Player 2’s 2018 Highlights – Editor’s Choice
Being the last posting day of the year, I thought it was time to highlight something very dear to me, The people of Player 2. I am so proud to have each and every one of these talented contributors working towards making Player 2 the site it is. What is even more important to me is that I can put my hand on my heart say that these are some of the best people I have ever met and it is my distinct pleasure to call them friends.
To celebrate their talents and significant contributions to Player 2, I thought I would go through the year and highlight just one piece from each of them. This one piece may not be technically their “best” piece, but it is the article that I feel best exemplifies their talents and own personal style. These articles, videos and podcasts highlight a group of writers that are second to none and I while I may be biased, would happily put against any group of writers on the planet.
So without any further delay, here are Player 2’s 2018 Highlights, as chosen by the Editor… me. (P.s click on the pictures to go to the articles mentioned)
| Paul James - Dev Diary Starting a new podcast is hard, but Paul has knocked it out of the park with this insightful look into games development and goes to show that Paul is the hardest working man I have ever met. P2 wouldn't exist without Paul's commitment and hard work.  | Stephen del Prado - Virtual Tourist This great article was born from Stephen's travels to Japan. It wonderfully highlights how the developers of Yakuza have recreated the setting of the game. Stephen's eye for detail is in full evidence here. Stephen is vital to P2's success.  |
| Jenn Christodoulou - SCUM Jenn's diary of survival is a wonderful way to get a feel for the early access version of SCUM and a perfect example of Jenn's ability to find humour in any situation.  | Hope Corrigan - Gris Hope Joined us in 2018 and her talents immediately shone through. This review is beautiful, heartwarming and a prime example of her talents as a writer.  |
| Dylan Burns - Spies and Wolfenstein Dylan's 2018 is littered with wonderfully inventive reviews. This Wolf review for the Switch highlights his ability to be entertaining and informative at the same time.  | Chris Button - Memories of Sonic Chris, new to P2 in 2018, has a wonderful ability to relate personally to games and that shines through in his writing. This piece on Sonic Mania highlights that superbly.  |
| Sarah Ellen - Follow the Thread Sarah, like no other person I have ever met, can find the beauty in any situation. Her writing brings this beauty to us all. Her Unravel 2 review is a prime example.  | Adam Rorke - Fighting with Dragons Adam's almost encyclopedic knowledge of gaming, especially fighters and esports, is almost as important as his unbridled enthusiasm. Both of these traits are clearly evident in his review of surprise hit, Dragon Ball FighterZ.  |
| Nick Hudson - Storm Boy Another newcomer in 2018, Nick hit his stride immediately after a long break from writing. His Storm Boy review is an amazing piece that meld's his childhood with a beautiful work of art.  | Shaun Nicholls - Mech Bashing Shaun joined us this year as an inexperienced writer, but that has not held him back. His desire to improve his own writing is second-to-none and his latest review shows just how far his writing has come in a short time. The future is bright for Shaun.  |
| James Swinbanks - Racing back to P2 James is one of the best writers in Australia and it is always a pleasure for me to coax him away from his big Gamespot gig to write for P2. Just read his V-rally 4 review to find out why.  | Joel Guttenberg - Another sight. Joel, a long standing friend and contributor, Joel always livens up the place with his thoughtful reviews. This look at Another Sight is proof of that.  |
| Anna Rorke - Lost Sphear Anna might only ocassionally pop in to say hi, but every single time she leaves a lasting impression. A sense of Joy and love of games surrounds all of Anna's works.  | Matt Phillips - Late to everything The man behind "Late Game Review" has been a wonderful addition to the P2 crew. A dry sense of humour and a crazy commitment getting the best footage, Matt has brought the yuks to everyone who has watched his videos.  |
| Ken Lee - For the Love of Mechs Ken's unbridled passion for games is second only to his passion for Mechs. This passion can clearly be seen in his 10 part Mechwarrior Online video series, a true labour of love.  | Damien Camilleri - Patched Man Damo is glue that holds Patched together. The perfect foil for Paul's eagerness and Matt's laid back style. Damo has a knack of seeing right through any topic offering insightful commentary in the process.  |
There was, of course, a whole host of P2 achievements that were shared by the group. The two most notable were our coverage of PAX 2018 and the Player 2 Charity Marathon. Both of these events were a huge success and only further emphasise how wonderful the Player 2 team actually is. We also had a great year with some significant recognition coming our way. James, Hope and Myself were nominated for Journalist of the year at The Australian Games Awards, with Hope going all the way to the final 4. Player 2 was also nominated for best gaming publication at the same awards. Earlier in the year Player 2 was also short-listed for best independent coverage at the Australian Tech Journalism Awards, more commonly referred to as the Lizzies. All of these nominations were a huge honour and a sign to all of us that we are on our way to bigger an better things.
So thank you for joining us for another great year at Player 2 and make sure to come back in 2019 for even more games related fun.
