A collector's edition of a video game comes with two things. You have the basic game itself as well as the additional content (in the form of a special outside box, artbook, soundtrack etc). In a sense, when I buy the collector's edition of a video game I should have the standard version of the game (that all the less-fanatical people buy) and as well as the bonus stuff I'm paying anywhere from $10 to $90 more for. Wrong. Let me start off with an anecdote.
I shelled out good money for the Batman: Arkham Asylum collector's edition. While I was disappointed with all the garbage that in contained and reprimanded myself for once again falling head first into materialism I was even more disappointed with the game case itself. From a few meters away it looks like the standard case of the game but when you see it close up what you see is a cardboard "case" with a crappy pull-out cardboard disc container. Someone I know, upon seeing this, commented: "What is that? Did you print off some Batman pictures and glue them together to make a case?"
While this is one of the worst examples of this it seems that many games in a collector's edition have this problem. God of War III, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood have large icons on the back of the case that state, "NOT FOR RESALE." Thanks for that. Alan Wake chose to give me a standard, black DVD case with no Xbox 360 logo on it. Halo Reach gave me a pure black case instead of the classic green (My friend liked this particular one and I just shake my head at him).
Then there are the "steelbook" cases. Yeah the Halo Wars, Mass Effect 2, Splinter Cell Conviction and Gears of War 2 steelbook cases look "cool." But I happen to like the regular cases of these games better. Why don't I just buy the regular version? Because I want the DLC and the artbook that come with the CE and the pride of owning a "special" edition of a game. Every time I pass the regular version of Splinter Cell Conviction in a store I regret buying the collector's edition and wish I had this normal version. The one with the awesome artwork. But instead, I payed $10-20 more to receive an inferior version.
"Awww, but I like my collector's edition case to stand out." And I like punching myself in the face, what's your point? The OUTSIDE box of a collector's edition is what is supposed to stand out. That is your pride and joy. That high quality Dead Space 2 case that proudly suggests, "Dead Space 2 Collector'd Edition." On the inside I want the SAME case that all of the lesser-fanatics are buying so I can show them that I have what they have and more, that I am the true "fan."
I am very thankful that all companies do not choose to make this error. With Bioshock 2 I received the same case like everyone else (including the shiny extra cover). Dead Space 2, Fallout 3 and New Vegas and Resistance 2 didn't punish me for paying more. With these games I can place my collector's edition box on a shelf and the regular version of the box on the shelf without feeling ashamed or out of place. I can't do this with the non-standard boxes. If I put the Alan Wake case on my shelf someone would say, "What is this Alan Wake movie about?" If someone saw my God of War 3 case they might remark, "NOT FOR RESALE, haha, did you buy a bootleg copy or something?" I certainly don't even think about putting that disaster called Batman Arkham Asylum on display anywhere but at the bottom of my sock drawer.
So, O my brothers, I would hope that video game developers and producers would see my cogent argument and realize that a collector's edition should include the standard case of a game in addition to all of the things that make a collector's edition a collector's edition. Until that time I am proud to say that these terrible consumer experiences have persuaded me to NO LONGER buy collector's edition of video games.
MonsterVine: "Duck Detective is short enough to feel a bit lacking, and some of its mystery-solving gameplay could be polished into a more satisfactory experience."
Bliss Brain has announced that Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is being censored on PlayStation owing to changes demanded by Sony.
Complete BS. I hate their recent censorship crusade. I used to back Sony pretty heavily, but I am not cool with any censoring. Let art be the art it was intended to be. I'm an adult. I promise I can handle gore, boobs, cussing and anything else thrown my way. If Sony continues down this route, I seriously doubt I'll be purchasing their next console. Hell, it took me until just recently to buy a PS5... I bought PS1-PS4 pretty much the day they launched. I just don't like the direction Sony is going lately.
At the end of the day, you're speaking for yourself here. You make it sound like the policy is wrong because Snookies12 can handle boobs and gore.
