This is one of the more unique and original collector’s editions I have seen. If you pull out the ‘drawer’, the paper characters and backgrounds will fold out to form a diorama in front of your eyes. This represents the actual style of the game, with layers of hand-drawn graphics.

In the box you will find the regular case of the game.

The game also comes with a soundtrack cd in a separate paper sleeve. Both the disc and the holder a richly decorated with artwork from the game.

Also included is a small, but hard cover art book. The cool thing about these arts is that the game looks exactly like this. So it’s not just concept art, in a way it shows the actual backgrounds, enemies, and objects that are in the game.

This is a great collector’s edition because it’s very original, and it uses the style of the game itself for the presentation of the box. There’s something magical and playful about a  tridimensional world created of paper.

Also, for a collector’s edition of this size it comes with quite a few extras, aside from the diorama it also has a soundtrack (and an actual one in its own sleeve, not just digital) and a hardcover art book. Despite this it’s still compact in size, and therefore easy to store, and it’s also pretty sturdy. In conclusion, a very well done collector’s edition.

It’s a pretty nice looking box though, with the dark tones contrasting with the bright red eyes of the Helghast, and the overall matte look and feel of the case.

Like all steelbooks, it looks best when taken out of the plastic sleeve, without all the additional text and logos covering the picture.

The back features some Helghan writing. I’ve tried looking up what it said, but it seemed like gibberish.

There is some art on the inside of the case, depicting tow Helghast in a destroyed warzone.

And that’s basically all there is to it. Nothing amazing, but a nice looking box nonetheless. It’s not a valuable collector’s item at all, and can easily be found second hand for modest prices, so that’s good news to people who haven’t got it in their collection yet but would like to. A decent collector’s edition.

The Infamous 2 Special Edition comes in a special paper box with lenticular front. It shows either good or bad Cole when you tilt it in front of your eyes, and it also has quite some depth (which of course isn’t visible on the photo). A pretty cool idea that ties in with the theme of the game.

Good Cole

 Evil Cole

For the rest of the box, the comic book style that was used the collector’s edition of the first game has been retained here: but this time the panels consist not only of artwork, but also ingame images.

When folded out (and the contents removed) the inside shows a large artwork, with a transparent disc holder at the right.

It comes with some DLC: an ‘Electrocution Grenade’, an ‘Original Cole’ skin and a ‘Golden Amp’. Aside from that, the box contains a 50% off code for the digital version of the first game, and an access code for the Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta. And of course the Blu-Ray holding the game itself.

Other than that, there’s not much to say about this special edition. It’s nothing too spectacular, but keep in mind this is the cheaper, simpler version, and the presentation is pretty cool.

What I also like about it is that it’s very compact, it’s about the same size as a regular PlayStation 3 case, but thinner. So it won’t take up a lot of room on your shelf. This also means the box is pretty sturdy and doesn’t dent easily, something which is often a problem with other paper collector’s boxes.

Finally, the time is almost here. After years of rumors about ‘always online’, Kinect integration and impressive processing power, Microsoft will unveil their next gen console in 10 days, on May 21st 2013. What does the future have in store for us? Below you will find a wish list for the hardware side, as well as games that would be great to see on the system.

Next Xbox Hardware Wish List

Improved power and graphical capabilities, obviously. The difference should be big enough to warrant a new generation of hardware, and provide a futureproof console. It should be able to keep up with the PlayStation 4, so multiplatform games will be easy to port or developed simultaneously, and won’t suffer from clunky porting.

The console itself needs to be a lot less noisy and more durable. No more RROD-like debacles, it has to be reliable. I would prefer it to be smaller as well, something like the Wii or slightly bigger, but that’s probably too much to ask given the fact that it’s relatively new technology. An aesthetically pleasing design would be welcome, at least. It would be nice to get rid of the monstrous power adaptor as well.

Improved controller: functional d-pad, rechargeable out of the box, more durable. It also needs to be easier to sync controllers to the console. The Xbox 360 controller is great in general, so they could use that as their base to make an even better one.

For game storage Blu-Ray, or another large capacity medium. The advantage of Blu-Ray, aside from the size, is that they are very scratch resistant as opposed to dvds.

Bigger HDD (200GB at least, but I would like to see 1TB or more.) Especially when it uses a disc based format and you have the option to install your games, or if they want to offer more games as digital downloads, as this eats up a lot of space.

Free online. Microsoft could mimic Sony in this area: free for a basic membership, which includes online play, and a paid membership that offers a lot more value than it does right now.

Achievements and Gamerscore of Xbox 360 and Next combined, but also viewable separately. In other words, you can see someone’s total (both Xbox 360 and Next Xbox score), but you can also choose to view just Xbox 360 or just Xbox Next. This keeps things organized.

