March 2018 is a busy month for collector’s editions so we’ll be taking an in-depth look at some of the newest upcoming titles.
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is the sequel to 2011’s Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (the remastered version of the original DS version released in 2010). The series garnered a lot of attention at launch, with many comparing the art style of the game to the work of Studio Ghibli. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom was first announced at PSX 2015, and now that the game has launched, let’s take a look at the exclusive special editions.
If you try to look up the collector’s edition on your own, it might be a bit confusing. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom technically has four different collector’s editions, but we’ll break them down so they’re easier to understand. Essentially, North America and Europe are each receiving a special edition of the game. However, both of these also have upgraded versions which include all the content of their respective special edition.
Collector’s Edition Ni No Kuni
First up is North America. The basic collector’s edition is called the “Premium Edition”. It includes the Day One version of the game, a special sword set DLC, and exclusive steel book case, a 3D papercraft kit, the Dragon Tooth exclusive DLC sword, and a music collection CD. The upgraded version is simply called the “Collector’s Edition” and adds on the “Ni no Kuni II Visual Arts Book”, a plush, “The Making of Ni no Kuni II” Blu-Ray, a display case for the 3D papercraft, the season pass, and a chibi mechanical rotating diorama.
Kuni Kings Edition
Europe’s editions are similar in content, but are distributed differently. Their base collector edition is called the “Prince Edition” and includes the base game, the special sword set DLC, “The Making of Ni no Kuni II” Blu-Ray, and the season pass. Europe’s deluxe version is called the “King’s Edition”; it includes everything in the Prince Edition, the exclusive steel book case, a 148-page art book, The Sound of Ni no Kuni II on vinyl record, and the “Evolution of a King” diorama.
Overall, both collector’s editions are great choices. The biggest differences are the dioramas for each region, the vinyl record for Europe, and display case for the 3D papercraft in America. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom releases on March 23rd, 2018. For Europe, the Prince edition costs £84.99 the King’s edition costs £139.99. For America, the Premium Edition costs $74.99 and the Collector’s edition costs $199.99.
Stone Mason Edition
The God of War series has also been out of the limelight for several years. The latest entry, the prequel God of War: Ascension, released in 2013 for the PS3. Chronologically, the latest entry in the story was God of War 3, which released in 2010. Now, the series has drastically changed the setting: moving from Greek mythology to Norse mythology.
As the popular series returns to the mainstream, Santa Monica Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment are also launching an exclusive collector’s edition. This “Stone Mason Edition” includes a 9″ statue of the game’s protagonists, several 2″ carvings, a keychain, additional digital content, a steelbook case, a cloth map, and an exclusive lithograph print.
The statue shows the series protagonist Kratos and his new son Atreus in mid-combat. Kratos is depicted with a new character design, including a shield and axe. Standing next to him, Atreus wields a bow and arrow.
Stone Mason Edition
The Stone Mason Edition includes several small collectibles. There are four 2″ carvings: a horse, a troll, and two Huldra brothers. There is also the Stone Mason ring and a keychain of Mimir’s Talking Head (a figure from Norse mythology). Rounding out the physical items in the collectible edition are the lithograph featuring Kratos and Atreus staring down a horde of enemies, the cloth map, and a black steelbook with a silver accents.
The digital in-game content of the Stone Mason edition includes two shields,The Defender of the Chosen shield and the Exile’s Guardian shield, and the Death’s Vow armor set. Lastly, there is the Digital Comic #0 by Dark Horse Comics, the God of War Digital Artbook by Dark Horse Comics, and a dynamic PS4 theme.
The God of War Stone Mason Edition retails for $149.99 and launches on April 20th, 2018.
The Far Cry series so far has traveled from the Micronesia tropics, Africa, Pacific islands, and the Himalayas. But the new installment takes on a brand new setting: America. Far Cry 5 is set in modern-day Montana, USA. The story follows a deputy sheriff fighting against an extremist cult, the Project at Eden’s Gate, that has taken over Hope County, Montana. Originally, the Far Cry 5 collector’s edition was called the Resistance Edition, but it was cancelled for unannounced reasons in late-January 2018. But now, there are multiple new Far Cry Collector’s Editions.
The Hope County Edition and the Father Edition are nearly the same except for the main statue and the artwork on the collector’s box. They both include the Far Cry 5 Steelbook Gold Edition, the game’s original soundtrack, and a double-sided tourist map of Hope County. The Gold Edition comes bundled with a season pass. For bonus game content, both editions include the Digital Content Deluxe Pack. This includes four different packs: the Big Game Hunter Pack includes an outfit, an ATV, and a compound bow; the Ace Pilot Pack includes the 1911 handgun, an outfit, and a helicopter; the Explosive Pack contains additonal grenades, C4 charges, proximity mines, and dynamite; and the Chaos Pack contains even more consumables with animal baits, molotov cocktails, “Fast” buffs, and “Furious” buffs. The last items in the Digital Content Deluxe Pack are the AR-C assault rifle and the .44 magnum handgun, each with unique skins.
The centerpiece for the Hope County Edition is the Deer Skull Trophy. Measuring at 17.7″ wide, the resin deer skull statue has a very dark tone. The skull appears grimy and decaying, with the cult’s insignia featured right between the eyes. Adding to the macabre tone, the words “WE ARE ALL TESTED” are scrawled on the right antler. Moreover, the deer appears to be wearing a crown of thorns. A metallic placard beneath the skull displays “Far Cry 5”. Overall, Ubisoft has produced an excellent model for their collector’s edition; the deer skull invokes just the right blend of mystery, unease, and danger to associate with the game’s disturbing antagonists.
The featured model for the Father Edition is a 12.3″ figurine of the preacher Joseph Seed, leader of the Project at Eden’s Gate and the game’s primary villain. Seed is posed as though in the middle of a sermon; holding a bible, gesturing forward, and standing against a stained glass window. While this may lack the impact of the Deer Skull from the Hope County Edition, it still provides an interesting look at the new antagonist of Far Cry 5.
Far Cry 5 Mondo Edition
One additional collector’s edition has also been announced for Far Cry 5: The Mondo Edition. It contains the base version of the game, a vinyl soundtrack, and a steelbook. Mondo is a collective of artists specializing in collectibles and they collaborated with Ubisoft for this edition. The cover of the steelbook and the album both feature Joseph Seed overlaid with an American flag.
The Hope County edition retails for $179.99 while the Father Edition retails for $159.99. The Mondo Edition is available for $99.99. Far Cry 5 launches on March 27th, 2018.
You can read up on this year’s earlier collector’s editions, including Monster Hunter: World and Dragon Ball FighterZ, here.
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