Gaming Magazines

[Loony BoB]

For the bus! My phone is balls. Do you guys know any good gaming magazines I can read on the way home from work, or when I'm bored at home? I know most stuff is online anyway these days but I like to read magazines such as this once a month or so. The little demos they throw in along the way tend to be pretty neat, too, if they even still do that.

Living in the UK, so anyone in the UK should mention that so I know that it's something I can definitely get hold of. :p I'm thinking I might get a year's subscription or something.

[Quindiana Jones]

For which platform?

[Shoeberto]

No demos anymore, really. Magazines are largely cutting costs since they're not nearly as popular or profitable as they used to be.

I'm imagining Game Informer is over there? It's really the only big name gaming mag I can think of anymore. It's been accused of just being a giant advertising tool for GameStop here in the US, which isn't inaccurate. But they get the biggest scoops anymore due to their visibility and as I recall their reviews aren't too hateful. I can't think of any authors for it that are amazing but all the really great game commentators have moved to blogs these days.

Sorry I can't be too much more helpful, I feel your pain in a way - getting the new EGM every month used to be a freaking great experience and it was nice to have something to read on the go. But I don't even know any mags that are doing digital releases anymore. For better or worse (and this is being heavily debated daily) things have all moved to the blagasphar.

[Loony BoB]

For which platform?
I can play on PC, PS3 and 360, so it's not a huge deal.

[Del Murder]

I get Game Informer and I like it. They do some unique and funny articles and pay homage to classic gaming often. Their review scores are a bit on the higher side but you just have to accept that from a magazine owned by a game retailer. I certainly never got a hardcore Gamestop advertising vibe.

[Bolivar]

It is owned by GameStop, but contrary to logic, it's actually a pretty great mag. They get all the best reveals with awesome interviews and good features. Mailbag is cool, reviews aren't bad at all, and Andy McNamara hasn't written an editor's intro that I didn't like yet.

Plus, it's practically the only one still around...

[Laddy]

Game Informer is great because it covers a wide array of games and has some excellent hands-on previews and exclusive coverage. However, I tend to disagree with their reviews sometimes but that's because I have the gaming mentality of a grumpy old man.

I like Edge too, as I find it for more hardcore gamers and tends to de-emphasize the "blockbusters" somewhat in favor of lesser-known games. I'm not sure if they still publish it, though. They did give Bayonetta one of the only fourteen 10/10 scores, so you know you've got an interesting little magazine.

[Loony BoB]

Looks like it'll have to be Edge, as Game Informer is not available in the UK (apparently).

[Araciel]

Really liked EGM and I think it came back, but not sure if available in UK.

[Hollycat]

I own several of them, go with gameinformer for sure.

[Loony BoB]

Someone didn't read my last post. ;)

[Iceglow]

Edge magazine is good for relatively impartial multi-format stuff was pretty much the workman's bible when I worked on the games department in my old job. It literally was required reading. However for more specific stuff you need to go solo on the format. X360 (think that's right name) tends to have either demos be they videos or playable and added stuff like achievement guides thrown in to them for the 360. OPM is about it when it comes to ps3 as for PC? Well PCGamer would be the best imho.

[Loony BoB]

Edge it is - I don't think I could justify spending three times the amount of cash on a magazine that is literally owned by a developer. Do the in-house ones ever trash their own developer's games? xD

[Iceglow]

I've seen bad reviews in OPM in the past but we're talking back in the days of ps1/2 era. I don't know about now. As for x360 and PCG? They're independent of the developers. However it's a fair point to note that over 75% of all gaming magazines out there are published by the same people (future publishing) so therefore it's unlikely to really ever see something like the next fifa/cod/ff so forth get less than a 9 or a 10 across the board. Edge being one of the few exceptions to this rule.

[Hollycat]

OOps. I've never heard of edge. Google HO!

[Crop]

I always used to buy Play, which I really enjoyed. I found it a decent size, and it always came with a demo. I haven't bought one in a couple of years though, since I don't game as much so I don't know if it's still decent.
Worth buying if it's still around.

[Heath]

Several years ago - so I'm probably not the most up to date source of information on this front - I used to buy GamesTM occasionally and I found that to be quite good. It's multiformat and I used to quite enjoy the sections they had on older/retro games. Might be worth having a flick through both that and Edge to compare though I've never really read Edge.

[Jiro]

Hyper is still the greatest :jess:

[Wolf Kanno]

I'll second GamesTM and add RetroGamer both are pretty informative and I like their actual discussion articles about the industry. I like Edge as well though they are a bit bias about some topics.

I also really loved GameFan back in the day and while it's trying to sputter back, I'm not sure if it's worth bothering since it seems to have gone back into limbo.

[Del Murder]

If you want to pay postage I can just ship my issue of GI to you when I'm done with it, BoB.

[Loony BoB]

xD That's okay, although I appreciate the offer! You should just send me a letter instead. :D Or Miriel can, because she has the coolest handwriting in the world.

[Christmas]

I remembered I uses the internet since I started my gaming journey. Magazine? How old are you, geezer? :bigsmile: