Dare to Play the Game

Halo 3 ODST, Project Natal & Facebook on Xbox Live? - Welcome to the column that would have gone to E3 if the show organizers didn’t do background checks for booth girl stalking known as Dare to Play the Game.

Many video game columnists are currently at E3 getting all giddy over the latest announcements and acting important like somebody is supposed to be impressed with their credentials by being at this event. The rest of us get to sit back and feed off their info and wonder what it really takes to get into one of these things besides a plane ticket and some secret “handshake”. Okay, there is no handshake but it sure does feel mysterious. I would like to think in my lifetime I would attend one of these, but I’m not holding my breath. Maybe next year.

Warner Bros wants to buy Midway, Thoughts on new hardware for Nintendo, and Bill Clinton in Fallout 3? - Welcome to the column that offered $9.95 for the rights to the TNA Impact series and was turned down because I bid in pesos known as Dare to Play the Game.

After playing 15 games in the franchise mode of NHL 2k9, I am a strong 11-4. Most of the games are very close, common scores being 3-2, 5-4 and the like. Overtime is a frequent occurrence as well. However, my luck in overtime has been very solid so far. By the way, I do the old traditional Sudden Death overtime, no pansy shootout for me.

Free Realms Draw a Million, Tatsunko vs Capcom and Wal-Mart Goes Gamestop? - Welcome to the column that will open up a used video game store and only take Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt combo NES carts known as Dare to Play the Game.

Still playing NHL 2k9. I did pop a few achievements this week. Nothing special, just more of the win this many games, score this many assists and sit in the penalty box for these many minutes types. I stand at 200 achievement points and in franchise mode I am currently 6-2 on the middle of the road difficulty with the San Jose Sharks. Not bad, not bad. But even though I do like the game a lot, it doesn’t come without its faults.

Guitar Hero Smash Hits Setlist, Rock Band & Pearl Jam Unite, and Duke Nukem Forever ever? - Welcome to the column that is considering a petition to ban Rush from any Guitar Hero/Rockband title going forward known as Dare to Play the Game.

More NHL 2k9 greatness. I have moved up in difficulty, it is obvious harder but not too overbearing. However, it creates for a much more exciting game which is what I was looking for. There isn’t too much going in the achievement part due to a little bit less scoring and more competitive play. The penalty minutes are still racking up though. I’m certainly not getting tired of it but my gamerscore isn’t going to jump up overnight unless I go ballistic on it. Then, I run the risk of hating myself while I’m at it. I do plan to start a franchise and hopefully I will be able to knock down the amount of games in a season. I’m not looking for a full 80+ game schedule.

EA Sports Predictions, Turtles in Time Remake and Video Game Hall of Fame in Iowa? - Welcome to the column that will donate its copy of Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust & Magna Cum Laude(as I’m probably the only guy who will admit owning both) to the Video Game Hall of Fame known as Dare to Play the Game.

Well, last week I was debating what to do with my time besides Rock Band, Poker & Bowling. I finally decided on NHL 2k9. It didn’t take long to crack it open after that and install it to my hard drive. I went with the weakest difficulty to start and turned off the part to call off-sides (always hated that call). Even though I had some trouble figuring out controls in my first game, by the third period, I was mastering skating and blowing shots by goalies.

The Fate of Fallujah, Square Enix takes too long and How do those rules for Xbox 360 achievements go again? - Welcome to the column that can make sense of anything except achievements and New Kids on the Block reunion tours known as Dare to Play the Game.

At this point of the column, you are probably wondering if I kept playing Leisure Suit Larry after my review (just go with it okay). The answer is about enough time to finish another couple of quests (including a stupid timed one where I climb on top of buildings and find 11 different clues) and collect some more Larry awards. Then I calmly put it down and went back to a combination of WSOP 2008, Rockband and Rocketbowl.

The Mystery of the E74, A Brand New Fallout, and Anti-Smoking Games for Soldiers? - Welcome to the column that smokes them if they got them and then sponges off of you for more known as Dare to Play the Game.

I finally did it. I played Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust for the Xbox 360 this weekend. I’m sorry I did. The game can summed up in one phrase: Lazy programming. The base was there, but they simply didn’t come through in the execution. Feel free to read the review and you’ll understand more of what I am talking about. I did get 110 achievement points which isn’t bad…but I won’t play it anymore than to finish the game, if that. Don’t expect me to run around looking for all 100 Larry awards (I have a measly 12 right now cause I’m just not trying to find them).

Gamestop reviewing Sales Policy, Capcom swears RE5 Versus code is not on Disc, and Third Party Wii Development Not Justified? - Welcome to the column that swears that the content for this week is 100% new (except for the 20 year old one-liners) and unopened (well until you click the link anyway) known as Dare to Play the Game.

Remember when I was supposed to start that Leisure Suit Larry game? Heck, I was going to have a review for you folks. So did I open some other game? Nooooo. What did I play: you guessed it, a lot of poker (World Series of Poker 2008) and a lot of Rockband 2. I started at my copy of Leisure Suit Larry quite endlessly most nights while watching tv and contemplating switching on my Xbox instead. This week, I make a vow…I will play LSL and I will sit down and at least start my review.

Take-Two Shareholder Lawsuits, More Fable II DLC, & Nintendo weakening? - Welcome to the column that can predict to absolute certainty that the sun will set tonight (as long as they don’t have to prove it) known as Dare to Play the Game.

I would describe the last week as preparation for something better. I really didn’t play any games. Sure I did the usual World Series of Poker 2k8, Rock Band and even some Rocket Bowl but I didn’t really start anything. I decided to purchase a couple of budget games last week. The first one was actually a new release and goes by the name of Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust. I know what you are thinking. Why would I play such a crap game? It’s been panned by critics and it is just for teenagers who need to see boobies. Probably for the same reasons I picked up Rumble Roses for the 360 (to see boobies?). Besides that! Truth is I grew up with Leisure Suit Larry (yes, I was playing LSL games when I was a teenager) and part of me wants to see a good LSL game which I haven’t seen since they started making console games. So for $20, I’ll give it a whirl and hope at least the achievements are fairly easy.

Fable is Little Big Planet, Farting Infringement & No More Consoles? - Welcome to the column that passed up an opportunity on trade marking the phrase: Why So Serious? known as Dare to Play the Game.

I did it, I did it! Whoop! 1000 points has become mine in Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection. This weekend I tried E-Swat once again. I found a lucky break on the 1st level that I had not seen in prior experiences with the game. That led to a pretty easy defeat of the 1st level boss. The 2nd level was honestly cake and I got the 30 achievement points. My remaining game related achievement was with Vectorman 2. Get to the 11th level. This might take a little while. So I started playing and playing. Levels were difficult at first (level 3 absolutely blows), but once I got over the hump of understanding the game, the levels started to go away gradually.