shown in the most recent trailer.*

As seen in the above Forza Motorsport (2023) gameplay presentation, Chris Esaki emphasized the relationship between the player and the car as the core concept of the single-player experience. In my view, this is a daring change compared to the typical single-player approach of racing to win in-game money to be able to customize cars and buy new cars as you make your way through. How the new approach by Turn 10 will impact simulation racing games as we know it remains to be seen.

Watch out for Forza Motorsport (2023) on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC with availability on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Steam on October 10, 2023. Those who have money to afford for the premium edition of the game can enjoy early access starting October 5.

In concluding this post, posted below are Forza Motorsport (2023) and Xbox-related videos for your enjoyment.

+++++

Xbox-exclusive Clockwork Revolution looks ambitious

June 20, 2023June 17, 2023carlocarrasco

inXile Entertainment, the Xbox studio behind Wasteland 3, is back with their brand new Xbox-exclusive game Clockwork Revolution which turned out to be one of the biggest reveals of the Xbox Games Showcase 2023/Starfield Direct double feature. While no release date has been set, the game will be released on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC with availability on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Steam.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the official Xbox.com article describing Clockwork Revolution. Some parts in boldface…

This is a fantastical, first-person action RPG, with dynamic time-bending combat, deep interconnected roleplaying systems, and the ability to create your own unique character from the ground up. The project is led by Game Director Chad Moore and Principal Designer Jason Anderson, who just happen to have created one of the greatest steampunk RPGs of all time—Arcanum.

Setting and Story – Clockwork Revolution takes place in the vibrant Victorian-era metropolis of Avalon, where steam trains fly overhead, wealthy industrialists replace their limbs with ornate clockwork prosthetics, and mechanical servants fulfill their masters’ every whim.

*A vibrant steampunk society with a legacy waiting to be discovered in Clockwork Revolution.*

But this new age of wonders holds a dark secret—it’s been carefully constructed by the ruthless Lady Ironwood. Through use of a time travel device, she’s changed key moments in Avalon’s history, keeping the working class struggling in the slums and factories, while bringing herself immense wealth and power. That’s where you come in…

Time Travel and The Chronometer – Discovering Ironwood’s scheme, you’ll use a wondrous device known as the Chronometer to travel back in time, choose how to influence the past, and then return to the present to experience the effects of your decisions. Through unprecedented and complex visual and narrative depth, the choices you make on your trips into the past will change the people, the stories, and the city of Avalon itself in extraordinary and (very often) unexpected ways. In Clockwork Revolution we’re pushing roleplaying reactivity to new heights, infused with the unique texture and personality that you’ve come to expect from our games.

*Looks like a huge boss you will have to fight.*

This is an exciting project for us at inXile. Not only is Clockwork Revolution our first fully-fledged Xbox Game Studios release, but from start to finish we’re utilizing the resources and support of Microsoft and Xbox to create our studio’s first AAA first-person action RPG.

What inXile is doing with Clockwork Revolution is very ambitious. What they showed during the Xbox Games Showcase made lots of gamers online make quick comparisons with BioShock Infinite as they are both first-person games that involve shooting, exploration, intense action and interaction with fantasy settings that are eerily similar between them. While it is not clear how far inXile has gone with the progress of game development, the Clockwork Revolution unveiling last week showed signs of high production values here and there, and it is clear that the developers have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and bring to players in due time.

*Always make sure your weapons are fully loaded before going on a mission.*

Right now, I am excited for Clockwork Revolution and I can only hope that the high production values inXile showed during the showcase will be maintained until they finish making the game. I really want to explore the game’s world, see how the time-traveling feature will deepen the gameplay and experience how much fun the Xbox-exclusive game will turn out. Not only that, I want to see how inXile will implement role-playing and what they could do with the steampunk concept in relation to the storytelling and gameplay.

Clockwork Revolution is most likely a few years away from release. We can only hope that inXile won’t be hampered during the development. Right now they have a lot of resources and a long development process ahead of them.

In concluding this post, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your enjoyment.

