Overview and Review: US Injustice: Gods Among Us: Battle Edition (Fight Stick Edition) (Gamestop Exclusive)

Note: This review is for the US Collector’s Edition of Tomb Raider and NOT the game itself. 

            As with Warner Interactive’s previous offering from Netherealm (Mortal Kombat 9), Injustice: Gods Among Us has been given two different non-standard editions. Likewise, the game, regardless of edition, has been graced with rather excellent retailer-specific DLC. This review is only going to focus on the Gamestop exclusive Battle Edition of the game. The need to purchase from Gamestop means that the pre-order DLC mentioned in this review will be the “Red Son” content offered by the aforementioned retailer.

            Before I start the review, I would like to note that even though I will always pick a fight stick edition over a collector’s edition (as I did with MK9), the terrible design for the Collector’s Edition’s statues probably would have swayed me towards the Battle Edition regardless of my preference for fight sticks.

This goes for both the UK and US statues. As far as the UK edition is concerned, I can’t see myself really wanting a statue of Batman with his fingers wrapped around Wonder Woman’s throat. I realize that Batman does not have the hand-strength required to actually choke Wonder Woman, but the image is still one that I find a bit difficult to want on my shelf. The prospect of having to explain to the non-comic book inclined why Batman’s choking a girl out is not something that I would look forward to.

The US edition is a mess for completely different reasons. The first problem is that the two battle-engaged characters aren’t even facing each other. That’s a terrible design choice. How did they expect the statue to effectively convey the tenseness of the battle when the two combatants aren’t even eye to eye. Sure, Wonder Woman is heavily engaged in the battle, but Batman seems to just want to escape. The other major problem with the statue is that a fair amount of the sculpt relies on the use of a generic sci-fi spacecraft. Considering that Wonder Woman actually owns her own jet, it would have made more sense to have some fun trying to include an invisible plane into this sculpt. It’s a missed opportunity and it’s been replaced with an object that has no obvious reason for being there. With that said, let’s see what we get with the Battle Edition.

The US Injustice: God Among Us: Battle Edition Includes:

1) Injustice Game

2) Injustice Fight Stick

3) New 52 DLC Skins for Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman

4) Red Son DLC (only if pre-ordered at Gamestop)

Overview and Review: Tomb Raider US Collector’s Edition (Amazon Exclusive Final Hours Edition) (w/Pics)

Note: This review is for the US Collector’s Edition of Tomb Raider and NOT the game itself. 

Tomb Raider, being one of the most anticipated games of the year, has been graced with the now requisite Collector’s Edition treatment. The title has also had pre-order bonuses doled out to all the big name retailers. The edition I will be reviewing here is the Amazon.com edition that they have seen fit to title the “Final Hours Edition.” This review will make note of when a specific inclusion is specific to Amazon’s offering. Without further ado, here are the contents of the US Collector’s Edition of Tomb Raider:


1. Tomb Raider
2. Survival Tin
3. 15x19 inch Double-Sided Island Map and Poster
4. 5x7 inch Lithograph
5. CD soundtrack
6. Weapon Pack DLC
7. Patches
8. Lara Croft Figurine (8 inches)
9. Art of Tomb Raider Artbook (Amazon Edition Exclusive)10. Hunter Skin (Amazon Edition Exclusive)
11. The Final Hours of Tomb Raider “Director’s Cut” Kindle Edition (Amazon Edition Exclusive)
12. Tomb Raider Scavanger Hunt Code (Pre-Order incentive for various stores)
13. Shanty Town Multiplayer Map DLC (Pre-Order incentive for various stores)

Overview and Review: Metal Gear Rising Revengeance US Limited Edition (w/Pics)

Note: This review is for the US Limited Edition of Metal Gear Rising Revengeance and NOT the game itself.

It has been a very long time since my last review.  It would have been less long if Aliens: Colonial Marines had not been the magnificent failure that so many people claim it to have been. It has been even longer since a new Metal Gear game came out. The last one was Peacewalker (if you don’t count the HD collection). Maybe it’s because of that almost 3 year Metal Gear drought that I had no problem putting down 150 dollars on one of the more expensive game editions out there. Lets see if this premium priced set is worth the high asking price. The following items are included in the Limited Edition (inclusions specific to Gamestop via pre-order are noted where applicable):

1. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance

2. Soundtrack

3. Steelbook

4. Lamp

5. Artbook (Gamestop Exclusive)

6. Grey Fox Ninja Skin + Fox Blade DLC (Gamestop Exclusive)

Overview and Review: Adventure Time, “Hey Ice King! Why’d you steal our garbage?!!” 3DS Collector’s Edition (w/Pics)

Note: This review is for the Collector’s Edition of Adventure Time and NOT for the game itself.

