[09/03/2002]   It seems only fitting that PSoV gives a 'tip of the hat' to one of our most prolific writers, Robert McClung (a.k.a. Jade Falcon). Jade - you have the floor...

It all began one-and-a-half years ago. I struggled with an editorial assignment my composition teacher gave me, and her suggestion to help me develop some sort of critiquing skill is to begin writing about a subject I enjoyed. Having been a fan of RPGamer through its various forms for more than five years, my mind strayed to writing reviews for the numerous RPGs I played. Little did I know that a simple suggestion to help a weak spot in my schooling would explode into a journey to write over thirty reviews. The main reason why I have been writing reviews for so long despite abhorring writing is because I love the topic. Video games and computers are my life.

I loved writing the reviews enough that when Paws approached me for a job to review for RPGamer, I was more than happy to accept the offer. I was hired on for approximately three weeks, but was forced to quit due to the impending school year. For the next eight months, I had no social life whatsoever; yet I was still able to squeak out enough reviews to hit thirty by May 17.

Being mathematically and scientifically adept, I currently am studying Electronics and Computer Engineering at DeVry University. It will be quite a ride, forcing me to spend most of my money on tuition for the next few years because the tuition costs over $42,000. Unfortunately, that will take away from my available funds to play many games, so if there are any reviews springing forth from my keyboard in the next months, they will be GBA or old reviews. One word to the wise: Stay in school. Without school, you cannot make enough money to keep up with video games. You may hate it now, but you will thank yourself in the future.

Did you know that PsoV has a chat room? Come online anytime on the IRC network irc.esper.net, channel #reviewhaven. It gets quite boring when there is nobody to talk to! I will be there whenever I am online, and I will be glad to impart some reviewing hints.

By the way, I scored an A on my editorial assignment.

Good luck with college! Now only if there were student discounts on new RPG titles...

It's a lot of fun to see one person send in more than one review at a time - as long as the reviews meet our standards, quantity IS quality. Nevertheless, some of our most prolific staff writers have asked why they didn't get all of their reviews in one update. This is because each PSoV update needs at least three reviews. It is not uncommon for us to not recieve a new review for a week or two at a time (especially during the school year and finals). So, if you send us five amazing reviews - and only three get posted, it's because we're holding your other two for another update.

  ~  Paul "Amish" Koehler

Amish: Jade's greatest hits - 'nuff said. For all of our readers, consider his material as a guide for helping review the blitz of Fall and Christmas titles that will be coming to North American shores (trust me, there are lots!).