In reality, I think you miss the point that the censorship is unnecessary because, well, there is such a thing as the ESRB. Sony or any company applying their own censorship policy is just redundant and adds a layer of needless oversight, regardless of whether people can "handle" the content, made much worse because it is applied asymmetrically. Ultimately, the ESRB will do its job in informing the public about content included in games generally. From there, it's up to the parents to decide whether their child can manage the content. Because really, in a society without children, I reckon ratings boards and censors would be out of jobs.
If they insist on this kind of silliness, if there is anything I've learned from Stellar Blade (and Steam games, apparently), all you have to do is:
(a) launch without any censorship and allow for an optional patch to be downloaded to censor it;
(b) Launch censored but allow for users/main console account to remove the day one patch;
or
(c) Do nothing. ESRB and caregivers can figure it out.
I'm partial to (c), but any kind of enforcement is just weak.
Apparently they are removing the 2 endings where you marry your father and your caretaker. And boob slider.
Reading that and seeing that thumbnail...do platform holders have to allow anything to be in a game?
They shouldn't. There should have to be some limits. And Sony may not want the trouble involved even if they aren't making the game themselves. News media would have a field day with it. And you know there's going to be someone who hates PlayStation that will contact the media and tell them about a game on the system where the anime girl gets big boobs and marries their adoptive father or butler. Which we have seen that butlers are like father figures too like in Batman.
And, apparently, we have Woody Allen's on N4G who don't mind at all.
"But but but I can handle it." Sony's going too far."
Sometimes, games go too far. Have some ever thought of that?
Sony: Stellar Blade can have sexualized outfit it's alright, The Last of Us Part 2 can have rape that's treated as romantic
Also Sony: Wait this game is Japanese, CENSOR IT RIGHT AWAY
While most would prefer a new one for the PC; this is not a bad option. Level Infinite and Electronic Arts have begun pre-registration for Command & Conquer: Legions, a mobile strategy game coming to the App Store, Google Play.
Then dont buy it lol. No ones forcing u and a metal or cust case is not something I brag about plus I never spend the extra $20-$90 for collectors case. If ur a big fan than buy it if not save the money and stick to the regular
Don't let yourself get ripped off for $10-90 "worth" of cut content, toys, and "steel" cases.
It's not worth it.
You do realise the whole point of a Collectors Edition is about the Collectors item you get with it.....not the DLC.
CE shouldn't include two things
Making of DVDs which should already be on the disc to begin with like ND do with Uncharted. I mean people who maon of for Making of DVDs in CE would LOVE to pay for something which should be free and would end up on Youtube in like a week
and then you have
OST.....again they will be on Youtube in like a week.
Them two are the worst two things about CE, the third worst thing which isn't as bad is actually pointless DLC but when a game like Batman Arkham City has all this DLC Skin crap going on then the CE should include EVERY SINGLE DLC out there, it's only fair since we are paying more for it.
The fact is why do people moan on about CE....don't buy them if you think there a ripp off your just spoiling it for the people who do like to buy them. I'm a collector if I see a good CE I would buy it, I'm actually gutted that I've missed out on the Metal Gear Solid HD Ultimite Collection from Zavvi.
The problem with CE now is that they're starting to go into another trend which is character statues. Some are good quality like Epic's Marcus Fenix statue while some look funny like Uncharted 3's Nathan Drake statue (admit it, because of the face it dosen't look like Drake)
The Gears of War 3 Epic Edition, Halo Reaches Legendary edition, AC Brotherhood Codex edition and the Fallout 3 CE for example are what Collectors editions should be all about.
Sounds like you either need to do research on your purchases or get a good printer and print a PDF of the cover art (they aren't hard to find) and slip it into a purchased case. You can get Xbox or ps3 cases pretty cheap. Personally I love steel books. Plus some cover art is masterfully minimalist like splinter cell or ME. Standard retail cases can be so cluttered.
Getting the CE editions can actually save you money in the long term, think of it as an investment. There are plenty of games I've bought CE editions of and have sold the collectors items on ebay minus the actual game and made a profit months later.
Aside from that, you should see what you are buying before you buy it. You only have yourself to blame if you are disappointed, you are the customer, it's your own fault if you feel you have got screwed because you didn't use your head. Like Vaud-Villian says, you need to do your research.