Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
Electronic Gaming Monthly focuses on new electronic games for console video game units, including the Nintendo, Super NES, Sega Genesis, Sega 32x, Sony Play Station, and portable game systems such as the Nintendo GameBoy, Sega Game Gear. EGM also features regular columns on the latest game releases as well as special sections devoted to movies, records and other subjects of interest to the male youth market.

Rating : - Eh. I don't see why this sells so much.
I had a subscription to EGM about a year ago and cancelled it before the year was up. This magazine seems to consist of a slew of angry, frustrated middle-aged men who have become bitter about gaming in general. They constantly give low scores and answer fan-mail very satirically. What better way to get over with people than insult your very demographic? Don't get me wrong now. I have a sense of humor and find insults to geek funny when done right and in somewhat good taste. EGM writers don't care and just say whatever they want without thinking if it'll be offensive or funny.

The layout and length of the magazine is also an issue. The layout is bland with small pictures, extreme close ups with text plastered over it, and an overall boring design. The issue is over before you know it. Like most average readers, i'll only read the top stories, some features and the reviews that interest me. So an average skim through the first time may take about 30 min. After that I may go back to read a couple stories or reviews, but thats usually it. I've skimmed through some other magazines for an hour the first time. EGM just isn't lengthy or interesting enough.

To be fair EGM does get some exclusive coverage like Street Fighter 4 and so forth. There are some stand out things like the infamous interview with Peter Moore. Personally, I thought it was just Hsu being a jerk and trying to get some attention which he achieved. Some editorials are decent even though they are nothing more than bitter gamers complaining about petty things most gamers wouldn't care about.

So to end this, I have to say that I never laughed at the satirical humor, didn't agree with some of the reviews, was never wowed by the exclusive coverage and thought the overall design of the magazine was bland. I haven't subscribed to another mag since and have stuck to online news. I had GI for a few years which in my opinion was much better. More exclusive coverage, full page in-game pictures, fair reviews, fun features and respect to the reader. I don't know how the mag is now, but if it remains the same, then i'd recommend GI instead.