Yeah, the fun of the magazine scene back then, that's what I miss the most. You might be tempted to think that it was a matter of the time though, and I couldn't disagree more. Calvin & Hobbes is over 30 years old now, and yet it still holds up brilliantly. I still find it fun to go back to re-read the old issues I still have, now and then. Eventually I'd like to re-read through my PSM collection...
With Retro, I'm in the same boat you are. Once I get the last issue from year 2, I'm gonna sign up for their Patreon. I think it's admirable of them to put their own money into the magazine. Sure, it's obviously not the best business case (and why I don't run my own business), BUT it shows dedication, and that is something I appreciate behind anything I buy. Plus, reading it makes me want to go play some of the games featured, sometimes again, sometimes for the first time. Isn't that what a great gaming magazine is all about?