Box Art Battle #2: Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry Series

Box Art Battle is a series where we compare box art for several games across multiple regions – and declare one of them the best.

Battle 1: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

The difference in covers between the US/Canadian and Japanese/UK versions of TFF shows a difference in culture. You may be aware of a trope known as “American Kirby Is Hardcore”. This is when a Japanese game with a cutesy and non-confrontational cover is imported and changed for other regions into something less friendly and more action-oriented.

US/Canada Cover

JP/UK Cover

In the US/Canada, the game’s cover sets up the conflict between the warriors aligned with Cosmos and the monsters that work for Chaos. It’s a simple dichotomy that perfectly conveys the game’s adorable art style.

However, in Japan and the UK, we have what appears to be a chocobo singing a song of the game’s numerous characters, protagonists of the Final Fantasy games contained therein. It’s more whimsical and even cuter than the US and Canada’s box art, so I have to give the edge to it.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Part Nine: Man’s Greatest Glimpse

Lilith and Nyx are common enemies in this game. Nyx does this weird operatic singing when she casts spells.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Part Eight: Mot

The Diet Building. Huh. I expected something more… ominous.
I just wanted to explore a hallway when this fire guy came outta nowhere to scorch me!

Surt

Boss?: Surt|Resists: Physical|Drains: Fire|Skills: Ragnarok, Beast Eye, Dekunda, Retaliate, Hell Thrust, Tempest

What an awful ambush. He uses Ragnarok, an attack that’s all but devastating to demons vulnerable to fire… and curse/death, if Pazuzu’s constant absorption of his attacks is any indication. Surt only rarely so much as breathes without using Beast Eye as well.