The younger generation here probably doesn't understand it as well, but in the olden days centuries ago the only thing you had to judge a game by was the box essentially.
I'm talking like pre-1995 or even pre-2000 era. Internet was still not that pervasive and was slow AF where it was available, and Gamespot was still a great website.
I'm talking about those dial-up times when loading a single screenshot of MGS2 was like loading a highly detailed pr0n image and getting all hot and bothered by how realistic it looked.
Sure games magazines were big at that time, but still not everyone had them, I only had a few rarely, not through subscription either.
For me the main way to learn about games was to go into the store and look at all the boxes available. Look at the cover, look at the back, and judge whether or not it was interesting enough to rent.
Why rent Syphon Filter? Look at that box.
If you're 8 years old and you look at that box it's pretty much the greatest thing you've ever seen.