Does anyone 'still' like Edge magazine? • Gaming • General Gaming • Eurogamer.net

mr_steve100 15 Jan 2006 22:22:01 1,238 posts
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Let me explain; a couple of years ago they were publishing stuff that was pretty decent yet still a bit 'up-themselves' in a way. And then there was talk of all the old writers (or the majority of them) having left because of something to do with editorial issues, and a new lot of writers drafted in. (was that true?)

Just a mate of mine says it doesn't read as good as it used to, it doesn't have RedEye, and just a general dislike.

I'm alright with it, there's been a bit of a change but nothing as drastic as I've seen in other mags.

Discuss: Is the current Edge actually any good, in your opinion?

The-Old-Bill 15 Jan 2006 22:24:19 5,101 posts
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I think GamesTM came in and cornered alot of it's former market. I prefer GamesTM now, myself.

MrTomFTW Moderator 15 Jan 2006 22:25:07 47,501 posts
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I subscribe to Edge and enjoy it most months. It has it's ups and downs.

markypants 15 Jan 2006 22:26:55 2,860 posts
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The Old Bill wrote:
I think GamesTM came in and cornered alot of it's former market. I prefer GamesTM now, myself.

Have to agree. I also find that more and more it all feels like second hand news as I've either read it on line or seen a demo/trailer on line. That goes for all game magazines tbh.

M

Cpt_Fluffy 15 Jan 2006 22:27:20 387 posts
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This month will be the first issues of Edge I've skipped since the N64 launched in the UK. I've finally cut my subscription and am not giving them any more of my money.

In my eye it's a shadow of its former self. (It's/its/erk).

But, that could equally be (in my judgment) the editorial stance shifting away from Japanocentric to a more realism/western game mould. Which, I guess is a fair reflection of the entire industry.

But yeah, it's been a good year since I've managed to read a whole issue. And when I realised I was skipping more than half the features... I realised it was time to stop.

mr_steve100 15 Jan 2006 22:27:42 1,238 posts
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The Old Bill wrote:
I think GamesTM came in and cornered alot of it's former market. I prefer GamesTM now, myself.

Do you think that GamesTM has improved since the first issue? I bought that, and didn't think too much of it, but I'm willing to change my mind.

I've got an Edge subs too, but lately their articles haven't been all that griping.

markypants 15 Jan 2006 22:29:21 2,860 posts
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I really enjoy GamesTM's retro section. That's one of the clinchers for me. I also just enjoy their editorial style better.

Deleted user 15 January 2006 22:30:22

Yeah, Edge is a good read and is actually quite intellectual unlike most game mags.

mr_steve100 15 Jan 2006 22:38:57 1,238 posts
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Okay, besides shamelessly bumping up my thread, what are the best multiplatform games magazines out there in the UK? It's just so that I can have a look next time I'm in WHSmiths (saves me browsing).

Deleted user 15 January 2006 22:39:38

mr_steve100 wrote:
Okay, besides shamelessly bumping up my thread, what are the best multiplatform games magazines out there in the UK? It's just so that I can have a look next time I'm in WHSmiths (saves me browsing).

Edge and GamesTM. Unless you want to read a 10 year olds magazine in Gamesmaster, that's it.

The-Old-Bill 15 Jan 2006 22:43:08 5,101 posts
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mr_steve100 wrote:
Do you think that GamesTM has improved since the first issue? I bought that, and didn't think too much of it, but I'm willing to change my mind.

I've got an Edge subs too, but lately their articles haven't been all that griping.

I'd buy this months and see for myself, really. I'm not sure what issue I came in on, so I cant' really say. All I can say is that I enjoy reading it, and that they are making fewer mistakes.

Deleted user 15 January 2006 22:46:55

As I mentioned in another thread this evening, I just find Edge too dry these days. It's like they're scared they'll look less authoritative if they actually get excited by anything. Redeye was a good antidote for that, I miss that column.

I'm still (foolishly) hoping for a mag in the style of Super Play - i.e. knowledgeable and passionate for their subject matter. Don't know of anything like it these days, though.

Can't think of a single magazine out there at the moment I really rate. I mean, I don't know any single format magazines that aren't guilty of rabid fanboyism (part of their appeal, I guess, I mean, that's probably what their readership want to see), I've never liked GamesTM's writing style (or visual style, for that matter), so that leaves Edge. Which, although flawed in my opinion, is better than the rest of 'em at the moment.

Gruff 15 Jan 2006 22:47:00 3,940 posts
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For me EDGE is by far the better mag. i like the intelligent and informed articles and reviews, which in my opinion are better and more accurate than GamesTM.

I prefer that EDGE treat videogames with the excessive reverence that they do, because we get fuck all respect from any of the other media outlets.

GamesTM lost some credibility in my eyes when they didn't review HL2 because "everybody else had already done it".

I subscribe to Edge but buy GamesTM at smiths.

mr_steve100 15 Jan 2006 23:01:48 1,238 posts
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Gruff wrote:
GamesTM lost some credibility in my eyes when they didn't review HL2 because "everybody else had already done it".

Seriously? Bloody hell, I wonder if they thought 'shit, that was a mistake'?

