OK, that's it, EGM officially sucks.

[Sylentwulf]

Seriously, what the hell happend in the past 3-4 months? Going through this months issue, I came across 12 pages of ads. In a row. Seriously. It was 12 straight pages of ads in the middle of one of the sections. I would be willing to placee money that much more than half of the entire issue is ads.

They re-did almost the whole magazine a few months ago, and it's a really shitty format now, all of the reviews and articles are just PATHETIC. (Yes, I finally read the 10-12 year olds playing pong and atari games article) How friggin stupid. they're 10 damn years old? Gimme a friggin break.

Ugh, the only thing in the whole magazine that made me more PHYSICALLY ILL was Squares rape of a once great franchise (I'm now dreading playing ANY of their games)

B'ah. Anyways, are there any other decent game magazines besides lamepro and this pathetic BS called EGM?

[chadtower]

I like Game Informer... especially since it comes with a 10% discount card to gamestop. My GI subscription has basically paid for itself about 15 times over this year.

[1bigmig]

I agree wholeheartedly. It's the only gaming magazine I subscribe to because it seems like its the only one dedicated to an age group above preteens -- although lately I feel they're trying to win that audience. It's like the information in the magazine isnt enough, so they go overboard trying to make it hip. EGM has become the "OMG WTF ASL ROFLMAO!!!1!!11" of the magazine world, may it die quickly. :angry:

:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:
OH, how I MISS Next Generation! Every so often Ill go to look a game up and Ill read a few reviews or part of an article and the difference is huge. I remember the first issue I read and how suprised I was that a magazine that not only treated video games seriously, but assumed its audience was composed of people with intelligence. Memories...How they would hold out that fifth star unless the game was ABSOLUTELY revolutionary! The biting, scathing reviews that took an already terrible game down a notch. When will a magazine come to reign supreme again?

[Jorpho]

I haven't had a need to pick up a video game magazine in a long time. Gamespy, Gamesdomain, and occasionally IGN are enough for me.

Yes, I might be depriving somebody of money (aside from ad revenue), but there don't seem to be many quality products left out there. (Kinda reflects the game industry in general, that.)
________
THREESOME CHINESE (http://www.fucktube.com/categories/1062/chinese/videos/1)

[Deathstar]

As somewhat of a video game magazine collector, I can say that EGM is my favorite magazine, minus the new layout, which IMO, sucks ass.

EMG always has, and probably always will be my favorite video game magazine. I think their reviews are pretty good, and are basically the way I view games.

EGM haters, HATE ON! LOL

[TheRedEye]

I think Play is the best American video game print magazine on the market.

[NE146]

Well as someone who has a 99.9% complete collection of EGM from the day they were EGP through all their spinoff mags (Mega Play, EGM2, etc.) I'd say I spent a good amount of cash on them throughout the years... (less so in recent years with all the free subscriptions though LOL) I do have to say, in a nutshell... they sure are scraping the bottom of the barrel now. Sorry. I'm still getting them, but I'm glad I'm not paying for them anymore. They have definitely been sucking as far as the overal feel and direction of the mag seems to be heading. Just my opinion of course.. but I've been reading them since day 1. :)

[NexWave]

TheRedEye has it right Play is the #1 mag out there right now , and both Edge and Games TM are also really good if you can find them (they are UK mags)
Kain76

[GrandAmChandler]

Games TM rocks! I have an issue I picked up at Barnes and Nobles, its the issue with the "2-D perodic table of gaming" and the guy said they only get 1 or 2 at a time! :angry: I dont think they will send subscriptions here to the US. But this one issue rocks my arm, the classic gaming section is huge! Multiple pages dedicated to SATURN!! incredible

[1bigmig]

I think Play is the best American video game print magazine on the market.

I thought that was a multi mag that had anime and other stuff. How much of it is gaming related?

[Lady Jaye]

I agree too regarding Play, despite the fact that they still haven't improved on their lack of proofreading (it's well-written, but there are still too many typos to my taste). Nevertheless, it's less juvenile than, say, EGM and GamePro. And it has anime coverage, which is nice, as limited as it is (that's okay, as my fave anime magazine is a French import called Anime Land).