Next Xbox Games Wish List

It’s nice to think about the system itself, but what is most important in the end, is the library of games that are available for it. What titles would be great to see? Here is a list.

Condemned 3

The first two Condemned games were a refreshing mix between survival horror and first person action. They were high on atmosphere and tension. The improved graphical capabilities of the the new Xbox could enhance this even more, and the fighting system could become more sophisticated and realistic. Just take out the unnecessary multiplayer that made it’s debut in the second game.

Burnout

With Criterion Studios working on Need for Speed titles, it’s been a long time since we saw a new Burnout game. The launch of a next gen system could be a great time to revive the series. More processing power could for example lead to more interactivity with the world, and the idea to not only see your car fly to bits, but also everything it crashes into, is interesting already.

Alan Wake 2

This game has been rumored to be in development for the next Xbox for quite some time now, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Build on what made the first game great, use the power of the system to provide lighting effects that are meaningful to the gameplay (since you fought enemies using light), and give us another engaging story, and this should be good.

Ryse

This seems pretty likely and rumors have indicated for a while now that the game has been moved to the next Xbox. If the console indeed comes with an improved Kinect camera, this could be the game that finally proves the device can really add something to a gaming experience that is worth it for everyone. The concept has always sounded good at least: kicking and hacking your way through ancient Rome is never a bad thing.

RARE title (Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie, Killer Instinct)

Just… anything worthwhile from RARE. This used to be one of the top developers in the past, and now they have been reduced to close to nothing. Some people claim all the talent has left already, but I just hold out hope. Come on, Microsoft. You have the studio, you have the IPs, you have the money. Use it!

Dead or Alive 6

With the Xbox and Xbox 360, Dead or Alive 3 and 4 respectively were titles that showed off the graphical capabilities of the new systems. Aside from that, they were great fighting games. The next Xbox should follow that tradition and have a new, beautiful looking installment in the series close to release.

Mirror’s Edge 2

Rumors about the sequel to the much appreciated first person game from 2008 have been steadily popping up, but no official word yet. The first one was only moderately successful, so for a publisher this is not a great incentive. Let’s hope EA will take the risk anyway. Mirror’s Edge wasn’t a perfect game, but it certainly was something special and original.

Gears of War

One could argue that the Gears of War series has seen its best days, and it’s time to put it to rest, but we could be proven wrong if the franchise gets reinvented on Microsoft’s next gen system. It would be a big name with an already large fanbase, so for a new console that could prove very helpful. 

Halo 5

Halo is the flagship franchise of the Xbox brand, putting Microsoft’s first console firmly on the map, and being one of the last big exclusives to launch on the Xbox 360. Since Halo 4, the series has been taken over from Bungie by 343 Studios, and we already know that two more games are planned right now. It’s not rocket science to conclude that Microsoft will bring the series to their next console. What will a new installment bring to the series? More impressive locations, consisting of space ships and strange planets? Open battles, with vehicles, on an even larger scale? Improved AI? Time will tell.

The limited edition box is made of sturdy paper and feels quite heavy. It features a minimalistic design of the UNSC logo, with its most distinctive feature being the slanting corner.

You can also see a small metal plate with a number engraved in it. Apparently this is the unique number of the limited edition. I’m not sure wether it’s a random number or if the limited editions are actually numbered from 1 to the highest, I’m not sure. But if the latter is the case, that means there are a lot of limited editions (at least over 600.000), which in turn means that it isn’t very rare.

The box opens and closes using a magnet hidden inside the lid.

The first thing you’ll see when opening the box is a steelbook. It has the same minimalistic approach as the outer box, but this one has a bright color. There are 2 discs inside to account for all the data of the game.

The other contents together are called the UNSC Infinity Briefing Packet. It contains the following four items.

The red bag can be opened and closed at the top and contains four leaflets: a download code for Forward Unto Dawn (a live action movie), a 14 day trial for Xbox Live Gold, a bunch of DLC items, and a very interesting warning document.

There is also a silver bag. This contains a ‘mission briefing’, but I’m not going to tear my limited edition to shreds. This is just a piece of paper with some information anyway.

An armor schematic for Gabriel Thorne printed on a fold out plastic sheet. It may look like paper on the photo but it’s not, it’s sort of like the canvas of a tent. This gives it a high quality feel.

A ‘clipboard’ containing all sorts of information on weapons, a welcome notice and some letters. This is a pretty cool item: it has a hard piece of transparent plastic on the back, and a metal clip with the Infinity logo engraved in it on top.

There are some loose documents included as well, such as a letter to Gabriel Thorne.

What I find a bit strange is that all the contents are loose in the box, causing them to shake around inside. Especially the steelbook would have benefitted from another protective paper shell that fits neatly inside the outer box. In addition, this means there is some extra space in the outer box, making it prone to denting, even though the material is pretty sturdy overall.

