I love special editions of games! I really, REALLY do… most of the time. I mean, sure, sometimes they’re just overpriced pieces of junk (no, UbiSoft, I’m most certainly not going to pay $100 for a version of “The Fractured But Whole” which comes with a 6’’ figurine and pretty much nothing else – are you even trying?), but just as often they can be really, really awesome! Whenever I see a special edition of a game I want that has awesome content at an affordable price, I know I must have it! For example, for the same price of $100, the “Rise of the Tomb Raider” special edition comes with a figure, a necklace, a journal AND also the game itself is an artbook instead of a traditional case – how friggin’ cool is that? Needless to say, it’s now in my collection, joined by other special editions that I felt like I must own! Over the years, I’ve collected some pretty sweet items from these editions, and while most are your standard fare of artbooks and figures, others are… Well, pretty bizarre. That gave me the inspiration to list out the top 5 best/weirdest special edition items that have ever come officially packaged with a videogame! In order to make it on the list, the item must have been sold at some point alongside the game through official channels, and it must be unique and memorable. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
5. Annotated Propaganda Book – Republique
“Republique” is a very underrated stealth episodic game which takes place in an Orwellian state known as Metamorphosis. The state was founded by one Kenichiro Teglazov, who wrote a manifesto with his ideas for his utopia and pretty much made it required reading (as socialist leaders often do). The main character of the game is Hope, a citizen of Metamorphosis who actively rebels against its dictatorship and struggles to overtake its regime. Why did I waste your time telling you all of this, you ask? Well, because it’s important in order to understand the awesomeness of this entry. The “Republique” special edition (which, I admit, I only bought because it was heavily discounted, but was certainly not a purchase I regretted) is pretty solid, coming with a nice box, a soundtrack CD full of amazing tracks, all that good stuff. But the best part is an actual, physical copy of the manifesto that Teglazov has written, which serves as the foundation of the entire setting of the game. “Wait a minute”, you might be wondering, “why would I ever want to read some socialist manifesto?” Well, it’s because it’s been annotated by none other than Hope herself, who has shared her thoughts and opinions all over the place, and suffice to say, she’s not buying Treglazov’s BS. Additionally, you see her taping maps to areas she plan to infiltrate and writing down additional details on people who have been mentioned, and the entire manifesto ends with an ominous warning – she’s coming for him. It’s a FANTASTIC read that truly gives some extra depth to what would’ve otherwise been just another generic Orwellian setting.
4. Japanese-style School Bag – Persona 5
Unlike the other entries on this list, this special edition hasn’t been released yet, but it’s pretty cool regardless, so I thought I’d give it a mention. For those of you who don’t know, the “Persona” series is heavily rooted into Japanese culture. In each game, you take on the role of a Japanese high school student who needs to balance his (or, in a single, optional case – her) school life and relationships with fighting demons and saving the world. You know, as we all do. The entire series just makes you feel like a Japanese student – since you’re typically in your second year (out of the 3 years which is Japanese high school), you’re going to have your Senpai (upperclassmen) and your Kouhai (underclassmen), you’re going to be eating ramen on the school roof, you’ll be changing into your traditionally ridiculous uniform for PE, you’ll be joining clubs, and of course, you’ll be going to school every day with your ridiculously fancy Japanese school bag. While in the West most students typically go with backpacks, in Japan (and possibly other Eastern countries, but I’m way too lazy to research) students go with bags that resemble sacks or purses more than backpacks. So, for maximum immersion, “Persona 5” will give you one with its special edition, stamped with the insignia of the fictional school from the game! Stylish AND practical – honestly, what more could you possibly want from a videogame bonus item? And yet, believe it or not, this isn’t even the best thing that “Persona” developer Atlus has put in a special edition…
3. Boxers – Catherine
In “Catherine”, you take on the role of Vincent, an average 30-something man who finds himself stuck in a steady relationship with a woman he isn’t sure he loves. After cheating on her with a younger, wilder, arguably more attractive lady, Vincent finds himself experiencing surprisingly vivid nightmares in which he’s stuck in his white, pink polka dot-patterned boxers and is climbing boxes towards salvation, with failure meaning death for both his dream avatar and his real self. And… well, yeah, you guessed it. You read the title, there’s no beating around the bush. The special item is boxers. This videogame comes with an item that you are supposed to put against your genitals. I love it. I mean, sure, the special edition comes with plenty of other stuff as well (like a T-shirt and a pillow), but come on, you really need to applaud the balls of a game that wants you to place its items against yours. Sure, this particular special edition is a bit on the pricier side ($140), but if you want, you can always buy it used for around $100! Erm, actually… On second thought, probably… Probably don’t buy this used, guys.
2. Night Vision Goggles – Modern Warfare 2
Nowadays, the “Call of Duty” franchise is known for… well, a whole lot of things. It’s a gritty, boots-on-the-ground military simulator (with spaceships and zombies and robots, but still), it’s pretty much in the top 5 best-selling games of the year every single year no matter what despite the fact that its basic formula hasn’t changed at all since 2007, and, of course, almost every game comes with some kind of crazy special edition bonus, like a remote controlled car or helicopter or whatever. At this point, it wouldn’t surprise me if “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 3” comes with a fully functioning gun with its special edition! That whole trend started with 2009’s “Modern Warfare 2”, which came equipped with military-grade night vision goggles. I swear I’m not making this up. According to people who actually bought the goggles and tested them (sadly, I had to skip out on that particular special edition), you could see perfectly clearly in complete darkness up to 30 meters in front of you, which is pretty damn impressive. While there was a drawback, in that the goggles were set up so that you had to look through a screen and not through the actual goggles, the fact that “Call of Duty” publisher Activision managed to put a sophisticated piece of technology like that in a game back in 2009 is an achievement all in itself, and all things considered, the glasses are more than worthy of the number 2 spot! But what could possibly top them?
1. A Goddamn Car – Saints Row IV
2013’s “Saints Row IV” is an open world—No, you know what? I’m not doing this. I refuse. I’m done. You read the title, so you know just as well as I do that there is NOTHING in the game that can possibly justify this special edition. It is, without a doubt, the craziest special edition in the history of special editions, period. “Oh, you mean it’s like a real car? That’s pretty crazy!” You might be saying (boy, you’re awfully chatty today, aren’t you?), but nope. It’s actually TWO cars – a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Toyota Prius. But that’s not all! In addition to the game itself and the two cars, you also get a trip to goddamn outer space, a hostage rescue experience, a full day of spy training, two week-long vacations with stays in some of the most expensive hotels on the planet, a day of expenses-free shopping spree, and plastic surgery of your choice. Because while “Catherine” was content with giving you an item you can put on your genitals, “Saints Row” wants to put them under them knife. That’s just… Wow. I would make a joke here about how the creators of the game gathered in a conference hall somewhere and decided to just stick the craziest sh*t they could think of in their special edition, with any idea that’s less insane than “a car” being rejected, but it’s not a joke if that is literally what happened. If you consider purchasing the special edition of the game, keep in mind that it’s going to set you back a mere $1 million, which… Well, I don’t have my Guinness’ Book of World Records here, but it’s gotta be a record for most expensive commercially sold game, right? And just in case you think that this is just a joke, or some kind of viral marketing stunt, it’s not. It was officially for sale. Goddamn.