GMR isn't that great either (who's surprised? It's a sister mag to EGM). I'd rather get another subscription to Game Informer (unfortunately, the 10% Gamestop discount card is useless for me, unless I cross the border).

One pet peeve of mine that I've noticed in a couple of mags: the tendency to have a retro section (nothing wrong with that!), but focusing on the 64-bit gen. Sorry, but a retro review section that mostly has reviews of N64, Dreamcast and PSX games from 1995-96 doesn't cut it.

[Sylentwulf]

As somewhat of a video game magazine collector, I can say that EGM is my favorite magazine, minus the new layout, which IMO, sucks ass.

EMG always has, and probably always will be my favorite video game magazine. I think their reviews are pretty good, and are basically the way I view games.

EGM haters, HATE ON! LOL

I've stuck up for EGM repeatedly for 10+ years now (I think I started around issue 15 or something) but the last 3-4 months have been SO HORRIBLE, this last issue was BARELY readable. There really is HALF of the magazine to FULL PAGE ads. Nevermind all the stupid things you have to tear out (ad-posters, postcard ads, etc...) And even THAT was bearable, but now their reviews are suffereing, and the layout is HORRIBLE, and the special articles they've had lately are, as someone else said, 744+ Haxorz type bullshit.

Sigh, oh well.

[Kid Fenris]

I really don't get a lot of the criticism directed at EGM (or Final Fantasy X, but that's another matter). The mag has borne a heavy percentage of ads ever since it became popular, and the editorial content, though overly snarky at times, is readable, informative, and often amusing. I don't like the new layout for the reviews, but they're still reliable in their ratings.

At any rate, EGM is better now than it was from, say,1991 to 1996. Crack open an issue from that period and ask yourself if the ugly screenshots, fifth-grade writing, and overly terse (and frequently misguided) reviews are really superior to the magazine's present state.

I'm also surprised that so many people were pissed off by that article about the kids playing Space Invaders and Donkey Kong and so on. It's a gag, just like the recent UK Resistance feature (http://www.ukresistance.co.uk/issue10.html) on retro gaming. You might not find it funny, but that's no reason to treat it like some scathing, serious-minded condemnation of classic games.

(And I'm not just defending EGM because they pimped my website.)

Play has gorgeous layouts and a good approach to reviews, but it suffers from Dave Halverson's tendency to write 80 percent of those reviews and fawn over 90 percent of what he plays. However, the mag seems to have recently lost some other problems, namely an excess of typos and an overwhelming penchant for TEH HOTT CHIX. Then again, maybe they're just saving up for this future Play supplement . . .

http://kidfenris.com/playgog.jpg

[1bigmig]

(And I'm not just defending EGM because they pimped my website.)



The truth comes out.

[Sylentwulf]

That article REALLY didn't bother me that much, other than the fact is was TEN year olds, which is just stupid. It wasn't funny imo, it didn't offend me or anything, I thought it was just a stupid waste of space.

The writing style of the entire magazine has changed, and the layout makes the scoring released games section impossible to read FOR ME. I guess my brain just doesn't work that way, They also mixed the review section up instead of separating it by console, so instead of skipping the xbox section, I now find myself just skipping the wHOLE section, which means between the reviews and scoring section, 75% of the reason I LOVED EGM is completely GONE.

[Griking]

I used to get a ton of magazines when I was younger but honestly in the past 10 years or so since the Internet has been popular I have to wonder why bother with magazines at all any more? What used to cost $2.99 each at news stands has been obscenely inflated to $7.99 and have 3x the ads that they used to. Plus, the amount of time that it takes to make, print and then distribute a magazine make all of the info in it pretty much obsolete by the time we get it. I can get a more timely review of a newly released game on this or plenty of other websites. Plus I'd have the benefit of having dozens of people agree or disagree with that review. Don't get me wrong, I still have a few subscriptions and and at least two or three of them were freebies. IMHO the only real benefit that they have any more is that they make for good bathroom reading and really how serious can you take something that you read while on the can?