All in all this is a pretty good limited edition. There are a few minor complaints, like the poorly protected contents and the fact that you have to tear one of the items apart to get to the contents, but there are also some cool items inside, and you get quite a lot of extras.

I’m not sure I would recommend it for its full price unless you’re a huge Halo fan, but for a reduced price it’s definitely worth considering.

When The Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker was first announced, it whipped up a storm of controversy. The dark, realistic style Nintendo had shown earlier on SpaceWorld 2000 was completely abandoned, and replaced with a cute, cartoony look. The game made use of a technique called cel shading, a graphical style that resembles cartoons with its bright colors, few shades, simple shapes and drawing like effects.

I have to admit I was angry as well. Being a huge Ocarina of Time fan, I had been hoping for a new installment on Nintendo’s brand new console, the Gamecube, that resembled the style of this game, only better. This was a huge change.

Now, a decade later, almost everyone agrees that this game is a timeless classic, and one of, if not the best 3D Zelda game, or even best Zelda game period. It’s still one of the best looking cel shading games you can find, but its graphical look isn’t its only quality.

Another big change Nintendo made with this Zelda, was to turn the overworld into an ocean. Early in the game you acquire your own (living) sailing boat, and you are free to sail the sea, discover islands, big and small, and recover treasure from the ocean floor. This gave a whole new feel to the adventure aspect Zelda is so loved for. Cruising through the waves, isolated on the vast ocean. Until you see the contours of islands appear on the horizon. It was al seamless too. The sense of discovery and wonder as you rode the waves on your own, was one of this game’s strongest points.

Of course, no Zelda is complete without memorable locations to visit. One of my favorites was Dragon Roost Island, a big volcano where a dragon lived. At the foot lived a race of birdlike people. Here you could also play a very fun minigame, in which you had to sort letters as quickly as possible. This was really addictive. The temple that was situated on this island, the Fire Temple, was also a great level. It was brought to live with beautiful effects such as floating cinders and pillars of fire erupting from the lava. The boss was a huge centipede you had to swing over using your grappling hook – all very spectacular.

Towards the end of the game there’s a part where you walk into a massive tower. A rope hangs from the ceiling, right in the center. You climb the rope, keep climbing, see the distance to the ground getting bigger and bigger. It’s an impressive segment of the game, something I’ve always remembered.

As with every Zelda game, the music is very good as well, such as the theme of Dragon Roost Island mentioned above. There are a lot of great tracks, like the main theme remix, the intro song and Outset Island, ranging from soothing melodies to epic pieces.

The final battle is also great. Ganondorf, Zelda and Link are standing on a platform surrounded by cascading water. Link and Zelda have to work together: Link shoots arrows of light and Zelda ricochets them into Ganondorf’s direction using his shield. What’s cool is that this ‘triangular’ fight represents the Triforce: Ganondorf holds the Triforce of Power, Link the Triforce of Courage and Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom. It really feels like a monumental battle.

The most controversial aspect of this game, the distinct graphical style, turned out to be one of the best and most memorable things about it. For its time, the game looked absolutely stunning and unlike anything we had seen before. Even today, the game holds up very well, because its still relies on bright colors and simple but elegant lines, rather than high polygon counts or sharp textures.

The Wind Waker has become one of the most beloved games in the franchise, and rightfully so. It was the result of a few bold decisions Nintendo made, that helped create the unique game it is. Truly a classic, and one of the best games on the Gamecube.

As some sort of weird coincidence, Nintendo announced a Wii U remake of this game in HD shortly after I wrote this article.

First let’s take a look at the book itself. There’s a paper sleeve around it with the logo and an artwork – this is actually the same as the regular box art – and some information on the back.

With the paper sleeve removed, the front of the book shows a fake leather cover with golden ornaments, and the game’s logo in the center. The sides are made to look like yellowed pages, and has some ridges to better convey this idea.

The cover of the book can be folded open, revealing the contents of the box. At the inside of the cover is a space with a bonus dvd in it, containing a making of. The inner sides of the box are coated with a red cloth. There is also a red ribbon, meant to easily pull out the contents.

As for the contents: first of all we have the game itself. Also included is a code that lets you download two new costumes for character creation mode: Dark Knight and White Knight.

The case also comes with an extra disc, which holds the official soundtrack of the game.

Then there is a hardcover art book containing character profiles, and a ‘signed’ art card, depicting Patroklos. There is also a piece of paper which is made to look like a medieval envelope, complete with red sigil.

On the other side of the ‘envelope’ you will find a letter from the developers, thanking you for buying the collector’s edition and explaining how much dedication they put into making this game.

