Anyone who has been following Game Informer knows that they have been going through a transition. They have recently relaunched both the magazine and website. Along with a stronger online presence, they have also started a podcast, The Game Informer Show.
Although this is only the 5th episode, it feels like they have settled on a structure that is somewhat unique. There is no classic “what you’ve been playing” segment, the show is instead partitioned into self-contained segment which have a tight, 1-game/topic focus. This allows for an in-depth discussion with the ability to switch out editors depending on who has the most to offer to the given topic.
The first segment is all Ratchet & Clank this week. As one of the biggest, long-time R&C fans at GI, Philip Kollar joins in to discuss the new R&C: A Crack in Time. The group agrees that Insomniac deserves a lot of credit for the consistent quality and innovation of each game in the series. DJ Hero receives a lot of praise in the 2nd segment, but the $120 price still gives the Matts some pause. Head honcho, Andy McNamara joins the final segment to discuss GI Issue 200, and what the future holds for the magazine and website.
Covered games and topics: Ratchet & Clank, DJ Hero, GI Issue 200, emails
Episode 5 of the Game Informer Show kicks off with a freewheeling discussion of Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time. GI Editors Matt Helgeson, Andy Reiner, Phil Kollar, and Dan Ryckert discuss some of the game’s innovative new features, gripping storyline, and ponder the series’ place in platforming history. Next up is our review impressions of one of the year’s most intriguing music games, Activision and Freestyle Games’ DJ Hero. Matt Helgeson and Matt Miller discuss their review of the game, and wonder if Guitar Hero and Rock Band fans will be willing to take the plunge into the world of dance, hip-hop, and R&B. Finally, we introduce “Reader Mailbag” a new segment featuring GI Editor in Chief Andy McNamara and Nick Ahrens. Here, we answer hard-hitting questions from readers posted in our forums. In one, Andy reveals some of the special features in store for Game Informer’s 200th issue, which hits stores next month.
Runtime – 59:06
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2 Comments
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I had high expectations for this because I thought it was going to be Phil Kolar’s show but I found it to be rather dull. The cast is just too boring for me to listen to, I couldn’t even finish the show. I think Phil’s co-workers are bringing him down because he seemed low on energy. They did succeed at having a focused conversation about Ratchet and Clank, I’ll give them that.
Give it time. Having started the CastMedium Podcast, I know it is hard to achieve a consistent and entertaining tone. It does seem like they are going for a more topical/straight approach than other gaming podcasts, and the entertainment value is still a little low though. Phil is the new addition around those parts, so it may be a little while before we see a huge impact from him.
I agree about the focused conversation though. They went in-depth on each topic in way that many others seem to find difficult to do without the conversation meandering. Any new podcast has growing pains, so I say give them some time to develop a voice.