The FedEx Fairy doesn't usually come for me on the weekends, but because I was out of town yesterday (and I made a stink about it), they returned today with the goodies I missed. Among them was the sexy Resistance 2: Collector's Edition boxed set that comes out on November 5 for $79.99.
Even though I won't have time to crack the game open immediately (something about the edge of a mirror I need to review first), I couldn't help but tear into the box. I'm a child, what can I say?
Hit the jump to get a glimpse of what's inside, as I'll help you try to determine whether or not you'll want to skip lunch for two days to shell out the extra cash.
The box itself is huge, even bigger than the massive (and disappointing) Assassin's Creed Collector's Edition that doesn't fit anywhere in my collection. The difference here is that the Resistance 2: Collector's Edition box is cardboard (versus the traditional tin), so once you open it up and empty it of its contents, you won't feel too bad tossing it.
The first thing you'll notice is the 5 1/2" Chimera Hybrid action figure, complete with a Bullseye weapon. He's trapped in a box, and whether or not you'll want to break him out will depend on our dedication to collecting things. Me, I like to play with my toys.
I'm no toy fanatic (I'll leave that to the folks at Tomopop), so I won't even attempt to talk about what material the figure is made out of, the paint quality, or how many points of articulation it has (although I believe it's five). But on a very basic level, the figure doesn't look like a lot of the other cheap crap figures you might get in a collector's edition (again, I'm looking at you, Assassin's Creed). There's some nice detail in the face and on his back, and the Bullseye fits nicely in its hands. There's an included display stand, so you should have no problem placing him somewhere to impress the ladies (and fellas).
The package also comes with a bonus Blu-ray disc, and I was surprised to find that it wasn't included in the actual game box. Instead, the disc comes in a cheap cardboard sleeve, the same kind GameStop hands out physical demo discs in. Because I haven't popped in the disc in yet, I can't say much about the quality of the contents, but it includes: a behind-the-scenes video, "America Forever Lost"; Shattered History: The Resistance timeline video; a sneak peek at the upcoming Resistance novel; and a sneak peek at the upcoming comic book series.
The disc also promises an exclusive in-game HVAP Wraith multiplayer skin "and more," but the collector's edition box also came with a slip of paper containing a promotion code for the HVAP.
Finally, there's the double-sided hardbound Resistance art book. Opening the book from one side reveals "The Art of Resistance," with Chimera-specific concept art from the game's production. Reading it from the other side you'll find "Altered America," art that depicts the war-torn American cities that you'll encounter in Resistance 2. It's a nice book that displays some beautiful art from the creative folks at Insomniac, but it's a bit on the thin side, and is a weird size that certainly won't fit nicely alongside other books on your shelves.
Oh, and I guess there's a game inside here somewhere. I should get around to playing that ... I hear it's pretty good or something (expect a review later this week).
At $79.99, the Collector's Edition will run you $20 more than the standard edition that ships with the game alone. For many fans, the big draw is going to be the action figure -- which is admittedly pretty damn sweet -- but whether that's worth the extra cash is really your choice.
I called around to a few GameStops, and as of today they're still taking pre-orders on the Resistance 2: Collector's Edition. You know the drill with this stuff -- limited allocations -- once they're gone, they're gone, etc. So if you're considering it, you still have some time to get in your order before Resistance 2's November 5 release.
Contest:
11:31 AM on 11.01.2008
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that looks quite awesome but I'll be getting the regular edition.
the reason? I'm bankrupt this holiday season because of all the games
An art book of that size is fairly standard when it comes to collector's editions, but I'm surprised there's nowhere good to put the bonus disc. Even the less-than-good Assassin's Creed Limited Edition stuck an extra disc flap into the case (at least on 360), but maybe Sony thought that they'd never need a second disc with Blu-ray.
Looks fairly good, especially the figurine and art book, but the lack of thoughtful packaging would drop it down a few points in my mind.
Other than that, cool.
Trust me, if you played the beta for this, it'd be much more than "meh." The beta sold me.
You already sold me from the beta hands on, still need to get that greatest hits R1 though
So I just don't get Collector's Editions.