Staff Bio: Aaron Sirois

Name: Aaron Sirois

Nicknames: Jack, Jack the Ripper, and all other joke forms of that name.

Location: Maine, NY

Three Favorite Genres:
3D Action
Music/Rhythm
Wrestling

Three Favorite Games:
Final Fantasy Tactics (PSX)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Guitar Hero Franchise (PS2)

Favorite Console: Playstation 2

Other Places His Writing Can Be Found:
This is my first gig, baby!

Bio: Aaron Sirois is not actually Jack the Ripper. He just though it would be a cool name for an E-Fed character and suddenly everyone on the internet knows him as such. Of all the names to stick….

This is Aaron’s first gig as a writer, and he couldn’t be more excited about it. It all came about when he noticed that PSP games were getting largely overlooked around here and decided to voice some protest when The Gradius Collection won PSP game of the year for 2006. He was asked to put his money where his mouth was and write up a sample review, and was fortunate enough to get the job! Aaron has also learned the merits of the Nintendo DS and plans to review portable games for a long time to come.

(I’m just too damned poor for any next gen console. : ( )

Q&A

1) Alexander Lucard

Portable gaming vs Console gaming. Which do you prefer and why?

Any time about six months ago I would have said console gaming hands down, but now its a harder decision. Most portable games are keeping it simple, while console games are getting more and more complex. Also, portable gaming has gotten me to try games I never would have imagined I’d like. Games like Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, Lumines, and Puzzle Quest have gotten me to really broaden my horizons. So as of right now, I’d have to say portable wins out. (The fact that I can sneak in a couple hours of gaming during work is no small matter either.)

2)ML Kennedy

How would you make a video game starring the WWE’s Kane?

And don’t think I haven’t thought about this either. The best bet would have to be old school beat em up, preferably based on the times depicted in “Journey into Darkness” where Kane grows up thinking he’s responsible for his parent’s deaths until he sees the Undertaker on TV and realizes its his brother. Of course, I’d have to ramp it up a bit by giving them the powers they occasionally seem to have on TV, such as summoning fire, or lighting bolts.

3) Guy Desmarais

Many people tend to associate certain songs to represent them, or to illustrate their personality. Which video game would best represent you? Not necessarily your favourite, but the one that best illustrates who you are.

Ooooooooh, pseudo-psychology.

I’m a little overweight, so my first impulse is to make a crude Pac-Man joke, but I guess I’ll try to put some thought into this. Of all things, I’m thinking The Sims fits best. I’m always trying to stay on people’s good sides and trying to keep people happy. Get me angry though, and I’ll slap you in the face with a fish!

4) Mark B

What’s your favorite wrestling game franchise?

I’m a WWE guy at heart, so I have to say the Smackdown franchise. I know I’m supposed to say Fire Pro, but I just don’t like it as much. I like the direction the Smackdown games are going. If they’d just spend ten minutes fixing the clipping issues, or get Jim Ross to make some new commentary, it would be fantastic.

5) Lee Baxley

If they made a wrestling RPG featuring every wrestling character in existance, which 4 characters would make up your party?

Kane, Undertaker, Gregory Helms, and Goldust.

6) Misha

In wrestling, what’s your favourite Foreign Object (steel chair/barbed wire 2-by-4, etc)?

Mr. Socko. It can’t get much worse than losing by having a dirty sock shoved down your throat.

7) Charlie Marsh

From worst to best

Wrestlemania Challenge – though it was great to hear nintendoized versions of the wrestler’s themes, these early games just sucked.
WWF In Your House – this wasn’t wrestling. It was mortal kombat. It was still fun, but not good enough.
Wrestlefest – Didn’t get much of a chance to ever play it, but it had a fantastic roster
Monday Night Raw – I’m one of the few who like this, simply because it had the royal rumble in it, and that rumble was awesome. Not my favorite roster
Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth – Huge roster. Decent controls, and it had a draft. Awesome.

8) Robert Capra

Satan has written a deal for you to trade your soul for one power/ability you’ve seen in a video game and have it apply to you in real life. What do you choose and what would be the first thing you’d do with it?

-Despite all of the choices here, I find this to be a very easy decision. I’d take the ability to reverse time as seen in Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. The ability to take back anything I do or say is too great to pass up.

The first thing I’d do with the power? Honestly, I’d problaby end up using it to get perfects on all the songs on Guitar Hero. Once I’d perfected the use of it though, I wouldn’t be able to pass up the opportunity to punch my boss in the face. Rewinding is awesome.

9) Danny Cox

What five Nintendo (first console) games would you want in your collection for all of damnation?

– Well I don’t know if I’d call that hell, but not being able to play God of War or Ratchet & Clank would end up grating on me.

As for what first party Nintendo games I’d go after, that’s easy .

1. Super Mario Bros. 3: My favorite NES game ever, bar none.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – No branier if I ever saw one.
3. Starfox 64: Endless amounts of replay value.
4: Super Mario World: One of the best platformers ever created.
5: Kirby Superstar: Because Kirby is the single most kick ass character ever created.

10)Fred Badlissi

Blowing on cartridges to get them to work in an old NES: worthless tripe, or believe the hype? And why?

Worthless tripe? Blowing on the cartridge is is a god damned miracle worker! I can’t count the number of times I tried to play something like Wrestlemania or even Snake Rattle & Roll, only to have the TV mock me with blank screen, or worse, play the game like a Picasso painting from hell! It might not always work on the first try, but if you believe and your heart is pure, you just might get to play your favorite NES game once more. Just make sure you don’t have any food in your mouth or else it’ll get messy.