What time is it? …

Well, disappointment time.

            I’ve been looking forward to the Adventure Time release for quite some time now. I figured that developer Wayforward’s love of old-school gaming would mean that the Collector’s Edition would end up including some really cool bonuses that reminded us a simpler time in gaming. In a way, they have, but that actually ends up being one of my main gripes with this set. Let’s see what we get for the fairly inexpensive 10 dollar upgrade.

What’s Included:

1) Adventure Time, “Hey Ice King! Why’d you steal our garbage?!!” 3DS game

2) Steelbook Case

3) Finn’s Sword Stylus

4) Land of Ooo fold-out Map

5) Book of Beasts Guide

Overview and Review: Zone of the Enders HD Collection US Limited Edition (w/Pics)

Note: This review is for the US Limited Edition of Z.O.E. HD Collection and NOT the game itself.

Controller for Scale

Y’know that saying about how sometimes you get what you pay for? Well, it’s true. Sometimes you do.

Sometimes you just barely do. Like many other Kojima Productions fans, I was expecting a repeat of the slightly overpriced but really slickly put together Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Limited Edition. What we ended up getting was more of a repeat of the Peacewalker Limited Edition for two times the mark-up of the aforementioned edition. Z.O.E.’s LE costs an extra 20 dollars and what you get for those 20 dollars is not quite enough to make it a worthwhile investment. Let’s find out why that is.

What’s Included:

1) Zone of the Enders HD Collection (w/MGR demo)

2) Soundtrack of Remixed Music

3) 100 page Artbook

Overview and Review: Assassin’s Creed III US Limited Edition (Gamestop Edition for PS3) (w/ Pics)

Note: This is a review of the Limited Edition’s Content and not the game itself.

  

Controller for Scale

            Considering that I do not get paid or reimbursed in any way to write my blog, I have to choose my reviews carefully. These things, quite frankly, are usually overpriced. So, even though I am a gigantic fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, it was not without some serious consideration that I chose to take a chance on the ACIII LE. This is the most expensive single-game Limited Edition that I have chosen to review and the fear of being ripped off was a very legitimate one.

At 120 dollars plus tax, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed III Limited Edition is a tough sell. Being twice the price of a brand new game, Ubisoft has to give fans enough content in this Limited Edition to justify not just going out and buying a second game from the crowded holiday release schedule. Did they succeed? Let’s find out. 

What’s Included:

1) Assassin’s Creed III Gamestop Edition)

2) Assassin’s Creed III Belt Buckle

3) George Washington’s Journal

4) Assassin’s Creed III Colonial Flag

5) Connor Statue

6) Mayan Temple and Sawtooth Sword DLC (Gamestop Exclusive)

7) Benedict Arnold Missions DLC (Exclusive to PS3 Edition) 

Overview and Review: Dead or Alive 5 Collector’s Edition (w/pics)

            

Controller shown for scale

            Quite a few years ago, I remember hearing about a fighting game that had breast physics. Honest to goodness breast physics. By today’s standards, such a claim is not a unique thing. Many games now have weight and bounce added to the female characters’ breasts, but back when the original Dead or Alive implemented such effects, breasts in video games were mostly known for their hard-edged polygonal appearance and their rock solid immobility. As amused and as curious as I was, I did not purchase DOA. There were many other fighting games on the market and the new presumably gimmicky breast game was not enticing enough to warrant a purchase.

             That all changed when I saw DOA 2 Hardcore for sale at a ridiculously low used price at Gamestop. The gimmick had finally hit the right price point. I can honestly say that I was VERY pleasantly surprised that the breast physics were merely the hook to get me to start playing the very excellent and fun Dead or Alive.

            Many years later, DOA 5 is using the same exact hook to try and ensnare a market share in a very crowded genre. Let’s see how well the hook part of DOA 5’s Collector’s Edition release holds up.

Contents of Collector’s Edition (Gamestop Exclusive):

1) DOA 5

2) Premium Embossed Steel Case Packaging

3) Exclusive Hardcover Art Book

4) Premium Swimsuit Costumes

5) Official Soundtrack

6) DOA 5 Poster

7) Bunny/Angel Swimsuits (Gamestop Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus)