Let’s Think Deep: Dante’s Inferno and It’s Place In The World
January 30, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Video Games
Is Dante's Inferno offensive? Let's Think Deep. Also yes.
Usually I tend to be very silly and less serious than the typical individual when I write my articles. That’s just my style and also because I have the mental capacity of a seven-year-old. However, I’m about to go into a Let’s Think Deep that is going to tread on some extremely serious, touchy, and possibly inflammatory grounds. I’m going to be talking about Christianity, or more specifically, how Christianity appears in Dante’s Inferno. Not the classic Italian poem. No, the new video game based on said epic, and I use the phrase “based on” extremely loosely. So if you’re ready to Think Deep, let’s begin. Read more
Ten More Big Plot Holes From Dragonball Z
January 29, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Movie and TV Toys
Prepare for MORE nerd rage!
Not too long ago I wrote an article about the Ten Biggest Plot Holes in Dragonball Z. I tried to sleep the night afterward but I couldn’t. My mind kept racing to inform me of plot holes I missed. So after a week of restless nights I composed myself and plunked out another ten plot holes worth noting. I already covered the top ten, so here are Ten More Big Plot Holes in DBZ. And while you’re at it, you might as well be caught up with the series, so check out my favorite season, Season 6.
A Hack and A Slash: Impressions From the God of War III Demo
January 28, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Video Games
"I will eat your face."
I am a huge fan of the God of War series. Or rather, I was until the very end of God of War II where Kratos waved at the camera and said, “See you on the PS3!” For those of you that haven’t played God of War II, I highly recommend playing it, but you probably won’t like the conclusion that DOESN’T HAPPEN. I cannot stand games that purposefully don’t resolve themselves, especially when the next installment is guaranteed going to be on the next console. Here we are in 2010 and God of War III is coming out very soon on the PS3, so a demo is out and playable at last.
Comic Book Club: A Review of Bone
January 27, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Comics & Graphic Novels, Toys
Get ready for one heck of a story.
Last year I took a class called History of Superheroes with a one Ben Saunders (you don’t know him, so stop pretending you do). It was a class offered at the University of Oregon to us English majors, so I jumped at the opportunity to not read actual literature in lieu of something I genuinely cared about. But before the class I made one very important decision about the class: I wanted to be “That Guy.” You know who “That Guy” is. He’s the kid in class that raises his hand to every question and always has something to say about every topic, usually to mention something else that he knows but no one else does. Everyone hates “That Guy” because he’s annoying. I have always wanted to be “That Guy” in some class and I thought this was my chance to do it, so I spent the summer before my fall term reading over a hundred graphic novels to prepare. It was my Odyssey of sorts, and after all that you know what happened? I still wasn’t anywhere close to the level of “That Guyness” that half a dozen people in the course were at.
Just Don’t Panic: A Retrospective on Catch Phrase
January 25, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Board Games
A simple concept sometimes goes a long way.
I’m a fan of good party games. You’ve caught on to this already being the intellectual readers that you are. I’m ready to talk about yet another fantastic game to break out when friends and family come to visit. Time for Catch Phrase.
What, No Beer Pong?: A Review of Army of Two: The 40th Day
January 22, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Video Games
Sometimes you've just gotta show your bro some love.
Who am I to decide what makes a good game and bad game? I’m about to tell you that Army of Two: The 40th Day is pretty unimpressive as a game. But who’s to say I’m the correct person to say such a thing? It’s become pretty clear that I’m a Nintendo fanboy and that I’m very bad at First-Person and Third-Person Shooters (Army of Two is a Third-Person shooter), so why am I allowed to have a say on this particular game?
A Review of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
January 21, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Video Games
For a guy that's supposed to bear those crystals, he sure does look confused about what a crystal is.
How To Beat Your Friends In Board Games
January 20, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Board Games
You want to be as relaxed and successful as Rich Uncle Pennybags here? Follow my advice and you'll be closer than you think.
Rock The Dragon: A Look Back on Dragonball Z
January 19, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Movie and TV Toys
As Toonami once said, "61 million fans can't be wrong."
No need to preface this one since you know all too well that I’m a DragonBall Z fiend. I’ve watched the whole series, read the whole series, played the whole series, and generally attempted to live my life as if any moment I could turn into a Super Saiyan and need to defend the Earth (and by all that I mean I’ve practiced how to scream real loud for extended periods of time). Just a few days ago I finished rewatching the end of the series since I bought all nine volumes of Z on DVD in their remastered and “definitive” forms.
Like Capture The Flag With Bombs: A Stratego Retrospective
January 15, 2010 by Chris Pranger
Filed under Board Games
I like to imagine world leaders looking like this man while they play Stretego.
So chess is a classic game of strategy and checkers is a classic game of “I Wish I Were Chess.” I was always good at chess (checkers, not so much), but there was another game I was addicted to beyond those two: Stratego. Have you played Stratego? You really should. Don’t believe me? Oh ye of little faith. Follow me then. It’s time for a history lesson.
