If your questions aren’t answered, get in touch. We looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

Recent changes in editors? Who is James? Why is he here?

We’ve thought about how to best say this, but in short, things weren’t working out with the previous co-writer so Ashelia found a new one. She needed someone that complimented her style and could also contribute regularly–someone who both played video games and wrote about them with gusto. James has a distinct background in RPGs and plays different games than she usually does, so when he mentioned an interest in writing for Hellmode, she seized the opportunity. James is the kind of guy who could write a book on Pokémon. Ashelia, on the other hand, could only write a chapter. The reverse is true for a game like Left 4 Dead and this should tell you all you need to know. Their tastes and styles are different enough that it should make Hellmode a richer editorial site with more regular content. You may have seen some of James’ stuff on Gamasutra or other websites as well, in case you were wondering why the name seems familiar.

Swag, review copies, free trips: where can I send ‘em?

We like free stuff. In the past, while working on other sites, we’ve had some amazing opportunities–like an all expenses paid trip to San Francisco to check out EA Redwood’s studios. You don’t necessarily have to fly us  anywhere for it to be welcomed, though. We’ll settle for review copies, beta codes, and generic swag if you’re so inclined. As a website, Hellmode is more than willing to organize contests for its readers based on donations and we will write a preview or review for a demo copy if we enjoy it.

Email ashelia@hellmode.com and I’ll tell you how to send it our way.

What does Hellmode stand for? Why name a site that?

The term hellmode means a difficulty level in a video game. Although not really specific to any series, the two that come immediately to our minds are Diablo and Devil May Cry. Basically, the hardest of hard levels; something that really challenges a player to bring their A-game. As for why we chose it, not only does it represent my preferred level of gaming, it was also available. You would be amazed at how many awesome names are already taken because someone smarter got to it first.

How do you decide what to cover? Can I suggest something?

We cover what interests us, it’s as simple as that. The bright side to this is that, while Hellmode isn’t exactly a video game news website, it’s more likely to be  entertaining if you share a similar opinion of what’s interesting and what’s not. You will probably be less inclined to scroll past articles and you will find more hits than misses. At the end of the day, Hellmode should be something you read over coffee rather than something you refresh hourly. It’s our style.

As for what interests Hellmode writers, a lot of things do. Between Ashelia and James, we own all consoles as well as gaming PCs, and play nearly every genre. Read a few articles and find out what Hellmode’s about. Additionally, if there’s something you’d like to know our take on, contact us.

Are you looking for more writers? Can I submit an article for publishing?

The answer is yes.  However, if you want to submit an article, please pitch it properly to us first to save both parties some time unless you know we’ll love the premise.  We love retrospectives, like analysis, and enjoy the idea of unconventional op-eds. Hellmode is personal and opinionated,  with an extremely clear set of goals and core messages. You should also know that Ashelia is a ruthless editor, both in grammar and organization, so your piece may be altered to fit Hellmode’s style.