Staff

Vikki Blake – Joseph Haygood – Aarron Barker – Tanya Horne – Tony Sadowski – Joe Fourhman
Contributors – You?

Vikki Blake (Editor-in-Chief)

I was never really the kind of girl who played dollies or dress-up. While other girls were falling in love with soap stars and Bros, I was falling in love with gaming. I got lost in Hyrule. I kicked ass in Street Fighter. I had inappropriate dreams about Solid Snake, became obsessed with the gorgeously grim environments of Silent Hill and am still kind of addicted to Guitar Hero.

I’ve grown up with a particular penchant for survival horror, but I’ll turn my hand to pretty much anything. Does that mean I’m a 1337 pro gamer? Um, my kill:death ratio would suggest otherwise. But I firmly believe that you don’t have to have 1337 skills (or even know what 1337 means) to enjoy video games. To me, it’s my passion – or an obsession. Either word suffices.

Whilst I love music, video games, books and all things geek, other indulgences include Ben & Jerrys ice-cream (Cookie Dough or Dublin Mudslide, please), strong tea (made in a pot and not in the mug), gin (with tonic), chocolate (any way it’s given), doctors (naked), talking too much, complaining and swearing profusely.

In addition to running GGS.com I also write for other places, and run the biggest Silent Hill site/forum in the world, Silenthillheaven.com. I’m also an avid collector of video game tees and Silent Hill memorabilia.

Joseph Haygood (Deputy Editor)

I have always been a gamer, for as far back as I can remember (and that is a loooong way back). I remember when I begged and pleaded for an Atari 2600 with Space Invaders and found it under the Christmas tree. I was amazed at the idea that I could play arcade-style games without the need for quarters.

However, the Atari was just my entry point, as I soon found myself in a love affair with computers. I had devoured books on programming, and at one point, while in a Radio Shack, I decided on a whim to pick up Wizardry and Starflight. I was flabbergasted by the sheer amount of detail packed into the density of two floppy discs. Starflight packed in a universe of content that had me playing the game for a total of 400 hours (I was nerdy enough to track my time in a notebook before Raptr showed up). I continued forward, constantly upgrading my computer for the latest and greatest toys, to play the newest stuff, and even expanded back into consoles with the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and a PSP.

As for some of my favorites, I would have to point back to Starflight, Mass Effect 1 and 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, Space Quest I-IV, Leisure Suit Larry I-V, Duke Nukem 3D, DiRT 2 and Beyond Good and Evil. I have been an eclectic gamer by trade, and find myself dabbling with all the different genres that are out there.

As for my ventures outside of gaming, I can be found writing for Aeropause Games from time to time, reading tons of science fiction novels, watching the worst movies on Netflix and spending time with my wife and son.

Aarron Barker (Staff Writer & EU Community Manager)

If you’re reading this then the fact I’ve never played a Silent Hill game hasn’t got me kicked off the team yet, so let me give you a brief history about me before I am history here.

Gaming has been something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. From a young age I had a TV/VHS combo in my room and a Megadrive. Despite having the original Star Wars trilogy on video, I always wanted to play more Sonic or Earthworm Jim of co-op Streets of Rage with my friend across the street. My Dad often encouraged my behaviour by getting the most up-to-date consoles, the acquisition of which may have been questionable, and – playing games as much as me when I wasn’t around – he once broke my favourite PS2 controller after playing Tiger Woods all day. After he passed, I found myself becoming more engrossed in videogames – the years before had been taken up by my teenage interests like concerts and underage drinking mostly – Halo and it’s universe really opened up gaming once more for me (just as an aside, my Father was buried with a Gameboy Colour and a copy of Tetris … it’s dangerous to go alone, you know?)

Embracing the Halo Universe rekindled my love of playing games and reading the novels also gave me a love of reading – who said gaming makes people stupid? I’ve since given myself up to videogames having Halo, Legend of Zelda and Assassins Creed themed tattoos and hopefully more to come. I do also love watching international rugby, having played for Brighton as a teen, and can often be found in my local GAME stores chatting with staff – I am the GAME Dedicated Gamer of the Year 2011 in all fairness.

I hope you enjoy reading the great content on the site and my articles, I’m off to start playing Silent Hill – wish me luck.

