The problem with modern game box arts / Your top 5 box arts

[Varrok]

Hey let's keep OWF from dying (of boredom), shall we?

I'd like to discuss about the current state of the box arts in games. The lack of any creativity and detail in them. It's just heroes posing to the camera, sometimes they stand back to the camera, but in overall it's just shitty and unoriginal. I mean, what the hell? I thought they were supposed to sell the game, interest the player! How could anybody feel interested in their game if it look as bland as the one next to it?

I was thinking about my favorite box arts of all time, and it turns out most of them are really old. Old boxarts were cool, there were no clear formula to what they were supposed to look like so the designers really were outdoing themselves.

My top 5, order doesn't matter:

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

Ultima 3

Ultima 2

DOOM

Heroes of Might & Magic 3

...I have never played an Ultima game in my life. But, man, these arts make me REALLY wanna play them. And I will.

[Manco]

The best example of bad boxart decisions:



The image on the left was the original US boxart. The image on the right was the European version.

[STM]

I don't know what my favourite would be but I always thought the scale of the original Wasteland boxart was pretty cool.

http://gamesdbase.com/Media/SYSTEM/A...ronic_Arts.jpg

I won't tag that because it's a big image and I have no idea how to resize it.

[Varrok]

Oh yes, the ICO art on the right is great. I also know and like the Wasteland Boxart. These are awesome.

[Job McYossie]

weird, normally I think the EU box looks less neat

[Phylum]

I always liked this one. It stands out among my other 60-odd games.



It loses some points for not really being relevant to the game though. Even after finishing it twice, I'm still confused about what the dragon is supposed to be. Maybe the Kalma that possesses the main character? Possibly Cure? Who knows.

Also style points to Final Fantasy games.

[Crashpunk]

You've got a point about modern day game's box art being less creative. I mean just look at Metal Gear Solid.



It's a shame too. And with the way the worlds going, box art isn't going to be around for much longer anyway.

And as for my favorite box art. I've never really given it much thought. Off the top of my head, I've always like the Zelda and Pokemon game's box art. Twilight Princess and Pokemon Gold/Silver spring to mind. And I also love Dragon Quest VIII's box art.

[Phylum]

Also I forgot to mention, but "heroes posing to the camera" box art isn't exactly a new thing. There have always been good and bad examples of box art.

[Varrok]

MGS are super amazing games. Their boxart kinda suck. Maybe except first three, their concept art guy has an unique style

[Nepsotic]

RE4 had a shit tonne of box arts. Some of them ranged from good to ehh






But some of them were FUCKING SICK




I have this sick PS2 edition


And this shitty Wii edition


It's not that bad, I just would've preferred the badass red version. I suppose it's Wii so white but fuck man.
Up all night over shit shit.

[Varrok]

It's white because Nintendo said red isn't family-friendly enough

[Nepsotic]

Tell that to New Super Mario Bros.

On a side note, I don't have a job anymore, so if anybody has any copies of RE4 (that aren't the ones I have) lying around, and you're just sick of the site of them, don't panic, send them over to me and I'll take them off your hands free of charge.

[STM]

You forgot the one with all the zombie hands on it that gave me a nightmare once.

[Nepsotic]

That's Outbreak. Sick box art, shit game (in the UK at least).

[STM]

Ah that's it! I remember seeing it in the Argos catalogue back when I didn't even know what RE was and I used to look for it just to scare myself.

[Bullet Magnet]

[Varrok]

If it wasn't for a gun, it wouldn't be that cool.

[Crashpunk]

I liked the RE4 Wii Edition box art. It felt natural with the overall white theme of the Wii. Oh and that game was great by the way. The only RE game i've ever beat.

[Nepsotic]

True. Maybe I'm just sick of the sight of it because you see like 10 copies in every fucking game shop.

Edit: I just remembered the dumbest cover in my collection.


Claire, get your big dumb hot face out of the way, for fucks sake.