September 2003

Chiaki Hachisu, PC Gamer Magazine - Gamer

Chiaki Hachisu is best known in the publishing industry as Assistant Art Director of PC Gamer Magazine, the most popular PC game reviews printed in North America. But many gamers know about Chiaki from reading her comments on games that appear in the slick-looking zine. LadyGamers talked to Chiaki recently about art, gaming, and romance.
_____________________________________________________________INTERVIEW

[CLIMaX]:  What's it like working for PC Gamer? I get the impression there's a non-stop LAN party going on, but when I buy a copy of the magazine I can tell there's a whole lot of work going on behind the scenes. How do you divide your time between art and design, and playing and reviewing games?

[Chiaki]:  So MaX... lemmie finish this beer, then I'll give you my undivided attention.....mmmmmm beer. Okay MaXimus...ready.

Working at PC Gamer is a righteous gig... work hard, play hard and leave a beautiful corpse. When there's work to do we put our nose to the grinder and get it done, but when we have a little down time, we dive into the luscious world of games.

I don't do reviews...I'm defo not a writer... but I'm just pleased as pie to get my two cents in our Playlist section... a venue where I can pretty much say whatever I want to...POWER TO THE PEOPLE!...hehe...solly, lost control there for a second.

[CLIMaX]:  When did you first get interested in video games? What was the first one you ever played and loved? How about your all-time favs, and why do you place them above all others?

[Chiaki]:  My first game, eh CLI? Gots to be pong on the ole Commodore 64, then Atari with all its full color glory, then Nintendo (wheeeeee...3-D!), plus throw in a ton of arcade games; Tempest, Galaga, Destroyer, Dig Dug, etc...Yeah, yeah I said Dig Dug....hey you... you wanna step outside?

[CLIMaX]:  How and where does your passion for graphic design and gaming connect beyond the magazine, in independent projects and plans you're working on?

[CLIMaX]:  You're a musician, too. Tell us a about that part of your creative life. A while back you were playing bass guitar (and drums?) with Hakken Kraks Howl. What recent video game has the best sound track?

[Chiaki]:  I loooooove to play music...I play bass (no drums), a little piano and I have geeked around on some computer music programs just for shits and giggles.

HKH was a looooong time ago. Had an obscene amount of fun with them but since then I've been in a couple of other gigs...nothing right now but music is such a glorious part of my life...I know I will be rockin' out til my last dyin' breath.

Best soundtrack? I know this is a port *gasp* but Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's music kicks some serious ass.

[CLIMaX]:  My friend Cyric gave me a copy of Tron 2.0 and a Doom t-shirt on condition that I ask you about your love life. Are you gonna let me keep that stuff?

[Chiaki]:  Well you did ask me... so I say you can keep the stuff! If he has a problem with it then you can tell him to come talk to me...hehe.

Okay MaXdilious... gotto go... there's only one beer left and I can see it's gonna be a blood bath to rip the precious brew away from my co-workers. Late...