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This month's Treasure Hunter is a little late. I'll have to blame too much work and the sheer exhaustion that results from not enough sleep. But less about me and more about this month's pre-order and limited edition bonuses. Video game swag is once again lacking this month so I've expended yet again to include special collector's edition DVD box sets. Hopefully the theme of movie and TV show related DVD box sets will be a permanent part of Treasure Hunter in the future.


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Fans of the Ys series won't be disappointed by the Ys Seven Limited Collector's Edition. Reminiscent of the old Lunar Silver Star Story Complete collector's edition this limited edition is packaged with a 12.5" by 34" cloth map, an OST CD with 20 songs, and a 60-page art book. Come to think of it, this Limited Collector's Edition is actually more impressive than the recent Lunar Silver Star Harmony LCE XSeed released in February. The collection retails for $50 which is only twenty more dollars than the PSP game itself. Ys Seven will be released on August 17th. If you've never tried an Ys game but you enjoy JRPGs bundled with video game swag this collection could be worth a look.


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The screen shot above is from the upcoming PC title Elemental: War of Magic. The game is developed by Stardock and is a fantasy RTS. Unfortunately there wasn't a single picture to be found of the limited edition version of Elemental. The lack of any pictures for the limited edition is truly a shame as the game will be bundled with a poster, a large cloth map, an OST CD, a pewter elemental dragon, and a Hiergamenon (a special game-related encyclopedia). The Elemental: War of Magic Limited Edition arrives in stores on August 24th and will cost $70. If you're a big fan of PC RTS games and not currently playing Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty this limited edition could be worth the $70.


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The original Mafia was released on August 28th on PC to critical acclaim. Two years later an arguably inferior version was ported to the Xbox and PS2 consoles. After a long eight year wait for PC gamers and a six year wait for console gamers Mafia II will finally be released on August 24th for PC, PS3, and 360. Fans who opt for the collector's edition will receive a steelbook game case, in-game download packs, a 100-page hardcover art book, a symphonic CD composed by the Prague FILMHarmonic Orchestra, and a "tear-resistant" paper map. (Maps seem to be extremely popular this month.) The collection will cost $80 but the included bonuses are worth the price for fans able to afford it.


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Last month I stated if Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar was pushed back to August I'd mention it again. Natsume did indeed push the release date back from July 27th to August 24. If you were actually looking to buy Harvest Moon on the DS last month instead of oh say, Dragon Quest IX, then you already know the game was pushed back. Fortunately, the pre-order bonus at GameStop is still available. Hopefully, Grand Bazaar's release date won't be delayed again.


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If you're a big movie buff and you enjoy collector's editions the recently released 300 Limited Collector's Edition might be appealing. (If 300 is actually to your liking, that is.) This collection ships with three discs, a 52-page art book, a Lucite (a name brand acrylic resin) display with an image from the movie, and six photo cards from the theatrical poster campaign. The limited collector's edition of 300 was released on August 3rd and retails for $50. Although bargain hunters can find it for as little as $23 on Amazon.com's marketplace.


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If you are a big fan of I Am Legend and you're looking to upgrade your movie to Blu-ray in a spectacular way the I Am Legend Ultimate Collector's Edition is an impressive choice. The Ultimate Collector's Edition was released on August 3rd and includes a 44-page sketchbook, 10 concept illustrations, six art cards, a lenticular, a letter from the director, and much more contained on a total of three discs. The I Am Legend collection retails for $44 but like 300, savvy shoppers can find it for less on Amazon.com's marketplace. The only downside to this collection is the fact that it is only available on Blu-ray, fans without a Blu-ray player are out of luck.


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Finally we have Lost: The Complete Collection. This Lost collection can be found on August 24th and will retail for a pricey $230. Fortunately, Amazon lists this collection for $149 which isn't a bad deal if you consider the fact that this collection contains all six seasons. In addition to the 38 discs, fans will also receive a Lost island replica, an ankh, a black light, and lots of on disc content including an extra 30 hours worth of bonus material. If you simply love Lost you'll get a chance to own this series in serious style if you can afford it all. A Blu-ray edition of the complete collection is available for $194, $85 off the original price of $279. I can think of better ways to spend $279 dollars but then again I've yet to watch a single episode of Lost.