In all honestly, this collector’s edition is a bit of a let down. All of the physical contents are somewhat disappointing, and could have been more than they are: the ‘parchment letter’ which is nothing more than a piece of paper with a simple print on it, the ‘signed’ art card – as if there is no difference between a fake, printed autograph and a real one – and most of all the art book, which is rather small and of poor quality. Believe it or not, but I had to glue mine together because it was falling apart. All it has are some character descriptions and a few drawings – the bare basics of what you might expect. But to be fair, I’ve seen worse art books, and at least it has a hard cover.

The one thing that did meet my expectations was the box itself, it looks very nice and sturdy. It’s easily the best thing about this collector’s edition.

Having said this, I would not recommend this version unless you can get it for a low price – which was the case for me. I don’t regret getting it simply because it was quite cheap, and, like I said, the box looks very nice. Still, it’s disappointing to see publishers not taking these collector’s editions more seriously. I have seen worse collector’s editions, but I have certainly seen better ones as well.

The game comes in a special box that’s very different (and a lot better) than the regular case, which features a close up of Kratos’ eyes. This case shows an artwork on the front of Kratos raising an enemy, ready to tear him to pieces.

The cool thing about the box is that it has a relief, giving the logo and figures a slightly embossed look. It also has a specific gleam to it, which looks a bit like that of a jewel beetle.

With the outer sleeve removed, the inner box is made to look like it’s been crafted from stone material. The logo is printed on it with a transparent font, probably to make it resemble a stone carving.

When folded open, one side shows a large art work of Kratos flying into the sky. The other side holds the manual and an artwork of one of the enemies in the game. As can be seen on the photo, it looks like the half of the enemy and the half of Kratos fall together in such a way that they look like they belong together. Not sure if this is intentional, probably not, but it’s pretty funny.

When folded open again there’s the disc that holds the game, decorated with colorful artwork.

With everything removed from the case, you can admire three pieces of artworks from different enemies in the game, one of them being behind the transparent plastic of the disc holder.

This edition also comes with three art cards, they feature enemies from the game (two of which are also on the paper case), together with the God of War III logo. Nothing special, but a nice extra.

The game also comes with some DLC (taken from the box): a battle arena and seven unique challenges, and two unique skins.

All in all, this is a pretty nice collector’s edition. Because the regular box doesn’t look very good (though that’s a matter of taste of course) it’s a welcome alternative, and since it didn’t cost more than the game itself at launch, you couldn’t really go wrong with this version. Not really special in terms of extra content, but presentation wise it scores some pretty good points.

The Legend of Zelda

A Zelda game is a given, but we will probably have to wait a while for this one. When Nintendo unveiled The Wind Waker HD, they declared it was to tide us over until the next new Zelda game arrives. We got a taste of what it could look like with the E3 2011 tech demo, but the graphical style is still undecided. In any case, needless to say this is one to look forward to.

3D Mario platformer

Nintendo confirmed a new 3D Mario platformer will be playable at E3 2013. After Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, which were some of the best games of this generation, this should be interesting indeed. Hopefully Nintendo can make another game of similar quality, possibly using the unique features of the Wii U gamepad. What items will return, and what new ones will be introduced?

Donkey Kong Country Returns 2

The previous DKCR was a welcome surprise on the Wii, and we can assume Nintendo didn’t revive the series for just one game. Retro Studios proved other studios than Rare can make great installments in the series, so that shouldn’t be a cause for worry. Sidescrolling, banana collecting jungle gameplay in HD? Yes, please.

Metroid

This can be similar to the Prime series, or something entirely new, as long as it retains the atmosphere and exploration of unknown planets and deep space stations that made the Gamecube installments so memorable. The gamepad can be used for mechanics like scanning the environment or suit upgrades.

Super Smash Bros

This is one of those series that doesn’t have to innovate much, in fact, changing too much would probably result in fans being upset. They should just use this new installment (confirmed to be at E3 2013 in the shape of at least some screens) to finetune the existing mechanics further and build on what has made the games so popular. Also, of course we should expect new characters, items and environments, from new games as well as classics.

What’s nice about this edition is that it in some ways resembles a comic book: from the material (paper), to the style of the drawings, to the panel-like grid on the cover, to the way the case folds open.

The case is entirely made of paper, which looks quite nice but at the same time makes the box more prone to damaging. These kind of paper cases often get squashed, resulting in dents en crinkles. What’s also annoying is the sticker placed right on top of the artwork at the bottom. Why couldn’t it be on the seal?

When folded open, the inner sleeve displays a bunch of colorful artworks on both the front and the back.

The game also comes with an art book, but it is even thinner than the manual. It does contain some cool artwork though. There’s also a code included for a new move to be used in the game.

To conclude, this limited edition is not stunning or very special (as the name suggests), but it does the job. The art book looks a bit like a joke when you first see it, but it’s just meant as a small extra. All in all, not a bad collector’s edition, but not the best I’ve seen either.