"big box" game collecting

[Lizzieborden]

On a non blood note:
Anyone here into collecting "big box" games?
I'm not, but I hear it's a thing, and I inherited a whole bunch from my uncle (requiescat in pace) in 2019, with his win 98 machine.
Amongst all the boxes (they filled 6 large moving boxes) I recognized the blood game right away after not seeing it since I was 4 .
Result: Been playing blood for the last two years, quit the clunky win 98 machine thing and went for win 10 compatible ports (GDX, Nblood). I figured out how to play with mods and edit bat files (for Nblood)
I am a bloodite! Who wooda thunk?
I digress
As I rummage through my uncle's collection, I find myself admiring the art on some of those "big box" PC games. Top of my list is of course Blood, that big bloody hand print on pure black--simple but effective (and, at the time, scary as hell for 4 yr old me).
Dissolution of eternity (quake) is eerie as well (Have not played it yet). Then there is Nocturne, very gloomy indeed. And I LOVE the Alice art (McGee's Alice), with that bloody knife and thousand yard stare. Return to Castle Wolfenstein is also cool (Red on black, my fave combination) .Never got around to playing it yet, but I like the box art

What is your favorite "big box" game art ?

[Daedalus]

A fine question indeed. I imagine most Blood players will have been around in the glorious days of large PC game boxes.

There are far too many to give a shout out to all of them, but I do have a preference for the more simplistic covers usually, which means of course that Blood would be my favourite. It's simplistic and brilliant. Diablo 2 and to a slightly lesser degree its expansion, Lord of Destruction, are also really eye-catching and stark. Quake is always a winner, too.

For some honourable mentions I'd go with the Command & Conquer boxes being pretty iconic and cool. Planescape: Torment has an unforgettable box, too.

[Lizzieborden]

A fine question indeed. I imagine most Blood players will have been around in the glorious days of large PC game boxes.

There are far too many to give a shout out to all of them, but I do have a preference for the more simplistic covers usually, which means of course that Blood would be my favourite. It's simplistic and brilliant. Diablo 2 and to a slightly lesser degree its expansion, Lord of Destruction, are also really eye-catching and stark. Quake is always a winner, too.

For some honourable mentions I'd go with the Command & Conquer boxes being pretty iconic and cool. Planescape: Torment has an unforgettable box, too.

Yeah quake 1 and 2 for sure. Those capital Q s look like evil rusty sickles of death. Have not yet played quake 2 but will soon.
So sad that box art and manuals were discontinued with digital delivery taking over. It also seems to me that even music is better in the older games. Quake, blood, shadow warrior, system shock 2. I have a lot of catching up to do with all these older games.
Thx for making it easy for people like me who are less familiar. It is from this web site that last year I found out about Nblood being accurate.
I like my 98 machine but it cannot handle too many voxels and upscale graphics for blood. So Nblood it is.
Jeez I sure am chatty.
sorry bout that

[Daedalus]

The mid to late 90's and very early 00's were the absolute golden age of PC gaming, but it was also a peculiar time in which, for quite a few reasons, games were able to produce high quality audio while 3D development was still in an awkward phase of finding its feet. This, combined with video games then being a slightly more hobbyist activity rather than the industry it is today meant that a lot of really talented and sometimes obscure guys got to be experimental with game soundtracks, resulting in many high effort and amazing soundtracks that still are fantastic to this day.

Thank you for your kind words regarding the site and it's really great to hear that it introduced you to NBlood. No need at all to apologise for being chatty. If I had my way there'd be fresh posts here all day every day... one can dream...

[Lizzieborden]

The mid to late 90's and very early 00's were the absolute golden age of PC gaming, but it was also a peculiar time in which, for quite a few reasons, games were able to produce high quality audio while 3D development was still in an awkward phase of finding its feet. This, combined with video games then being a slightly more hobbyist activity rather than the industry it is today meant that a lot of really talented and sometimes obscure guys got to be experimental with game soundtracks, resulting in many high effort and amazing soundtracks that still are fantastic to this day.

Thank you for your kind words regarding the site and it's really great to hear that it introduced you to NBlood. No need at all to apologise for being chatty. If I had my way there'd be fresh posts here all day every day... one can dream...

The way you describe the 1990s era of gaming: Is this why there is a retro thing going on, like with Ion Fury? (have not played it , but I know it's build engine based)
Is it only nostalgia? or is it (as in my case) that many younger people just find these older games so much more fun? I actually started playing online, for the first time ever, with Kingpin.

About tracks still fantastic to this day (in addition to blood): Quake 1 NIN /Reznor for sure. I used to only know the "closer " song (a popular one at the club) until I started playing quake last year . Kingpin sound track (Cypress Hill) is also da bomb!!!

[Umnir]

Most memorable ones I’d say are propably Doom I and II.

I have to say that although I love big box art, I might be even bigger fan of NES box art due most of them being hand drawn.

[Lizzieborden]

I unfortunately only know about PC gaming. Never tried consoles, whihc is silly as many of the best games come out on them initially (Doom 64 for one).
Could you please post some pics of your fave NES art ?

[Umnir]

I unfortunately only know about PC gaming. Never tried consoles, whihc is silly as many of the best games come out on them initially (Doom 64 for one).
Could you please post some pics of your fave NES art ?

Some that come to my mind (don't mind the varying quality as I snatched them from the interbutts):



My favorite easily and most memorable






Quite timeless in my opinion



Great example how to take 80's-90's kids attention and wake up the imagination.



Another fantastic example of absulutely timeless cover art.






Another example of cover art that gets your imagination running

[Daedalus]

Can't have a Finn post without DuckTales being in there somewhere!

These have a very similar aesthetic to the Commodore boxes. Game cover design has turned absolutely trash in recent years. That Life Force one is an instant hit, and the Gradius cover is amazing.

[Umnir]

Can't have a Finn post without DuckTales being in there somewhere!

Well Dolan is national hero after all

[Lizzieborden]

Outlier here. My fave is the Castlevania. Fangs and whips O yesss

[Lizzieborden]

Does anyone here actually have the Plasma Pack Big box? I hear it is the holy grail of bloodite relics. My uncle never got it....(just have Blood and Cryptic Passage with all inserts, pristine condition)

[Daedalus]

I have both a sealed and opened Plasma Pak.

[Lizzieborden]

You lucky devil, you!!
So unicorns DO exist!
Could you do an unboxing vid with the one already opened ? It would be soooo cool. Be sure to show the beautiful SA sky !