Hi readers!

Allow me to now officially introduce myself: I'm Kimberley Wallace, and I couldn't be happier to be the new Associate Editor at Game Informer. Before joining Game Informer, I was the Managing Editor of RPGFan.com. I was also a freelance writer; my work has appeared in Official Xbox Magazine, GamesRadar, PlayStation: The Official Magazine, and Joystiq. But I'm sure you're more curious in my gaming tastes and how they began, so let's get to it.

I have vague memories of playing One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird with my brother, but probably my earliest gaming cred comes from me sneaking into my brothers' room while they were at school and setting up the NES. Of course, due to not having any formal instruction, I learned to play holding the controller upside down. (I was a bright child, alright.) The habit became so ingrained that I didn't stop until the PlayStation era; one of these days we'll have to try to see if I can still do it.

The SNES era was when I found the genre I absolutely adore, RPGs. I have my late grandpa to thank for that; we used to sit and play them together. Our favorite game was Secret of Mana and the scene where the main character gets banished from Potos Village still gets me misty-eyed. What I love so much about RPGs is the attachment factor: learning about characters and watching them develop throughout the journey. Writing is also important to me, especially if an RPG can keep me guessing with its unpredictable twists. For this reason, Suikoden earns the top-spot as my favorite series. Not many series can totally blindside me with betrayal quite like it. Some other honorable mentions for my favorite RPGs include Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Xenosaga, Kingdom Hearts, Persona 3, Earthbound, Alundra, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age. Of course, I have mad love for other genres and you can usually spot me getting my spook on with a Survival Horror game, entertaining my competitive spirit with EA's NHL series, or keeping myself guessing with a graphic adventure. Why won't the Ace Attorney series give my Pearls her own spin-off, already?!

At Game Informer, I'm hoping to bring some interesting stories your way that you don't see everywhere. Something magical happens when we load up games, and I'm adamant on honing in on the positive impact games have on us all. Because every time we step into a new gaming world, a plethora of possibilities are around every corner, and the journey often leaves a lasting memory that's so strong we come to places like here to discuss and analyze their impact. How is that not completely awesome?

Lastly, I'd like to personally thank all of you for the warm welcome. Your tweets and messages have really made my day, and I want you to know I appreciate them all. I couldn't be more enthused to enter into such a welcoming and dedicated community, and I'm super excited to share my writing with you all.

-Kimberley