PALGN Staff writer
Which country / state are you in?
Australia / NSW
Favourite Game/s of all time?
Until not so long ago my favourite game was Ocarina of Time. It’s an absolutely brilliant game that was just had everything put together so perfectly. I have never played a game since then that had been put together so well or has managed to challenge the game’s supremacy. A couple of other that hold a special place for me are Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. They played a huge role in developing my gaming skill. However, in recent times, Resident Evil 4 has taken the mantelpiece along side these favourites. It’s just an awesome game that really took me to the edge, one of a few games (from recent time) that I couldn’t put down for a month. Oh, and it reaffirmed my Resident Evil fan status.
Resident Evil 4, PALGN's first and only perfect score
Least favourite game/s?
Pretty much anything that takes long to play. I’m talking about games that do way too much talking/text reading and not enough actually playing the game. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance fell into that category. Though some can be negligible if the gameplay is awesome, like Golden Sun or Jade Empire. Then there are simulation games. Games like The Sims and any simulation racer or any other game in that category annoy me and do little to appease my gaming needs.
What do you do aside from PALGN?
I’m currently studying Economics and Finance at UNSW. This takes up most of the time that would otherwise be spent playing games. On weekends I work at the local Big W discount store. It drags because it’s like a gathering ground for loonies. But I guess there has to be someway to fund my expensive hobby. And for any regulars in the forums, they would know by now that I’m a cricket nut.
If you were locked in a room for all eternity with someone who would you like it to be?
I’d feel sorry for whoever that would be. (So would we)
What consoles do you own?
N64, GameCube, Xbox, PSP, DS and GBA
What will be your next game purchase?
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow – another favourite franchise.
Why do you write for PALGN?
Having gone through a couple of sites as a writer, my original objective was to use my writing as an expression of opinion. Mainly because there weren’t many avid gamers in my immediate environment. PALGN however, is probably (probably?) my favourite site so far, mainly because it is local, stable and on the way up. Not to mention the endless endeavour for perks like free things, access to exclusive events and the ambition of getting to E3.
What upcoming game/s are you most anticipating?
I really can’t go past Twilight Princess. Though there will be a few titles like Fire Emblem, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones and King Kong that have me excited for the upcoming holiday season.
I could just reuse this image over and over.. Everyone wants Zelda
In your opinion whats the most irritating game ever released?
It’s somewhat of a toss up between Grand Theft Auto & Baldur’s Gate(and any game similar). Being a nut for polish and refinement, it just bemuses me that a game with such horribly sloppy controls, frustrating mechanics and general lack of polish and refinement could become one of the highest selling franchises of all time. I mean, you don’t die or fail because the game is smarter or tougher or a mistake you made. It’s because you’re running around in circles trying to lock onto an enemy while they stand stationary and shoot at you. Then there are the double standards that the game causes. Backtracking is taboo for Metroid Prime but for GTA it’s fine? Bah! Then there are games like Baldur’s Gate that epitomise almost everything I hate about games. That being the overabundance of text and despite the options, you’re never actually playing the game. Stupid dice system… Finally, a mention goes to Halo 2 for doing jack-all to advance FPS gaming on consoles and finishing 2/3’s of the way through the game. What kind of a developer forgets to make an ending? Or did they run out of ideas? Or is the cow being milked in overdrive?
What games are you currently playing?
Medievil, Ricky Ponting Cricket, Killer7 and Burnout
What is your earliest gaming memory?
I started as a PC gamer because my parents refused to buy me a console. I had my own, though extremely old PC. I think I was about 6 or 7 years old. Well, I had three games, Prince of Persia, Lemmings and this game where you played as a cat and you had to jump ontop of garbage bins and get into apartments through windows. It played like Frogger but once you get into an apartment, you’ll play mini-games like avoiding bulldogs or swimming in a fish tank to get treasure while avoiding electric eels. It was a surprisingly addictive game. (I think he's talking about Alley Cat - Ed)
What was the first game/console you played/bought?
Though my formative years were through PC gaming, my first console was a Nintendo 64. It was a birthday present. However, I was somehow surrounded by friends that owned Sega systems. So games like Double Dragon and Alex Kidd were some of the first console experiences I had. Though the first game that I would’ve bought out of my own pocket would have been a PC game, though I really can’t remember what game it was.
If you could order developer's to do/change one thing in their games, what would it be?
You heard of a game called GTA? Forget it! Forget that it exists, forget trying to copy it, forget trying to emulate it. Make a game that is a property of your own. GTA has been made. Endeavour to make a game that hasn’t already been made.
What do you think are some of the notable things you've done / contributed to PALGN?
Though I haven’t been at the site for too long, I hope that I have brought an element of truth. For a fan site, it can be easy to get caught up in "big-upping" and over-excited ratings. I hope that my reviews are the most objective that can possibly be and that readers can make an informed decision about them. Though I’m generally not into plugging my own stuff but I really love this piece of work, I don’t think a piece of writing has ever come together so well as has this one.
Over-rated or just good?
What are some of your most controversial games review scores?
Though I haven’t really been around that long, these three scores stand out for me.
-Cricket 2005 – 4.5: This is one of the most active pages on the site, probably because we are one of the only sites to have a review for this game. I hoped to be delivering what I believe an objective review but it’s ended up one of the best selling games in Australia this year.
-Conker: Live and Reloaded – 6.5: Having spent a lot of time with the N64 game and having watched the entire development cycle for the Xbox, it wasn’t good to see that there was little other than an imperfect graphical overhaul and a dodgy multiplayer.
-Metal Gear Acid – 8.0: I probably shouldn’t admit this but despite immensely enjoying the game, I’m still not sure that I gave the right score that would be representative of the game.
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