As our longtime readers may have noticed, our team has really grown over the past few months! Nine new challengers have entered the epic arena of… video game blogging, and the rest of us couldn’t be happier to have them in the fold.
Since we’ve had such a big influx of new talent, we thought it would make sense to get to know them a little better! Without further ado, let’s meet our new contributors:
Donovan Harrell (he/him)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Favorite game(s): In no particular order: Devil May Cry 5 (it’s the pinnacle of the franchise with the best story, best mechanics, and the best Vergil); Super Punch-Out for the SNES (it’s my favorite childhood game and was the first game I ever remember playing); Sonic Adventure (such an influential game for me and defined my taste in music and gameplay for years to come); and Elden Ring (I’ve never played a game like this one. I was addicted. I neglected my wife.)
Articles Donovan wants to write: I want to write reviews, opinion essays, and lists! I love all of those formats, but I just love talking about games period.
Other hobbies/interests: I have more hobbies than I have time to pursue. I’m a reluctant weeb. I keep up to date with the latest anime each season, and I devour manga. I love reading fantasy and sci-fi books, as well as graphic novels. I just love a good story no matter the media format. I’m working on my own fiction stories as well and am teaching myself how to do digital art. I also consider myself a hip-hop head and I’m always on the lookout for some good alternative/underground hip-hop. And I have kind of a love-hate relationship with lo-fi music (it’s gentrified boom-bap beats) but that’s another conversation. I practice Muay Thai to keep in shape and also because it makes me feel like a badass. I also love traveling (I’ve studied abroad in Japan and traveled to South Africa and France) and learning new languages.
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? I’m making a genre-blending third-person, open-world RPG with a world the size and depth of Breath of the Wild; deep, expansive lore like Elden Ring; and fast-paced, stylish combat similar to DMC5. And no cooldown times on any of the special moves!
Lightning Round!
- Hottest gaming take: Battle royale games are the worst. Except for Tetris 99.
- Least favorite game(s): Kingdom Hearts III. That game broke my heart and destroyed my childhood. It’s a convoluted heap of garbage for a story and terrible late-stage capitalism.
- Favorite console/generation: The PlayStation 2, easily.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: I’d love to see a new Castlevania game inspired by the Netflix show, which is fantastic.
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
Bella Yaeger (she/her)
Eugene, Oregon
Favorite game(s): Harvest Moon, Civilization series, League of Legends
Articles Bella wants to write: Everything!
Other hobbies/interests: I love all literature. I am a finance professional for my day job so I do invest a lot of time in that.
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? An open-world farming sim probably.
Lightning Round!
- Hottest gaming take: Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands is underrated; best game in the series for sure.
- Least favorite game(s): Tough question! I love pretty much every game I play. I don’t like horror games though.
- Favorite console/generation: PC gamer through and through. Loved my Xbox 360 in high school though.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: I still play Toontown! It’s technically not dead but I do wish the community was larger.
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur
Anthony Franklin II (he/him)
Crofton, Maryland
Favorite game(s): The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Gears of War 2, Chrono Trigger
Articles Anthony wants to write: Reviews, opinion essays, conversations, and articles with a comedic slant.
Other hobbies/interests: Pro wrestling, specifically AEW and NJPW. Music wise, Michael Jackson is my favorite artist ever. Stevie Wonder, Mac Ayres, OutKast, Phonte, Ludacris as well. I love the Fast and Furious series. My favorite show ever is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? An open-world, space-combat RPG where your character can start as a young smuggler/orphan/aspiring captain. The game would see your character age as time goes on and they gain experience. The game would react to your exploits, whether you become a legend and a feared bounty Hunter, or a smuggler that is known for completing tasks but not in the best ways or for your heroism. Your character could forgo all that and become one of the best pilots in the system who is known just for your prowess in the air. The overall story would be up to the player. There would be larger boss enemies and even a few big bads based on your path who would pursue you throughout the galaxy. Or you could lend them your skills and be on the wrong side of the law.
- Hottest gaming take: Multiplayer should not be required to have incredible shared experiences in gaming.
- Least favorite game(s): Anthem
- Favorite console/generation: Console: GameCube. Generation: PS2/GC/Xbox
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Star Fox
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Charmander
Clint Morrison, Jr. (he/him)
Columbus, Ohio
Favorite game(s): Control, Final Fantasy XII, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Metal Gear Solid. I love interconnected worlds and games that think about how players engage with traversal and movement in new ways.
Articles Clint wants to write: Opinions essays, criticism, and reviews.
Other hobbies/interests: I’m a medievalist who also loves modern poetry & television. Currently, I’m watching Barry, Succession, and Ted Lasso. I also like to play guitar.
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? A procedurally generated horror game set in the Southwestern region of the United States.
Lightning Round!
- Hottest Gaming Take: Right now: Redfall is a joyful experience!
- Least favorite game(s): Every game release is a little miracle… but Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) still makes me sad.
- Favorite console/generation: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Jak and Daxter
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
Dwayne Jenkins (he/him)
Baltimore, Maryland
Lightning Round!
- Hottest Gaming Take: While I acknowledge its impact on the industry as a whole, I fully believe that Super Mario 64 is inferior in almost every way to Banjo-Kazooie.
- Least favorite game(s): It’s certainly not the “worst” game ever (as “objective” a metric as we can measure), but Kingdom Hearts III is one of the sloppiest, bland, and thoroughly disappointing games I’ve ever had the displeasure of playing.
- Favorite console/generation: PS2/Xbox/GameCube. Gaming has gotten better about this with indie games doing as well as they have, but from a AAA-games perspective, that generation was the most creative. Developers weren’t afraid to experiment and get a little wild and weird with it, but now, very few “major” publishers/developers take those kinds of risks.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: GIVE ME MY BANJO-THREEIE, MICROSOFT. I deserve it! That and Bully 2 are the only two games/franchises on my list that I need to complete my “Please bring this back” gaming Infinity Gauntlet!
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
Sabrina Anderson (she/her)
Abilene, Texas
Favorite game(s): 1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons. After trying it out for a few weeks, and never having played Animal Crossing before, I ended up putting over 600+ hours into the game and giving my life over to Tom Nook.
(Editors’ Note: Check out Sabrina’s tips for reigniting your passion for Animal Crossing as well as her guide to building a five-star ACNH island!)
2. Super Mario Bros. games: I played these games with my siblings growing up and have always enjoyed the aspect of being able to play solo or with friends. I also love that sometimes playing with others makes it significantly harder to complete a level due to all the fun chaos that ensues.
3. Nintendogs: I don’t still play this (though I still have the original DS and the game card), but it was my first ever game on a console that I was able to fully call my own. This title started my love for simulation games and RPGs and will always hold a special place in my heart. Also, RIP to my corgi Chloe after years of not logging back on to feed you or give you good pets.
4. Mario Kart Wii: I spent every waking second on this game when I wasn’t in school. It had the best tracks (Mushroom Gorge, Coconut Mall, Maple Treeway, and Koopa Cape!) and my siblings and I loved getting online to face other players in the coin contests.
Lightning Round!
- Hottest Gaming Take: Currently? I think Disney Dreamlight Valley was a huge letdown, as someone who usually loves RPGs. It lacks the playing-to-reward ratio that makes other games so great about completing mundane and tedious tasks. I wanted to like this game and was so excited for it. But it fell short in the sense that you put in so much work for so little payoff, both monetarily and mission-wise.
- Least favorite game(s): Xenoblade Chronicles. I’ll admit that I haven’t actually played this, but my husband played it frequently, and I absolutely despised the play-through the entire time.
- Favorite console/generation: Either the Wii or the Nintendo Switch, which are basically the same thing. I can’t decide.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Nintendogs! There’s so much potential in making a modern-day version of this game.
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
Kristofur “Kris” Catchings (he/him)
Compton, California
Favorite game(s): Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is easily one of my favorite Mario games ever. It has a good combat loop, excellent music, and an engaging plot that shows that there is more to the Mario universe.
Mother 3 made me want to become a writer. I played it after Earthbound and made it a tradition to play it every year. I like the rhythm-based combat, the emotional storyline, and the game’s eccentric setting.
Kingdom Hearts 2 is probably my most replayed game of all time. It has an addicting combat loop, juggled a massive storyline, always manages to keep me engaged throughout, and the boss fights are memorable.
Final Fantasy IX is my favorite Final Fantasy because of its compelling cast, magical world and storytelling, and renaissance of a soundtrack.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is my favorite gaming experience of all time. I was floored by the orchestral music, the riveting locations, and the creative level design. It’s also the first game I 100%’d on my own because I loved it so much.
Articles Kris wants to write: Opinion essays and lists are more of my jam; however, I am not afraid to do a review or two.
Other hobbies/interests: I love fitness content, manga/comic books, and drawing. My favorite movies are Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse and The Green Mile. My favorite shows are Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Wire, Six Feet Under, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. My favorite book is IT by Stephen King.
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? I would make a horror/western action-adventure game where the main character is tasked with catching cryptids and monsters that are on the loose. They would have a companion, based loosely on a nightwalker, that would be used to track down nearby enemies. The gameplay would be a mix of Devil May Cry, Zelda, and Kirby, with fast-paced action that requires players to understand which tool is most effective on an enemy. After winning a boss fight, the player would gain their ability in addition to a new onslaught of combos with the tools the player already has. The game would be mission-based, requiring the player to either defeat a certain amount of enemies to progress or get them to join their side by doing various side quests. Getting enemies to join their side would give the player valuable information on what the player might face in the next mission, as well as items and gear to make the experience more engaging.
Lightning Round!
- Hottest gaming take: Pokémon designs haven’t gotten worse; they’ve kept the same quality since Gen 1.
- Least favorite game(s): Little Town Hero. Probably the most confused I’ve ever been with a game.
- Favorite console/generation: The Nintendo Switch, but my favorite generation is the sixth one because of the memories I had with the GameCube.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Kid Icarus
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
Meghan Nigrelli (she/her)
Massachusetts
Favorite game(s): Spyro Reignited Trilogy. This game is so nostalgic for me. The first game I ever played on PlayStation was Spyro the Dragon.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Another nostalgia pick. This game fully solidified my love of Legend of Zelda and remains one of my favorite games to this day.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. “I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.”
Articles Meghan wants to write: I want to write a bit of everything! But opinion essays and conversational pieces are my favorite to write.
Other hobbies/interests: I love to read, sing, and voice act!
You have an infinite budget and infinite time. What kind of video game do you make? An RPG for sure.
Lightning Round!
- Hottest Gaming Take: Multiplayer games are so much fun and possibly my favorite way to game. There’s nothing better than hopping on chat and playing games with friends.
- Least favorite game(s): Most sport simulators in general.
- Favorite console/generation: Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Bully!
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur
Joe Chivers (he/him)
Yorkshire, England
Favorite game(s): 1. Disco Elysium – It made me laugh, made me cry, and had an outsized impact on my life and its direction. A true work of art.
2. The Witcher 3 – Of course. It’s an incredible demonstration of what’s possible in games if you really put the work in.
3. Yakuza 0 – The best Yakuza game, packed with amazing content and a well-written story that’s fantastic for both newcomers and series veterans.
4. Europa Universalis IV – I will not rest until I’ve gotten all of the achievements.
Articles Joe wants to write: I’m pretty opinionated, so reviews, features, and opinion pieces are my go-tos.
Other hobbies/interests: I play guitar and drums, mostly acoustic guitar these days but sometimes I’ll plug my amp in and make some nasty riffs. I’m also a big shortwave radio nerd. I love scrolling through the frequencies and seeing what I can pick up: sometimes weird talk radio, sometimes music, sometimes numbers stations!
Lightning Round!
- Hottest Gaming Take: The Last of Us is actually nothing more than competent. I’m perfectly happy never playing that game again.
- Least favorite game(s): Ride to Hell: Retribution, not only because it’s an absolute mess, but because I read a preview for it sometime around 2008 and it sounded SO COOL! It’s frustrating seeing something promising turn out to be trash.
- Favorite console/generation: The PS1. It was the first one where I accumulated a massive collection of games.
- Presumed dead game series you’d like to see make a return: Tenchu, no question. That series was absolutely wild in all the right ways, as well as being a superb stealth franchise.
- Gen 1 starter Pokémon: Squirtle