[RetroYoungen]

I'll admit, the only real reason I was reading EGM before I recovered (about 5 months and strong!) was solely for Hsu and Chan. A maybe tops 3 page monthly comic with some game reviews on the side. It just wasn't worth it after a while. And though I agree that play is probably the best gaming mag on the market right now (plus probably a fifth or so of it, maybe a bit more, is dedicated to anime), my fav is still GI. But I REALLY miss Gamefan. When I first read GF, I was hooked. And I was only able to find a total of three issues before they disappeared (ironically, right after they boasted about being able to keep printing and not become defunct). I still read those issues to this day, they're about 3 years old.

When I was little I foung GamePro, but even as a younger Youngen I found them so biased and badly written. I quit after about 3 years. (Too long, I know.)

[Sylentwulf]

I can get a more timely review of a newly released game on this or plenty of other websites. Plus I'd have the benefit of having dozens of people agree or disagree with that review. Don't get me wrong, I still have a few subscriptions and and at least two or three of them were freebies. IMHO the only real benefit that they have any more is that they make for good bathroom reading and really how serious can you take something that you read while on the can?

I USED to agree with ya on this one, until Gamespot and IGN became "pay to get any good info, screenshots or movies because we're greedy bastards"

Now a good up to date website is hard to find (Nothing against DP, but you don't have 50 people working full time and unlimited storage and bandwidth) :) As it stands, I definitely come here for gaming more than anywhere else (Gamefaqs is second, hopefully the recent partial-sale won't affect THAT too.)

[Half Japanese]

I hate the following things about EGM:

-reviews

-shitty "Hsu and Chan" comic, get "Milk and Cheese" by Evan Dorkin, not this trite and petty bullshit 'comic.'

-ads all over the goddamn place

-at least 4 lap cards in each issue



In fact the best thing ZD mags has going for it is James Mielke, a ray of light in an otherwise dark cavern of idiocy. OH, and Che Chou, who is in the band Ee and also write pretty good reviews for the most part.



I agree that Play is the best, although it still has problems (note: Dave H., hire a fucking staff and don't do it all yourself).

[badinsults]

Most game magazines have sucked in the past few years, which is why I have relied on my own website lately.

[Saturn Sensei]

OH, how I MISS Next Generation!

Word to the wise. Subscribe to Edge. Edge started in 1993 and in January 1995 they launched Next Generation in the US as a sister magazine. They shared much of the same content. Therefore, in a way, Next Gen is still alive.

Edge is a British magazine. I found it by chance on a vacation to England. Let's just say I was blown away. Here it was 2001 and there is all of a sudden a magazine like the early years of Next Generation, with the thicker cover stock, awesome in-depth articles, and so on. I was in heaven. I even bought a ton of back-issues at CEX Retro in London, and since then have picked up as many as I can from ebay, and I have been an avid reader and subscriber ever since.

Edge is squarely aimed at 18 and up. The average age of its readers is 25.

Its a dead serious magazine that takes gaming seriously. They have only given four 10/10 scores in ten years. Super Mario 64, Zelda Occarina, Gran Turismo, and Halo.

They have a continuing series of retro articles that focuses on specific systems. About 10 pages on the PC Engine in the latest issue.

As for Play. It can't hold a candle to Edge. Play is a kids magazine by comparason.

Subscribe for 6 months and try it. You will not want to give it up, and you will realize how crappy all other existing games magazines really are.

https://secure.widearea.co.uk/cisubs/FPL/EDG/EDGFNT

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007B9D1/qid=1064654523/sr=1-46/ref=sr_1_46/104-5523678-4021527?v=glance&s=magazines

[Sylentwulf]

NINE BUCKS AN ISSUE?! :o

[Saturn Sensei]

It's easily worth the $9 an issue. 130 pages total with only 30 pages of ads(with EGM it seems like the relationship is reversed). The rest is top-quality stuff. Serious, and intelligent writing by people who are actually able to write. Really thick cover, like the old next generation covers. No ads on the back of the magazine, no ads on the first, or last few pages. Plus, it is air-mailed from England.

