What the official mag should be... (PlayStation World)

Member Name: GroundZero

Product:	PlayStation World
Date:	14/08/01 (466 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent cover DVD, Good quality reviews

Disadvantages: DVD reviews a bit short

Previously known as Playstation World, apparently Sony decided to clamp down on magazines bearing the name of their baby, so PSW it is. Sony would much rather you read the “Official UK Playstation magazine”, a title that tends to put more of a favourable spin on Sony’s console and the games available for it than the unofficial publications.

In contrast to the aforementioned title, PSW offers reasonable value for money. At £3.49 a month, it undercuts its rival title by £1.50, and comes with a free cover DVD instead of the CD provided with the offical magazine. The DVD is a big attraction of the magazine, containing reviews of all the latest games and previews of those in the pipeline. It can make a big difference to see what a game looks like running before you decide to splash out on it, rather than relying on static screenshots. The DVD also contains movie trailers for the latest big releases.

Thankfully PSW appears to be aimed at a more mature reader than many of the console magazines available (you know, the ones that give you free posters of the latest games). Reviews are suitably in-depth, and give you a good impression of what a game is really like. Too many games magazines forget that to the average person, £30-40 is a lot to spend on a single game. PSW at least appreciates that if you’re spending that sort of money, you want something of lasting quality and appeal.

As you might expect, the coverage is almost entirely devoted to PS2, although there is a small reviews section for PSOne games. If you haven’t yet traded up, it’s unlikely there’ll be enough in here to keep you interested (although it may well tempt you into splashing out on a PS2 when you see some of the screenshots).

Towards the back of the magazine is a short DVD review section, which interestingly seems to contain as many reviews of “cult” titles as the more mainstream releases. It could do with
out the “porn corner” review though, completely out of place in a magazine that is potentially bought by a wide age range.

Overall the magazine contains a decent mix of game news and reviews. The one thing that really makes it stand out from the crowd, however, is the cover DVD. At a reasonable price, PSW is worth a look if you want to check on the latest games for the PS2.

Summary: