Sometimes I hate GameStop.
I want to like them because they’re wide-spread and decent for a game-specific retailer. But the condition of their cases are just god awful. Layers upon layers of stickers drive me absolutely crazy. I also have nightmares about finding stickers placed directly on the game’s covert art. Even without them, half of the cases look like they’ve been rolled around on a pile of dirt before being traded in. I love shopping for games in physical stores, but it’s hard for me to accept the filth on these cases.
I’ve dubbed this copy of Metal Gear Solid 2 the “STD case.” Visually, it doesn’t look too different from any other dirty case you’d pull off a GameStop shelf. You have to feel the case to understand why it’s so bad. It’s grimy, like some kid in a McDonalds PlayPlace rubbed his chicken nuggets all over it. It’s disgusting just to touch and feel. I can’t stand it, but as an early teen I didn’t care much about case quality.
My Star Ocean: Til the End of Time case was also pretty disgusting, so I cleaned it before posting its picture. But I can’t bring myself to wipe away the filth on this one in particular. It may be an STD case, but it’s my STD case. My memory of Metal Gear Solid 2 is waning at this point, but I want to always remember how absolutely filthy this case is.
Metal Gear Solid 2: 10/10. Case was pretty shitty.
(Header Image Source: Play-Asia)
