PS3 Poll Police: Metal Gear Solid boxart conundrum!

by Nick Doerr { Apr 6th 2008 at 7:00PM }

The Poll Police, for the record, have no say in what Konami and Kojima Productions ultimately place on their boxes for the release of Metal Gear Solid 4. However, we can poll the heck outta the intertubes to find out what you, the readers and potential buyers, think of the released boxart image. Go back and look at the old Metal Gear Solid boxes. They all have very cool sketches on them -- original drawings of characters, or whatever. They were, pun intended, solid. So we ask you: would you rather that trend continue, or are you glad to see a more "real" picture on the box of Metal Gear Solid 4?
Whatever your choice may be, you have to remember that it isn't what's on the outside of the case that matters, but what is inside. The game. Even if you turn away in disgust at the sight of the boxart on store shelves, you'll take it home with you and love it because you know behind that art is a treasure trove of Kojima genius. Speaking of genius, how was last week's poll? Take the jump to find out.

It's official -- Blu-ray is the overwhelming victor when it comes to purchasing your copy of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Not only do you get bragging rights by waving the physical case/disc in your friends' faces, but you can take the game to someone else's house and play it without them having to sign onto your ID and download the game themselves. It's the overall better choice and one of the reasons we still need to give digital distribution a few years. We just like having stuff in our hands. Or else we'd all dream about playing video games and that'd be good enough. That doesn't even make sense. Oh well. Thanks for voting!

Tags: poll-police

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

johnny @ Apr 6th 2008 7:33PM

who cares about box art?? do you hang it on your wall to display it? Do we have so little in our lives that we need to get our panties in a bunch over box art? as long as the game is good it doesnt matter to most normal people, but then again this is an internet forum how many normal people are in here?

emaxximus @ Apr 6th 2008 10:13PM

Exactly!

Justin @ Apr 6th 2008 7:50PM

I think they should release the other cover.

I don't like this new cover.

Yoji Shinkawa has always done MGS coverart with his signature style...why change now?

It SIGNATURE artwork for a reason.

JKPierce @ Apr 6th 2008 8:10PM

It's Snake's last outing. It's not entirely surprising a few things have changed.

Plus the game visually impressive; a fact of which I'm sure they're proud. Everyone knows Shinkawa's stuff is great already.

Justin @ Apr 6th 2008 8:17PM

I understand that, but continuity is still important.

I've seen no other action franchise drastically change their boxart style for that reason...or really for any reason.

Halo, Splinter Cell, Call of Duty...all improved visually with the next-gen switch, but their boxes would look like a "set" sitting next to each other from the PS2/XBOX era up till now.

I don't see why MGS should be any different. Especially so, since there IS obviously a Shinkawa version that exists that fits perfectly with the theme of the game and the feel of all the other MGS covers, and looks damn good.

na2ru1 @ Apr 6th 2008 8:12PM

i felt that the previous MGS boxarts never sold the game very well. No need to confuse a buyer (new to MGS) with faded style pictures.

covers always creates a potential sale that is why its important.

This box art has substance and looks reckognisable. long live solid snake. if it added a bit more of some game elements in the cover without revealing too much, you'd have a winner

Marco Cano Jr @ Apr 6th 2008 9:13PM

/agree

IMO, I like it but I just like the sketches better.

I did a quick check up on the box art for all the other Metal Gears and there hasn't been a consistant look to them. Although for the re-releases (MGS2:Substance, MGS3: Subsistence) they have gone for a more artsy cover.

The question to ask; Are they going to re-release MGS4?

Mr.ESC @ Apr 6th 2008 8:59PM

I liked more the older MGS covers,the ones in the MGS:E pack are awesome they remind me of the Marvel Comics variants.

Anyway I think that image would look better in the manual cover rather than in the box cover.

