The Team

What was once a solo mission has now become a cooperative campaign.  So I present to you The Gamer’s Abstract Team.

Tim Utley (Founder and Editor-In-Chief)

Mini Bio (I kind of already have one on here but I am a team player)

Favorite Video Game system – Dreamcast

Favorite Thing about new games – New game smell rocks my socks (and playing them of course)

Favorite Super Hero – Batman

If I could meet any Movie Director – Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice)

Dream House – Not huge, not tiny, but big enough to display my game collection in full (spatial limits suck)

Game Genre I wish I had more time for – RPG (so many good RPGs and not enough time!!!)

If I could be in any video game what would it be – Jet Grind Radio, it would be an adrenaline rush that never ended

Marital Status – Single

Justin Brunelle (First Team Member and Contributor/Author)

Favorite system of all time: Cross between Super Nintendo and Playstation 1

Game genres covered: RPG’s(more old school then new school), Shooters, Adventures, Platformers, minor bit of Horror,  dabble in a little bit of everything other then Sports really

Favorite game series: Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, Mass Effect, Resistance, Portal, Final Fantasy, Metroid, Mario, Disgaea, Max Payne, Assassin’s Creed, Mega Man, Super Smash Bros, Uncharted, The Legend of Zelda, Max Payne, Gran Turismo(earlier installments as I have switched to Forza now), Ratchet and Clank, Halo, Saints Row, Infamous, and SSX

Top 10 best games of all time: Final Fantasy 6, Super Castlevania IV, Chrono Trigger, Shadow of the Colossus, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Metal Gear Solid(PS1), Super Metroid, Max Payne 1, Mega Man 2, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

Currently playing or will play: Deus Ex Human Revolution, Catherine, Disgaea 4, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Assassins Creed Revelations, Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, Ico/Shadow collection, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Star Wars The Old Republic, Shadow Hearts Covenent(PS2), Max Payne 3, Zelda: OoT (3DS)

         Hi, I’m Justin. I spend my current time these days working for Best Buy installing Home Theater Systems in a residential setting.  I spend most of my free time when I am not at work enjoying as many games as I can get my hands on. I am a completely story driven gamer who has little time or patience to really get into multiplayer as I tend to just get bored with it really quick.  I grew up really only ever playing single player titles and in my later years I only find myself playing campaign and not even experiencing multiplayer.  I am a big time retro gamer and often find myself firing up one of my old systems and popping in a cartridge to relive the nostalgia of that time in my life. I have a PC capable of playing PC games, but I choose not to use my PC as an outlet for my gaming addiction.  Mostly I play my PS3 these days with crossing over to my 360 and Wii for some of the non cross platform hit titles.  I will give most games the benefit of the doubt so long as my gaming que is low and the game is for the right price.  I find that you can have fun with just about any game for even a little bit.  My goal as a writer and contributor is to provide in depth reviews and articles that will raise a lot of conversation amongst visitors and get my creative ideas and thoughts out there to you the readers.  What I’m looking for more than anything is for feedback, counter arguments, and questions from my readers. I will take any and all time to answer or reply to anything written from someone whether you agree or disagree.

Ryan Douglas (Second Team Member and Contributor/Author)

Adjective most attributed to me: Awesome.

Bit of a Sony fanboy truth be told, but I won’t rule out any system or genre. God Of War might be my favorite series but who can choose?

I’m here to talk about any and all games that fall within my purview. I’m a bit OCD when I find a game that hits just the right nerve. I will try to be as fair and unbiased as possible in this endeavor but I make no promises if I encounter garbage. My time here will be spent on video game talk but I also have my own blog over at oddmood.wordpress.com if you care to see anything else I might have a slant on, or if you have a request. My specialty is nerddom/dorkdom but I cast a pretty wide net. Peace out, bitches.

Ash Saraga (Third Team Member and Contributor/Author)

Favorite Video Games:  Legend of Zelda, Portal, Bioshock, Borderlands, and Mass Effect.

Currently Indulging in:  Mass Effect 2 and a whole lot of League of Legends.

Hello all, the name is Ash, and I’m currently in my senior year of undergrad, working towards a Journalism degree.  I am an avid irony-lover, nerd impresario, and Sci-Fi aficionado.  I’m a bit of a youngster – my first system was an N64, first game I ever finished to 100% was Ocarina of Time, however I have an immense appreciation for retro gaming.  I’m an Xbox 360 kind of gal, though I do own and play the others on occasion; I save my RTS for PC play.

I don’t pull punches – if a game sucks, I’m going to tell you as much.  However, objectivity is important, and I make it my job to keep it.  You’ll also find, from time to time, that I post about other things within the “Nerdcore” culture.  I’m a huge “Firefly” and “Doctor Who” fan, I play a weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, and I’ve even been known to cosplay (though only on very special occasions.)  If somebody’s been beaten up for it, it’s probably in my repertoire, and I’m happy to write on it.

Bottom line is:  we’re here for you, our readers.  If you want to see something here, let us know!  If we’ve not given a game a fair shake, if you’ve got thrilling news to share, or even if you just want to start a discussion, we are here to make that happen.

Happy gaming.

PS.  So as to avoid any, confusion:  No, I do not own a Pikachu, nor am I “that guy from Poke’mon.”  And I cannot show you my Boomstick, as sadly, I do not have one.