There are a lot of upcoming video game collector's editions and pre-order bonuses for September, provided nothing is delayed. On the anime side Persona: Trinity Soul and Toradora! have been pushed back to September, meaning next month's column will be packed with content.
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With much consideration I've decided to expand Treasure Hunter to include the swag found with premium and limited edition anime box sets. Collectible toys and figures will be eventually added as well.


After a fairly packed June this month has a lot less in store for avid video game swag collectors. Considering how busy 2010 has been with the steady release of high profile games a quiet July may not be such a bad thing for the wallet. If you're more into collecting anime sets (as opposed to video games), July is a decent month for bonus swag in addition to all of the lovely budget box sets releasing this month. Either way, now is a good time to rest because the holiday season promises to be packed with "I want it now!" releases on all fronts.



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First up, we have the long anticipated Persona 3: Portable hitting store shelves on July 6th. Fans who've played the original Persona 3 and even Persona 3: FES will find something new to like about P3:P. With updated gameplay a la Persona 4, a new female protagonist, and new social link elements, what's not to get excited about? This time around Atlus has even included an interesting pre-order bonus. Pre-order Persona 3: Portable and you'll receive a replica of Junpei's hat with your purchase. While some fans may have preferred a replica of the protagonist's headphones or even a soundtrack, a hat is a fairly interesting spoil. At the very least Junpei fans should be pleased.


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Arc Rise Fantasia is another highly anticipated JRPG releasing later this month. While the English voice acting is questionable the rest of the game looks fantastic. Compared to the handheld scene RPGs (especially JRPGS), have not been so plentiful on the Wii. Arc Rise Fantasia looks to be a decent third-party offering until first-party games start hitting the console starting late next month. (Granted, none of those releases are RPGs but Nintendo games are always bound to please.) Pre-order from GameStop and a free cell (pictured above) will be included with your purchase. The game itself will be released on July 20th.


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Harvest Moon Grand Bazaar is a DS game that has definitely slipped under the radar, unless you're a big fan of the series. With Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky releasing in the same month there's no doubt most DS owners have their attention on that game instead. Anyone who pre-orders Grand Bazaar from GameStop automatically gets a cute horse pushie with their purchase. Oddly enough, GameStop recently (as of today) pushed back the release date from July 27th to August 17th. Amazon.com still lists the game as coming out on the 27th. I'm not sure who made the mistake, but if Harvest Moon is pushed back to August it'll receive a brief mention in next month's Treasure Hunter.


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Unlike video game bonuses, anime swag isn't usually limited to pre-orders. That is a good thing because three special/premium edition box sets are all releasing on July 6th. If all three series hold your interest there's plenty of time to grab them at a later date. Although I wouldn't suggest waiting too long for NIS America's releases, as they are in limited quantities. First up is the special edition of Gundam 00 Season 2 Part 2. Included with this two-DVD set is a copy of the season 2, volume 2 manga. Order from Rightstuf.com and you'll get the set for $23.99 instead of the MSRP price of $44.98 which is quite a value.


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Without asking Atlus or NIS America directly it is impossible to know if Persona 3: Portable and Persona - Trinity Soul were meant to release in North America on the same day. If a popular game and an anime based on the same game just happen to be coincidentally hitting store shelves on July 6th it is one hell of an accidental tie-in. (Keep in mind that both the game and the anime are being published by two rival niche companies.) Persona - Trinity Soul was released in Japan roughly two years ago and NIS America licensed it as part of a foray into the world of anime distribution. The set itself will be released in two halves, with the first part including 13 episodes, a 40-page hardcover art book, a smaller picture book and a premium box. Fans of dubs will probably want to note that Trinity Soul will only be released with English subtitles (no English dubbing at all) and still retails for $59.99. Fortunately, MSRP prices are just a suggestion and savvy shoppers can easily find this premium set for less than $45 dollars. As for Trinity Soul itself, I've not seen a single episode of the anime but I hear it actually undermines some well established Persona lore at times. Fans who have viewed this series have rated it as average at best. Your own mileage on Trinity Soul may vary.


