I subscribe to a trio of video game magazines: Official PlayStation Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, and Nintendo Power. Even though I do check various gaming news websites on a daily basis, I still like getting the magazines.
I like the concept of books in general... actual permanent, tangible objects. Magazines are also easier to use than websites. You get more info with less work: less clicking around, waiting for stuff to load. And since it's a magazine, you're forced to see everything as you page through, so you see stuff that you might actively ignore on choose-your-own-link websites. Sure, the websites are going to have the most timely info, active discussion boards - and that's why I use them - but they also veer towards unprofessionalism in design, layout and editorial issues. I know the garage-band vibe can add to the charm, but that doesn't excuse crappy, amateurish design. Nor does it excuse embarrassingly awful webcomics and vicious, inciteful fanboyism.
Anyway, I get my PS2 stuff from OPM, the gaming universe stuff from EGM, and the Nintendo stuff from NP. Nintendo Power is a funny little mag. While OPM does a good job of maintaining a neutral, critical veneer (despite being a Sony-endorsed publication), Nintendo Power has no such qualms. Every game they cover is the most awesome thing since ever. So you have to know what you're reading; NP is a magazine-length advertisement, first and foremost. The only criticisms are tucked in the ass end of each issue, capsulized reviews that barely differentiate a good game from a bad game. On the whole, it's good to temper NP's enthusiasm with other healthy viewpoints.
That really isn't the reason to get Nintendo Power, for their opinions. Their undercooked reviews may work on kids, but they don't get past any adult's braincase. What's cool about NP is the overall treatment of the brand... if you're into Zelda or Mario or Pokemon or Metroid, this is where you want to go. Plus they have some great pack-ins (Pokemon promo cards and a Smash Bros Soundtrack CD come to mind). And I love the kids' artwork that gets sent to the lettercolumn. It's cool to see new generations of gamers adopting characters as their own.
The latest issue proves this out... they printed the results from their annual Nintendo Power Awards - which this year should just be called the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Awards, because WW received 11 awards out of 28 categories. And that's fine, because it does deserve at least half of those. But the real problem is where they list the editorial staff's choices... and several of the editors take the chance to talk up the "deep story" from Beyond Good & Evil.
I've covered this in my review, but I feel the need to point this out again. BG&E, while it has a great look and interesting characters, has the MOST SIMPLISTIC STORY EVER TOLD IN A VIDEO GAME. At no point will you be fooled or misled by the plot. It is not complex at all, and only barely interesting. The good guys are all obvious; the bad guys are even more obvious. Nothing changes mid-plot to change those roles either. The game is not beyond good and evil, it is simply Here's Good & Evil.
From Editor Steven: "A deeper video game story hasn't been told since Eternal Darkness. In my book, BG&E's story ranks among the better yarns spun by classic sci-fi masters like Heinlein and Bradbury."
Well, it's apparent you haven't read any books, Steven. Although I appreciate your willingness to namedrop, BG&E's story is one of the oldest sci-fi cliches ever told: Don't Trust Your Government Because They're Selling You To Aliens. And They're Awfully Blatant About It.
From Editor Alan: "The theme of governments that don't tell the whole truth is provocative, and it makes BG&E the rare game that goes beyond entertainment and into the realm of intelligent social criticism."
It would, if you ever had any doubt that the government was evil. You don't. From the very first scene, you know that the government is evil. And not just questionably evil, either. These guys are full-blown evil, and everything from their leader to their logo showcases it.
It's a terrible story, not so much in and of itself... but because it keeps tricking you into thinking that it's more than it is. It's not any more complex than it seems, despite the promises made by every preview and review out there. And blowhards like Steven and Alan continue suckering people into it. If you had any doubts about their credibility, feel free to increase them now.
