Gaming Magazines: Game Informer - Prepare to be informed!

Quick Facts: Game Informer, gaming magazine. Monthly, covers all major platforms. $20 a year subscription. $5 an issue cover price. Game Informer is published by Sunrise Publications, and IS a trademark of GameStop. (Hmmm, the whole GMR picture is coming into focus a little more here...)

Full Review:

Reading older reviews on Game Informer, I have to admit I am very surprised by some peoples reactions to this magazine. There is also a huge time game - people who reviewed the rag when it was new, late 2000, were almost universally displeased, and the reviews have increased in score steadily throughout the lifespan of the magazine.

Personally, I was introduced to the magazine about a year ago by a close friend who is a hardcore console gamer. He knew I was mostly a PC Gamer, but dabbled in the dark arts of the console. He also knew I was a huge classic arcade fan, which is what caused him to mention it to me in the first place. I picked it up, the subscription price was right ($20 for a year) and I can without hesitation say that this is a magazine all multi-platform gamers need. And that includes the PC.

The first thing you will notice about GI is its size. It is slightly larger than most magazines, this allows for some great photos, more content, and generally more readable pages. Unfortunately, to cram as much content into the pages as possible (and there is a lot) much of the typeface is reduced in size.

GI covers all video game news, as well as providing previews, reviews, codes, strategies, and more - On all popular gaming platforms. PS2, Gamecube, Xbox, GBA, and the PC are all given equal and fair page space - though I think when I first got the magazine, they leaned toward the PS2.

Like most gaming mags, you'll also get your forgettable letters section (who writes this stuff, anyway?), a codes section, a strategy section. Unlike most gaming mags, you'll also get a GREAT classic gaming section, including the spectacular feature "This Month in Gaming History", as well as a nice "What's new and cool" page. They refer to this page as "Etc.", but it routinely has some stuff that will at least make you say, "Oh wow, neat."

Of course, you have your cover stories and your features, covering the latest news or the biggest releases. These stories are well done, very informative, and also contain LOADS of photos, which is great.

Personally, I feel the meat of a gaming mag is the preview and review section, and GI excels here as well. Previews give you pertinent info, an overview, great photos and what to watch for. Reviews are well written and entertaining, fair, and varied. However, like pretty much everything in life that uses a 10 scale, you have to adapt. The game is Worth buying if it nets an 8 or a 9. A must have if it rates above 9. Fans of a genre or series will want to own the 7's, and anything below 7 is assured to be crap. 5 Being average just don't fly on review 10 scales.

Anyone who ones more than one system, or even a casual gaming fan who isn't PC Gamer hardcore should get this magazine. It is cheap, it is informative, and it does the job.

Complaints... Well, sometimes in an effort to pack in as many factoids and news information as possible, things get crammed in margins, in middle of pages, and other strange spots making it tough to read. Also, as mentioned - the font size is a little too small for me. And as all magazines do, the Letters section is usually stupid. But those are small, and minor complaints.

Mr_D