Home » Naked Barrel Interviews: Alex

Naked Barrel Interviews: Alex

The Naked Barrel Interviews will be an ongoing weekly series designed to shine the spotlight on the people who make the Barrel the place it is; namely the dedicated staff members and the outstanding members of the BRB community.

Alex (As drawn by BRB's ace artist, Chris Shooter)

What is your all time favorite game?

Alex: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.  Whereas most new games become somewhat of a blur, I can tell you intimate story details about The Ocarina of Time.  And, I’m a bit of an old school gamer, so it makes sense. I can still play it and love the hell out of it.  For me there is so much to like about that game, but my favorite part is always the fight against the Fire Temple boss, Volvagia.

Runners-up: Mega Man 3, Shadow of the Colossus, Super Punch-Out and Super Mario World

Name one game you enjoy that most people don’t like?

Alex: I am a huge fan of platformers starring anthropomorphic animals: Crash Bandicoot, Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank, Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong, etc.  I am a kid at heart, and I still like to watch cartoons, so if you deliver a well-written and fun game with a cutesy animal protagonist, I will probably play it.  Readers might be surprised to know that I am also a fan of mascot kart racers and arcade racing games.

Also, I really, really enjoyed Resident Evil 5.  That game gets a lot of undue hate.

On the flip side, what is one game you hate that a majority of people enjoy?

Alex: I don’t care about Grand Theft Auto, and I don’t like military shooters – although I am interested in Spec Ops: The Line, which, from what I have heard, has a good story.  When Activision announces the next Call of Duty game, to me, they might as well be announcing Pet Rock 2012.  I just don’t care.  If you want me to pay attention to your shooter, then add a science-fiction or horror twist a la Resistance, BioShock or Dead Space.

Name one game are you looking forward to the most in the coming months?

Alex: Resident Evil 6

What video game world would you like to live in and why?

Alex: If I could live in one video game, it would be Banjo-Kazooie.  I would spend my days frolicking in the waters of Treasure Trove Cove, and at night, I would hang out with Boggy Bear at Freezeezy Peak.  And I hear that Click Clock Wood is nice during the spring, summer and fall.

What’s your favorite kind of barrel?

Alex: The obvious answer: the big red one.  I am also a fan of the triple-barrel shotgun from the Resident Evil series, the Hydra, as well as Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, which is aged in a bourbon barrel, and, as a result, has the distinct taste of bourbon – though not as strong.  It is something you can sip and enjoy.

What’s your favorite game that includes barrels?

Alex: Off the top of my head, the Uncharted games.

What was your first ever console or gaming computer?

Alex: My first console was a secondhand NES that my older brother gave me.  I was lucky; he had good taste in games.  Without spending even $1, I got Mega Man, Mega Man 3, Castlevania, Tennis, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros./ Duckhunt, Mario Bros., Rygar, Dragon Spirit and Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out.  I still have that NES, and I play it every so often.   It isn’t my favorite console, but there are a lot of memories tied to it.

What is your favourite gaming platform of all time?

Alex: My favorite gaming system of all time: the PlayStation 2.  The PS2 has an unmatched game library.  It wasn’t the hardware; the games made that system great.

If you are not gaming what other activity are you most likely to be doing with your time?

Alex: When I am not gaming, I am most likely working, writing, podcasting, listening to music or watching movies.   I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.   I try to do that as often as I can, but, admittedly, I need to be with those people more often.  They are my life.

When did you join the staff of Big Red Barrel?

Alex: I have been here since the beginning.  I remember the Skype chat with other staff members in which we got together to “push the button” to make BRB official.  I will never forget the joy we shared in that moment.

What do you do for the Barrel?

Alex: I am the editor-in-chief of Big Red Barrel.

Why did you decide to start writing content about video games?

Alex: I have always been good at writing, and I grew up playing video games.  It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.  It just seemed to fit.

What was your favorite article that you’ve ever published on Big Red Barrel?

Alex: My Paragon Guise Hides my Touch of Renegade

Is it true that touching an Xbox 360 will cause you to burst into flames?

Alex: This is a myth. No, touching an Xbox 360 will not cause me to burst in flames; however, I once tried to “jump in,” (See this for reference) and I crushed the console and got a bunch of nasty cuts and bruises.

Would you rather wrestle an alligator-shark or never see another Mario game made?

Alex: The latter. You don’t mess with those alligator-sharks.  They are at least two times more vicious than the shark-alligators.  And, to be honest, I have always liked Luigi better than Mario.

1 Comment

  1. The final question/answer made my day. Alex just got a whole lot cooler.

    Reply

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