PSM Magazine - grrrr

[Big Seany]

Yesterday for some reason I purchased PSM magazine, or PSM2 or whatever it is called. Was just to give me something to read whilst waiting at the launderette (our washing machine is on the blink).

All I can say, is that if "mainstream" games mags, i.e not EDGE and GamesTM, are all like this one, then it is no wonder that niche titles and original gaming experiences are virtually ignored by the masses.

It normally ends up with some thread lockage or silly bickering when scores are discussed on here (the EDGE and GTM scores, for example), but if the percentage scores and comments from this rag were discussed on here, the thread would be armageddon.

It reminded me of the old official Playstation Magazine, which gave Symphony of The Night a lacklustre review, simply because it wasn't in 2D.

Examples? Taito Legends 2, one of the most enjoyable retro compilations for some time, being mauled - simply because it will only appeal to "retro game losers" or some such comment; and that it is full of "crappy old games". OK - I know retro isn't to some people's tastes, but to pay budget price for 40 original titles is good value in my book. Nothing is mentioned particularly about the quality of what is on offer, it is just utterly dismissive.

KOF 2002, another budget title, scored 58%. I can only presume because the reviewer doesn't like 2D fighting games.

Final Fantasy X is decreed the best RPG on the system.

Gitaroo Man recieves a lacklustre score in the low seventies.

I know it isn't all about the scores, it is the review stance that annoyed me, and the fact that there are a number of extremely playable, well loved titles for PS2 that appear to have been utterly ripped to pieces in the reviews.

It would seem that the only worthwhile AAA titles are those with "Grand Theft" in the title.

Bloody magazine is a joke.

[Molloy]

If Gitarooman got that then it's a travesty.

In fairness, if you don't like KoF games then you don't like them. They were pretty dated looking in 2002. Rereleasing inferior looking ports of it in 2006 isn't going to go down well with anybody but 2d fighting fans.

I'm pretty sure Shadow of the Collosus got a very high rating. I'm not sure, I always have a quick flick through a mag before I buy it and that means I never buy something in a bag.

[SuperDanX]

The problem is that people who write for mainstream gaming magazines just dont have the same kinda love for videogames that you, i, or the people who used to write for the 16bit mags. When the transistion from 16 to 32bits happend many writers moved over to the next gen mags hence we did have some decent ps1/saturn/n64 mags. These writers, the old skool, if you like have now long gone to pastures new or up the ladder to be replaced by writers weaned on the 32bit gen who have little perspective or sence of history or come to think of it, talent.

[knight_beat]

I had a similar reaction when I bought PSM a few months ago. I don't have particularly strong views on retro vs. current gaming or the state of the magazine industry. I just want to read something that is well written, imaginative and does not treat its readers like idiots. OK, the reviewer may dislike the game style, but they are paid to consider the potential audience for the game. 'Crappy old games' will be aimed at retro heads and the young so provide a summary of what they can expect when buying the game.
The Playstation needs a magazine that is enthusiastic about gameplay and communicates the enthusiasm to the reader. PSW appears to strike a balance between tweenage and older gamers. It isn't fantastic, but you can tell they have tried.

[Big Seany]

Oh - don't get me wrong, Molloy my man, I know that KOF are an acquired taste, but they scored King Of Fighters: Maximum Impact higher than 2002. If you want to review a game based upon the quality of gameplay on offer, then you would definately enjoy the tight, 2D fighting engine in '02 than the broken, unbalanced, cheap boss hell that is MI.

I doubt there is anyone on these forums who would disagree that KOF: MI is the poorest in the entire series. Although I bet someone will!!!

And sure, SOTC got a good score, and they are jumping on the ICO bandwagon too, it is just the lacklustre, dismissive attitude that the mainstream press has toward certain titles that twists my hairy onions.

[eastyy]

there seems to be quite a few games i just do not remember seeing a review anywhere.

Think psyvariar was one of them

[Mad Gear]

It's the same across most mags tbh. With official mags imho being the worst culprits.
Here's some prime examples from the past few mags.

OPSM2 KOF2003 - 4
OXBM Metal Slug 5 - 3.9
OPSM2 Sam Sho V - 2

Feel the rage Seany

[angelx]

If you think thats bad don't read the tripe that comes free with the Xbox 360 Disc.....

[Xephon]

I asked something similar a while back (clicky). It seems that most mainstream mags these days are aimed at lads in their teens and early twenties, people who have no knowledge of gaming before the PlayStation, often not before the PlayStation 2. They know their target audience very well, knowning for example that they wouldn't be interested in games from "olden times".

So they slag them off, safe in the knowledge that most of their readers will agree. The same thing happens at Play, OPS2, and to a lesser degree at PSW. The thought that these same people will next populate the next gen mags makes me shudder.

Thank goodness for edge and gamesTM.

[eastyy]

Does annoy me when people penalise games purely for being 2d.

Also annoys when for example a mag review said that metal slug looks bad i mean i appreciate 2d art and animation i think it looks quite good

[dataDave]

MAINSTREAM

If everyone boycotted **** stuff it'd go away and the people involved with said **** would deservedly lose their jobs. It's been over a year since I bought a mag.

(I bought OXBM for FFXI, and then gave the mag away the same night.)

Bloody magazine is a joke.

All magazines are a joke IMO. I don't know the reviewer, he could be a total ****, he could be really sound, I don't know! The last thing I'm going to do is listen to what he has to say about a game - especially a game I've already been playing for 3 months since Japanese release.

The last time magazines were any good were '89-'94.

It's the same across most mags tbh. With official mags imho being the worst culprits.
Here's some prime examples from the past few mags.

OPSM2 KOF2003 - 4
OXBM Metal Slug 5 - 3.9
OPSM2 Sam Sho V - 2

Feel the rage Seany

I mean just look at that bollocks. I don't necessarily like SNK Playmores recent output compared to the SNK of '95-'99 (ie: I wouldn't go any further than a port, if I did want to waste my time) although I wouldn't go that far.

[Johnny]

Just to extend the debate, what gaming mags do you guys read?

The UK mags I read regularly are PSW, Gamesmaster, Cube when it was about and Play (same as Cube).
I'll probably get hung, drawn and quartered for admitting reading GM when its target audience is about 10 years younger than me but it's a mix of always having read it since I was a kid and there's some decent coverage.

PSW is decent too but they have to do away with that free DVD - it's got to the point where all their vids are trailers off Gamespot or the like and **** quality aswell. Plus friggin jewel cases. I swear, I have a stack of about 50 DVD boxes taking up valuable space from all these mags and their DVDs!

I did get Famitsy every week for a while but ?10 after postage each week isn't worth it. I stopped my Famitsu Wave sub recently too but they're both great quality overall IMO.

I've tried Edge and to be honest found it a bit, not pretentious so much as boring

[SuperDanX]

Play is the only decent ps2 mag imo.

[Distant Cousin]

And PSM stole my initials

[Concept]

I don't read magazines anymore.

That's not to say there aren't say, less than five publications out of a few thousand dozen on the planet, worth bothering with though.