Video Gamer - an honest review (VideoGamer)

Member Name: Blerk

Product:	VideoGamer
Date:	01/12/00 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, honest, covers all formats equally.

Disadvantages: Very occasional 'lad mag' style writing.

So, another new video games magazine joins the shelves. Given the amount of titles already available, a new title will have to offer something a bit special in order to survive the wild, wild world of computer journalism.... and luckily for Video Gamer it shows a lot of promise.

The first thing that will strike you about the magazine is the price - when most of the other magazines are charging at least three quid for the privilege, VG comes in at a lowly 99p. Every month. Yes, I typed that correctly.

To allow for this, you'll find that the magazine is printed on lower-quality, less 'glossy' paper than the other gaming monthlies, but this isn't a problem - the colours are still excellent, the picture reproduction is better than in some more expensive magazines and the print doesn't come off on your hands like with some 'newspaper-style' magazines I've read.

VG covers all formats of game - this includes Playstation, PS2, N64, Gameboy, Dreamcast and (despite the name 'Video' Gamer) PC. Although this might sound like a lot to cover, they certainly seem to have packed a lot into the first few issues. This mainly seems to be because they concentrate entirely on game news, reviews and previews. They haven't fallen back on the old 'faithful' of other magazines - i.e. filling the magazine up with peurile humour, huge full-page pictures, and 'stories and interviews' with famous people who just happen to own a Playstation and have played on it once. This makes it a dream-come-true for readers like myself, who are purely interested in the games and not the 'lifestyle' aspects of the world of video games.

The news, previews and playing tips sections of the magazine are pretty much as you would expect in any mag, apart from some much needed harder criticism in the news and previews (i.e. they don't build up every game to be a blockbuster like some magazines will).


Where Video Gamer really comes into its own is the reviews section. There are several main differences between VG and other magazines which I have noted - all of which will no doubt please gamers who are irritated with the usual game reviews procedures of other magazines.

Firstly, they claim to only review finished games, and only games which you will be able to buy in the coming month (i.e. before the release of the next issue of the magazine). This is a big gamble on their part as it means they won't be able to pick up 'EXCLUSIVE!!!!' deals for the front cover, but as far as I'm concerned this is one of the major selling points of the magazine. Time and again I have become irritated to see magazines providing 'EXCLUSIVE!!!!' reviews of games a full six months before they are actually released - how can you review something which then has a further six months work done on it? Surely that's like reviewing a movie by watching the trailer? Hats off to VG for making this bold move, which almost guaranteed my readership on its own.

But the thing that clinches it for me are the reviews themselves. Although not entirely different to most other magazine reviews (although better written than most, without any feeble attempts to be 'clever'), the big deal here is that I feel the reviews are honest. Yes, that's right - honest. Down to earth opinions, without any platform or company bias. Whereas most magazines have given the most-hyped games of the last few months huge scores (e.g. PS2 Tekken Tag and PS Driver 2), VG has cut through the hype and given them the scores they deserve. Both score well, both come recommended, but in all cases the reviewers have pointing out both the good and the bad points in the titles and scored them accordingly. Many people may think the scoring to be very harsh, but to me only the very best games should score a 9 or a 10 and the reviewing style suits me perfectly. Being totally unbiased
in a world where magazines seem to be living in the back pockets of the games companies is worth its weight in gold, and it is for this reason that I hope that VG succeeds.

There are a couple of niggles, of course, but there always are! There are one or two places, mainly in the news section, where they pick up 'lad mag' style writing (i.e. using 'pretend' characters and 'humourous prose' to present a fairly mundane section). These feel out of place in a magazine which is supposed to be a serious title aimed at adults, but they can be overlooked in a publication which is otherwise excellent.

I would heartily recommend Video Gamer to any adult games fan who is interested in all formats and not just the one that they own. It doesn't have cartoons, full page glossy pictures, interviews with minor celebrities, scantily-clad models, huge 'EXCLUSIVE!!!' reviews six months before the game is ready, or artificially high scores based on the game's hype. But it is refreshing, adult, innovative and honest. And that's what we really need on the shelves.

Give it a try. It's only 99p, after all...

Summary: