Codename ICEMAN
I like SQ V better. Iceman is too cluttered.
Life: Adventures guaranteed. Instructions not included.
I don't really like either that much, but I will go with SQ5 for this one.
Now, I'm not gonna pretend like I'm some "composition guru", but it's funny to me how both of these actually follows multiple composition rules. And the more I look at SQ5's cover the more I appreciate its composition particularly:
* Roger Wilco himself has his face framed dead center of the box.
* Then on top of that, he's popping out of the "art rectangle" which makes him pop even more than before.
* And his strong reds is a big contrast to the more muted greens and blues of the rest of the art within the rectangle, making him pop even more, and also puts him in front of the muted pink box colour, and the green "Roger Wilco" text - which itself has really good contrast against the box colour.
* Then Roger Wilco himself is framed within multiple overlapping triangles, and his face is essentially placed within those triangles using the either the golden ratio or the rule of thirds(depending on where exactly you draw the lines for the triangles).
Yeah, I'm really appreciating the SQ5 box art's composition a lot.
Don't get me wrong, Code-Name: Iceman also does some of this, but a lot simpler from what I can see. And simpler is often better. However, for this particular case I think it essentially just does the bare minimum, and it's alright. But then all the random sales text kinda ruins everything.
Now, I'm not gonna pretend like I'm some "composition guru", but it's funny to me how both of these actually follows multiple composition rules. And the more I look at SQ5's cover the more I appreciate its composition particularly:
* Roger Wilco himself has his face framed dead center of the box.
* Then on top of that, he's popping out of the "art rectangle" which makes him pop even more than before.
* And his strong reds is a big contrast to the more muted greens and blues of the rest of the art within the rectangle, making him pop even more, and also puts him in front of the muted pink box colour, and the green "Roger Wilco" text - which itself has really good contrast against the box colour.
* Then Roger Wilco himself is framed within multiple overlapping triangles, and his face is essentially placed within those triangles using the either the golden ratio or the rule of thirds(depending on where exactly you draw the lines for the triangles).
Yeah, I'm really appreciating the SQ5 box art's composition a lot.
Don't get me wrong, Code-Name: Iceman also does some of this, but a lot simpler from what I can see. And simpler is often better. However, for this particular case I think it essentially just does the bare minimum, and it's alright. But then all the random sales text kinda ruins everything.
This post was last modified: 10-31-2025, 07:18 PM by Guyra.
I'm going with SQ5. It's one of the few cases where borders improve the aesthetic of the box art.
They're funhouse mirror images.
CODE-NAME: ICEMAN looks like a pretty good B-movie. I'm curious about the stuff going on in the bottom-right corner, but JIM WALLS's blocking the view. Wild stuff is going on around the hero, but he's safe in the eye of the storm, doing all sorts of Tom Clancy activities.
It looks like the other Dirk Squarejaw is in immediate danger. So are we; look at that slime dripping out of the frame. Makes me want to grab that mop. So I'm going with Space Quest
(which one is it)
V.
CODE-NAME: ICEMAN looks like a pretty good B-movie. I'm curious about the stuff going on in the bottom-right corner, but JIM WALLS's blocking the view. Wild stuff is going on around the hero, but he's safe in the eye of the storm, doing all sorts of Tom Clancy activities.
It looks like the other Dirk Squarejaw is in immediate danger. So are we; look at that slime dripping out of the frame. Makes me want to grab that mop. So I'm going with Space Quest
(which one is it)
V.
I'm voting for Code-Name: Iceman.
Space Quest V has cartoony graphics balanced in wonderful colour choices. Roger's predicament is like a death scene straight out of Don Bluth's 'Space Ace'.
Iceman has so much happening all at once on the box, which thematically seems appropriate for a hectic spy adventure. This easily ranks as a top contender for later rounds in my personal opinion. The hooded woman covering her mouth is a nice small touch. I love the lighting and highlights in general.
Various gradients of blue offset the hero's determined red colours. The villain has a cold-hearted, calculating and stern look expressed on his face, which is fittingly draped in darker shades of blue. That submarine explosion means nothing to him, he's more concerned with determining the body of that alcohol.
Space Quest V has cartoony graphics balanced in wonderful colour choices. Roger's predicament is like a death scene straight out of Don Bluth's 'Space Ace'.
Iceman has so much happening all at once on the box, which thematically seems appropriate for a hectic spy adventure. This easily ranks as a top contender for later rounds in my personal opinion. The hooded woman covering her mouth is a nice small touch. I love the lighting and highlights in general.
Various gradients of blue offset the hero's determined red colours. The villain has a cold-hearted, calculating and stern look expressed on his face, which is fittingly draped in darker shades of blue. That submarine explosion means nothing to him, he's more concerned with determining the body of that alcohol.