I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

[Sivart the Sloth Trencher]

This has been bothering me for awhile. I often feel like I'm the only person I know with this kind of behavior and I feel like a total weirdo about it, too (mostly because a good number of my friends have the exact opposite opinion). I'm a very visual person. As a result, I tend to enjoy the presentation of video games. I mean, who can't appreciate a well-presented video game? The problem with me is that I often take things a few steps beyond appreciation. For some weird reason, I find myself drawn to well-presented games. So drawn, in fact, that I often have a strong urge to buy said game.

I've been doing this for years and I honestly want to know how other people react to a well-presented game.

So Pavilion, how important is presentation to you? How exactly does it factor into your purchasing behavior?

P.S. Don't get me wrong, I don't often buy ****ty games simply because they look good (Castlevania: Lords of Shadow being the exception).

[Toaster]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

What do you mean by presentation? Physical packaging? HUD? Graphical interface? Unique art direction?

[Sivart the Sloth Trencher]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

Huh. I never specified, did I? I mean physical packaging.

[Jehuty]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

I'm a sucker for collectors editions, they usually have better boxart.

[Hrafn]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

It rarely impacts me, but I can think of a few occasions where it did. For example, when I bought Phantom Dust; there were a lot of games on that $5 table, but something about the colors and imagery on the case called to me, making it stand out from the other games even though I'd never heard of the game before. Good thing it did. In general however, if I am buying a game it was thought out beforehand. Or it's something like Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction, which I didn't know existed but intended to get as soon as I saw it, not because of anything visual but just because the premise was so rife with possibility, or it was part of a series I liked (in that case, both).

[facts]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

I'm pretty sure I bought both Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete because of the packaging. I mean, they both had those huge boxes that came with making of videos, the soundtracks, maps, and all sorts of collectibles, for only $60.

[Karr Lord of Chaos]

Re: I buy things like a weirdo. Do you?

i often buy games on a total whim. if im itching for a new game and dont have a predetermined list then ill browse for awhile and end up walking away with a pile of unknown games. i look at the art to see if its a style i might like, i check the game play photo on the back to see what combat might look like, then i debate if the price is worth the risk (have i played something similar to it before). i currently bought 2 ys games simply because they where collectors editions and i enjoyed one of the random copies i picked up. only a few times ive been disappointed for spending the money, and some i got almost to the end before giving up. nothing ive found has been too bad enough to get at least most of my money out of.