Pirotic Moderator 15 Jan 2006 23:24:28 20,644 posts
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mr_steve100 wrote:

Gruff wrote:
GamesTM lost some credibility in my eyes when they didn't review HL2 because "everybody else had already done it".

Seriously? Bloody hell, I wonder if they thought 'shit, that was a mistake'?

They got the preview code so late they didn't see the point in reviewing it, but to be fair we didn't really need another HL2 review anyway but a single page and a score wouldn't of gone amiss really would it?

I think its a bit fashionable to hate Edge, but i've always liked it.

ilmaestro 16 Jan 2006 00:20:37 32,932 posts
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I read Edge and GTM pretty much cover to cover each month, but I much prefer Edge, primarily for their reviews but also I think they have a higher ratio of genuinely interesting articles/random interviews that GTM seems to favor.

djchump 16 Jan 2006 07:08:55 4,463 posts
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I still like Edge, but after the previous editor, Joao Diniz Sanches left, I did notice a drop in the quality of the writing - I don't think the articles etc. got worse (that comedy writers article a couple months ago was great), but just the proofreading got a lot sloppier - typos, bad spelling and poor grammar all started to crop up. Simple typos that could have been caught by running a spell-checker really throws me when I'm reading a magazine that is so built around it's "intellectual" status.

I do remember reading about Diniz Sanches leaving at the time (IIRC it was something about Future trying to force Edge to be more popularist?), and there was worries for Edge's future as most of the staff writers also walked out, but I think most of them came back and it's just carried on with a new editor.

Anyway, FWIW I buy Edge every month and I'll sometimes buy GamesTM as well.

janos 16 Jan 2006 08:06:30 494 posts
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I still like Edge more than any of the other games mags, but there was an obvious quality drop when Diniz-Sanches left. Especially so in the art design. Edge used to be the slickest looking mag of them all, now it's just average.
Some must-read articles along with the best reviews section makes it worth it, though - even though it's insanely expensive here in Sweden. I really must get a subscription.

oneiros 16 Jan 2006 08:30:21 1,877 posts
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Pirotic wrote:
I think its a bit fashionable to hate Edge, but i've always liked it.

Indeed; it's still the best games magazine out there...

kincaide 16 Jan 2006 09:05:45 5,067 posts
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Yes

knif3r 16 Jan 2006 09:14:57 54 posts
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agreed. Just compare Edge and GamesTM to any other of the crap out there. They stand head and shoulders above the rest

chopsen 16 Jan 2006 09:24:02 21,958 posts
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GamesTM is more entertaining to read.

But then Edge has MR Biffo!

\o/

Ignatius_Cheese Moderator 16 Jan 2006 09:29:49 11,104 posts
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I still buy Edge magazine every month if only because I'm a whore for the glossy, over-produced magazines. I have bought many issues of GamesTM as well but not as regularly as I would with Edge. Overall, I find the articles in Edge a lot more in depth but can also agree with people that there has been a definite shift away from Japanese companies and coverage. That for me can never be a good thing...

Tweakmonkey 16 Jan 2006 09:38:55 1,300 posts
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I like Edge because I can read it on the train without feeling like a teenage boy :-P

Ignatius_Cheese Moderator 16 Jan 2006 09:43:46 11,104 posts
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Tweakmonkey wrote:
I like Edge because I can read it on the train without feeling like a teenage boy

Hehe, it is true that you somehow feel more important when reading Edge... Who would have thunk it? An ego-boosting games magazine!

D

ssuellid 16 Jan 2006 09:53:38 19,142 posts
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Gone down hill massively since the redesign. The new layout/design destroys the readability. No longer a joy to look at as well as a good read. Plus the interesting articles that no one else seemed to do have been cut right down.

Ignatius_Cheese Moderator 16 Jan 2006 09:55:40 11,104 posts
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ssuellid wrote:
Gone down hill massively since the redesign. The new layout/design destroys the readability. No longer a joy to look at as well as a good read. Plus the interesting articles that no one else seemed to do have been cut right down.

Agree with your comments about the layout and interesting articles. Still, you do occasionlly get a couple of gems...

tiddles 16 Jan 2006 10:12:16 3,555 posts
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I like Edge - I think the redesign was a massive improvement, I like the fact that you can now actually read the text without going blind. Most issues have a pretty high proportion of articles I actually want to read - much higher than in the Diniz-Sanchez days - and there's enough exclusive content that I don't find I've read it all before on the internet. People saying that Edge is shit and/or they're cancelling their sub has been happening since Issue 1 - if you ever hear lots of people agreeing that it's brilliant, watch out, it's about to go under...

GamesTM on the other hand - I like the idea of it, but hot damn it's ugly, and I've read everything I want to after the first five minutes...

drumbaby 16 Jan 2006 10:16:37 2,688 posts
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Beautifully illustrated/ printed, but a bit poncey, and far too concerned with innovation rather than good gameplay...imho of course.

I'll happily browse it for ages in WH Smiths, but I'd never buy it, put it that way.

ssuellid 16 Jan 2006 10:17:40 19,142 posts
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Not sure how you can say that plain text on a plain background with simple layout was harder to read than the redesign.