Collector’s Editions Reviews a Possibility July 9, 2011

Right after I posted up my inFamous 2 Hero Edition unboxing video I was asked by several people on YouTube that since I buy enough of these Collector’s Editions anyway, I should do site reviews of them so people can know if they are worth buying, espessially given the excessive premium so many of them have for the past three years.

I have avoided doing reviews on this site since I figured if I dared do a game review somebody would disagree with it and it would be like throwing gasoline on a fire.  However, since Collector’s Editions are a premium purchase on top of a game, I don’t have a problem with doing a review of them.

If I were to do a CE review, it would be part of a simple system.  There’s just no point on throwing a 100% or five point scale at something like this, people just simply want to know if the package is worth paying the extra premium over the game itself, and THAT is what I will base my reviews on.

In that case, a three point rating system would work best, and since I’m the one doing it, I’m going to name what the ratings will be, and tell you all what each rating would merit.

1. REQUIRED – The highest honor I can give a Collector’s Edition.  There is some VERY good content in this package for the price.  This could range from the physical content being fantastic and very in depth unique content.  A video documentary included could be fantastic.  An art book could be very well done.  The DLC could add a lot more value to the game.  Also, the choice of any included items will be checked for how good their quality is.  Box will also be taken into effect.  All these are possiblities for what could get this rating, and just be sure since I’m buying these things out of my own pocket (unlike what some unpaid intern who is likely writing a review on a major site) price will be taken into effect.  I have not decided if the game will have to be good to get this title, or if I should break it down between having a GAME GOOD TOO or GAME NOT GOOD suffix added to the end.
2. FANBOYS ONLY –  The content in this kind of CE can only be appreciated by either die hard fans of the series or game itself and not required for everyone of every walk of life to purchase.  This can mean that a lot of the content, while nice, mostly comprise of fluff pieces that don’t live up to merit the price premium over the game itself.  It would be worth the value if you are a die hard fan of the game, the game series, or if you are fortunate enough to find copies of the CE at a reduced price new at your local game store.  The fact that the game is good or bad is not factored into this decision, and usually the people who would buy this kind of CE will have already purchased it before the review has even been posted.  They certainly will enjoy it, but the people who haven’t aren’t losing out.
3. DON’T BOTHER – The CE is a complete waste of money and adds no actual value to the game itself.  The amount of content isn’t very good and not worth the price premium over the game itself.  If you bought it at full price, I feel very sorry for you.  The quality of the game itself is not factored into this decision, meaning that there’s no way it is in any danger of turning the CE into a REQUIRED purchase, even if it is bundled with (hypothetically) the Greatest Game Ever.

So that would be my criteria for rating a Collector’s Edition.  Now the problem with doing it like this would be I’d need some extra time to do the unboxing and play the game before a rating can be issued.  I would be more than happy however over the next week to list off some Collector’s Editions I have purchased this year (and if you’d like, earlier years) and give my ratings for them and why.