kvrdave

I see good reviews for it, but it ain't cheap (and I am). Any reviews? I am definately an older gamer growing up on the 2600 and having most every system since.

outer-edge

Personally, while I like the look, layout, etc., I do not enjoy the writers in the magazine. So, for me, it is not worth it since I can find pretty pictures of games elsewhere.

kvrdave

How is the writing, etc. different than something like GamePro or Game Informer?

outer-edge

Well, this is purely my opinion, as others may see it differently, so take it for what's it worth. Also to note, I am incredibly fussy about game reviewing. I've seldom connected with game reviewers and found some I liked.

So, while I find the writing in something like Gamepro and GI to be incredibly shallow and lacking in real analysis, Play's writers have come off to me as writing with an air of superiority. A, "if you don't agree with me, you're not a true gamer" attitude if you will. While I have agreed with some of their opinions, they also seem to try hard to be elitist at times. I also do not like how they try at times to play to the gamer stereotype, which is slowly become a smaller section of the gamer population (although still a large group). Stupid comments about how sexy the women were, etc. It just comes across as a sad and pathetic attempt at connecting with an audience.

I haven't read Play in awhile, so I am not sure who the current writers are, or their style, but unless the editor has changed, I doubt I'd change my opinion on the writing.

As I said, just my thoughts.

thegame370

Play magazine happens to by favorite. I think the reviews are well written and very fair. The magazine layout is pretty cool as well. They also give some insight on Anime, Movies and DVD, toys, collectibles, etc. I bought an issue last yr i think and have been collecting it ever since.

kvrdave

Okay. Probably with all the others I get, there is no need to pay for it.

mr.snowmizer

It's Dave Halverson's third swing at a magazine.

First was GameFan, which was brilliant from '93 to '95, then declined quite a bit with personnel changes (some formed the ridiculous PSExtreme mag, which somehow is still around). Eventually, when it was absorbed by a larger company, subscribers stopped getting their issues in a stunning display of incompetence, shooting the magazine into a death spiral.

Halverson not long after bailed out and started Gamer's Republic. This was similar to the late Halverson-era Game Fan, with extra emphasis on movies, anime, and toys. (Cynics have said these features were added so that he'd receive free stuff from more than just the one hobby he was interested in.)

Gamer's Republic shared GameFan's high quality screenshots and paper, but it also shared GameFan's weakest area... Halverson's reviews. In fact, the percentage of reviews credited to him increased significantly. (Behind the scenes, it turns out he actually wrote many of the other reviews, too, in both, but labelled them under subordinates' names... a little hunting on the internet should reveal some pretty sleazy descriptions of the man by those who worked under him.)

There was far less of a focus on Japan than GameFan had. And, incredibly, once again there were problems getting subscriptions out to paying customers, dooming this effort, as well.

Play is VERY similar to Gamer's Republic. Somehow, it's existed for years now as far under the radar as a video game publication can get... for instance, rarely whenever there's a thread about magazine quality at any gaming forum will Play even get mentioned.

Play will give you the trademark paper and picture quality, but its reviews are often very questionable. For example, Halverson's magazines always seem to refer to the most generic platformer [his favorite genre] as 'pure bliss'.

Up to this point, I've never read of any problems with subscribers not receiving the magazine this time.

young

if i remember correctly, halverson also seemed to write the majority of reviews... while slick and nice looking, imo, it was not worth the cost and i willingly let my subscription lapse.

i don't mind the snotty review style; i'd rather read that than a generic one. (actually, i just realized that that's the style of writing of pretty much everyone on this forum )

i did like that that had an anime section; i hated that i actually trusted those reviews and bought stuff that wasn't for me.

outer-edge

Halverson was the main issue I had with writing, although others tended to follow suit with his style. I knew he had done previous work, but what you wrtoe is interesting. The journalist in me wants to dig deeper into the past of the other magazines.

mr.snowmizer

A moderately late bump for anybody who may have read this a week ago...

Anybody who has ANY memory of GameFan has to check out what may be the most interesting thread you'll ever read on a gaming message board about what went on behind the scenes: http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/s...8&page=1&pp=30


As for subscribing to PLAY, one person wrote:

"...I just want to know who in the HELL was in charge of subscriptions for GF!?!??! From what I've read, MANY people besides me always had problems getting issues, and I never really got an answer to what the hell was going on!?!?! And this wasn't just in the final year, this was even years before GF went belly up. There were a couple of times where I got fed up and went and bought the recent copy..then my sub. copy would show up!!!!

I subscribe to PLAY now, and I'm having the EXACT same problem...LOL, I laugh about it because of how rediculously similar it is to the GF subs..."