Anyone here read EDGE?

Len_007

Just wondering if anyone here reads Edge. It can be quite tough on games & constantly goes on about the constant (licenced) drival that hits the top shelves, but I gues, it's only telling the truth. What do yez reckon of it?

amp

I like the covers. And the name, and parts of the layout.

I don't actually read it though. I just cut off the cover and stick them on my wall and rub up against them in an excited fashion.





memo to self: never read 5 months of #fortress.ie logs in 2 weeks

RicardoSmith

I used to read it, but I think lately it has gone down hill a bit lately. I know its a industry mag rather than a gamers mag but it really harps on and on about the "industry" and every little fad way too much. Its looks like a serious mag but when you step back and look at their articles its more like a high brow (they'd like to think) tabloid. Its doing this more and more these days. I reckon it must have fewer and fewer reader these days, you hardly see it around.

Len_007

I've been getting it now almost 5 years now, I have it on order at the shop I work at. But I'd have to ask myself would I be going out specificly to get it if it wasn't coming in for me? I do like the articles they have, but I think you're right in that they do look down on everyone in the industry who has an opinion, even us consumers. Correct also is the point about lagging sales. If you look at their back catalogue page, none of the past year and a half have been sold out. Where as once, most of the back issues where unavailable. But, they are by fare, the best Video Games Mag out there, with honest, yes honest opinions on games. An average game deserves an average score, 5. not 7.5 like most other mags give it.

super_furry

I was a regular reader, but like others I feel it's gone downhill in recent times. Their approach to games in general seems to be far to cynical and jaded these days, and while I respect their reviews, their features have become far more insular and more focused on the mechanics behind making a game than the actual games themselves. The criticism of elitism that's been levelled at them in the past still rings true.

The problem was, up until recently there was no real alternative, but with the release of Games TM, Edge finally has some competition, and I for one have switched from Edge.

RicardoSmith

Most games mags these days have such poor reviews that I don't both with them. I get more information from the web than I do the magazines. The price of them is too much these days aswell. Some of them are over €10 which is waaay too much. I still pick up the edge in the shop when I see it and flick through it to see if theres anything interesting in it. IMO there rarely is so I can't remember when I last bought it.

shotamoose

Only really started reading it in the last year or so. The covers are indeed brilliant, but much of the content seems to repeat every few months. They have the odd very good feature, though - such as the recent one on games developers around the world.

It'll never match up to Amstrad Action, anyway :cool:

RicardoSmith

Thats true, it does seem to repeat alright. The printing is the best I think I've seen in a magazine and its not filled with six million ads either like all the other magazines are.

BLITZ_Molloy

I just love the mag. Art, layout, articles, columns, letters etc. are all brilliant. The reviews are well written but really inconsistant.. but I don't care. I just look for information on a game and judge it myself. I've learnt not to care if everybody agrees with me. :cool:

Liver-Lips

I would agree that edge is repetative, the reviews can be inconsistant, its highly pessemistic and that they should get down from their high horse BUT i've been over to len_007's house and seen that 5 year collection and you can be sure that its the most honest and accurate record of gaming over the past 5 years.
after seeing his mags i started my own collection around a year ago and enjoy making the trip from the shop each month readin away on the bus. its not the articles on their own that captures my attention but the snap-shot in time that whole magazine captures.

quaalude

I've just started to buy it recently, and I think it's really good.
It doesn't patronize and doesn't have those bullsh*t previews that clutter the first third of every other games mag.

Edge also has heaps to read, lots about retro gaming, and is really well designed.
In my opinion the attitude it adopts is in line with the age group of its readers - I guess mid-twenties to mid-thirties.

It's no Commodore User, though! Best mag EVER!!

theciscokid

wish the forums would get back up
:rolleyes:

Retr0gamer

I find edge love themselves too much and are so far up their arses they can touch their tonsils. There lack of humour also doesn't go down well with me. Games tm is the best mag at the moment. Hope it doesn't go the way of Arcade.

TommyUnderwear

I like the magazine alot, usually very good on the exclusives and the interviews. The layout is top notch also. However, they do sometimes sound a bit up themselves as far as their reviews go. But they do know their stuff, they have been in the industry for a long time. You have to respect their opinions. I would listen to them before the likes of any of the official mags, they are honest.

Dont be at yourself

EDGE has become terrible - a parody of itself - in the last year or so. They've given a few too many dodgy scores, that just smack of being controversial for the sake of being controversial. I remember they tore GTA3 apart, depite it clearly being the defining game of the last few years.

I'd pick it up now and again for their interesting features, but I couldn't care less for their news or reviews.

Captain Trips

They tore GTA3 apart? That's got to be someone taking a seriously pessimistic attitude on an almost universally acclaimed game (by both mags, online, chronic and acute gamers alike).

