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"Halo," "Matt Hazard" and annual baseball titles return, but do their box art covers make the cut? Find out.
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"Halo Wars" (Xbox 360)
What the Box Tells Us: Three soldiers backed by a huge army, both on ground and in the air, march during the night as snow falls.
Cons: From the box art, you wouldn't know that this isn't a first-person shooter like the other "Halo" games.
Pros: It's elegant, pretty, detailed. The soldiers marching in the night invoke a sense of purpose. It's almost patriotic.
Love It or Leave It: Love it.
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"Tom Clancy's HAWX" (Xbox 360, PS3)
What the Box Tells Us: Jets flight between tall buildings. Missiles explode.
Pros: It's clear this is a game that involves flying jets between buildings.
Cons: The close up on of the guy in the mask initially confused me; upon first glance, I thought it was some sort of alien ship. There's no reason for him to be that large; he obstructs the action going on behind him.
Love It or Leave It: Leave it.
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"Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard" (Xbox 360, PS3)
What the Box Tells Us: Apparently, Matt Hazard is back. And he's the bald-headed brute holding the big guns with enemies standing behind him.
Pros: Aside from its title, "Eat Lead," you can figure that this game has guns blazing with the protagonist standing on a ridiculously huge pile of ammo. Not to mention the weapons protruding from the game's logo (and the bullet holes... nice). It also showcases the variety of enemies you'll face: zombies, cowboys, ninjas... and giant octopi?
Cons: It's definitely a shooter. If you don't like shooting titles, you'll know this isn't for you.
Love It or Leave It: Love it.
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"Major League Baseball 2K9" (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC)
What the Box Tells Us: A pitcher leans forward and stands on one leg, like he just made a pitch.
Pros: You get a nice clear view of the player in action.
Cons: I know he's on the pitcher's mound, but what are the gray swirling lines? Where's the baseball? (And how does one's body do that?)
Love It or Leave It: Leave it.
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"MLB 09: The Show" (PS3, PS2, PSP)
What the Box Tells Us: A baseball player is contorted in a way that shows that he must've just hit a ball with a bat. He stands in front of a large stadium.
Pros: Having the player in color and the background in black-and-white gives it a nice contrast. It certainly pops.
Cons: The placement of the player is odd. It looks like he's running on top of the stadium and into the stands. Why would he hit a ball from there?
Love It or Leave It: Leave it.