So I was checking out Fury, this PvP game currently in closed beta. I don't have an account or anything, but I know people who do. Anyway, after glancing at the screenshots section I realized to my dismay that the Fury people fell into the same trap as so many others: the screenshots they posted are completely useless.

The purpose of screenshots is to show what the game looks like, but not just what it looks like in specific staged scenaria that would never actually occur in actual gameplay. Yet, this is what Auran has decided to do, and they're not alone. Many game companies do this, and it's just as annoying every time.

When I look at screenshots for a game (as opposed to a game engine), I want to get an impression of what playing the game is going to look like. But these screenshots don't do that. They're very flashy, yes, no doubt about it; but they're all taken from bird's eye views or feature clearly staged situations that are cool but ultimately worthless. Not a single one shows the graphical user interface, which is critical to the feeling of any game, anywhere.

Of course, that's not to say there isn't a place for “glamour shots”. But so many people completely ignore the fact that they are not representative of the actual game, and post only glamour shots. I want to see what the game looks like, damn it, not just the engine. I want to see screenshots taken while playing the game, and I want the GUI to be in there with it. Only then can I get a proper impression of what the game is really like.

Addendum: 12:41 UTC+2

Surprisingly on-topic, Electronic Arts takes the practice of useless screenshots to new heights by poorly photoshopping their screenshots, too.