I suppose it's a method of generating controversy, which is good when some mags (e.g., OPS2) give far too many average games a 7 or 8 out of 10.

Game (TM) has me converted from Edge anyway. If Eurogamer was a print magazine I'd subscribe for a bloody decade as I think I use that more than any other mag or site.

Liver-Lips

Yeah Eurogamer is probably the best site around for gaming. IGN was good but then it got all insidery and you had to pay to see the same screenshots circulating every f**king site on the web!

still wont leave EDGE though. if i had bought a playstation when the N64 was going the way of the dodo then i would never have know the Gamecube joys of monkeys running around in balls. and thats a serious loss.
i look at edge the same way. stick with where your loyalty lies. when the next perfect 10 game comes along, no mag will make it sound so good as EDGE.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by Liver-Lips
....Gamecube joys of monkeys running around in balls....

Wha's da?

Len_007

It gave GTA 8 out of ten, which is a very good mark by Edge's standtards. & I believe Liver-lips was refering to Super Monkey ball, a fantasticly addictive game I would not of bought only for the nag in question gave it such high praise.

Dont be at yourself

The GTA3 mark was revised* after an uproar from almost everybody though. And the actual review was very critical of it, I believe.

*A misprint they said. I say: Trying to save face, while refusing to admit that they got it wrong.

Ryo Hazuki

Whenever I read EDGE (whick is VERY rarely) I get the impression that they intentionally try to suck the fun out of gaming.

mystik

how much is edge?

Len_007

It goes for about €7. Steep mind

Len_007

Edge's ears must of been burning, has anyone read the latest issue?

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by Len_007
Edge's ears must of been burning, has anyone read the latest issue?

Nope why?

Captain Trips

That's the Half Life 2 issue, yeah? What happened in it? I never bought it......

ObeyGiant

There's a couple of interesting articles in this Month's Edge. I'm assuming Len_007 was talking about the one that goes to great lengths to justify some of Edge's.. 'irregularities', when it comes to their style of reviewing games. It's a really interesting article, and goes to great lengths to explain the business, and art, of reviewing video games.

Also - I noticed that Shinji got quoted in this month's Edge (The PR article). Is that why he's been so quiet on this thread? He's usually quite vocal about the sour taste Edge leaves in his mouth

Or maybe he's just tired of this topic coming up.

Retr0gamer

If he starts working for Edge I'll never trust his writing again. Actually he has been quite cynical lately.

Or maybe he's enjoying himself in LA on a "Business Trip" (Play games and go to LA for free!).

Shinji

Yeah, I'm being quiet because I just got back from LA

I do have a big problem with EDGE because of the mag's attitude to games - you just don't get the impression that they actually enjoy videogames, which is a bit of a problem. And their reviews are laughable - they gave a higher score to the trashy, terrible Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball than they did to GTA3!

I actually get along okay with those of the EDGE staff that I know personally, I just have a major professional dispute with how they do things. I was particularly f*cked off with their "middle age of gaming" rubbish a few months back - just becuase YOU are cynical and jaded doesn't mean everyone who plays games is!

Retr0gamer

I can see how they get so cynical. For every ICO, GTA, Zelda and GTA there is another 50 SOF2s, Unreal2s, Midnight Club 2s and(insert woeful liscenced game here)s.

Shinji

I can see it, but I don't agree with it, and I don't believe that sort of attitude is conducive to producing a good magazine.

EDGE is cynical about the really good games as well as the poor cloned rubbish, and they're often prepared to laud terrible titles just to cause controversy (example being DOAXBV). Besides which, they really don't know enough about games or the industry to make the kind of comments you see them flippantly making.

And by the way, Midnight Club 2 is really good fun and is selling on the strength of good word of mouth rather than heavy marketing.

ObeyGiant

Like I said in a previous post - the latest issue of Edge addresses a lot of the complaints being thrown at it. In case some people despise Edge to the point of not reading what they have to say on the subject, allow me to paraphrase their explainations here.

A lot of the 'cynicism' Edge is accused of harbouring is merely criticism - they make a point of noting that they are less 'reviewers' of games, and more 'critics'. Critics are often labelled as being overly cynical (ever read any Dorothy Parker?), but without their input, the creative medium they are criticising would stagnate. There is a lot more to be learned from "Game X is bad because ...." than "Game X SUXX!!!!".

"Just to cause controversy"? What absolute rubbish. I have played DOAXBV, and I enjoyed it immensely, (and not just because of the jiggling titties - I also thoroughly enjoyed Beach Volley on the Amiga). Likewise, I thought GTA3 was a pretty mediocre game - nice at first, but without any real flair to keep it going beyond a couple of weeks (GTA:VC rules, however). Have I formed these opinions 'just to cause controversy'? Of course not. From this, is it such a stunning revelation that a magazine reviewer could share these opinions? How arrogant is it to assume that because you didn't like Videogame A and they did, or vice-versa, that they are somehow 'wrong',
and you are 'right'?

They acknowledge that all magazines and websites write for their readership. They write for the people they understand buy the magazine. In Edge's case, they are writing for 20-30somethings, who want a little more for their money than an 'average' videogame.

"Get the impression they don't like videogames" - Have you read their reviews for Halo? Zelda? Metroid? Soul Caliber 2? (A game I still don't like). These are very nearly poems to these games. Just because they are pointing out flaws, or things that could have been done better, doesn't mean they're not enjoying them, just that they're giving the developer something to work with, rather than a "98%!!!! THIS GAME RULES!!!!". Likewise, they are harshly critical of lacklustre games, but do their best to point out whatever good points are to be found in it. A case in point is the review of "Vietcong" from this month's issue. Summary: "There might be a great Vietnam game out there, but this just isn't it".. but in the review.. "Combat is realistic and intimidating" ... "Vietcong forces you to use cover and place your shots carefully and, for the most part, can be commended for this approach" ... "it certainly feels different to numerous other firstperson shooters".

I'm afraid when I read Edge, I just can't see people who "don't like videogames". On the contrary - I see a group of people who revere good videogames.

BLITZ_Molloy

Well done Obey Giant. I wasn't feeling up to typing out a load of stuff from the magazine and you summarised the points perfectly.

Edge is written by people who are journalists first and gamers second. I tend to prefer that myself. There are a thousand websites out there like IGN, Gamespot etc. with utterly incoherent and badly written opinions. They know games but they don't know how to express themselves properly.

RicardoSmith

Their reviews are fairly short and often don't really tell you much about the game. But thats not way I don't find it that interesting anymore. Its not the critisim as I think thats a good. But= its their sound bites on whatever is the latest flavour of the month. They hype every latest technology the the nth degree an if something is struggling they put the boot in. Very tabloid IMO. Though its not as obvious. Since the subject matter is quite different.

Personally theres too much content related to games and technolgy thats not even in a million years going to hit europe never mind Ireland. Whats the point of reading about that?

Captain Trips

Originally posted by RicardoSmith

Personally theres too much content related to games and technolgy thats not even in a million years going to hit europe never mind Ireland. Whats the point of reading about that?

I like that part - and it's why I prefer Games TM these days. It feels much more eh, global or something , which suits the subject matter. I like to read about say, what a great time the Japs must be having what with the likes of Makai Senki Disgaia Nippon.

It's the sort of thing that Games TM does that makes it worth getting (like the recent history of Nintendo stuff, or the retro section); basically everything Edge does I can find online. So they have some great shots of HL2? Pc Zone had it as well, and heck, it was all over the net (again, the global thing I like) a month earlier.

Deadwing

Originally posted by Retr0gamer
I find edge love themselves too much and are so far up their arses they can touch their tonsils. There lack of humour also doesn't go down well with me. Games tm is the best mag at the moment. Hope it doesn't go the way of Arcade.

What DID happen to arcade?! I used to work in easons, and stole every games mag each month. Arcade was always the best one, and then poof, it was gone. I assume it went out of publication, but whyyyyyy?!
As for Edge, i think its reviews are tough but fair, but it tends to be very Microsoft-centric, has all the sense of humour of a corpse, and tries too hard to be taken "seriously" ( like it was the times of videogame mags, or something)
Personally, i think the best mags are
Ps2: PSW (funny as f*ck, like an FHM of games)
Cube:None really, theyre all a bit ****e
Multi:C&VG (doesnt take itself too seriously, yet still has good reviews and features)

And Games TM while only 4 issues or so old, is looking pretty good, i have to say.

Deadwing

Originally posted by ObeyGiant
"Likewise, I thought GTA3 was a pretty mediocre game - nice at first, but without any real flair to keep it going beyond a couple of weeks (GTA:VC rules, however).

I only just read that part, and i still find it unbelievable anyone could think that. Vice city was nothing but GTA3 with poorer graphics, motorbikes, and a licensed soundtrack. The minute i turned on VC, as soon as the intro was over and the game began proper, my heart sank. Rockstar made out like GTA:VC would be the second coming of christ, and i was bored of it after 2 weeks (having previously played GTA3 for over a year religiously). I just cant understand why everyone raves about it so much, when GTA3 had 10 times the innovation VC had, and was a hell of alot more enjoyable. I mean, where were the bloody hills in VC?!?! Pffft.