+++++

Planet of Lana now available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service

May 26, 2023May 25, 2023carlocarrasco

Planet of Lana, the newest game from Wishfully Studios and Thunderful Games, is now available for gamers to enjoy on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC and on the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service! As of this writing, the game has been praise from video game critics (click here, here, here, here and here) and I myself just started playing it on my Xbox Series X console and already I am having fun.

For the newcomers reading this, posted below is an excerpt from the official pre-release press release of the game from Thunderful Games. Some parts in boldface…

Appearing on over 40 “most anticipated” lists, including from the likes of IGN, Gamespot, Eurogamer, Polygon, Kotaku, Rock Paper Shotgun, Time and Game Informer, Planet of Lana is one of the most anticipated indie titles of recent years, drawing attention for its stunning art style, rousing soundtrack from D.I.C.E. and BAFTA-nominated composer Takeshi Furukawa, and unique companion-based mechanics.

*Nothing like overcoming challenges and obstacles with a good sense of achievement proceeding to the next stage.*

Set on an alien world, Planet of Lana tells the story of Lana and her loyal animal companion Mui as they embark on a rescue mission to save her sister. Blending an epic story that takes you on a spectacular journey across stunning natural landscapes with a touching personal relationship built between protagonists Lana and Mui, Planet of Lana is a game filled with wonder and adventure. Expect to encounter strange creatures and dangerous machines as you move through lush forests, mysterious caves and arid desert landscapes during your journey.

*Lana swimming her way through the village.*

Throughout daring platforming, engaging puzzles and tense stealth sequences, players will discover a game built around the unique companion mechanic that connects Lana and Mui. Only by working in tandem can you solve the puzzles and avoid the dangers that lay ahead of you, from stalking spindle-legged robot menaces that have mysteriously landed on Lana’s planet, to the not-always-friendly fauna that populates Planet of Lana’s breathtaking environments.

More on pre-release stuff, there is also a very detailed preview of Planet of Lana published through Xbox.com. The preview was written by Wishfully Studios creative director Adam Stjärnljus.

As I mentioned earlier, I just started playing Planet of Lana on my console. So far, I’m having a good time playing it, and in my decades-long experience of playing video games, I can say that Planet of Lana has vibes of Flashback in terms of 2D platform gameplay and environment interaction. Compared to the mentioned old game, this new game’s controls are very user friendly, easy to learn and also very responsive. The art direction looks really nice and the music is a must-listen! Oh yes, there were these suspenseful moments that I experienced as I had Lana and her companion avoid destructive enemies with timely and strategic moves.

*I really like the artistic direction and style of this game!*

When it comes to the adventure aspect, this game reminds me of what I saw in anime productions of Studio Ghibli, specifically Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. The alien machines’ acts of abducting people even reminded me of the 21^st century War of the Worlds movie.

As I’m writing this, there still more for me to discover playing Planet of Lana and I am eager to complete it, finish the tale and see what the game developers prepared. For those of you already subscribing to Xbox Game Pass, I encourage you to download the game and start playing it.

*The scale is very immense in this part of the game!*

Go for Planet of Lana on Xbox platforms, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass now! Click https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/planet-of-lana/9mxk2rsqjqnd

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

+++++

Acclaimed 2019 sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds is back again with Spacer’s Choice Edition, now available for gamers to enjoy on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

March 13, 2023March 13, 2023carlocarrasco

In case you missed the news, the acclaimed 2019 science fiction role-playing game The Outer Worlds is back again with enhancements as well as the two DLC packages (Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos) in the form of The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition which has just been released. Those who already owned the game and wish to replay it with the latest stuff can digitally avail of the Spacer’s Choice Edition for a small price. Expect a series of enhancements while playing The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

To begin with, watch the official Xbox trailer below…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the pre-release Xbox.com announcement. Some parts in boldface…

When The Outer Worlds was released to critical success, we at Obsidian Entertainment were excited to see our community thoroughly enjoy this RPG that we felt was fun, fresh, and concise. Now that we’ve announced The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition, an upgrade for the new generation of hardware, we thought we’d go over some of the cool changes we are bringing in and the thought process behind it. If you aren’t familiar with the game, here’s a quick recap:

Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the edge of the galaxy, you awake decades after your planned date only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the colony. Explore the various planets and locations of Halcyon, including the mysterious Gorgon Asteroid and the delightful distillery on Eridanos. As you encounter various factions, all vying for power, the decisions you make determine how the narrative unfolds.

