An Interview with… The GrinCast

I’m the site editor at GameGrin, and a father of four, so although I’d like to say I’m a gamer, it’s sadly no longer true.(

I like games far more than I like people. Especially Japanese games. I’m also the youngest of the group, and I’m proudly celebrating my 13th (edit: 20th) birthday in June.

I enjoy a many number of things, my day job isn’t one of them. But when I’m away from that dreaded place, I hop between games, movies and TV with plenty of rum in between. If it ain’t that, then I’ll try and find new ways to get paid for my voice.

I’m news editor on GameGrin and I have a day job in insurance. I’ve been a gamer since I was a toddler and I’ve loved the sound of my own voice since before then. It seemed only natural that I should end up on a podcast about gaming.

I’m a single mum who regularly gets outsmarted by my four-year old and really *really* likes gin...and cheese...and accents.

Just your average Canadian, I’m a massive fan of competitive games, love to listen to music and go to concerts. I hope to one day travel and meet a bunch of the amazing people I have met online, in person.

I live in a very cold flat in London surviving mainly on microwaved chilli con carne and the heat from my desktop computer. I’m also a financial journalist.

The one with the strange accent, I’m a recent graduate that loves arguing with people. Particularly Emsey.

I can’t exactly remember, but I believe it was just a joyus coincidence that me and Alex were like let’s do a podcast, everyone else was like: cool story bros, the movie version will be a lot more dramatic. I’m amazed some of us kept our sanity after 50 episodes.

I can’t really remember. We floated the idea and it just sort of took off. I never expected it to reach 50 episodes if I’m honest. But it’s been great fun so here’s to 50 more.

The first games I played were on the Sinclair Spectrum ZX 81, and although the games took five to ten minutes to load, I enjoyed the heck out of them.

I had a few consoles around as a kid, but it was when I started reading and following games magazines that gaming became more than just a way to pass time.

My memory is terrible, but I will have to say it began with Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? That and good old classic Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. That’s where it went downhill.

I had an Amstrad CPC when I was about three or four. I started out on educational games like Animal Vegetable Mineral and Timeman One, but I soon progressed to things like Roland on the Ropes and the Dizzy games. To this day, I still feel nobody has made a game quite as good as Spellbound Dizzy on the Amstrad.

Final Fantasy X. That shit was good.

I started gaming at a very early age, can’t remember exactly when, with games like Doom and Donkey Kong on the SNES, however what truly got me into gaming was playing Pokémon Red on the original Game Boy.

When my mum bought me a Mega Drive when I was four or five. It was a slippery slope from there.

Wanting to travel and have awesome adventures and me being an awkward kid.

I’ve always wanted to be on a podcast, and it was either start one about comics, or join one about gaming!

Well, I mean, why wouldn’t I want to be on the podcast? I can broadcast my terrible opinions on games into the ears of the world.

My crippling fear of missing out. Also I fancy Cal’s voice. (Dominoid’s a copycat)

The other presenters are pretty awesome people, I’ve always wanted to be on a podcast and I actually listened to the GrinCast before I joined GameGrin. I joined one week as a guest and they haven’t got rid of me since. I too fancy Cal’s voice a bit.

I was always a big fan of The Instance, a World of Warcraft podcast, and had always wanted to be a part of a gaming podcast, so when the opportunity arose I jumped at it.

On the one hand, my constant need to argue with people and make myself be heard. On the other, a challenge to not be afraid to talk in public in other than my native tongue.

Yes, it’s an excuse to spend an hour a week just chatting to friends.

Am I not allowed to say no? I want to be the one to say no. I was the first one to say no. LET ME SAY NO.

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Emsey really likes my voice.

Absolutely. There’s a real chemistry between us as presenters. Although we all mock each other a fair bit, I actually do regard my fellow casters as friends and I’d like to think they do the same inversely. (I hope so anyway!)

Yes, arguing with Vod every week? That’s the dream. *swoon*

Definitely, I love that even though people have their own thoughts and opinions, I never feel like I can’t express mine. It’s a great environment to discuss our ideas on the gaming industry freely. I can definitely say that the GrinCast are a great group of people that I am more than happy to cast with.

Of course. Thursday night's GrinCast night now and forever.

I love it. People are just great and have improved my life infinitely.

I’ve spent the past two years wanting to make an RPG about GameGrin -- called RPGG. So… That.

Right, so… Take the character moments of Persona, the combat of Dark Souls, and the ridiculousness of Yakuza. That’ll be me.

I’d create a new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in the style of Dragon Age/Mass Effect, with the combat of Shadow of Mordor.

An epic, open world action adventure in the style of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but starring Dizzy.

Dreamfall Chapters: Emsey’s Choice.

I’ve always wanted there to be a proper sword fighting game. Something along the lines of Chivalry but realistic movements with VR controls and in a medieval setting.

A Football Manager game that updates itself every season.

A drinking one.

Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation 2. It was, and still is, the best Spider-Man game ever -- and Spidey isn’t exactly lacking in decent titles.

Of all time? Probably the original Fable - no, not your filthy The Lost Chapters shite.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Loved it. As a big James Bond fan, it was essentially 60s’ era style James Bond espionage in Metal Gear Solid.

Spellbound Dizzy on the Amstrad. It was the biggest game in the series and the first to bring in the arcade sequences like the mining cart section. It also marked the first appearance of Pogie the Fluffle.

Dreamfall Chapters: Emsey’s Choice. No, but really it’s The Longest Journey.

Far too many to list, but the one game that had a massive impact on my gaming experience and is still to this day one of my favourites is The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons.

Of all time? Rome: Total War. It was just the best strategy game ever at its time.

I would say The Witcher saga. Or perhaps Tomb Raider - not the latest reboot, tho. That one is a shite.