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Edge 173

Mr Do 71

By Mr Do 71,
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Cosmic_Guru

Cosmic_Guru

Posted
Posted

Maybe edge is pitching itself as a magazine that's more for developers than gamers. Which is a shame.

I've always thought it was, frankly. I think it explains some of the more obtuse articles and reviews which are a sort of high level critique rather than a practical evaluation of an issue or a game.

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RubberJohnny

RubberJohnny

Posted
Posted
I'm normally the first person to leap to Edge's defence - but the last few months have been really dull. Considering that we're entering an exciting new 'era' of gaming. This months news section is devoid of anything remotely news worthy...

It's January and February! Fuck all happens in the industry at this time of year! Read any game news site regularly and you'll see this, most are posting stories on the odd demo on XBL Marketplace.

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angel

angel

Posted
Posted

Which is why they needed to push the boat out with some interesting retrospective articles, left field reviews (why not review some Live Arcade and Virtual Console?), and clever insight into the period. They could reflect on xmas, have a double Time Extend issue perhaps, anything really.

The point is that everyone and his dog knows this time of year is an industry lull. Edge should too, and compensate for it. For me, it offers nothing i can't find in livelier magazines, or for free on the internet, except for bizarrely misplaced analysis of games that really don't require it. Telling me that Mario Sunshine has a political subtext is pretty much the point i say "No, Edge, you're talking absolute bullshit here".

As shallow as i possibly am, i prefer to watch the four 1up shows per month, and read a few pieces on CorruptoEurogamer to get my gaming journalism fix.

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Zathras

Zathras

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I'd love to see Edge to an article entitled "Games you might have missed" or something - as I'm currently picking up "last-gen" games on the cheap. Star Ocean is the latest one, which has had good recommendations on here and elsewhere (although Edge didn't review that one I don't think)

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Scorpio

Scorpio

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Posted

I actually can't read alort of Edge prose these days. It started with their reviews and circles around reading stuff that follows this sort of format

Edge 101 review style circa 2006/2007

1. Shorten game title to one word thus refering to it in the third person or in some other strange form use several times throughout.

2. Mention use of developers back catalogue and programming team as if they were an artistic entity in their own right similar to reviewing a album/film or some other form of pop culture, repeat references throughourt. Add dates of previous hits and failures.

3. Insert large creative verbose chunk here here and here to break up continuity, sprinkle withsome helpings of the game or story.

4. Refer to mechanics of game minimaly and in unusal fashion with rare use of adjectives and greater emphasis on how the game feels.

5. Finish off with lovely flowing wordplay or oblique comparsion,

GOAL. To leave reader with sparse knowledge or insight into subject and suspect feeling they have just been reading a gaming essay rather than a critical slab of writing,

BONUS POINTS for use of such topics as unknown niche film makers and styles, artistic styles, musicians and contemporary writers. extra bonus points for creating confusion and getting mentioned on the internet.

It's a shame this style seems to have filter down into different sections of the magazine now. I actually have had to reread passages in some articles and sections the sentences are so convoluted and out of sorts to a natural structure.

This Super Mario Sunshine comparison is the biscut. It's videogames journalism for crying out loud. You can make good interesting articles about it without trying too hard.

Might I suggest some humerous features for the some up and coming issues....

Enviromental Behavioural Habits of the Species Hedgehog: An adaptive analysis of Green Hill Zone through to Scrap Brain Zone

From Hegel to Heidegger to Meir: An Analysis of Time and existential Angst in Strategy Games through the Ages

Political Unrest and Terrorist subtexts in the Pokemon series. What does Piakachu really represent to American teenagers of today!

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jcafarley

jcafarley

Posted
Posted

I actually can't read alort of Edge prose these days. It started with their reviews and circles around reading stuff that follows this sort of format

Edge 101 review style circa 2006/2007

1. Shorten game title to one word thus refering to it in the third person or in some other strange form use several times throughout.

2. Mention use of developers back catalogue and programming team as if they were an artistic entity in their own right similar to reviewing a album/film or some other form of pop culture, repeat references throughourt. Add dates of previous hits and failures.

