Which gaming publication has the most SHMUP coverage?

[jpolz]

Besides Famitsu?

I'm looking for a non-BS gaming mag that actually gives serious reviews to games other than GTA & Halo.

[Smithy]

I'll second this, ever since EGM went off the deep end, there hasn't been any quality magazines in the US... my friend swears by Game Informer.. ugh.

[Twiddle]

Game Informer does have nice things in the way of interviews and features found in that magazine only.

[CIT]

Besides Famitsu?

Arcadia

[jpolz]

Besides Famitsu?

Arcadia

Is it in English?

[CIT]

nope

As for English language shoot em ups coverage, I think EDGE (uk) is the best. The had a special article on R-Type Final recently, and they reviewed Under Defeat.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For jpolz,

You might remember an independent USA-based video game magazine called 'Diehard Gamefan' that extensively covered the world of shmups for the arcades and consoles as well. Unfortunately, it folded in late December 2000 (which was the very last issue published). It's successor is the current 'Play' magazine that exists today..... ^_~

Another independent USA-based video game magazine that also had some occasional shmup coverage was the 'Gamer's Republic' which had a very slick futuristic look (almost like a Japanese/Euro-Wipeout logo-ish visual style of presentation to it and even had some Japanese kanji sprinkled through out the pages galore!)..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Turrican]

The had a special article on R-Type Final recently, and they reviewed Under Defeat.

Oh, so that article was in Edge too. We got it translated in Italian. Nice read.

[Kaede]

Edge also reviewed Mushihimesama when it was released (scored it a 6 I think) and briefly previewed Ibara.

Aside from Japanese magazines and Fanzine publications you are not going to find much at all in the way of shooter coverage hese days.

[Turrican]

Well, there's Retro Gamer...

[professor ganson]

In the US you can find Hardcore Gamer at EB Games. They regularly have nice articles on shooters.

[ahnslaught]

Yeah, Hardcore Gamer is a nice magazine, with more retro stuff than any of the other major US publications that I've read. BTW, it's also downloadable as pdfs if you are cheapo-inclined like I am from various sites.

[PFG 9000]

GamesTM is an English magazine that I really enjoy. They've covered many shooters in the past and give extra consideration to shooters released in the UK. R-Type Final got a 2-page review, IIRC. Every magazine has a 30-page retro section in the back, and many contain little blurbs on various shooters. Issue 7 for example has a halfpage article on Parodius, a 2-page preview of Gradius V, and a 2-page spread on the history of R-Type. Issue 21 has a page review of Steel Empire GBA and another for Radiant Silvergun, and Issue 38 has 2 pages on Sin and Punishment. They also have 2-page screenshots (yes, one screenshot taking up the entirety of two pages) from various shooters, like UN Squadron (#4), R-Type II (#5), and Thunderforce IV (#26).

I really adore GamesTM for its retro coverage and the respect they show toward gaming's foundations. It sucks that it costs so much here in the US ($12 an issue!), but I pick up any issue that has articles on my favorite games.

[jpj]

gamestm is the shnizzle. the gradius v review was unfortunately done by the monkey who edits retro gamer (7/10?), otherwise quite good coverage. plus they had an excellent feature on 2d beat-em-ups and japan's top arcades in recent issues.

(better than edge, and it isn't written by women - not that i'm sexist, but they do prattle on too much)

[Klatrymadon]

Retro Gamer try to cover everything 2D, but the writing isn't always awe-inspiring. Still, it's a passionate mag.

Personally, I could never stomach Edge. Bunch of elitist bores, with a paradoxically casual and lazy approach.

I am quite biased, however. I've never forgiven them for poo-pooing Gunstar Heroes, even though it's the one game they admitted to being wrong about...

[ave]

EDGE. Almost every shmup which was worth to mention in the last few yrs has been reviewed in that magazine.

AND they had a Radiant Silvergun-special, oh god, where else could you find something like that?

Well, infact the Arcadia might be the best shmup-magazine but what shall we do -_-

[J-Manic]

I would also say that Retro Gamer is still the best Mag for my taste in the gaming world (everything 2D!). Everytime I go into Barnes And Noble, I always check out the latest addition, and there's always something in there about at least one shmup (well, most of the time).

[mulletgeezer]

Retro Gamer would be the best of the UK mags, they have a modest amount of shmup stuff, mostly written by Stuart Campbell it seems.

As has been mentioned before on this forum, GamesTM used to cover shmups but basically stopped after one person wrote a letter of complaint. Their coverage mostly revolved around Shienryu so it's no great loss.

Edge have a decent amount of shmups coverage but the quality is awful, it really seems like they cover shmups in an attempt to give themselves hardcore cred, or something. Their shmup reviews contain factual innacuracies and the general tone indicates they haven't played most of them properly, their RSG article was absolute bollocks and their recent Rtype Final feature was an unbelievable pile of sixth form wank, I reckon Keiron Gillen may have written that one.