E1M1 Magazine - Issues 7 to 9 review

E1M is back for another triple issue batch that continues to demonstrate the rude health of the first person shooter genre and the variety found therein. Following a third successful Kickstarter, it didn't seem like long at all before the latest three issues were at my door, very neatly packaged and sent via special delivery. 

As with the previous issues, the cover artwork is the first thing that greets you and once again, they have excelled themselves. Each issue is 72-pages in length (including the covers) and the stock used is of high quality, with a lovely sheen and a smooth finish. 

The talented team behind the magazine.

Content-wise, there are the usual sections: previews, mods, rail shooters, retro, reviews, features and interviews. The quality fo the writing is high and each issue feels like something you'd be happy to purchase from a newsagent, it's that professional. There are a few adverts in each mag, though these do not overwhelm the content. These are for YouTubers, magazines and forthcoming games, which is nice to see. 

Speaking of games, this is where you get a proper idea of how healthy and varied the FPS market is. In total, you get 66 previews, an astounding number of forthcoming titles, some of which are from solo-devs, others by teams, all packed full of promise. I have no doubt that these will keep the reviewers busy over the next couple of years in E1M1 Towers. I know I'll be adding a few to my Steam Wishlist for future reference. As for reviews, between the retro and new games sections, there are over 60 titles covered, from the usual PC fare to PlayStation and Gameboy Advance shooters. I may even give Daikatana another go based on the retro review in issue 7 - that was a game that I really tried to like back in the day but it never gelled. 

I also liked the sections on mods and it was interesting seeing how creative that community is, and the interviews are varied and informative, as was the "how to" on making a Doom map in issue 8. Truly, this is one of the best written and content filled of the "semi-professional" (and that is not meant in any negative sense) videogames magazines that have cropped up over the last couple of years.

It would be remiss of me to fail to mention the artwork that adorns the interior of the magazines. Used to separate out some of the various sections, these are excellent showcases for their respective creators. Some have a distinct line of humour, but all have specific styles and are well-suited to the videogame genre so well celebrated here.

What more can I say about these three issues? They are a great read and show that the team are learning and developing as they push out more batches to supporters. I am a fan of the three issue batch idea and I am looking forward to the next Kickstarter for issues 10 to 12. As for issues 7 to 9, they shall take up their rightful place alongside the first six. Slowly but surely, there is a comprehensive resource on period and contemporary first person shooters being built up, something that can be referenced in years to come. 

You can find out more about E1M1 here, purchase digital and physical issues, as well as sign up for email notifications to hear about the other content the team are producing.