*Get ready for an enduring series of discovery, misadventures and quests in the enhanced version of The Outer World, complete with the DLC packages.*

Since its release, over 5 million lucky spacers have explored the celestial bodies of Halcyon and taken an active part in the power struggle rocking the colony. Everything was going just fine. But then, just over a year later, the Xbox Series X and S arrived in people’s living rooms, pushing the boundaries of console gaming ever further. In a sense, the game was released in between two console generations. When opportunity insists on striking, it’s best to use a Prismatic Hammer.

Living on in the new console generation – With the release of this new generation of consoles, we wanted The Outer Worlds to live on for future spacers to enjoy. We wanted to make The Board proud and prevent this must-play RPG from aging prematurely as new games come rolling in, while at the same time providing a relevant, modernized space colonist experience for all newcomers to Halcyon. The technical capabilities introduced with the Xbox Series X and S made it clear there was room for improvement! Not just in how the game looks, but also regarding how the game feels.

*If this is your opportunity to replay The Outer Worlds after a long time, do you miss having Ellie in your team?*

This meant brushing up what were already some of the strengths of the core game: an engrossing storyline influenced by the in-game choices you make, quirky yet endearing companions – each with unique abilities and their own missions for you to help them complete – a freely diversified combat system yielding high-intensity encounters with your enemies, and much more…

The road to making the definitive version of The Outer Worlds – So we grabbed our spacer’s dev kits and got to work. Of course, we worked on visual improvements such as bringing 4K, 60FPS graphics, volumetric lighting, improved special effects, better particle physics, and enhancing the environments with increased asset density and visual storytelling.

But we also strived to create a smoother gaming experience by making the combat and companion AIs smarter, improved the open-world sensation through better depth, reworked the vistas already in the game, and updated weather variations. On top of that, we reworked character models and animations to improve the feel of the game. Finally, we thought this Spacer’s Choice Edition would make even more sense if it included the base game’s DLC expansions, Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos, so we did just that. Now the experience is even richer! And we increased the level cap to 99, to give players even more ways to build their character from the seven branches of the skill tree.

While I have been waiting for the Xbox-exclusive fantasy RPG Avowed from Obsidian Entertainment as well as Xbox-exclusive sci-fi RPG Starfield from Bethesda, I was surprised to see that The Outer Worlds was enhanced for the more modern Xbox consoles and that the price is not too high for those who previously bought the game. Still, the original game is only a little over 3-years-old now and at the time of its release, it was not exactly a visual standout among video games. Its gameplay, story concept, witty writing and memorable concept really defined The Outer Worlds as a fun game worth replaying.

I personally had replayed The Outer Worlds a lot on my Xbox One console (which conked out in 2021) and I did the same with the two separate DLC packages. I replayed The Outer Worlds and its expansions on my Xbox Series X one last time using backward compatibility and I enjoyed the improved frame rate. To replay the game in the form of the Spacer’s Choice Edition is enticing to say the least. It could ease the pain of the long wait for Avowed and Starfield (note: scheduled for release on September 6, 2023). Oh yes, Obsidian Entertainment is still working on the Xbox-exclusive sequel The Outer Worlds 2.

As of this writing, there are YouTubers and gamers who reported a variety of technical flaws and shortcomings with The Spacer’s Choice edition. In fact, the PlayStation 5 version of the game has so many bugs, a lot of gamers are suffering. Obsidian Entertainment and publisher Private Division (note: the company does not own the intellectual property rights of The Outer Worlds) should pay attention to the complaints and improve the game via patching. For the Xbox gamers reading this, watch below the early videos of The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition tested on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S…

The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is now available for gamers to enjoy.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

+++++

	Instapundit »… on Trump Announces $1,776 Christm…
	Shaman Tiers on A Look Back at Fatale #1 …
	Luke on Trump Administration Weighs Hi…
	Instapundit »… on Trump Administration Weighs Hi…
	Roaming Rhonda on Christian Music Appreciation:…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: