Introducing our weekly column where the Staff here at The Game Fanatics answer a few questions and reveal some Fanatical Facts about their gaming habits.
This week we cover what makes each of us fanatically different from other gamers out there and also answer the question of what titles are currently feeding our gaming addictions.
Fanatical Fact: I often feel like I’m different from the ‘typical’ gamer because of my love of JRPGs. That and most popular franchises like Call of Duty, Halo, Sports games, etc, don’t interest me at all. I’d much rather play a Final Fantasy or Pokemon.
Currently Playing: I played through Shovel Knight and it was fantastic. The only Megaman type game that I’ve been able to play and beat! Now I’m just searching around for games in this summer drought.
Fanatical Fact: I might be one of the few people who are actually worried about the apparent onslaught of “open-world” titles slated to come out this year and next on the newer platforms and PC. It seems like we’re all going to be looking back in a few years and be asking how we went from the over-saturated market of FPS’ to free-roaming societal outcasts.
Currently Playing: Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. As a big fan of isometric RPG’s (Icewind Dale, Torment!), I’m actually ashamed to say I’ve never finished the first Baldur’s Gate, much less the superior sequel. That being said, I’ve just hit the actual city of Baldur’s Gate in my current play through. That’s progress, right?
Also Smite. A third-person MOBA that is insanely well-polished and really fun to play. Where else can I watch the God of Bees throw them at people while listening to Tom Dearslay do a terrible Nicolas Cage impression? It’s also available for free.
Fanatical Fact: I dig the agency of the medium. There’s really nothing quite like taking the leap between spectator and contributor. Oh yeah, and that no-scope-360-headshot. Obviously.
Currently Playing: Steam Summer Sale Booty. State of Decay (pretty chill zombie simulator, I really like it so far) and Banished (holy smokes, so much for a relaxing city-building simulator, this thing is stressful as heck!)
Fanatical Fact: What makes me different? I’m the only person who’d describe the recent IeSF scandal as “skeuomorphic misogyny.”
Currently Playing: Guacamelee and Hearthstone. I’m itching for Naxxramas, and I’m loving suplexing skeletons as a luchadora.
Fanatical Fact: I’m a very relaxed laid back kind of guy when it comes to competitive games, I’m the one in the lobby who’s like ‘chill guys, can we just have some fun?’ which usually elicits some kind of response about my mother’s line of work, how do they all seem to know her anyway?… damn. My fanatical stance is that I only ever play for fun and like to interact with people (known or random) who are like-minded, if you get too serious and stop playing games for fun… then what’s the point?
Currently Playing: ArmA 3 is love, ArmA 3 is life. I have been looking for something as intuitive and tactical as the old Flashpoint series for years, and this takes the biscuit! I have been online in a mod called Dynamic Universal War System (DUWS) where the map, missions and enemies are randomly created throughout your experience, it’s also great for co-op allowing you to each run your own squad of customizable AI soldiers to ultimately halo jump into the active warzone. Queue ‘The Rock’ soundtrack!
Fanatical Fact: I really try to look at games as a medium that is far beyond what movies and music can offer, because when was the last time you were able to lose or suck at watching Tarantino flicks or listening to Daft Punk?
No matter how brutally graphic or dull, gaming has changed how I view the “try again” perspective of completing everyday tasks and as a perfectionist, I’d like to get it right the first time. If I don’t, then there’s always a second round waiting for me to secure success (especially given new knowledge of the previous screw up).
Currently Playing: Ultra Street Fighter IV. I have been following this game since vanilla. The new characters are great and I’m especially having fun with slamming the competition online with Elena. That girl got legs for days!
Fanatical Fact: I play games for the story, not so much the challenge. If I wanted a challenge, I’d stop playing games and go live my life, haha. But seriously, the story and how it makes sense with the gameplay will be what determines if I pick up a particular game.
Currently Playing: Well, other than World of Warcraft, I’m playing Metro: Last Light, which I’m enjoying tremendously until the little spider bugs appear that is. Those critters are freaky. I recently also got the last Dishonored (one of the best games ever) DLC and although I have completed it, I’ve started a new run to try to do things differently.
Fanatical Fact: My taste is old-school to the max. Definitely prefer 2D-styled games (platformers, fighting games, and shooters) over everything out in gaming currently. Not that I don’t enjoy the current-gen titles, but I almost always tend to veer towards the classics. My wide variety of nerdy interests and old-school taste in video games has always had me able to enjoy just about any game I get my hands on.
Currently Playing: 1,001 Spikes is the game I’ve been playing as of late. Everything about this title is a retro gamers dream. The 8-bit graphics, soundtrack and crazy difficulty make this a classic in a great throwback to 2D platforming.
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Have a question or topic you want the Staff of The Game Fanatics to weigh in on? Email us at
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