Edge used to have the slogan: "It's not for everyone" 8-)


aside: Next issue(#129) is a Sega special :D

[Sniderman]

Eh, it's a shame more of ya didn't subscribe to Cav's excellent Classic Gamer Magazine (www.classicgamer.com) when it was up and running. Each of the issues (each of them HUGE) was filled with great stuff, great interviews, and written by folks from this and other boards who know games. Pick up a few back issues or the compilation CD-ROM and weep that this pub is no longer available. 6 fantastic issues.

Oh, and EGM sucks ass.

[rolenta]

I dont think they will send subscriptions here to the US.

You can get a subscription but I think it's around $80 a year

[rolenta]

IGMR isn't that great either (who's surprised? It's a sister mag to EGM).

I have to say one thing positive about GMR: the latest issue came packaged in a plastic bag that was sponsored by Nokia. The issue also has a review of the phone that Nokia was advertising. I thought for sure that they were going to say the phone was great to keep their sponsor happy. Instead, they gave the phone one of the lowest ratings I've seen in a long time (3/10).

[Lady Jaye]

Which issue was that in? I never received any bagged copy of GMR and the last issue I got (October) doesn't have any review of the N-Gage (although there are several N-Gage ads in there). Unless you meant the latest issue of EGM, which did have a rather negative and honest review of the phone?[/b]

[Kid Fenris]

GMR impresses me. When I first subscribed to it as part of that EB Edge program, I was expecting the magazine to be some generic rag on the same level as Game Informer. Yet I was surprised by its capable writing (Nich Maragos and D.F. Smith need more work), Mielke's eye for import strangeness, and the relevant articles. GMR's recent piece on the future of Nintendo, though fueled by PR quotes, was an interesting read.

The N-gage review is in the November issue of GMR, by the way.

I always liked British game magazines, though it's been years since I picked up Edge. I'll see if the local Barnes and Noble still stocks UK stuff.


-shitty "Hsu and Chan" comic, get "Milk and Cheese" by Evan Dorkin, not this trite and petty bullshit 'comic.'

Say what you want about EGM, but I don't know how you could put down Hsu and Chan. Milk and Cheese rip-off or not, the Tanaka Brothers comic is inventive and clever in many ways, and it's one of the first things I look to in each issue of EGM. The creator's website has a lot of other amusing comics, too.

http://www.ape-law.com/evilmonkey/menu.htm

[Half Japanese]

In rebuttal: www.houseoffun.com , Evan Dorkin and Sara Dyer's official website. Milk and Cheese kick "Hsu and Chan"'s ass all over the place....with broken gin bottles. You can't honestly look at the art and style of Hsu and Chan and tell me that it's not a blatant Dorkin ripoff, except for the fact that Dorkin is funny and has great character designs. Better than two generic Asian brothers and some goddamn reptile-thing.

[lendelin]

I can't really evaluate EGM in the last 5 years (I have them from 90 to 98), and buy it just once in awhile now.

From the mags I'm subscibed to, I enjoy reading GameInformer the most:

1) the target audiences are clearly older teens and adults;
2) the preveiw sections are gerat with nice screenshots, mouth-watering in most cases.
3) they have in every issue two in-depth reports about two games in development (eg GT3 or Jade Empire) with interviews with developers, and publishers; game concepts are discussed, comparisons to prequels and other games of the same genre are drawn, and even market considerations are moderately tackled. Again, accompanied with nice big screenshots which gives you first impressions about the game.
4) Overall, the reviews are well written, and ussually they don't fall for hype (exception: Enter the Matrix)
5) the Classic GI section gives at least some information about older games and appeals to retro-gamers. (sometimes even with interesting interviews)

It's a good magazine, they found their own style which sets them apart from the more traditional EGM, GamePro, and Nintendo Power.

