Gamecca Magazine, an online magazine coming from South Africa published by 1337 Media CC, has just released issue #8 to the world. Gamecca is an online freely distributed gaming magazine available from a couple of places (sources below) including a free download. Free is always good but when it is a magazine like Gamecca, it is even better.
The graphic style here is minimal but still detailed, you don’t have to study the page to get the important information you want (sometimes this was a hassle with older gaming magazines that used graphics all over, including in the background behind text). Everything is clean and well laid out, easy on the eyes as some would say.
The cover is a nicely retouched Mass Effect 2 box shot, appropriate graphics were changed for placement of Gamecca indicia. Everything just works on the cover. I will go ahead and let you know now, that the Bioware piece (6 pages of gaming goodness) starts on page 12 and is worth the wait (though I am sure more than a few readers have skipped right to it).
Speaking of the Bioware article, Walt Pretorius did a great job in providing company history, a who’s who and where are they now mixed with just enough information to make you want to know more about not only Bioware but the games they have released too. The pictures that were chosen for this article really make each game shine.
Up next is 18 pages of previews for such games as S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat, Alice in Wonderland, Final Fantasy XIII, Moto GP 09/10 and The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces among many other games that are interesting (I am with you Jimmy Glue about ship sims). Definitely check this section out, you are bound to find at least one game that will be a day one purchase for you in the future.
21 pages of reviews for 11 games awaits you next being lead off by the great Mass Effect 2 so go ahead and hurry and turn to page 46. The Darksiders review brings my pick for one of the best screenshots of the magazine (look at the preview pic we have for what I mean). Highlights in the review section include Mass Effect 2, Darksiders, Bayonetta (you knew this one would be one if it was in here) and Little Big Planet for PSP (if you haven’t played the PS3, well even if you have, check this review out).
Beginner’s Guide to Good Gaming is a column that I like, a lot. It is all about various hardware needed to play play games and various other topics that are written to be easy to read and help educate readers. Great idea. This month features the PSP, CRPG’s (Computer Role Playing Games) and a well written article on picking what platform might be best for you if you are new to gaming.
Ending this issue is “Where the L33t Meet” covering various online gaming services for PC gamers. This is a great article for gamers that are new to online gaming or are looking for new grounds to battle on.