Tanya Horne (Staff Writer)

For my fourth birthday my parents bought me an Atari 2600 Junior; it had quite a few dents which supposedly had something to do with the fact it was obtained from a shop called ‘back of a lorry’. Before too long my life revolved around Space Invaders and Asteroids. Well, until I found a SNES under the Christmas tree one year later that is. The rest, as they say, is history.

More than twenty years later I thankfully remain a video game nerd. During that time I’ve come to realise I’m a true RPG lover at heart, with the FPS and Beat ‘em up genres coming a close second. My favourite all time games include the Star Ocean series, Tomb Raider II, Goldeneye 64 and Golden Sun GBA.

When I don’t have a games controller in hand you can find me either watching Star Trek, eating sushi or following the murky world of politics in my spare time. I also have a life-long crush on Richard Dean Anderson and make a mean cottage pie when I can be coaxed into the kitchen.

Tony Sadowski (Staff Writer)

Would it shock you to learn that I’m a gamer? I guess my gameography begins with my parents’ Atari 2600. I remember playing as a wee, little Tonyling, and I adored Yar’s Revenge, Adventure, River Raid and Taz [CRAZE WAVE]. I was hooked, and video games became a constant fixture in my life.

Sega Master System, NES, SNES, Genesis, 32X, PS1, Saturn, PS2, Dreamcast, Wii, assorted Nintendo handhelds, my iPhone…I even had a Virtual Boy. How about poker? Trivial Pursuit? Apples to Apples? Candy Land? Whatever, I’m game.

I love writing (overactive brain requires constant outlet), drawing (mostly goofy cartoon sketches), music, and comedy. I’m naturally suspicious, find answers by changing the question, and will often take a side in an argument I don’t necessarily believe just to get a rise out of people. I’m generally sunny and easygoing.

I work in the media, in marketing. Luckily, I enjoy a lot of creative freedom, so it isn’t a stifling, soul-sucking bore. I’m a daddy, a husband, a dog birthday party-thrower. Also an over-sharer. Hope you like my stuff. Thanks for reading.

Joe Fourhman (Staff Writer)

Although I played the heck out of the family Odyssey2 and my Game Boy, I distinctly remember deciding that video games were not for me once things went 16-bit. I suppose it had to do with the number of buttons on the controller. Also I had no money.

But when I got a job, one of the first things I did was buy a co-worker’s old Sega Genesis… and in no time I had caught back up with the modern gen: the N64 and PS1! That generation taught me to adore both Nintendo’s consistent, high-quality output and Sony’s refusal to let one style define their system. I love a good story, and I love arguing about what makes a good story, as most video games have the plotline equivalent of a seven year old’s summary of any given “Indiana Jones” movie. I love cutscenes, I love well-designed menus, I love immersive free-roaming environments. I’m a sucker for any and all peripherals, because I love experimenting with games that break outside of the screen. So yeah, I’ve got the Donkey Konga bongos, the Pokemon pedometer, the GBA eReader and several boxes worth of similarly bizarre and ultimately abandoned plastic gewgaws.

My favorite franchises include Kingdom Hearts, Katamari, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, Deception, Rock Band, Metal Gear, GTA and Pokemon. My all-time A-number-one, however, is the Fatal Frame series. I made a card game about it.

Contributors

Olly Jones
Laura Kate
Joe McGuinness
Robert Settle
Ruth Williams

You? (Wannabe GGSer)

We’re always looking for new contributors to join us here at GGS.com. If you are 18+, have a keen interest in gaming, great written skills and the time commitment to contribute regularly (we’re looking for at least five articles a week), we’d love to hear from you!

Whilst we’re not exclusively an all-female staff, we are particularly keen to recruit and promote female writers.

Working at GGS.com is currently unpaid – bummer, we know. That said, it’s not without its rewards; we have long-standing, established industry links in both the US and the UK and access many of the perks and privileges of the gaming press including snazzy event invites and review codes. Not to mention your writing will be read by fellow gaming enthusiasts and industry insiders alike – not too shabby, eh?

Sounds like this might be the right place for you? Get in touch via our contact form explaining why you’d like to join us, coupled with a few examples of your writing. Who knows – you could soon be part of the GGS.com team!