From big-budget games to indie titles, no box art ever gets a free pass. In this week's "Judged By The Cover," we start with a little sports game no one's ever heard of...
 |
"Madden NFL 09" (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox, DS)
What the Box Tells Us: I don't know too much about football, but I did hear that this box art was already old before the game came out. (You know, since cover athlete Brett Favre was traded from the Packers to the Jets.)
Pros: Packers fans have a momento to remember Brett by, and Jets fans can have their own cover. Either way, Brett for everyone.
Cons: Jets or Packers, to me it's still the same as every other "Madden" cover I've ever seen.
Love It or Leave It: Leave it.
 |
"Madden NFL 09 All-Play" (Wii)
What the Box Tells Us: The Wii version of "Madden NFL 09" isn't like the other versions, where Brett Favre's eyes are bulging as he's about to make an all-important pass. No, instead they've got Brett laughing and pointing and having a grand ol' time.
Pros: What's he laughing and pointing at? The Packers? The other cover versions of the game for being so boring and identical?
Cons: This cover is pretty ridiculous and silly. Not for hardcore Madden fans.
Love It or Leave It: I'm not a hardcore Madden fan. Love it.
 |
"Space Siege" (PC)
What the Box Tells Us: It's the Terminator -- in space, including a heavily-armed robot ,the star-speckled galaxy and the insides of a pipe-laden spacecraft.
Pros: It seems the box art designers have gotten everything down to the last detail, even the disembodied alien parts strewn carefully on the platform.
Cons: Based solely on the cover, I'm not sure I have enough testosterone to play this game (yes, I'm a girl). Oh well.
Love It or Leave It: Love it.
 |
"Sinking Island" (PC)
What the Box Tells Us: A "Psychological Thiller," this cover features a disheveled man stranded alone on a mysterious island filled with cool-looking, art-deco buildings.
Cons: Wait, this isn't "Bioshock."
Pros: They had me at "From the author of Syberia." Casual gamers might think this is some sort of "Lost" clone. (But last I heard, people liked "Lost.")
Love It or Leave It: Love it.
 |
"Rock Blast" (DS)
What the Box Tells Us: You can "blast" multi-colored "rocks" with... other multi-colored "rocks." It's also "casual."
Pros: If you're uncertain what the title "Rock Blast" entails, well... there ya go.
Cons: If you're uncertain as to how this game is actually fun, this cover comes up short.
Love It or Leave It: Leave it.
Comments