Interview: Talking Games with Chris Hicks (Bass) of Keep This Up
British post-hardcore outfit Keep This Up charge forward with unstoppable momentum, and have just revealed their towering new single and video, Remedy. In this interview we talk games with bassist Chris Hicks.
1. Let’s begin by going way back to the past! Specifically, your childhood and what your earliest memory of playing a video game is?
Probably when I got a Commodore Amiga console – I used to play Soccer Kid all the time. I also remember the first Spyro game on PlayStation 1 (Yes I’m that old!) – absolutely phenomenal games.
2. At what age and stage of your life did you start to find yourself hooked by gaming and was there any particular thing that bore responsibility for that?
I think when I got a PlayStation 1 in maybe 2000/01 – the games and world it created for me was incredible.
3. If you could point at one or two games that defined your childhood, what would they be?
Spyro on PS1
Kingdom Hearts 1 on PS2.
4. What about a system? Everyone has one that holds a very special place in their heart. SNES, PS1, N64, Xbox 360, Phillips CD-i? What’s yours and why?
Varies for me. I loved PS1 & PS2 growing up. Spent so many hours on those, but then shifted to Xbox 360 in secondary school and played a lot of CoD Zombies haha! But now find myself being a PS4 & PS5 gamer again!
5. Do you have a particular game genre that you enjoy more than any other? If so, what is it and why? Also, what’s a game genre you almost always avoid?
Horror. By far I love Horror games personally (FNAF, Resident Evil etc.) – I tend to avoid sports/racing games personally – not overly keen.
6. How about multiplayer? Did you have a game that you found yourself sinking untold hours into online or do you just prefer the single player experience?
CoD Zombies – spent so many hours on those maps over the years. Absolutely love it. I enjoyed it with friends but also was a fantastic single player experience.
7. What is a game or franchise that you think you’ve sunk the most time into to date and what is a game or franchise that you’ve never quite been able to get into?
Same as above haha, Call of Duty (Zombies specifically) or Resident Evil. Played a lot of those over and over alongside Kingdom Hearts. Never been able to get into racing or sports games.
8. Over the past couple of decades, what development within the video game industry has been revolutionary?
PlayStation VR – such an incredible gaming experience now.
9. Likewise, what development within the video game industry has been mostly negative for gamers overall?
I don’t think I have any negatives I can think of.
10. What is one aspect of gaming (all parts) that you consistently find yourself getting nostalgic over?
I do miss some of the simplicity and low end graphics of the old games – they didn’t need to be 4K to be amazing. Sometimes the most basic games were by far the most incredible.
11. Likewise, what is one aspect of gaming (all parts) that you’d happily never experience again?
Not sure. I’ve quite enjoyed all of my experiences gaming and there isn’t much besides the odd level that has been excruciatingly painful to get through.
12. Focusing on the now, what are you currently playing and what is enjoyable about it?
Currently playing Baldurs Gate 3 – big DND fan so really enjoying it.
