Sad End of an Era - Lousy Game Informer

K

kingkiller33

CAGiversary!
I may be in the minority, but over the years, I have been sad to see the decline of gaming print magazines. I miss the days when I had like 5 subscriptions and lots of read when I'm on the can or away from the computer. The few remaining mags shrunk drastically in size.

Except Game Informer. Game Infomer maintain a magazine thick with content, lots of previews, reviews and historical features.

Now all gone. The "new" Game Informer mag is much slimmer. I hate the paper stock. It is hard to read, and I have to be in bright light to see it unlike the old glossy papers. Many features have been cut. They no longer do the historical article, something I really loved. Many reviews are no bite sized, one or two paragraphs with no screenshots.

It's an ugly magazine that I no longer look forward to receiving.
 
I think the fact that most people read it on the can is the reason they cut back on everything making it just small easy to read blurbs. Truthfully thats why I just read the pop sci or wired if i want something with a little more meat. Then gain, this is probably more thought than anyone should be putting towards stuff thats read on the can.
 
I really do hate how Game Informer took out the retro review page. gamesTM (a UK gaming mag) blows Game Informer away. It's a shame that we can't get a great U.S. mag like that.
 
[quote name='Poor2More']The new EGM is suppose to be rather good now[/QUOTE]


Is EGM back? I used to love EGM back in the day.
 
Aw... I let my Game Informer subscription lapse a while back, but I always meant to start it up agai. I'm sad to hear that it's gotten so bad - and yes, the retro section was one of my favorites, too.
 
[quote name='Fortune_P_Dawg']Is EGM back? I used to love EGM back in the day.[/QUOTE]
Sometime soon. I know the Area5 guys will be doing some video content for EGM.
 
[quote name='tankass']I think the fact that most people read it on the can is the reason they cut back on everything making it just small easy to read blurbs.[/QUOTE]

That's because most of the people reading Game Informer are ADD riddled kids on frickin' Ritalin with an attention span the size of a gnat, so they have to cater to that group and put shit in those bite sized morsels before they nod off or focus their attention on something else.

Then again, how many GI subscriptions are actually sold outside of the Gamestop/EDGE card program anymore anyway? So look at their base customer group and you have further proof why the magazine has the small articles.

Although, some articles for upcoming games in some recent issues have been 6-7 pages, so not all of the articles are blurbs.
 
The new EGM is out, got my copy at Borders today - has the thickness of old EGM without the big pile of ads, lots of feature articles.
 
I'm still liking GI and the new EGM is good, though I'm having a hard time geting used to the format. Honestly, I think my current favorite game mag is the Official Xbox Magazine.
 
Yeah I'm another who hates the terrible paper quality. It just doesn't feel good to hold, and the ink smears.
 
I didn't think Game Informer could get any worse. Apparently they did. Good thing I don't get the Edge card or whatever it's called these days anymore.
 
there are TOO many good mags now. I can't afford them all.

EDGE
GamePro
gamestm
gamefan
EGM
Nintendo Power

they're there if you look. The new gamepro is sooo good.
 
also, Retro Gamer if you're into that.,

and Jeremy Parish's gamespite series are excellent.
 
[quote name='mitnosi']Yeah I'm another who hates the terrible paper quality. It just doesn't feel good to hold, and the ink smears.[/QUOTE]

So you mean I can't use it as toilet paper if I run out on a camping trip?

The ink only smears if you're handling the magazine while your hands are wet most times, so what the hell are you doing when you're reading it?

Nevermind. I don't wanna know.:razz:
 
Count me surprised too: Gamepro stopped being fuck.

Gone are the days of the graphics, sound, control, and fun factor Thumbs down/up guys (with, even as a kid, I thought was a ridiculous way to review stuff) with a five star overall review, and game articles with actual journalism (i.e. less fluff/more thought provoking stuff)

Gonna try reading the new EGM though. Even with the garbage articles (I'm talking to you, Seanbaby), it was a decent read with balanced interviews and reviews.
 
I prefer PTOM and NP. The only reason I got GI was because of my Edge card but now I can probably do without either. GI has too many crap ads (who wants to read about the army, cell phones, or Axe spray?), plus they have too much 360 info and that's never a positive thing. At times they even seemed biased, I got tired of it.

