Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Final Fantasy XIII-2 edition)

Although my interest in mainline Final Fantasy games has diminished quite a bit since the dusk of the PlayStation (as in, PSone) era, that doesn't mean that I ignore them completely.

Actually, I was pretty interested in Final Fantasy XIII until it came out and everyone complained about it. (Granted, I had neither a PS3 nor an Xbox 360 at the time, so my interest in the game was bound to give way at some point.) I'm similarly interested in that game's strangely titled follow-up, Final Fantasy XIII-2, although I have to admit I have my doubts as to whether I'll ever acquire or play it.

While I hem and haw over that decision, why don't we play another game of "Which Box Art is Better?"--with the focus of said game being the aforementioned semi-sequel.

For starters, here is the art that will grace the cover of the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII-2 (which will hit store shelves on Dec. 15):

As far as I can tell, by the way, the European version of the game, which will be released on Feb. 3, 2012, will feature the same box art.

The cover of the North American version of Final Fantasy XIII-2 (due out on Jan. 31, 2012), on the other hand, will be a bit busier:

Personally, I prefer the black-purple-and-white simplicity of the European and Japanese cover art. That's not to suggest that I think the North American art is bad. Rather, for me it's more of a case of--how should I say this?--gilding the gaming lily.

Pre-order: Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3 version) or Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Xbox 360 version)

Hubba hubba, part deux

Just about four years ago, I wrote--for the now-defunct GayWired.com--an article about "video gaming's hottest hunks." Because a number of additional pixelated and polygonal studs have arrived on the scene since then, I decided to pen a follow-up piece about a few of them.

Mike Haggar (Marvel vs. Capcom 3)--Is this how an in-his-prime Tom Selleck would have looked if he'd pumped iron with a similarly in-his-prime Arnold Schwarzenegger? Possibly. Even then, I doubt he would have shaved his chest or rocked a leather suspender like Mike Haggar. (Selleck certainly would have had a pair of nipples, though; something that's strangely absent in the image above.)

Little Mac (Punch-Out!! Wii)--It's doubtful that many gamers ogled the Little Mac depicted in the original Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! for the NES. His counterpart in the Wii sequel, though? Totally ogle-worthy. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to discover there's a Yahoo! Group that's devoted to this darkly handsome character--although I would be a bit creeped out by it.

Altaïr Ibn la-Ahad, Ezio Auditore da Firenze and/or Desmond Miles (Assassin's Creed series)--That nose. Those lips. That ... chin. OK, so you have to use your imagination a bit when it comes to fantasizing about the multi-generational cast of the Assassin's Creed series. Still, it's clear that all three of these guys were blessed with great genes. If only they had chosen different career paths...

Jacob Taylor (Mass Effect 2)--It's a crying shame that the folks at BioWare didn't make it possible for gamers controlling a male Commander Shepard to put the moves on this, er, "amazingly gifted" Alliance soldier. (At the very least, they could have provided players with more scenes of Taylor sans shirt.) Here's to hoping they rectify matters in the upcoming Mass Effect 3.

Snow Villiers (Final Fantasy XIII)--Is Snow a bit of a douche? Undoubtedly. Does he have a questionable sense of fashion? Surely. Would any of that matter if he offered to buy you a drink in a dark (and possibly dingy) bar? Not on your life--especially considering the powerful pair of pecs he seems to be packing under that tailor-made trench coat.

Honorable mentions: Abel (Street Fighter IV), Ryotaro Dojima (Persona 4), Nathan Drake (Uncharted series), Chris Redfield (Resident Evil series) and Travis Touchdown (No More Heroes series).

See also: 'Hubba hubba' and 'Heartthrobs'