Whether it's a special comic book tie in, a rare CD sleeve or a DVD box set. Special editions are just...well their special.
But my favourite type of limited edition has got to be games ones, i have bought allot over the years and lots have been clever, funny or down right weird (a blow up beach ball? really capcom?).
But among the art cards, making of DVDs and sound tracks have been some crackers.
Listed bellow are the top three full special editions and some other items that have come free with games that i think are great (not the games, the stuff that came free, some of the games sucked the big one.).
First of all lets start with Halo; Reach.
The game was okay, but that's not what I'm talking about today, the limit edition is the most detailed i have ever seen. There are items inside that actually add to all of the Halo games so far. Want to know who Master chief really is? (and i don't mean just his name, it's John by the way) then you will find it in the beautifully authentic diary.
It contains....
A hard back Scientists diary sealed in an evidence bag made
of black bubble wrap (very red dwarf).
3x photos of covenant troops taken by security cams and satellites
A UNSC ID badge in plastic.
Letters from UNSC command with orders and lots of classified
info.
Cocktail napkins and paper towels with ideas she had for
improving the Spartan DNA.
Test subject files and fingerprints.
Inter system news print outs x3.
Plastic DNA chart x1.
DNA marker charts.
An art book
and 3x xbox live codes for in games items.
All of this contained in a sealed hard box shaped like a
cargo container.
The second in my list is the awesome GTA 4.
Grand theft auto 4 goes all out when it comes to special edition stuff.
The box its self is a safety deposit box, not a plastic one, an actual metal lock up box.
But it does not stop there, oh no....
It contains,
Lock box,
A rockstar keyring
Soundtrack CD
Art book.
Making of DVD
And a proper, lined rockstar gun bag hold all,
Next is Wraith of the Litch King, the 3rd expansion for the World of Warcraft MMORPG.
Most art books you get free with games are leaflets with a few pics, some artist quotes and not allot else, sometimes you get it in hard back like GTA4 or demon souls. But sometime you get a book like the one included here, its a proper 300 page hardback tome, it has paintings, sketches and notes and whole chapters on how and why thy used the art and style they did.
includes...
Game in a nice cardboard case.
Soundtrack CD.
Art book as mentioned.
And an in game pet that cannot be bought from any on line store or in game. in a game that its hard to stand out in, a free pet that only a few have is a real extra to love.
And finally there are the extras that stand out from the selections of things that I've got free over the years, although the the other dross that came in these box sets was not Worth mentioning, these few items stood out and deserve a mention.
From top right to bottom left...
The mass effect art "pamphlet" not as thick or as nice as the WOTLK one but still some nice pics and some back story.
Legend of Zelda sound track C.D. . Kind of a greatest hits from the last few Zelda games.
Alone in the dark art book, this is more like it! it's hard back, longer than most and has some very nice pics and sketches, shame the game was sooo boring.
Armachan catalogue, this came with Fear 2, it's a buyers guild for all the weapons that the armament firm make when they are not being torn limb from limb by killer little girl ghosts or having their brains eaten by Paxton Fettal.
Demon souls art book, another hard back art book with some nice illustrations of all the major players in this harder than hard RPG hack em up.
And last but not least "destroyed Beauty" Gears of War art book and mission statement for the next 3 Gears games. lots of lovely art, sketches and proberly more story than the whole first game.
So i hope you have enjoyed my fav special editions, if you have any you think i should have listed please comment.
And one more little item, in case you get a spot of zombie breath...
Umbrella inc mints! MMMM minty brains.
