Meet this year’s video game columnist, Josiah Long, who presently resides in Belgrade, Serbia. When asked about Belgrade, Josiah described a city blessed with a mild climate and a culinary scene predominated by hearty offerings of meat and bread. Moreover, the soccer derbies in the city create an intensity that eclipses the infamous English counterparts. One can anticipate post-game fights between team fans that rival mafia battles. Josiah’s interests extend to the realm of literature too. He finds wisdom in the Bible, his favorite book, while also enjoying manga like Bleach, My Hero Academia, and Spy x Family. Alongside these, he reads sci-fi novels like the Star Wars series.
Josiah’s hobbies are centered around video games, aligning harmoniously with his column topic. He enjoys shooter and action-RPG games, but his intrigue goes deeper into more technical and scholarly realms such as consumer technology and the intricate hardware components that support a seemingly simple video game experience. The aspect of video games that Josiah enjoys the most is their ability to keep the mind active and engaged. When playing video games, one is constantly strategizing their next move or working to elude incoming attacks. This creates what can be described as a dynamic and immersive thought process that sets video games apart from other forms of entertainment such as television or reading, where content is passively absorbed. According to Josiah, video games provide the greatest level of interactivity that not only allows the individual to establish a stronger connection to the story but also lets them engage in it on a more profound level. This is due to the fact that a person’s actions within the game can potentially change the entire outcome, thereby making the story more personal.
Personality-wise, Josiah relates to Gladys from Portal. They both exhibit tendencies to passive-aggressiveness and an occasional sarcastic remark. They also hate it when people foil their plans, take over their bodies, and stuff them inside a potato – one must admit, this interview is taking an increasingly peculiar turn.
When asked about what captivating subjects he plans to explore in his column in the upcoming school year, Josiah conveyed his wish to delve into both individual games and overall themes of game genres. Additionally, he extends an invitation for suggestions to all readers, so feel free to share topics that interest you in the comments.
Spy x Family is great, and serialization is the bane of my existence