GAME. TUNNEL. MAGAZINE. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, we’re now about two steps away from a Game Tunnel movie, Game Tunnel video games, Dan MacDonald bobbleheads, a Russell Carroll centerfold in Playboy… you name it. And you know what I have to say to that?
Good on them! No really, I think it’s a great idea and a big step towards maybe someday having a “legitimate” (i.e. non-web) small-press game rag on the store shelves. And that rag will be called TIGSource Magazine. (I kid, I kid.)
GRAPHICS: The design is amateurish – I’ve never seen rounded boxes and primary colors abused like that. However, more importantly, it’s very clean and there are lots of pretty pictures.
SOUND: It’s a magazine, dumbass. There’s no sound!
GAMEPLAY: I hate reading PDF’s on my monitor, but that’s no fault of Game Tunnel. The layout is simple and effective as such!
CONCEPT: Great idea! They should diversify the staff, though. Because I’m pretty sure more people play indie games than white males with glasses in their 20s and 30s… I could be wrong. The two-page reviews are too damn long, also. Put in some more editorials and features. Maybe from some developers?
FUN: Yes! Fun! I love fun!
VALUE: Well, it’s fucking free, ain’t it?
OVERALL: Game Tunnel holds up better as a magazine than a website, especially since reviews and columns (the meat of their content) tend to roll out pretty slowly. It’s a fun and informative read and I think it’s a great boon to the community. This is a nice start, guys!
VERDICT: ALWAYS, ALWAYS try before you buy. Especially if it’s free.