One of the discussions I have constantly found myself in the middle of is which package art looks better. Do a search on just about any video game package in Google images and you may see several different box illustrations.
This is largely because, as my marketing bugs tell me, each territory has different tastes and styles. Fair enough. I would argue that while there certainly are differences, they may not be as pronounced as I have been led to believe. For example, the nearly legendary Mega Man 1 box art was probably created under the same logic but I don't ever remember wanting to play as a fifty-something holding a laser pistol and standing in an incredibly awkward pose. However, I am happy to say that the US/European box art and the Japanese box art do feel very similar.
To me the Japanese one feels like it has a large anime accentuation to it with softer lines and brighter colors. The US/European art conveys the brooding side of Spencer along with that air of mystery.
[I also notice that the Japanese Spencer stands up straighter and has much better posture - Gearoid]
Even our localization team split about 50/50 between which version they liked - not to mention the fact that the Japanese BC even has a slightly different logo. I'm curious as to what you guys think? Vote on the new poll on the front page and let us know. It won't change anything... but it'll make us feel good!
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Set your posture straight...
...with v8! Like the commercial, the only difference in posture(since i"m almost 100% sure it's the same asset with different color treatment) is the fact that they tilted the American Spencer counter-clockwise about 5 degrees. I guess the marketing crew thought us Yanks like our heroes with a little bit of a gangsta lean! Holler at a player!-A
Neither are perfect!
Although I kinda like the "idea" in both, the opinion from a person with a media background is:US:
-I think something looks a bit "off" with the upper body. It's especially apparent on the left side of his bionic wife beater.
-His face is too "dark". Or well, his eyes are. Maybe it's just the contrast/brightness settings of that picture or my screen, but the end result is at least; Nathan's supposed to look... I guess... gritty? But he looks more like he's soon posting on DeviantArt.
-I also generally feel that Nathan is a bit too far up to the left. He shouldn't be centered or anything, but he's just too close to the left border + too high up (Which will look especially wonky once you slap the Xbox 360 "banner" on the top)
-Three placements of the logo?
-Compact smoke on arm looks weird.
Japan:
-The extra red glow looks weird, even though it's a nice compliment to all the green (especially to the green glow on the Japanese logotype)
-The background "may" be a bit distracting, but I like it better than the "plain" look of the US one. The US one looks more like a poster (guess it's the huge logo in the background that does it.)
-Over-the-top smoke from the gun looks weird.
-Smoke in general stands a bit too much out. Maybe more transparency with some added ripple/heat effect would be better?
I could probably go and pick on things even more :D
-Schultz
On second thought...
I kind of like the US box. Hmm. Damn!also what ever happed to that orchistarted theme?
I prefer the "Not Japan" boxart...
But I prefer the Japanese logo.No question...
As an employee and 'piggy in the middle' writer of this article Ben, you would have to air on the side of caution and search for positive things about both of them, but I'm sure I know which is your faveorite.As per usual, the Japanese cover is far more interesting then the US design. More depth, more interesting colours, the logo is improved, they have a better all round understanding of composition, Und So Weiter, U.S.W!
Yet another dissaponting aspect of the games industry in UK (if perhaps a minor one), we always get lumbered with the stupid US cover designs!
Ben should have just put Japanese text underneath the American logo and I bet you most people would have chosen that cover!