*Oh, I agree the ink sucks. It's the only mag I find smudges in. And the oddball size is a BAD idea as more times than not it would arrive all chewed up in the mail.
 
I get PTOM and NP too. Those are the only two that I care to read (mainly because they usually have a lot of the information early).
 
Game Informer always sucked, because it's basically a gigantic, elaborate shill for GameStop.

The only magazines that don't suck ass are Play and Retro Gamer.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Game Informer always sucked, because it's basically a gigantic, elaborate shill for GameStop.

The only magazines that don't suck ass are Play and Retro Gamer.[/QUOTE]
Isn't PLAY that UK mag that costs like $8+ an issue from the magazine rack in Borders? I think I had maybe 1-2 issues of that back in the day and only cuz someone gave me a gift card to Borders or Barnes & Noble and I had no interest in buying actual books with the credit so I bought that.

That was as bad as the "Official US Playstation Magazine", which used to cost near there as well but was only as thick as Game Informer. For almost $10 an issue I expect ALOT of content.
 
I used to absolutley LOVE GI, but now will probably let my sub die out. I used to really respect their reviews, and know the reviewers. Now, I don't know shit about most of the "main" staff, and half the shit is written by freelancers. Now, I'm not hatin on the freelancers, but I used to know the tastes of the old crew, and who I could and couldn't trust with certain genres.

Interested in new EGM, but too bad my old sub till 2030 will undoubtedly not carry over :( (I miss free Tips and Tricks and EGM)
 
[quote name='diddy310']I will highly suggest the John Davison led Gamepro to anyone looking for an interesting read.[/QUOTE]

Lots of people on GAF were exclaiming the same sentiment.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']Isn't PLAY that UK mag that costs like $8+ an issue from the magazine rack in Borders? I think I had maybe 1-2 issues of that back in the day and only cuz someone gave me a gift card to Borders or Barnes & Noble and I had no interest in buying actual books with the credit so I bought that.

That was as bad as the "Official US Playstation Magazine", which used to cost near there as well but was only as thick as Game Informer. For almost $10 an issue I expect ALOT of content.[/QUOTE]

Play is a U.S. magazine that covers games but mostly specializes in anime. I'm not a fan of anime so it's not my cup of tea.
 
[quote name='Rozz']Play is a U.S. magazine that covers games but mostly specializes in anime. I'm not a fan of anime so it's not my cup of tea.[/QUOTE]Ahh. I was wondering if I had the wrong magazine. Thanks for clarifying.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Game Informer always sucked, because it's basically a gigantic, elaborate shill for GameStop.

The only magazines that don't suck ass are Play and Retro Gamer.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Rozz']Play is a U.S. magazine that covers games but mostly specializes in anime. I'm not a fan of anime so it's not my cup of tea.[/QUOTE] Other than the fact that Play was a joke of a magazine and anime sucks, but yeah other than that it was ok. Seriously their reviews always made me crack up with the constant 9's for terrible games and the writing was that of a 4th grader.

Game informer has become pretty mainstream crappy now. I like their features because they always get the big games for the cover, but Gamestop has them put way to many ad's in nowadays.
 
Didn't know new EGM was out; I'll have to grab one next time I'm at the store (and then hopefully subscribe).

And GamePro is...good?! Wow, I stopped reading that crappy magazine long ago. Guess I'll give it another look.

On the topic (GI), it's sad to hear the retro was out. It's about all I read in that magazine, anyway.
 
GameStop corporate mag or not, I always enjoyed GameInformer quite a bit. It was also nice to have coverage for everything during the downtime when there really weren't other all-encompassing mags (or at least any that were worth a damn).

Sad, though... I'll have to look into EGM and GamePro now, as my experiment with those cheap 'Official' mags from Amazon was scuttled when the first issue of the PlayStation one had a headline that read "50 Reasons Why You Need a PSPGo NOW!"... and that was about 6 months after that abomination came out. I mean, christ. I pretty much gave up on all of them except Nintendo Power after that.
 
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[quote name='007'] my experiment with those cheap 'Official' mages from Amazon was scuttled when the first issue of the PlayStation one had a headline that read "50 Reasons Why You Need a PSPGo NOW!"... and that was about 6 months after that abomination came out. I mean, christ. I pretty much gave up on all of them except Nintendo Power after that.[/QUOTE]
I felt the same way. I understand the need for some ads, but I hate it when they try to pass off a huge ad as an article.
 