3. Insert large creative verbose chunk here here and here to break up continuity, sprinkle withsome helpings of the game or story.

4. Refer to mechanics of game minimaly and in unusal fashion with rare use of adjectives and greater emphasis on how the game feels.

5. Finish off with lovely flowing wordplay or oblique comparsion,

GOAL. To leave reader with sparse knowledge or insight into subject and suspect feeling they have just been reading a gaming essay rather than a critical slab of writing,

BONUS POINTS for use of such topics as unknown niche film makers and styles, artistic styles, musicians and contemporary writers. extra bonus points for creating confusion and getting mentioned on the internet.

It's a shame this style seems to have filter down into different sections of the magazine now. I actually have had to reread passages in some articles and sections the sentences are so convoluted and out of sorts to a natural structure.

This Super Mario Sunshine comparison is the biscut. It's videogames journalism for crying out loud. You can make good interesting articles about it without trying too hard.

Might I suggest some humerous features for the some up and coming issues....

Enviromental Behavioural Habits of the Species Hedgehog: An adaptive analysis of Green Hill Zone through to Scrap Brain Zone

From Hegel to Heidegger to Meir: An Analysis of Time and existential Angst in Strategy Games through the Ages

Political Unrest and Terrorist subtexts in the Pokemon series. What does Piakachu really represent to American teenagers of today!

You didn't just copy that from some notice written next to each writer's PC (sorry, MAC) did you? :(

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scottcr

scottcr

Posted
Posted

the kojima interview was rubbish - the guy is clearly bonkers.

Do you like the Wii?

yes - but I wish it was more powerful

What about the PS3?

well - some strange mumblings - I'd rather make people smile than do fancy graphics.

control stuff about the wii?

well - I'm too old and don't want to jump around to play a game. Folks like me would rather sit back and relax and play a game like MGS.

he's clearly mental.

:P

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Davros sock drawer

Davros sock drawer

Posted
Posted

Another bad issue. The Mario Sunshine piece had me reading in a sort of spellbound, "can't believe they're doing this, don't they realise it's a game not some sort of post-modern art statement" way, but at least they pulled themselves up short before it got too poncey. Nonetheless, this was yet more 6th form art essay stuff. This week's artist to crowbar in? Mondrian:

mondrian.gif

The rest of the magazine bored me to tears, not one game or article that interested me.

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Harsin

Harsin

Posted
Posted

the kojima interview was rubbish - the guy is clearly bonkers.

Do you like the Wii?

yes - but I wish it was more powerful

What about the PS3?

well - some strange mumblings - I'd rather make people smile than do fancy graphics.

control stuff about the wii?

well - I'm too old and don't want to jump around to play a game. Folks like me would rather sit back and relax and play a game like MGS.

he's clearly mental.

:(

And his idea for a zombie MMORPG.

"Yeah you see you play this bloke and then he gets bitten and at that point you relinquish all control of the character but can pay cash money to see him shambling around."

:(

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scottcr

scottcr

Posted
Posted

aye - read that as well... WTF? That would be RUBBISH Kojima. Yes, I'll pay to watch my shambling zombie eat folks and phone my pal to go in and rescue me.

Ok - he was just 'blue-sky' thinking, but some of the stuff he said in that interview was completely hatstand and contradictory (IMO).

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Joyrex-J9

Joyrex-J9

Posted
Posted

FT is a more interesting read than Edge these days, and probably has better game reviews.

I haven't managed to actual read an issue for years - I'd buy it out of habit, skim then stick on the pile.

I've kicked the habit now... I'm clean!

Oddly enough the original SMS review was kind of a turning point for me - whinge about it for 2 pages saying how it's not as good as SM64 but giving little insight into the actual game then give it a 9, seemingly out of nowhere. Well thats how I remember it...

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Guest Radio Flyer

Guest Radio Flyer

Posted
Posted

Jesus, come on guys! Edge might not be perfect but it's the best we got goshdarnit. Let's be a bit thankful.

I personally think that Japanesey bit is a waste of space, and the columns aren't great, but it's still, on the whole, a great mag and I look forward to it arriving!

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