Introducing Brian, sometimes known as Brian Bloodaxe

There’s an interesting fellow on Twitter called Brian Bloodaxe. If you’re rubbish at spelling, like me, you might sometimes write that as “brain bloodaxe” which sounds even more gruesome. As it happens the name comes from an old Spectrum game that came out in 1985 and reminded many players of Monty Python’s Flying Circus with its humour.

Back on Twitter, I noticed that Brian was rather savvy when it came to tweeting links to interesting content and making intelligent observations. Not the game, the Spectrum game from 1985 doesn’t tweet anything, I mean Brian the man. When I had the chance to cheekily ask; “Hey, do you fancy writing some stuff for Geek Native” – I took it. Brian, the sucker hero that he is agreed! Huzzah. So, as Brian will be joining Graham and myself, I thought it would be polite to introduce him via the medium of a Q&A interview.

Here goes!

Q1. Who the hell are you? Er, I mean, please tell the readers a little about yourself?

Just another Edinburgh based thirty-something geek who loves to write about all the wonderful stuff out there. After three years writing about video games for Square-Go.com I am looking forward to blogging about all the other things that I love, whether that’s board games or comics or zombie films!

Q2. Peer into the crystal ball of geek insight and predict what sort of thing we might find you writing about?

Interesting developments in gaming, whether that’s videogames, card games or RPGs.

Q3. What’s been your favourite computer game of the year – and why?

Yikes! There have been so many good games this year and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface. I got totally sucked into Torchlight on Xbox Live, it’s just another dungeon bash but it is perfectly balanced for endless hours of fun. Portal 2 was stunning, effortless storytelling, clever puzzles and great humour. I am playing through Project Eden just now with my Kinect and with its gorgeous organic visuals and the subtle interface it is in a class of its own.

Biggest surprise though has to be Frozen Synapse by Mode7games. A real-time/turn-based strategy hybrid set in cyberspace it’s a tactical challenge like no other. Huge in single player, great in multiplayer and it has a fantastic soundtrack.

Q4. What’s you’re preferred gaming device? Why is it better than the alternatives?

For me, the 360. I prefer its controller and its online options to the PS3’s and I prefer the user-friendliness of consoles to maintaining a gaminig PC. Handhelds and the Wii just haven’t had enough of the games I like to play to hold my interest. I still get occasional use from my PS2 though.

Q5. What’s been your favourite tabletop RPG of the year – and why?

It’s not from this year but I am still pouring through Eclipse Phase. It’s a gorgeous book with some stunning concepts. I hope that their pricing model keeps the series going through many suppliments. Four books already though is an impressive success.

Q6. What dream bit of geek news would you love to cover? The launch of Xbox 720? The merger of Fantasy Flight Games and Sony? Software that turns any remote webcam into an x-ray device? Something else?

Tough one. Exclusive confirmation that Dice are working on Mirror’s Edge 2? The first launch of that new NASA rocket? No, I’ve got it: that Lego are about to launch a new range of sets based on the Mass Effect universe!

Q7. What do you think the big news in the next 6 months is actually likely to be?

I think the PS Vita is going to be pretty big. It’s got a great line up of games and it looks like if will be shiny enough for that must-have-gadget effect to kick in. Also, I hear that sales of Settlers of Catan are still growing, it would be nice if it finally went mainstream and became the must-have gift this holiday season.

Q8. Who’d win in a fight? Catwoman or Legolas?

Legolas could snipe Miss Kyle in a second but comic characters always find a way to come back from the dead. After a while the sheer futility of the fights would drive the elf to the Grey Havens leaving Catwoman to win by default.

Q9. Which three blogs would you encourage Geek Native readers to go investigate?

Rock Paper Shotgun – Best name ever and they keep me up to date with all the indie oddities available on PC.

XKCD – I’m sure Geek Native readers will already know this web comic but I love it.

Fuck Yeah Concept Art– Exactly what it says in the URL. A huge collection of awesome concept art.

Q10. Which three Twitter accounts do you think geeks should follow?

@ellardent – Always tweeting insightful and amusing though. His recent analysis of Dr Who and Torchwood has been particularly good at showing why the former is so good and why the latter isn’t.

@newscientist – Science fact can be better than science fiction.

@channel4news – Sometimes I feel that if I didn’t have news in my timeline I might lose track of the real world altogether. I have been assured that this would be a bad thing.