A lot has changed since the last time we featured an episode of the Cover Critic. Both Sony and Nintendo have released new portable game systems, long time companies have shut their doors forever, and the world has been reintroduced to a certain lawyer named Jack Thompson. Heck, even this site you're looking at has changed in many ways. So maybe it's time we take another serious look at video game covers, letting you know which ones we like and which we hate. After two years I invite you to embrace a brand new Cover Critic, one that isn't afraidto tell you what we really think. So enjoy five new covers and one new look!
Wild Arms 3
Now when I brag about covers, I usually say things like "it has a lot of style", well, Wild Arms 3 doesn't have a lot of style. It is, however, one of those covers that manages to capture the mood of the game in one small cover. I like the picture of the desert, the cracking land, and the hopeless forever that appears in the distance. The anme of the game is placed perfectly, and there isn't any ugly writing to distract you from this stunning image. No matter how easy this picture is on the eyes (and it's very easy to get lost in it's beauty) the chances of the game keeping this cover in the U.S. is slim to none. And that, I'm afraid, is the biggest injustice of the year!
King of Fighter 2001
Since there are but FIVE HUNDRED of these games released world wide, you'll likely never actually see this box in person. The fact that there are only 500 games available is an issue I would love to address, but maybe we'll not do that in this forum. The artwork on this cover is nice, but a bit dark (and a little too red). There's a menacing look to this game, and while I like it's shadowed out look, it's not the best SNK has to offer ... but then, this isn't really SNK. Okay, now I'm totally confused.
Boys Be --
Boys Be?? Boys Be what??? Wait, maybe I'm looking at this wrong, maybe instead of as a name of a game I should view it as something greater, like, a marketting slogan! Like ... Boys Be Ready to See Girls Go Wild. Boys Be Ready to accept some Pretty Awful grammar! Boys Be ready to do anything I want to, just because I'm with four of my Sailor Moon look alike sisters! Boys Be ready to read anything I write, no matter how pointless, muddled, and lame the onrunning joke really is. I want to give it a bad grade, but frankly, those girls looking at me is just making me feel guilty. Oh ... must ... move ... on ...
Doshin the Giant
So we've beaten Doshin the Giant up a little bit over the last few weeks, what with a Fake Commercial (See: Absolut Giant) and even a funny Japanese Commercial ... but this cover just makes me giggle like a little kid. I do like how happy this cover makes me feel, like Doshin loves everything ... but then, this isn't a very attractive cover, and it doesn't exactly make me play the game. Makes me want to run out and buy a big plush Doshin the Giant doll. I bet I could get to sleep with something like that. Hmm ...
Shin Megami Tensei II
At first look you might thing you're looking at it upside down, but that's just half of the charm of this brilliant cover. Part haunting images, part mysterious ghost like creepiness, part good old time simplicity. If I could find a poster of this cover art it would be something I would hang up on my wall. Along with Herdy Gerdy this is the best cover so far this year. I know it's a PlayStation game, but it still has the most style I've seen this year. And I'm DYING to see what the game is like!
