Nickname: Phil
Real Name: Phil Larsen
Xbox Live: Evastian
Occupation: Creative writer
City/State: Brisbane, Queensland
The cool, calm and collected type, Phil is a passive gamer who likes to enjoy plenty of non-competitive, non-threatening activities. Maybe that’s just his excuse to avoid Guitar Hero confrontations, where he will inevitably get his ass handed to him on a golden Stratocaster. Recent failings aside, Phil has been gaming since the days of the Atari 2600, and knows his way around am RPG or two. Then came the era where he discovered hair products, during which time he was known merely as “Slick”. Trying to avoid extreme social imbalances on account of his superior coolness, Phil got back into games and now tries to present himself as one of those “trendy” nerds. Look past the Star Wars apparel and anime soundtracks to find a writer-by-trade, a gamer-by-night, and an overall nice guy.
What is your most memorable gaming experience?
Defeating Ganon from Ocarina at the stroke of midnight for the first time ever was pretty badass. Then again, my increasing prowess at Bomberman Live has started to shake some feathers around the joint.
Where would you be found on a typical Friday night?
Sitting in front of my 360 playing Oblivion or GRAW 2. Alternatively, spending time with friends out and about. These two activities rarely blend – mainly because they don’t allow me to hook up my consoles to any of those big screens in the Valley. Dagnabbit.
What is your favourite movie?
Yes, yes, it’s Lord of the Rings. How original of me.
What is your favourite food?
Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. Goes with anything. Especially bacon, and more mayonnaise.
What is your favourite drink?
I’ll say water is my most frequently consumed, but if chocolate milk gave me equal hydration and fewer heart attacks, I’d “break” for the Breaka. I’m so funny.
What are your favourite 5 games of all time, and why?
- Final Fantasy VII : The single greatest piece of video game software ever created – and such a flawless entity will probably never be surpassed. I’d go into details, but those who agree with me know what I am talking about, and those who disagree can’t be convinced. Role-playing games are serious business.
- Resident Evil 4 : While the Resident Evil name is always a seal of quality, no one expected just how mind-blowing RE4 would turn out to be. Even after watching extensive gameplay videos I was not convinced of a purchase – but upon playing for all of two minutes, the development genius became crystal clear. The best action game ever? You bet your sweet candy ass it is.
- Zelda Ocarina of Time : Does anything more really need to be said? We all love it, it’s rad, I married my cartridge, etc.
- Oblivion : Didn’t really care for Morrowind, cared muchly for Oblivion. The freedom in Oblivion is matched only by my freedom in choosing the largest variety of delicious fresh baked breads and salad options at my local Subway restaurant. Eat fresh!
- Final Fantasy VIII : What’s this? Not one, but two entries for the Final Fantasy series! This bad boy had more naysayers than any other instalment, but I still swoon over Squall and his insanely cool Lionheart Limit Break. What a dreamboat.
Articles written by Phil:
| Title | Type | Date |
| Shadow Complex | DLC Review | 21 October 2009 |
| Banjo-Tooie | Review | 13 July 2009 |
| MadWorld | Review | 28 May 2009 |
| Trackmania DS | Review | 8 April 2009 |
| Runaway - The Dream of the Turtle | Review | 5 April 2009 |
| Australian Gamer presents - The Best of 2008 | Feature | 31 December 2008 |
| Portal: Still Alive | Review | 25 November 2008 |
| NHL 09 | Review | 7 November 2008 |
| Pure | Review | 4 October 2008 |
| Dragon Hunters | Review | 4 October 2008 |
| Battlefield: Bad Company | Review | 29 July 2008 |
| Ninja Gaiden II | Review | 27 June 2008 |
| SupaNova Brisbane 08 - Day 1 | Game Event | 22 April 2008 |
| Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles | Review | 9 March 2008 |
| Tomb Raider Anniversary | Review | 18 February 2008 |
| Naruto: Rise of a Ninja | Review | 14 January 2008 |
| Jam Sessions | Review | 23 December 2007 |
| Call Of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare | Review | 21 December 2007 |
| Super Mario Galaxy | Review | 25 November 2007 |
| The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass | Review | 23 November 2007 |
| John Woo Presents Stranglehold | Review | 7 November 2007 |
| Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock | Review | 5 November 2007 |
| Super Paper Mario | Review | 20 October 2007 |
| Halo 3 | Review | 7 October 2007 |
| Call of Duty 4: Multiplayer Beta | Preview | 28 September 2007 |
