Top 9 vogue video game covers

Today's developers have really made today's video games a roiling surge of sensory experience. Unfortunately, video game box art, especially here in America, has lamely hobbled behind. It's surprising that this element is so neglected, especially in a visual-centric culture.

PHOTOS: Most vogue video game covers

In recent years, I've noticed a startling trend that may correlate with game publishers' attempts to address the problem; I'm not that sure though whether it's going in the best of directions, however.

I started noticing it with "Modern Warfare 2's" box art. "Hmm, this is surprisingly un-violent" I thought as I regarded the very unconcerned Army Ranger on the box. The contraposto stance once a classic detail in art, pretty much just suggests the slow motion "movie shot" walk. He's also pretty much unconcerned with me, the consumer who had just dropped $60 dollars to have that box art stare apathetically into the distance. There was something oddly familiar about the imperious, almost classy petulance of that box cover ranger that says, "Yeah, you just overpaid for me you crass rube of a dolt."

Yeah, I knew where I had seen that. Just open up any fashion magazine and you'll find the best glossed disdain that large marketing budgets can buy.

For whatever reason, some developers have thought that maybe Vogue chic might be the way to go with box art. There also seemed to be a trend in that most of the games that were doing this were both FPS and adventure games.

To contextualize my thoughts, let me start with an example of non-vogue box art: "Mega Man 9." No idealization here, just a constipated man with a ray gun and a chemo-blaster as well as the love spawn of a flamboyant octogenarian and Rex Lewised Cobra Commander. Now here are the top nine examples of vogue box art I found. I'll be honest, I wasn't ready for some of the parallels I found.

Click here to see the full list in photos.