Gamer Corner: Tobias

Welcome to this week's installment of Gamer Corner, where Fangirl Review interviews a gamer and gets his thoughts on the gaming world and learning what he is enjoying at the moment.

Tell me a little bit about yourself? What rig do you currently game on? What kind of gamer do you classify yourself to be? ie. PC, Console, Tabletop, LARP as well as Hardcore, RPG, etc.

My gaming rig is currently a custom Xeon e3 1285 and a Radeon HD 7990 on the PC side. On the Mac side, I also game on Steam with a Mac Pro with an E5560 and a Radeon HD 5770.

What kind of gamer I am I? An opportunist- I play games where the games are, no matter the platform.

What is your first memory of gaming?

My first vivid flashback of gaming is relentlessly playing Crystal Castles back in 1986 until my eyes bled. The levels would NOT stop coming, and I felt each new procedural stage was a new challenge I HAD to take on.

What game are you currently playing right now? Do you enjoy that game, why? How’s the overall game play and graphics?

The game I just finished two days ago was The Wonderful 101 on Wii U, and I must say it’s a contender for Game of the Year for me. Nothing can quite describe how this game plays, and it is a wonderful challenge (pun intended) all the way to the end.

The next game up in the queue is Killer Instinct on Xbox One, and so-far I am very impressed with the gameplay.

Would you recommend it, why?

I would recommend Wonderful 101 simply because it HAS to be played to be fully understood. I’d recommend Killer Instinct for two reasons- it’s a decent fighting game, and because I’m a fanboy of the franchise.

Are there any games coming out that you are looking forward to?

Definitely. I’m looking forward to Infamous: Second Son, Mario Kart 8, Titanfall, Super Smash Bros U, Monolith’s “X”, and Bayonetta 2.

If you could design your own game what would it be like?

If given the time and opportunity, I’d make an old-school beat-em up with a modern combat engine and better story similar to what Rocksteady did with the original Batman: Arkham Asylum. It would be even MORE focused on combos and acrobatics in a sci-fi setting.

Patent pending, of course!

Thoughts on this new generation of consoles – Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One?

My thoughts are a bit against the grain- PS4 and XBONE launched late due to Nintendo’s traditional sense of a console cycle’s length, though Nintendo is just now taking advantage of the time lapse with some killer games I think it needed at launch.

It’s pretty obvious that had it not been for Nintendo, XBONE and PS4 would have launched next year rather than now. So far, there’s more games that are worthwhile to play on Wii U than the other two for obvious reasons, but I’m still having fun with Resogun on PS4 and Killer Instinct on XBONE.

Since this is another evolutionary cycle rather than a revolutionary cycle, I’m sure all three consoles will have a wealth of signature games that most gamers will be overwhelmed with.

What are your thoughts on the gaming industry?

A touchy subject, but IMO the gaming industry is turning it’s back on what matters most- the fun and entertainment of the game, rather than who pushes the most effects at 60 frames per second, or what studio has the budget to make a Hollywood-like experience that sells 10 million copies upon release, only to drop off the charts forever afterwards.

Focus on the game- it’s why you’re here. If not, there WILL be another gaming crash.

10 years from now, where do you see the industry? Are you happy with that direction? If you had the power, what direction would you have the gaming industry go?

Well, I kind of answered half of where I see the industry going if things continue going the way they are now. If everyone gets their act together, I see videogames rivaling other forms of media in popularity in the near future, as a sticking point, and not a fad.

If I had the power to change the direction of the industry, I’d have studios do what they did in the past- make a kickass game that PLAYS WELL, and have the word-of-mouth do the work for you. Eventually it will pay off over time if that is ALWAYS your pedigree.

Favorite Game (can include tabletop) of all time and why?

Killer Instinct 2 (Arcade). This game consumed my life as a teenager while learning glitch/reset combos and other secrets. I’ve never had more fun playing a videogame.

Additional Thoughts and Comments?

You can find me on YouTube under handles ShadowFoxPrime, ShadowFoxInfinite, and TheRealShadowFox, and also at www.purevideogames.net/blog which where I and site admin Xantar share all things video games.

Would you like to share your gamer tag and the system so others may add you?

Xbox Live: TswanACE
PlayStation Network: TswanACE
Nintendo Network/MiiVerse: TswanACE
Steam: TswanACE
StarWars: The Old Republic: HollyShiftWell

Thank you to Tobias for a fantastic interview. If you would like to be interviewed for Gamer Corner please contact me at fangirlcontact@gmail.com. 

Post By Vikki

Twitter: ProfessorWhite