I picked this edition up earlier this week (£45, in-store). I've yet to give it a gametest, so can't comment on the gameplay or its growing reputation as a diamond-hard old-skool test of gaming prowess (which, if true, might limit how far I get through it) but I have unpacked it to see what paying the extra cover price got me.
Everything comes in a shiny box. [please ignore unmown lawn in the background]
Inside the box, along with the game, you get a 46-page (A5) hard-cover artbook, a 158-page (A5) strategy guide and the soundtrack.
Mmm, lovely...
The strategy guide seems quite comprehensive, giving descriptions of NPCs, enemies, character classes, weapons, spells, armour, upgrades and a 50-page walkthrough. This last element is described as a guide to assist the first-time player of the game to get through to the end, rather than the 'best' way of doing so (a business opportunity therefore remains for Prima, Brady et al).
Pages from the walkthrough, showing character classes
The artbook is filled with the standard concept art that you'd expect from such things (artbook from Castlevania: SotN excepted) . Very pretty/grotesque but, until I play the game, I have no point of reference. Looks nice, though.
A fixer-upper
The soundtrack is on CD, a nice change after some recent limited editions (such Red Dead Redemption) just including a download code for this, rather than physical media). It is held in place on the inside back cover of the artbook.
And that's it. I think Namco Bandai has put together a great special edition with this package, well worth the extra money (and you can probably pick it up for a fiver cheaper than I paid, online). All I need now is some time to play it (maybe after the World Cup has finished).
The tactile prettiness of the packaging is to lure you in. Once you play the game you will be throwing it all at the wall repeatedly in frustration.
ReplyDeleteSo my advice is to wrap it all in bubble-wrap now.
Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a game whose reputation goes before it.