[Kid Fenris]

In rebuttal: www.houseoffun.com , Evan Dorkin and Sara Dyer's official website. Milk and Cheese kick "Hsu and Chan"'s ass all over the place....with broken gin bottles. You can't honestly look at the art and style of Hsu and Chan and tell me that it's not a blatant Dorkin ripoff, except for the fact that Dorkin is funny and has great character designs. Better than two generic Asian brothers and some goddamn reptile-thing.

I like Dorkin and Dyer's stuff myself (even if the Eltingville Club cartoon was horrible), but I don't see how a similarity to Milk and Cheese makes Hsu and Chan's satirical game-inspired comics any less amusing. And that "reptile-thing" is Gila Mobster, sir.

Oddly enough, someone accused Norm Scott of ripping off Milk and Cheese when Hsu and Chan first ran in EGM. Dorkin was contacted, and responded that he didn't mind the similarities, or even see them, in some cases. I wish I could find that issue . . .

[Balloon Fight]

I recommend Game Informer. Its an excellent mag with great reviews, classic GI, and other random stuff that makes the mag excellent. Plus that 10% used card at Gamestop sure helps. :-D

[calthaer]

Gamespot.com and Gamespy both have more than enough game reviews and Gamespy at least links to reviews on other sites. The other reviews might be poorly-written, but at least they'll link to a second opinion. Both of those websites are big enough to stand up to big companies and declare games that stink to actually stink, and the reviews are generally tempered so that they describe not only how the game works and why they think it's good but also what type of player they think might enjoy the game. I generally tend to trust their opinions because of these explanations.

If you don't want to rely solely on those then you can always go to www.rottentomatoes.com, look up the game, and cull the opinions from the ten or fifteen game websites they link to.

For gaming news, I see no reason to pay money for a magazine on top of the high-speed internet fee. I actually have a subscription to Nintendo Power but not because I rely on it as my primary source of gaming news (I get it for the cool promos, special codes, and because it was part of a deal I got when I bought Zelda: Wind Waker).

[Jasoco]

Yes, Game Informer is my favorite. I get it as part of the GameStop Discount Card. The card is worth it, and the magazine is a nice bonus. With all the game's I've bought in the past year, I've paid for my card a few times over by now.

I just wish GS was still doing that "Buy Two Get One Free" deal like they were in June.

I love the Classic GI part. It's worth the price alone. If I was technically paying for it. Either way, recommended 100%.

Along with that, I receive EGM and CGW every month as part of a stupid Magazine deal I'd rather not talk about. CGW is shit, (I really hate gaming on computers.) and I read EGM when I get it, but GI is my fave.

[kevincure]

The direct order from Edge runs only $7.84 (I use only in a relative sense here), so it's a bit cheaper there than from Amazon. I love Edge, but 103 bucks for a 13 issue sub seems a bit on the high side.

What's bizarre is that even the British subscription is expensive - 40 pounds is like 65 bucks for 13 issues. Such a subscription rate is unheard of in the US. Rare is the magazine that has a sub of more than 2$/month, and most are under a dollar per issue. My Economist subscription is fairly expensive just like Edge is (compare Economist at 100 or so a year versus 40 dollars for the US edited The New Republic). Is this common for British publications?

As for US magazines, yeah, it's bad. EGM is not funny, no matter how hard they try, and they basically have no content outside of reviews and previews now. GI is a little better, but they do poorly what EGM does best: reviews. GMR is a total shill - the bad style of EGM combined with EB-inspired ideas (like the "Hard to Find!" in the retro section for games that are not at all hard to find). Gamepro doesn't even deserve comment. T&T/EGM2 and the rest of the game strategy mags really aren't videogame mags in the way that I mean.

Games TM is ok, though really it's more fluff than substance. Nonetheless I sometimes pick it up and try not to grimace at the thought of dropping 8.25 for a mag. Edge is good, of course, though also expensive and not common shelves. 1-upzine (1-upzine.com) is a good read, though also expensive. Polygon (polygonmag.com) looks good (and isn't editor Dane Baker from the old EGM?) but I haven't bought a copy yet.