Gamefan issue 5 (November)

[Shibusawa jr.]

Thought some of you may find it interesting to read the views of a French magazine this month.

Cover is an ugly piece of Naruto art and above the mags name it reads:
PS2/XBoX/Gamecube/GBA/RPG/Arcade/Retro

Features a 25 page report on the Tokyo Game Show which naturally include lots of news on PSP and DS and stuff about familiar upcoming titles like GT4 and Advance Wars DS. More importantly there's information I miss in certain other magazines: background info and screens for Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 2, Tsukiyoni Saraba (music by Mitsuda-san !), Giant Robo, Bumpytrot and Lumines (new Mizuguchi game) to name a few.

Other features are a "How to make videogaming" part two which goes into Ernest Adams' 'Postmodernism & the 3 types of immersion' article (?) and the monthly 15 page Arkadia and 20 page retro specials.

No real previws but some lenghty reviews. They give two scores, the first is supposed to reflect the reviewers personal opinion, the second his professional, objective score.

PS2:
Kengo 3: 7.5/7.5
Sakura Taisen 5: 6.5/5.8
Naruto NH2: 9.0/8.2
Berserk MFSSNS*: 7.9/7.7
Gundam Seed OAH: 7.5/7.3
Mortal Kombat M: 4.5/7.0
Yuyu Hakusho: DT: 5.1/3.2
Shin Megami Tensei:N: 9.1/8.9**

Xbox:
Phantom Dust: 8.1/7.5
Fable: 7.6/ 6.4 **

GBA:
Guardian Heroes A: 6.5/6.8
Zelda: TMC: 9.0/9.1**

Retro scores:
Grandia, Saturn: 9.1
Panzer Dragoon Saga, Saturn: 9.5
Xenogears, Psx: 9.8
Saga Frontier 2, Psx: 9.2

* full name is Berserk Millenium Falcon Seima Senki No Sho
** Magazine has a special RPG section where the first score is for 'inspiration' and the second one the overall verdict.

In Arkadia:

-The Seibu Anthology vol. 1, one for the Raiden fans.
-News on Ghost Squad and a plea to bring the new Initial D to Europe, some screens of G-Rev's new game which look pretty cool and other bits.
-special on gotesque and bizarre Arcade machines
-report on the continuing tournaments they have over there, categories:
VF:Evo/SCII/GGXX/KOF2003/SFII/SFZero3/SF3rdStrike/CvSNK2.
-Retrotest on Shock Troopers (8.5) and Battle Garegga (7.9).
-Neowave KOF 7 page special.

In Retro:
(My favourite)- Non Celebrity Deatmatch: this time between the favourite: Contra Spirits (SNES) and the challenger: 3 Ninja's kick back (Genesis) and their winner is: 3 Ninja's Kick Back !
- specials on Shinobi and Streets of Rage
- feature on obscure GB (link-up) titles.
- more retrotests: Dennin Allester, Mega CD: 7.5/ Double Dragon2, NES: 9.5/ Final Match Tennis, PCEngine: 9.8/ Sapphire, Duo(Arcade Card): 8.5/ Quack Shot, MD: 9.4/ World of Illusion, MD: 9.8/ Star Parodia, NEC: 8.0/ Captain Tsubasa 3:KnC, SNES: 6.5/ CYMacross: SV, SNES: 8.7/ Nemesis 2, GB: 7.8/ Tetris Butou Gaiden, SNES: 8.0/ Chibi Maruko Chan: MMnI, SNES: 7.5

The mag doesn't have the sophisticated feel of Edge or GamesTM and feels more like a fanzine but content wise it shows them a thing or two, IMO. Maybe the thing will get worse as my french gets better though

[Sketcz]

Gamefan, wasn't that also one of the best import-centric mags to come out of the USA ever? They always used to dedicate the majority of the mag to Japanese games, kinda like NTSC-UK except in print, and slightly flashier, with better cover art?

Sorry, didnt mean to go off topic there, can you post pics of the cover?
I lived in France for 2 years and never saw it. Is it found in most stores, or is it quite a sepcialist mag?

Does France even have an import specific mag? I searched but never saw one.

ahh, hopw I yearn for the days of Super Play and Gamefan.



still, thanks for this piece of info, I always enjoy knowing what goes on around the world.

[Shibusawa jr.]

Gamefan, wasn't that also one of the best import-centric mags to come out of the USA ever? They always used to dedicate the majority of the mag to Japanese games, kinda like NTSC-UK except in print, and slightly flashier, with better cover art?

YES.
Discovering it almost made my eyes pop out as it's just like you described. The publisher of Gamefan also does Japan Vibes which is more Anime centred.
While I was there it was quite surprising to see the amount of specialized gaming press. They sell Arkadia, Gameplay RPG (exlusively anime and RPG's), lots of small magazines plus the usual suspects (although no Edge or GamesTM).

I'm sorry but can't post pics from work (or home) but go to
www.gamefan-mag.com and I'm sure you can find it there. I think this is the most import specific mag in France though, just look at the reviews. This is issue nr.5 so they've just started and as a fellow Otaku I have to support them

[Mad Gear]

Now thats what i'm talking about!
I was a big fan of the American Die-Hard Gamefan mag and this french one looks the biz.
It's a shame that any decent jap/anime/gaming mags die on its arse over here (see Maximum).
That Strider cover looks er.. the ****!! (which is good in my books).

[Shibusawa jr.]

Until I can get a full grasp (?, maybe I should start with English first) of the language it certainly is my magazine of choice (although I'm not too content with their scoring mechanism). Hope they'll make it through their first year without having to give in to the mainstream too much.

[Sketcz]

They did a piece on the turbo duo and lords of thunder and drac-X!


My god, I cant believe I never saw this in France, that looks like a bloody amazing mag! Like MG said, its a pity we dont have any serious import style mags here like Die-Hard Gamefan, this french mag or even super play from back in the day.

ahh, this has made me go all nostalgic... pity my old issues of gamefan are in storage


Thanks for this topic Shibu, great stuff

[Duddyroar]

Is this magazine connected to the original US GameFan?