Paul Semel Author Bio

Vitals: 40, single

Education: Majored in Philosophy at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Publications: I've been on staff at Bikini, Incite Video Gaming, Incite PC Gaming, Huh, New Review of Records, Geek Monthly, Big Shot, Nylon and others, but since 2000 I've been freelancing full-time for such magazines and Web sites as Complex, Giant, GamePro, GameSpy, Electronic Gaming Monthly, TV Guide, Emmy, MSN.com, Blender, Maxim, Stuff, Revolver, Ray Gun, NewTypeUSA, Paste, Premiere and Rides.

Platforms played: I have everything but a PC.

Genres played: First-person shooters, third-person action games, arcade-style racing games, action-RPGs, but I'll try anything once.

Multiplayer or single-player: I used to joke that I only played single-player because I didn't play well with others, but since getting hooked on Call of Duty 4 during the multiplayer beta, I've started to play the occasional game of Halo 3 or Gears of War as well...with the right people.

My favorite Top 10 games ever played:

1) The Resident Evil series (especially 2 and 4)
2) The Halo series
3) (Almost) any World War II first-person shooter that has the word 'of' in its name
4) The Burnout series
5) Half-Life 2
6) F.E.A.R.
7) Crash Bandicoot when he's platforming
8) Tomb Raider (the original and Anniversary remake)
9) Donkey Kong Country
10) Any Star Wars first-person shooter

What makes me tick: My friends, 'The Simpsons,' iced coffee, FoxTrot, Star Wars, 'The Daily Show,' good anime, chocolate, George Carlin, Monty Python, 'Robot Chicken,' the funny Woody Allen, Batman, eating out and good books.