Junk Hunter Yoshida reviews the Xbox Series X right after its release! The Xbox Road to Excellence! Part 7]

Finally, the long-awaited Xbox Series X arrived from Amazon on November 10, 2020, the day of its release. When I opened the box from the cardboard box, I was shocked to see that the box of the console was already dented and sore. Well, as long as there is no problem with the console itself, it is fine!

So, when I opened the box, I was impressed by the monolithic look of the Xbox Series X. I was surprised not only by its rugged design sense without any flirtatious atmosphere, but also by the small size of its main unit. Although it weighs a fair amount, it is no larger than a mini-tower PC.

I had seen several articles in various media that said something like, "You'll be surprised by its angular shape and its size. ...... That's a lie, oy!

I thought it would look bigger, maybe because it looks like an ashtray or humidifier and is angular. Or maybe it's because it looks like an ashtray or a humidifier, or maybe it's media-controlled to make the rival Sony camp look good.

The box of the console has "HALO" printed on it, which is a great assertion that it is an exclusive title. It has been 20 years since the first Xbox version appeared. Microsoft, which has consistently nurtured the "HALO" content with great care, may want to show the difference from Sony's PlayStation, which is weak in terms of iconic content. When we talked to the developers, they told us that the number of Xbox users who have played the "HALO" series accounts for 70 to 80% of the total number of Xbox users, so it would be like the "Mario" series for Nintendo hardware. It was right to go with the "HALO" push here, after all.

The attention to detail in the specifications is also noteworthy.

First of all, when opening the box of the main unit, the sealing tape must be removed, but the tape has a tongue that can be easily removed by holding it with a finger. This is a very nice touch, and a much-appreciated concern for the purchaser.

I thought that the Xbox Series X could only be placed vertically, but there are four rubber anti-slip points on the bottom of the case so that it can be placed horizontally, so I placed it horizontally. Although the vertical placement conveys the Xbox Series X's character (it looks like a rocket launcher like Schwarzenegger used in the movie "Commando" when he put it on his shoulder), I have heard that if you leave the disc in the disc in the vertical position, the disc may become distorted and its durability may be reduced. I have heard that disc media can be warped or lose durability if left in a vertical position (label stickers on the disc surface are also a cause of warping), and since my CD media days, I have a twisted personality that makes me feel uncomfortable unless I have it mounted in a horizontal position. I am sorry for my troublesome character. I mean, when I put it in a horizontal position, it looks more and more like a rocket launcher ...... (smiles).

When I finally turned it on and played around with the menu screen, I was impressed by the speed of processing in areas such as the interface display compared to the previous Xbox One series.

I am going to enjoy it very much from now on, but I have not yet purchased any of the game software released at launch. Personally, I am excited about the backward compatibility potential of the PS5, and since the PS5's backward compatibility feature is only compatible with PS4, I think the overwhelming software asset advantage will be its greatest appeal. This will allow me to keep only my gaming software on hand and send my Xbox 360, Xbox One X, and other hardware in my work space full of game consoles to the warehouse.

On a different note, Gamers Outreach ( # ), a social service organization for disabled children, and actor Dwayne Johnson teamed up with Microsoft just before the launch of the Xbox Series X/S to send customized Xbox Series X to 20 pediatric hospitals in the United States. The Xbox Series X/S was the first time that Microsoft and actor Dwayne Johnson teamed up to donate 50,000 units to 20 pediatric hospitals in the U.S., along with the GO KART, a portable game system that allows patients to play games while lying in bed.

To bring strength of heart and resilience of power to children who are hospitalized and unable to leave their hospital rooms, Dwayne was given a special edition Xbox Series X engraved with the iconic BRAHMA BULL bull logo from his days as "The Rock" professional wrestler, along with his signature. The Xbox Series X will be autographed with his signature and the message, "Keep smiling and have fun! It's a story that makes you cry. Dwayne himself has been a core Xbox user since the days of the original Xbox, so it was a perfect fit.

It may not be obvious to healthy people who think that playing games in the hospital is outrageous, but children with a future who are battling illnesses and other problems are in the pediatric ward in a state of despair. Microsoft and Duane's attempt to give them a little hope should be more widely reported and appreciated in Japan. However, I am fed up with all the fuss about the PS5 shortage. If Sony knew it would sell well, why didn't they start accepting orders six months in advance?

Children of the future will continue to buy and play games in the future, so I think they should be offered some bright news to give them hope. I must say that Sony has completely cut out the children's market. As expected, Microsoft can't beat Nintendo either, but Xbox is also very active in non-gaming fields, such as the military and welfare fields. On the other hand, PS5 is being talked about only in terms of sales methods, and I am not so sure about this.

By the way, Xbox Series X/S are not in short supply, so they were sold in stores even on the day of release.

Therefore, if you have a 4K monitor, I highly recommend the Xbox Series X. The more you bark, "I can't afford PS5," the more you will fall into Sony's trap!

But of course, I will buy PS5.

(Text by Junk Hunter Yoshida)