Some articles are excellent, but most are thin when compared to the competition.
Written: May 16 '01 (Updated Oct 20 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Quality of Reviews: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Usually very complete walkthroughs and guides.
Cons: Not as good as Computer Gaming World or PC Gamer, horrible Table of Contents.
The Bottom Line: Helpful and a must read for any regular Computer Game player.
|
|
|
| grimjack2's Full Review: Computer Games Strategy Plus Magazine |
Of the 'big three' computer gaming magazines, I think I would recommend "Computer Games Strategy Plus" the least. It's not that it is a bad magazine, but both "PC Gamer" and "Computer Gaming World" will give you a little more substance. See my reviews of those magazines for more details on their strengths.
What Computer Game Strategy Plus does offer are very detailed and complete walkthroughs, tips on playing, and game guides. These are almost always excellent, but there are usually only two to four of them in the back of each issue. The rest of the magazine's contents are pretty weak, comparitively speaking.
The reviews which take up the bulk of the magazine are unfortunately very thin. They might take up one whole page, usually with pictures, and just don't give as detailed a review of the games as I would like. The same goes with their hardware review sections. The reviews may be enough for some, but I've read many online reviews that made me feel they spent more time with the game. There is usually one or two primary games that get a solid, detailed review of the game, but then the rest are shallow. Many reviews take up only half a page, and that is not including the one or two screenshots.
My biggest complaint has to be over their lack of an indepth Table of Contents. When I'm looking back for a specific review of a game, the Table of Contents only has a listing saying something like 'reviews', and there isn't even a page in the review section that tells you which games they are reviewing. I'm still amazed by this every time I get frustrated when looking for information on a particular game.
The magazine comes with an optional CD demo disc that usually has good games, although often a month or so behind "PC Gamer". Like their reviews, however, they usually offer great detail in the game demo's content for at least one of their games. "PC Gamer" and "Computer Gaming World" give, at best, a screenshot and a thumbnail description of the game primarily advising you to check out the games 'Readme' file. "CGSP" has often given a review of one of their demos that is equal to one of their minor reviews of a released game.
The magazine is released monthly, and can be bought in the stores in two different versions. One comes with the CD, and one does not. But there is more missing than just the CD in the lesser one! Having been given two of the non-CD versions while at my last job, I noticed that the detailed strategy articles in the back are also missing from the non-CD version. I don't know why, but this makes the non-CD version merely a collection of reviews and a few essays. I cannot recommend this version for anyone when the competition doesn't seem to cost any more for their non-CD versions, yet contains everything else in the magazine, including a description of what would have been on the CD if you bought it with the magazine.
At the newsstand, the issue with the CD costs $7.95, and without $4.95. The subscription rates are noticeably less. My subscription rate was $48 for 24 issues, with the CD! It is just about to run out, and there doesn't seem to be any current deals even close.
Recommended:
Yes
Primary Reason for Buying: Product Reviews/Information
Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
grimjack2
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: San Rafael, CA, Marin County
Reviews written: 181
Trusted by: 124 members
About Me:
Film is my favorite art form. I live a life of constant amelioration.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.