ObeyGiant

Originally posted by Deadwing
I only just read that part, and i still find it unbelievable anyone could think that. Vice city was nothing but GTA3 with poorer graphics, motorbikes, and a licensed soundtrack.

VC had a fairly engrossing tongue-in-cheek storyline, and pretty good gameplay innovation, and a better incetive to "explore" the city. I also preferred the fact that my character actually progressed throughout the game because he was a pretty strong character.. not because he was a mute who just happened to drive people here and there.

My housemates (who don't usually play videogames) weren't big into playing the story game - they'd just pick up GTA, drive around for a bit, get a huge wanted status, and die in a really dramatic way. I don't think they ever once picked up GTA3 for this - always VC. I guess this anecdote just explains what I like about VC - it's just more.. fun.

But like I was saying - this isn't gospel, just my opinion.

Len_007

Fair play Obey Giant, that was some good analysis there. As it was said, I came on to make a few points from the mag, but you already had them nailed.
[qoute]Personally theres too much content related to games and technolgy thats not even in a million years going to hit europe never mind Ireland. Whats the point of reading about that?[/quote]
There may not be any point in me reading it, but there is a lot of people in the games industry who read Edge, & who do have an interest in the forth coming technolgy out there.

Deadwing

Originally posted by ObeyGiant
VC had a fairly engrossing tongue-in-cheek storyline, and pretty good gameplay innovation, and a better incetive to "explore" the city. I also preferred the fact that my character actually progressed throughout the game because he was a pretty strong character.. not because he was a mute who just happened to drive people here and there.

Maybe its just me then..*feels lonely* But ive still not explored half of VC, (but i know all 3 islands of gta3 inside out) I dont know, i just think the "wow" factor gta3 had was totally absent from VC. (i can still remember the first time i played gta3, i spent the first hour slack jawed, and laughing my ass off while running over pedestrians) Sure the bikes were cool, but nothing radical innovation wise. The charachter development WAS good, but hardly revolutionary. I dont know, i just didnt see why such a fuss was made over VC when gta3 was the real mold breaker. VC was almost like the latest FIFA EA cash cow paradigm: Take an established name, bang in a couple of new features, hype it up, and watch the money roll in.
Oh and sorry everyone, for hijacking the EDGE thread and turning it into VC bashing *L*

BLITZ_Molloy

Edge featured the physics engine middleware Havok a few issues back. That has every gamer frothing at the mouth after seeing the latest HL2 movies.

As for the technology not being relevant to us.. it's developed in Dublin.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by BLITZ_Molloy
Edge featured the physics engine middleware Havok a few issues back. That has every gamer frothing at the mouth after seeing the latest HL2 movies.

As for the technology not being relevant to us.. it's developed in Dublin.

Sigh...Did I say that? NO. I said they go on about stuff that IS NOT going to be seen here or even in Europe. How do you read that and come back with what you posted? Hello....earth calling Major Tom?....hello?

BLITZ_Molloy

Typing "Hello?" at me isn't adding much weight to your argument. Are you complaining about the developer technology section? Tons of that stuff appears in titles released in Ireland. Middleware like Havok (HL2, Doom3, Dues Ex2), Renderware (Burnout 2) and all those 3d modeling proggies like 3dmax and lightwave are used in games we buy. If they're covering new technology obviously not every single thing is going to make it to market but that's life.

If your talking about import games then I don't see your point either. Most of the games get published over here eventually and you could always buy an import machine, as getting games from Japan isn't as pricy as you think. I've got tons of DC imports for small money.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by BLITZ_Molloy
Typing "Hello?" at me isn't adding much weight to your argument. Are you complaining about the developer technology section? Tons of that stuff appears in titles released in Ireland. Middleware like Havok (HL2, Doom3, Dues Ex2), Renderware (Burnout 2) and all those 3d modeling proggies like 3dmax and lightwave are used in games we buy. If they're covering new technology obviously not every single thing is going to make it to market but that's life.

If your talking about import games then I don't see your point either. Most of the games get published over here eventually and you could always buy an import machine, as getting games from Japan isn't as pricy as you think. I've got tons of DC imports for small money.

You are just not hearing what I saying. I'm not talking about run of the mill stuff that you have listed for some reason, but stuff that we DON'T get. RPG's in Japanese, hardware thats only available in Japan, or arcade machines that are also only available in Japan. Events that are in Japan with titles and machines that we CAN'T get. The edge used to be full of it. Haven't bought it in about a year so I dunno if its got better or worse since. I had been reading it more or less since issue 1 up to then. Anyone else remember the 3DO saga's and similar? Boring. They hyped that big time.

I'm am NOT talking about stuff we CAN get which for some bizarre reason you're confused about.

....HELLO....:D