Also is there going to be a Director's cut version of MGS4?

theboy @ Apr 6th 2008 9:03PM

Yes, this box art is wonderful and will definitely sell the game. We all know gamers and non gamers alike absolutely love decrepit old man face. What the hell are some of you talking about?!

lantus @ Apr 6th 2008 9:06PM

Shinkawa's artwork is much better, I wish they would stick with it especially seeing as this is the last Metal Gear Solid.

INYAFACE @ Apr 6th 2008 9:25PM

kinda leaves me wondering..... i like it. just to see wheather snake makes it or not.

Dahk @ Apr 6th 2008 9:57PM

I like cardboard boxes!

... that's all i have to say =D.

Mein Bratwurst @ Apr 6th 2008 10:15PM

:( The new box art is a bit depressing to me. I think Snake will indeed bite the dust in the game and the cover kinda reflects that IMO with Snake's sad mug.

R.I.P Old friend.

Mr.ESC @ Apr 6th 2008 10:38PM

He is not your friend,buddy.

Now seriously who knows,the same was said about Master chief dying in Halo 3.

Mein Bratwurst @ Apr 6th 2008 11:06PM

..and i'm not your buddy. See what I did there?

Anyway, good point.. maybe there will be an alternate ending here as well.

Da @ Apr 7th 2008 2:25AM

I saw what you did there. You made an idiot of yourself.

redhotmoltenlava @ Apr 7th 2008 6:28AM

Ah yes, but Kojima has the balls to kill his main character, unlike the folks at Bungie.

Mein Bratwurst @ Apr 7th 2008 2:26PM

After being called an idiot, i've decided to /wrists.

(Sarcasm).

ThisIsChamp @ Apr 6th 2008 10:44PM

maybe if you beat the game on the hardest difficulty it'll show snake telling someone to wake him when a metal gear is on the loose;)

mezzanine @ Apr 6th 2008 10:49PM

Ugh, seriously? People think that nasty pedophile-esque face beats those sketchy water color pieces? That cover is absolutely tasteless and boring.

Dahk @ Apr 6th 2008 11:17PM

You're a nasty pedophile-esque face.

Solid Snake portrays one of the characters I sympathize most. And that face leeks more war-torn emotion and sadness than anything to do with... young girls.

Gamerschoice @ Apr 7th 2008 1:38AM

I'm still trying to figure out what they're going for with all the upside-down sevens on the cover. It cheapens the whole game. It looks like they compressed the L's instead of the graphics, music, dialogue. 50gb isn't enough my A$$.

JKPierce @ Apr 7th 2008 6:55AM

Is that what happens when you randomly hit keys and hit enter? How do you clothe yourself in the morning?

You're an aspiration to mentally challenged children everywhere.

RazLeboL @ Apr 7th 2008 9:20AM

It's to make them look like 4.

RazLeboL @ Apr 7th 2008 9:23AM

And also because it's the 7th game in the series apparently..

RazLeboL @ Apr 7th 2008 9:21AM

I thought I posted this but it didn't appear.

I love this euro box art
http://kotaku.com/376626/officially-unofficial-american--european-mgs4-box-art

JoJo @ Apr 7th 2008 10:05AM

this box art is better then the drawn ones, this one actually makes me wanna buy it, even though i'm not a fan of MGS4!

CJLopez @ Apr 7th 2008 11:44AM

OMG, Snake has more wrinkles than one of my shirts on the morning (i never get the chance to iron em, ajjajajaja)

I liked this boxart, but still not quite in the MGS theme

Nathan-DTS @ Apr 28th 2008 1:24PM

I am new to the MGS series so I like this modern style but as I'm new to it I dont know much about it. If they did artsy covers before they should stick

P.S I voted that I like cardboard boxes

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Which Metal Gear Solid 4 boxart design do you prefer?
	I like the old versions with the sketches and such.
	I like the new, realistic one better.
	I like cardboard boxes. You can hide in them.
	Box? Art? I am confuzzled by your query.

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