A first-person survival horror game with advanced physics-based puzzles from Frictional Games, the creators of the Penumbra series. Its dynamic of light and darkness and focus on avoidance of enemies rather than combat have been highly influential in recent horror games.
The creature doesn't look anything close to terrifying. It looks like somebody was trying to draw something messed up but halfways through decided to draw a clown and now it's just ugly.
Fan-made one is my favourite. Reminds me of House of Leaves.
It's bad, but you gotta think about the legitimately massive market for crappy, budget PC titles out there and how that box art will actually get those people's attention. Then they'll get a really awesome game, surprise! So, yeah, it's for real bad, of course, but for actual retail shelf reasons, I think they at least have the right idea. The other two covers are better, but would not sell as well.
Man I'd pass by a whole section of that box-art without picking it up.
For what's supposed to be one of the scariest games ever, it looks like shit.
"Oh hey, I got this lamp. I bet that horrible screaming behind me has nothing to do with horrific flesh monsters, I'll just continue looking really tired and bored"
Not seeing what's hunting you is one of the pillars of Amnesia. Slapping that abomination (for the wrong reasons, BTW) in the cover totally defeats the aim of the game. Fucking retarded.
It's because there's some stupid thing with publishers/marketers that they feel the need to always have characters on the front of any boxart, because they feel that is what sells and gets people's attention in stores. Japanese and Pal versions even moreso tend to try and capture the feel and atmosphere of the game which doesn't mean the characters face has to take up 50% of the cover. In nearly all cases Pal versions are way better than NA versions and a PAL boxart like RE4, ICO and Heavy Rain make me way more interested in the game. Same deal with this boxart. PAL original is intriguing, NA looks like a joke.
This is bad in almost every way a cover can be bad. And it completely misses the point of how the game is scary; it was a game with a creepy and isolated atmosphere, not a game where monsters are jumpin' in yo face. You're not even really supposed to look at the monsters in the game.
Also, I really like the original cover, it definitely captures the game's mysterious atmosphere.
"It's because there's some stupid thing with publishers/marketers that they feel the need to always have characters on the front of any boxart, because they feel that is what sells and gets people's attention in stores. Japanese and Pal versions even moreso tend to try and capture the feel and atmosphere of the game which doesn't mean the characters face has to take up 50% of the cover. In nearly all cases Pal versions are way better than NA versions and a PAL boxart like RE4, ICO and Heavy Rain make me way more interested in the game. Same deal with this boxart. PAL original is intriguing, NA looks like a joke. "
I want to know who is making these decisions, and if there is any reasoning behind it. That Amnesia cover is, well it's inexcusable. What studies are these marketing people looking at that lead to these kinds of amateurish decisions?
NA box-art is always crappy because Yanks are stoopid. They need everything served to them on a plate with fries. "HEY THIS GAME HAS MONSTERS, AND DARKNESS!".
@Mordukai: I actually like the NA Shadow of the Colossus cover, but I agree that the rest of the NA one's are inferior to their Japanese or European counterparts (some of them are ok visually though).
I'll agree that looks cheap as Hell and defeats much of the purpose of not seeing your character or the enemies.
There is much market research and such which states that American audiences react better to seeing a hero in an action pose on the cover. That's why here in the US we get the main character on the cover instead of the more artisitic approach they take in Japan and Europe. While there are many obvious cases in video games it also happens in movies. Just look at how they totally reworked the poster for Knight and Day to add Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in.
If it were my decision, I would have just made the cover black. Solid black with the title. Maybe a small flame. This is almost like a parody of bad covers, though I doubt it's meant that way. And even if it were, it would inappropriate for this game.
Now whenever I play, I'm going to think I'm being chased by that thing. At least its funny to look at.
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