About

What IS Nightmare Mode?

I’m glad you asked.

Nightmare mode is a collective of eccentric writers and critics around the world who unite under the belief that games can convey ideas other media can’t. We write thoughtfully, meticulously, critically, sometimes absurdly about games, their industry, and their surrounding culture. Why? We don’t think games should be known for their vapidity and immaturity. Neither do you, we hope.

Main Characters

Patricia Hernandez: Editor and co-founder of Nightmare Mode who leads a bevy of projects in the same way TaeYeon probably leads SNSD.  Oh, video games? Patricia plays those. She likes to shoot other people, especially if it feels crunchy. And role playing games, because she gets a little too “engaged” with character interactions (this song, and this person, will always make her ache).  Stubborn, intense and opinionated, it’s no surprise she practically lives on the internet. Favorite games, somewhat in order: Persona 4, Dragon Age Origins, Fallout 2, Gears of War 2, Mass Effect 2, Wind Waker, Metal Gear Solid, Tales of the Abyss, Heavy Rain and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor . Further things of interest: Paula Deen, Cole Train/Balrog, and GIFs.

Tom Auxier: Features Editor/Co-Founder. He’s played games since he was a wee lad, starting with Sonic 2, where he couldn’t beat the first level. He’s come a long way since then. He is a lover of narrative who writes fiction, comics, and about games by day, fighting crime by night. His favorite games are: Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Planescape: Torment, Super Mario World, Demon’s Souls, Half Life 2, Persona 3, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Heroes of Might and Magic 3. Other things he feels passionately about are the film The American Astronaut, indie rock, film noir, and the X-Men, whom he knows more about than you.

Fernando Cordeiro: Reviews Editor/Senior Writer/Co-founder, worked here since time immemorial. Grumpy old consultant man, he isn’t actually in the gaming business. Likes Sergio Leone movies, beer brewing and long walks on the beach. Dislikes happy friendly people and olives. Loves Psychonauts and No More Heroes. Hates women with too much make-up and dates with shitty people. Loves the first two months after a job is lost. Detests loading times and the TV Cable company. Obsessed about solo synchronized swimming. Mesmerized by the word ‘chihuahua’. Maniac about typing naked. Traumatized by just everything else.

Grant French: writer/webmaster. Grant Lives for gaming. Some say he is addicted, but he wasn’t always this way. He use to be clean and lead a productive life. He has won the award for “tyop kngi” 10 years in a row since the year 2000. He has travelled the world and lived in 20+ countries. While he was still clean he won an industry award for training jack-in-the-boxes for the under-privileged. Now that his life has degraded into a spiraling negative feed back loop he works in IT. The time not spent gaming is instead wisely spent on wiring and talking about gaming. Other than that he Webmasters a few sites on the side. Currently his hopes are set on his screen play about a divorce attorney from Georgia who nurses an amateur comedian who is a serial polygamist back to health after she accidentally hits him with her bike, being picked up.

Eric Lockaby: features editor. Having little or no money in his purse, and nothing particular to interest him on shore, Eric Lockaby writes stupid little things. You’re reading one of them. Another one is Kickaround Nixon, a novel about Pac-Man, the Cold War, and Moby Dick. Never are these things fat checks. He lives and teaches in Atlanta, Ga. You can follow him @hinducow

Ramunas Jakimavicius (aka RJ): Previews & Features Editor. Loves analysis, humor and video games, so naturally endeavors to combine the three when possible. Has a penchant for indie games as well as for aesthetics and art in whatever form it may appear. Works on freeware games and video game walkthroughs as a hobby. Favorite games include: Okami, Psychonauts and Spelunky.

Jonas Jurgens: features editor. Living in the northern wastes of Europe, he has a disproportionate amount of time available to spend playing and reading about games, though he should most definitely devote more time to other pastimes such as reading, watching films and pondering the meaning of everything. He finds everything interesting, but is passionate about only a few things. In not too long he will be free to head out into the world, and hopes to visit pretty much every continent on the planet. In the event of him being chosen to be Emperor of the World, he would squeal with joy. A Bioware fanboy since time immemorial, he is somewhat disappointed with their recent engagement to EA, whom he believes is slowly sucking all the fun out of his favorite developer. He silently and sincerely hope that they break up soon. Thankfully, in the event of said developer heading to an early grave, he has plenty of other games/developers to devote his time to.