Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, Regular Columns by Michael Durr on November 14th, 2007
Dating in WoW, Hacking in Orange and 360 goes VC - Welcome to the column that pretends to go by an acronym but then realizes it just isn't quite cool enough known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to another addition of Dare to Play the Game. I'm addicted to Puzzle Quest. Big time. So much, Sarah and I are two achievements from finishing up the whole bloody thing. Lord Bane and Level 50 are the only things left. I would venture to say Lord Bane goes down long before level 50 since we are both about level 35 and just finished rebuilding Sartek. In fact the only thing I'm really messing with in other games besides that is Smackdown vs Raw 2007 and working on some small achievements there. I'm pretty determined to crack open Half Life Orange by weekend time. I'm split on Mass Effect, I know it looks awesome and I do want it in my collection but we'll see if I can hold out until Christmas.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 12th, 2007
Bad horror movies are like watching a trainwreck. There are bodies all over the place and everybody is screaming in agony like a little school girl. And you can't turn your head away. So imagine my complete enjoyment when I received the Tripper to review. I screamed like a little school girl, my rabbit fainted and my girlfriend actually was able to turn her head away several times. I understand why they are the stronger sex cause I watched intently and was considering therapy when my 90 minutes was up.
Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on November 7th, 2007
Hacking through Manhunt 2, Germans censor corpse desecration and Maniac Mansion censorship revisited - Welcome to the column that is unedited and contains plenty of swear words like *£ïΘ, &$%*, & *$&# known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. Nope, still didn't get to Half Life Orange. *sigh* The girlfriend and I played a whole lot of Guitar Hero 3 which is why you got a handy dandy review so quick. That and I couldn't break my Guitar Hero streak on this site. No sireee bob. A lot of Puzzle Quest was also digested as my character has entered the mid 20's and the girlfriend is in her 30's. Just like our ages except in reverse. Damn, I'm old; but my girlfriend did turn 24 yesterday. Muhahahaa, perhaps it isn't nice to point and stare. But heck I do that anywhere on a daily basis. She also reads this column, I worry for her sanity.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 5th, 2007
A woman scorned is a dangerous thing. They will break you, hurt you and leave you for dead in the most unimaginable ways possible. In fact, it might be best for most men to sleep underneath their covers with a flashlight, a security system and no contact with the outside world. It probably wouldn't help. So it makes only sense that one would make films that deal with this subject. However, they had to make it believable even if a scorned woman sometimes does the unthinkable.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 4th, 2007
Everybody remembers the first scary movie that gave them nightmares for days and months after they saw it. For some, it was the Exorcist and for more recent folks perhaps it was Scream or Saw. For me, it was Poltergeist. I was but seven years old and thought it would be something like E.T. Phone Home, but with swirly demons and ghosts? It was PG, how bad could it be? In the next two hours, I was treated to something that resonates with me to this very day. From the moment I heard "They're Here", I knew I would never see static on televisions the same way.
Posted in: Game Reviews by Michael Durr on November 4th, 2007
Some games take time to gain acceptance. This game started out a fledging curiosity, now the obsession has hit and everybody wants to play air guitar except with the a controller shaped like one. The game is Guitar Hero 3. This is the first installment that has hit every major console at the same time. This also marks the first time where they really pushed the concept of actual guitarists and musicians coming out to help such as Bret Michaels, Slash and the Sex Pistols. Some would describe it as a sell out especially since the team that made the original Guitar Hero was busy making Rock Band and the reins were left to Neversoft. How would they fare; could they possibly mess up what made the first two Guitar Heros so great?
Posted in: Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on October 31st, 2007
There is a Mutant Storm brewing, Doritos brings XBLA snacks and the Wii shows up forgetting beer and a HDD - Welcome to the column that shows up early and then stays way too late (and doesn't clean up) known as Dare to Play the Game.
Welcome to the spooktacular edition of Dare to Play the Game (no you probably won't find any other Halloween related material but it will be spooooky). No, I didn't finish Halo 3 (stuck halfway thru stage 8 ) and I didn't even start Half Life 2 Orange. I'm a very sad panda. We (my girlfriend and me) are hopelessly addicted to Puzzle Quest. My girlfriend is nearing level 25 with her character and I'm around 15. However, I have to admit I like my wizard very very much. Fireball and Hands of Power are a deadly combo. I was able to finish my PQ review naturally. I also finished a couple of dvd reviews (The Lair - Season One and The Reaping) and have three more on tap (The Tripper, Red Road, and Poltergeist 25th Anniversary). I also went out and bought Guitar Hero 3 Wireless Bundle for the 360. *keep telling yourself, I will get to Half Life 2 Orange*
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 29th, 2007
I admit I don't have the strongest faith. Sure I believe in God, but it pretty much ends at that like any other agnostic. So when I get a movie that is based on the idea of the Ten Plagues; let's say I'm not that familiar with the subject matter. I know there are locusts attacking and toads dropping involved along with the whole river of blood thing but outside of that I'm a little thin. However, not to say I wasn't interested. In fact I'm always intrigued by stories in the bible when they are used as methods of literature and peaks into the historical past.
Posted in: Game Reviews by Michael Durr on October 28th, 2007
Some things just go together. Like Peanut Butter & Jelly, Sonny & Cher, Siskel & Ebert (okay, not so much). Puzzle Quest brings something together in complete harmony like no other game before it. Puzzles and Role Playing Games. Sure the Zelda or Breath of Fire series have puzzles in the game, but we are talking full integration where every battle is decided in a Bejeweled-like interface. Complete with mounts, spells, and other rpg-like elements; this could be the best idea of putting things together since I tried fritos and cream cheese. (Come on, you know you are curious)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 28th, 2007
What happens when the reviewer who did Dante's Cove decides to tackle its vampiresque cousin, The Lair? (Besides scheduling more sessions with his psychiatrist) You get somebody who starts understanding what makes up the Here! network. We're homies, we break bread together. Just don't expect me to wear my pants that low nor participate in your late night parties. I got an image to uphold. Season one of the Lair provides something that no other show on the Here! network has proved to this point. A show where there is actual dialog and something more than a cheap excuse to show lots and lots of male on male action. Welcome to the Fang Bang.