Nintendo Power--at least when I was reading it a few years back--was fucking horrible. They basically scored on an 8-10 scale. Did Nintendo make it? 10. Did anyone else? 8-9.
 
Looking back, I don't think I'm missing out on any of the mags. GI has always been sort of neutral to me, considering it was included with EDGE I never really complained, but it's clearly held at gunpoint by the advertising... go take a look at some of the cover/feature articles of years past and notice how hard they strain to try and hype games like Dead to Rights II. Gamepro I just never read, EGM however was my go-to. I think the internet and seanbaby ruined that magazine though, once SB got popular the rest of the magazine followed his footsteps and became rather cycnical and point-of-view. The reviews turned into a roundtable thing where the editors seemed more interested in making memorable quotes than actually discussing the game. Needless to say I no longer felt informed by that magazine, so I called it quits.

The system-specific rags have always been sort of weak, their big sell was often the demo discs they included but that's clearly lost incentive these days. I do like some of them for sentimental value though, I like looking through the old Nintendo Powers with their full level maps, and the official Dreamcast magazine is enjoyable too.

I kinda find it hard to believe that people miss the retro reviews... this stuff is all over the internet.
 
[quote name='Chibi_Kaji']Sometime soon. I know the Area5 guys will be doing some video content for EGM.[/QUOTE]

I picked up the New EGM at the store last night. It was cool to have it back
 
GI is alright, not great, but not terrible. Not much more to say other than they should spend some time reviewing more PC versions (for a mag that claims PC reviews, there are barely any....and yes, I understand the market, but that is no excuse for how anemic they are in this area). Grade: B (would have been higher with the retro reviews added back).

Between OXM and PTOM (got the subs for super cheap).

OXM has a terrible layout and look, but it has a lot of information if you can find what you need. It also needs less commnetary and more facts, industry news, reviews, etc. Overall I would give it a C+

POTM is a joke. The only thing good about this rag is the sheer fact they seem to get some 'early' info on various Sony products. My favorite comment by them recently was to tell their readers that they need NEW friends if their friends have and or even prefer an Xbox....classy guys ! Not to mention that stupid waste of 2-4 pages for PS2 imaginary trophies....nuff said. Grade: D

The last magazine I really loved was Video Games and Computer Entertainment (yes, i'm 35). It had tons of interviews and previews, plus great commentary sections that were well written by Arnie Katz and Bill "The Game Doctor" Kunkel. RIP VG&CE
 
I've been feeling disappointed with Game Informer a lot as well lately. Most of the original staff from the mid to late 90s is no longer there, and that was when I liked the magazine the most. Off the top of my head, I think only Andy and Reiner remain. I was unsubscribed from it for a long time between about 2000-2006, but then got a cheap (or free can't remember) subscription to it, and while it's ok, it lacks that certain something that made the Game Informer I used to know really great.

I'll have to consider checking out Gamepro again as I have been sworn off of them for a long time. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was when their review of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete thought that Nall was female. Seriously if "Scary Larry" couldn't be arsed to play the game (or even freaking read the manual) long enough to find out that he was wrong, then I was through with them. Maybe he just watched the making of disc where he saw that Nall's VA was indeed a female and thought that the character was as well. Idiot. I was probably biased since I had played the original Lunar: The Silver Star and having a remake of my first console RPG was a dream come true, but still, it felt like they were being paid for their reviews back then.

I really need to check out EGM. I think I still have the issue where they previewed Lunar: Silver Star Story for the Saturn, how eager I was to read that at the time, and hoped that it got a port to NA. Sounds like it's better than it was in its last days as part of Ziff Davis which is what most of my issues are comprised of sadly.
 
[quote name='Jesus_S_Preston']Nintendo Power--at least when I was reading it a few years back--was fucking horrible. They basically scored on an 8-10 scale. Did Nintendo make it? 10. Did anyone else? 8-9.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, in the early days of the Wii, they scored everything very high (that's when I started subscribing again--last time was probably back in the late 80s). Now they have a lot of lower scores (guess you can't lie to anyone with the mountains of shovelware out for the Wii). I think it's a combination of the shovelware and that NP has been sold to a different company, so I guess they're free to give honest reviews now.
 
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