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Toradora! is another series NIS America is offering on July 6th. Like Persona - Trinity Soul, I've yet to view a single episode of this anime but the fan buzz is way more encouraging. Toradora! is a high school romance comedy centering around two juniors (Ryuji and Taiga) who both have secret crushes on each other's best friend. It promises to be an entertaining slice of life romance comedy, and seems to be a good choice for NIS America. The premium set contains the first 13 episodes, a 30-page art book, interviews with the Japanese voice actors, and a special box. Toradora! is also being released as a subtitle-only series at the price of $59.99. Rightstuf has this on sale for under $45 for anyone hoping to save a few dollars. Even as a Persona fan I'd probably choose Toradora! over Trinity Soul as it looks to be the better series. Still, if you're a fan of either series or you simply want to support NIS America both premium sets could be worth a buy.

If you do grab one or both series just make sure you visit NIS America's web site for free replacement DVDs. Video issues have been reported with the premium editions.



Persona - Trinity Soul and Toradora! images are courtesy of Mania.com.

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This month the drought of pre-order bonuses and bundles is effectively over. June alone offers six different chances to acquire some free swag and interesting deals along with your video game purchases. Three of those six center around one game and your selection may depend on how long you've waited to pre-order certain bundles. Hint: if this editorial is your main source of information for pre-order goodies you may already be out of luck. Some information was relevant a week ago, as opposed to today. Of course this editorial is a week overdue, as I was sidetracked by technical blog issues. My apologies!


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June seems to be an excellent month for Metal Gear Solid fans. As of tomorrow, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will release almost exactly two years after Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots released on the PS3. This PSP release comes in a variety of bundles giving hardcore fans multiple ways to collect swag. For the gamers without PSPs but who love Metal Gear Solid there are two bundles. The first is the GameStop "Exclusive Big Boss Bundle for Metal Gear Solid." This bundle ships with a camouflage colored PSP-3000, a 4GB memory stick, a voucher for in-game unlockable content, and a PSP carrying case, all for $199. Interestingly enough, a day before the game's release all information regarding this bundle has been completely removed from GameStop.com and is only available through Google's cache feature. It could be due to the fact that the release was only available for a limited amount of time and only limited quantities of the bundle were produced. Either way, if you didn't pre-order the Big Boss Bundle (the better of the two bundles) you've probably missed your chance. For the gamers who slept on the chance to grab the Big Boss Bundle there's the standard Entertainment Pack option.


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This entertainment pack ships with a green PSP, a 2GB memory stick, and codes to unlock in-game items. At $199 it is still a good deal for anyone looking to buy a PSP bundled with Peace Walker, but the Big Boss Bundle is much more impressive for the same amount of money. If you absolutely must fulfill your Metal Gear Solid PSP fix and waited to the last minute this bundle should work for you. If you already own a PSP and you still want special swag the Collector's Edition bundle is a good option. The collector's edition ships with the game and a 40-page art book. Gamers who ordered this edition from GameStop can also look forward to receiving a special camouflage themed bandana. Like the Big Boss Bundle all information regarding the collector's edition has been removed from GameStop.com, and is only accessible through a cached page. Fortunately, the special edition is still available on other shopping sites, minus the bandana. If you're a Metal Gear Solid fan hopefully you didn't wait to the very last minute to snap up all of the available extras. If you did you've probably just learned a very valuable lesson in pre-ordering special merchandise as soon as possible.


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Sin & Punishment: Star Successor is a sequel to the Nintendo 64 3D shoot 'em up, Sin & Punishment. Previously, Sin & Punishment had only been released in Japan, until the game was released in North America via Nintendo's virtual console. Since then the game has developed a cult following and fans of the original can look forward to the sequel on June 27th. Fans that pre-order online at GameStop will not only receive a Sin & Punishment: Star Successor themed Nintendo Points card (pre-loaded with 500 points), but will also get a free poster. While the points card is available in stores the poster is only available through an online purchase. If you're a fan of the series a purchase from GameStop for the bonus art may be worth it despite having to pay both taxes and shipping.


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If you own a 360 and you're a fan of gorgeous 2D shoot 'em ups no doubt Deathsmiles is already on your radar. Geoffrey already talked comprehensively about the game in April. If you're a regular reader of this blog you already know that the bundle will be hitting store shelves on June 29th, and the said bundle is a limited edition. The limited edition of Deathsmiles will include a premium box, a soundtrack, and a 360 faceplate. If you're interested in Deathsmiles it's probably not too late to pre-order a limited edition copy. Between Sin & Punishment and Deathsmiles, shoot 'em up fans have plenty to look forward to at the end of June.


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If shoot 'em ups aren't your thing but you do enjoy first person shooters, no doubt you're looking forward to Singularity on either the 360 or the PS3. The main draw of Singularity is the ability to manipulate time and space within a limited area, thereby altering an encounter, object or even an enemy. Fans that pre-order the game from Amazon.com can select the option of adding a free graphic novel to their order, in addition to a credit of $20 dollars toward a future video game purchase. Sure, it isn't as impressive as some of the bonuses included with other first person shooters (i.e. Halo Reach), but a free graphic novel is a decent bonus for those interested in the game's back story.
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Like March, May promises to be a blockbuster month for video games. Between Super Mario Galaxy 2, Lost Planet 2, 3D Dot Game Heroes, Alan Wake, Alpha Protocol, Red Dead Redemption, and many other titles, there's something for just about every gamer this month. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about game bundles and extras in general. May is just as sparse as April when it comes to swag.



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First up we have the hotly anticipated 360-only title, Alan Wake which will hit store shelves on May 18th. This action game is also a psychological thriller that promises to take storytelling to new heights with its TV show-like episodic approach. It's only fitting that such a long-awaited game would come with a fairly impressive limited edition bundle. The packaging itself is designed to resemble a hardcover book and is bundled with a 144-page book (that includes a short story and FBI dossiers), a soundtrack, and video commentary. For only $20 dollars more than the standard edition of the game, the limited edition looks to be a good buy for any fan who has been anticipating Alan Wake.


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Split / Second may or may not be on the minds of racing genre fans with Blur releasing in the same month. Still the premise of a racing game set within the plot of a reality TV show promises to be entertaining. Split / Second releases on May 18th and Amazon.com is offering an exclusive pre-order bonus poster (pictured above). Free posters are never a bad deal when they're included as a bonus. If you planned to buy this game on its release date ordering from Amazon seems like a reasonable deal, unless you absolutely have to have the game on May 18th.


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Nintendo fans no doubt have their eye on Super Mario Galaxy 2 which comes out on May 23rd. The game itself does not include any extras, but the official strategy guide does. The collector's edition of the official guide is hardcover and ships with a high-quality poster and a collection booklet. While some gamers may shun strategy guides, this may be a decent deal for gamers who do buy guides with their games. And at $19.79 via Amazon.com (it'll cost you $29.99 at GameStop) the guide is a reasonable price.


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You might have already finished Final Fantasy XIII or you may have stopped playing it several hours in. (Personally, I'm not far off the 70-hour mark and I still have two chapters to go.) Like the gameplay elements many gamers can't agree on the soundtrack-- it was either unremarkable or exceptional. If you found the soundtrack to be exceptional no doubt you've already acquired it in the form of a music CD or a digital download. On May 26th Square Enix will release a rearrangement simply known as the Final Fantasy XIII Soundtrack Plus. In addition to rearranged songs the CD will feature songs exclusive to the English release of the game. Play-Asia is currently offering the CD for $26.90 but it might be worth waiting on Square Enix's official North American store to offer an import at a cheaper price. So far Square hasn't stated if the site will offer the FFXIII Soundtrack Plus, but if The World Ends With You soundtracks are any indication this newest FFXIII addition will eventually be added.


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Gamers may never see a proper Chrono Trigger sequel but at least fans will finally have a chance to own figures from the game. The Chrono Trigger Formation Arts Trading Figures won't actually be released until sometime in October. However, now would probably be a good time to pre-order them to ensure you get a set, just in case they end up selling out. And the figures are hard not to like, unless you're a fan of Marle. In that case you can only hope that Square Enix decides to put out another set that includes the princess. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some pre-ordering to do.
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Compared to the sheer number of high profile releases in March, April seems dead by comparison. Super Street Fighter IV, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction, Dead to Rights: Retribution, Monster Hunter Tri, and Nier are this month's most noteworthy games, and Street Fighter will undoubtedly be the most notable. Still, there is some interesting treasure to be found among this month's trickle of releases, although the size of the list is pretty unimpressive. If nothing interests you this month save your money for May, which already has a sizable list of releases. Anyway, on to the swag:


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In a similar vein to the Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle we have an impressive Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction bundle. This time around having two controllers actually makes sense for the co-op sections of the game and a 250GB hard drive is plenty of space. Additionally, if you're a fan of the Elite 360 you can't go wrong with this bundle. Look for this impressive package to hit store shelves on April 13th.


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Another notable game hardware related bundle is the upcoming Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii. On April 20th you'll be able to start hunting for monsters and new classic controllers. Anyone who purchases the game new will receive the new Wii Classic Controller Pro. North America lags behind both Japan and Europe in receiving the Classic Controller Pro, but late is always better than never. Nintendo is also releasing its improved classic controller separately on the same day for those not interested in Monster Hunter Tri. If the black controller doesn't suit your needs the Classic Controller Pro is also being released in white.



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In what may be one of the weirder bundles this month we have the Record of Agarest War limited edition bundle for the 360, hitting store shelves on April 27th. Aksys Games appropriately named this bundle "The Really Naughty Limited Edition." In addition to the collector's box and a soundtrack CD, fans will also receive a pillow case and a mouse pad with a well-endowed wrist rest. One glance at this packing actually reveals very little about the game itself. Record of Agarest War is a strategy RPG which features 2D artwork and sprites, similar to the Disgaea series. If you enjoy SPRGs of the Japanese variety this game is probably already on your list. On an interesting note Record of Agarest War is getting a multi-platform release on the 360 and PS3, yet only the 360 version will receive a disc-based version.

The game was originally slated for a monstrous PSN-only 10GB download in North America. However, Aksys Games decided to also release the Record of Agarest War on the 360, and probably due to file size constraints on Xbox Live the release will be disc-based. The "Really Naughty" bundle will certainly drum up interest in what is otherwise a very niche title. I also can also imagine a really limited release for the 360. I heard about the bundle before I knew what the game was actually about from my local GameStop. While Aksys never planned to release this title on disc for the PS3, PS3 owners are still getting shafted compared to 360 owners. PS3 fans of the series who don't have the means to download a huge 10GB file (or simply don't want to) will have to turn to the European version of the game which was released on disc in October. If you own a 360 or you simply can't resist this bundle it would probably be best to pre-order this game immediately.

An Addendum and a PSA:


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In the March edition of Treasure Hunter I skipped a very cool game bundle. The PS2 version of Sukura Wars: So Long my Love has a premium edition bundle that released on March 30th. PS2 fans of the game received an art box, an art book, a poster, and a dual language version of the game, via two DVDs. The Wii version of the game does not include any of the extras, including the extra DVD with Japanese voice acting. (I missed the collector's edition because I only looked at the Wii version of the game.) The PS2 premium edition of the game is $39.99, only $10 dollars more than the Wii edition. Unless the Wii is your only console the PS2 version of Sukura Wars is the way to go. If you're unable to find the game locally Amazon.com has plenty of copies in stock.

If you bought Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey you may have noticed the included soundtrack CD does not work. Atlus brought the issue to light a few weeks ago and is offering a free replacement. The replacement CDs should arrive two to four weeks (or sooner) after placing your order. I filled out the online form for a new CD last week and it arrived today in the mail. Atlus certainly does know how to take care of its faithfuls.
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March is already upon us and for fans that only means one thing-- March Madness. And no, I'm not talking about sports fans or college basketball. The real March madness lies in the sheer number of high profile video game releases coming out this month. From Final Fantasy XIII on the PS3 and 360 down to Pokémon HeartGold on the DS and everything in between, March promises to be an insanely awesome month. Included with so many awesome games is a fair amount of bonus items or swag, ripe for collecting. If you're interested in keeping track of all of the games coming out this month a complete listing can be found at VGRleases.


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First up is the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII release. As Joseph mentioned in a news roundup Microsoft is releasing a special FFXIII 360 Elite Bundle which includes the new 250GB model and two wireless controllers (ironic for a single-player game). All and all, the bundle is pretty lackluster until you toss in the free bonus faceplate featuring Lighting. If you're a fan of Final Fantasy and you haven't already bought a PS3 for the game and you currently don't own a 360 (or you want one with more hard drive space) this bundle could be for you.

If you already own a 360 and you're interested in the FFXIII branded faceplate Microsoft is releasing a standalone faceplate for a whopping $49.99. I chalk the price up to Microsoft being well, Microsoft! Personally, I think Lighting would look good on my black Xbox but not for $50. Sure the price isn't unheard of just look at the MadCatz Gears of War special edition faceplate, but the average price of $19.95 is a tad more reasonable.  Hopefully these FFXIII special edition faceplates will eventually make their way out to Amazon's Marketplace and eBay for sane prices. Until then, if you pre-ordered your game with GameStop there's always the free 32-page mini strategy guide. The guide is included with both versions of the game.


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Normally a new numbered Final Fantasy game is more than enough to steal the gaming spotlight for the month but FFXIII also has to share with another highly anticipated Triple A title, God of War III. Unlike the RPG, this action game sports an impressive collector's edition. The God of War III Ultimate Edition ships with a sculpted replica of Pandora's Box, a collector's edition art book with interviews, and downloadable items. Downloadable swag includes the game trilogy soundtrack, a documentary of the God of War franchise, a combat arena, a Dominus skin, and "God of War: Blood and Metal EP," an MP3 song of a heavy metal tribute to the series. The GoW III Ultimate Edition retails for $99.99, but is sold out or unavailable at many retailers. To put it simply, if you waited until now to reserve a copy of the Ultimate Edition you may be out of luck, unless you're willing to pay up to $300 on Amazon or you're willing to try your luck on eBay.

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If you're a fan of Pokemon and portable RPGs no doubt you already have your eyes on the upcoming Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver games. A pokéwalker, or pedometer is already included with every new copy of the games and is no doubt a must have. The ability to transfer pokémon to the pokéwalker and then level them up is a bonus in a game that requires lots of grinding. In addition to leveling up monsters the Pokéwalker can be used to find special items and pokémon and to receive gifts from other players also using the pedometer. The pedometer alone is reason enough to buy the game new. However, every GameStop pre-order of HeartGold comes with a special Ho Oh figure. While figure isn't a deal maker or breaker it is nice to have one. Unfortunately there no longer appears to be a special Lugia figure included with SoulSilver, so the best a collector can do is hope that their local GameStop employees will include a Ho Oh figure with their pre-order of SoulSilver.

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According to the early reviews Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey is an awesome DS game. If you enjoyed Nocturne on the PS2 you should feel right at home with this title. Even if you're unfamiliar with the SMT games but you love RPGs Strange Journey should still be an enjoyable experience. As with Persona on the PSP Atlus is releasing the soundtrack together with every new copy of the game. If you pre-order the game at GameStop you'll also receive a mini-poster (pictured above). The gorgeous sci-fi themed artwork alone is enough to make the trek down to a local GameStop to pre-order. If GameStop isn't your thing this poster will undoubtedly make its way to eBay and Amazon's Marketplace.

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The GameStop exclusives for March continue with the exclusive soundtrack to Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon. Unfortunately with a release date of March 16th Fragile Dreams is already on shaky ground with God of War III, Dragon Age Origins: Awaking, and Resonance of Fate all releasing on the same day. Fragile Dreams promises to be a dark RPG that is character and plot driven. Exploration and emotion provide a break from the average combat driven RPG titles. Fragile Dreams could be worth looking into for RPG fans who are not interested in the big RPG title of the month or who simply want to support XSEED. If I wasn't already tapped out on games this month I'd certainly try this title on the Wii. 

And if you're looking for Lunar: Silver Star Harmony which releases tomorrow Geoff already wrote about it here.
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My copy of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona arrived at my local GameStop on Tuesday. I had originally ordered the game at my local Game Crazy but the store closed its doors for good on Monday. Fortunately, a co-worker at my night job told me a few days in advance, which gave me extra time to pre-order Persona elsewhere. Too bad I never got a chance to return to Game Crazy to get my deposit back. As for Persona, I'm pretty impressed at the inclusion of a full 67-song soundtrack (for free) with a game that only costs about $40. The soundtrack itself could easily retail at import sites for about $30 or more, if it were available for sale. It's also worth noting that Atlus rarely releases an entire video game OST domestically. Persona 4's Social Link Expansion pack almost counts, minus the fact that if you didn't pre-order way in advance you missed out on the second half of Persona 4's OST. For nearly that reason alone the collector's edition of Persona is quite special.

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More pictures of the collector's edition of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona can be found right here. Also note the new PlayStation branding on the PSP cover.

Lately I've been short on free time and I've not yet had a chance to listen to the entire soundtrack. However, I have been able to find time in between my first and second job to play Persona on the go. So far the soundtrack like the game, has a mid-90s RPG feel with a few updated elements. I did not experience Revelations: Persona as it was released on the PS1 over a decade ago, nor have I had a chance to hear the original game's music. In other words, I'm in no position to say which version Shoji Meguro's work is more enjoyable, nevertheless Meguro has yet to let me down. If you greatly enjoyed Persona 3 and 4's OST you'll probably enjoy the more J-pop and rock orientated Persona. The few hours I've put into the game have been entertaining, and as expected the game feels nothing its PS2 successors. For some it might be disappointing, but I'm actually enjoying the differences. Although some copies of Revelations: Persona can be found for less than $100, I'd rather not spend that much money on an old (and arguably flawed) PS1 game just to compared it to an enhanced port.

With the advent of the PSP Go many games including Persona will be available digitally. As long as the game remains available via download, Atlus and their problem with limited supplies should be a thing of the past. As for the retail-only collector's edition, who knows long supplies will last? Given Atlus and their history of game shortages I certainly wouldn't count on the collector's edition being available a year from now. So if you're a fan of the Persona series, the Shin Megami Tensei series, or RPGs in general (and you happen to own a PSP) why not spoil yourself while supplies last?

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If you've been following the list of upcoming Atlus releases you'd know that Knights in the Nightmare just came out last week, Class of Heroes released earlier this week, and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor is due out later this month. Unlike Knights in the Nightmare, SMT: Devil Survivor is not an Atlus Spoils release, nor is Class of Heroes for that matter. For a while I began to wonder if any further upcoming Atlus titles would release with spoils, or if the company would wait until the holiday season to include spoils. Then I began to wonder if the upcoming Shin Megami Tensei: Persona would include any spoils. Today Atlus answered my unspoken question.


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Yes, SMT: Persona on the PSP will in fact release with spoils. It looks as if we'll be getting the entire two-disc soundtrack which has been redone by the awesome Shoji Meguro as well as a box set. Atlus announced the game would release in North America on September 22nd, although the game is not yet available for pre-order online as of this writing. Although it should be available very soon. Between BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (and Aksys Games' own massive spoils), and Dissidia: Final Fantasy my wallet (and possibly yours) is going to take quite a hit. On the upside, I'll most likely be finished with Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 by the time Persona hits the States. If not, I'll just have to blame it on my anime addiction.

Chasing the Red Cape

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ds2box_051709.jpgI'm a little late to the party on this, but I got my copy of Devil Summoner 2 from Amazon.com via UPS shortly after noon Thursday. Apparently these days I'm too lazy to even take pictures of anything! Mine is #13,692, by the way.

But the real reason I wanted to make this post today is because of the first game, namely how its price has suddenly skyrocketed on Amazon's Marketplace. It's things like this that show how much in demand a prequel will go when its sequel releases, especially if they're within a franchise as niche as Megaten. Actually, the most amazing thing about this is that a year ago Gamestop couldn't give these things away. A pretty good deal of the Gamestops I visited this time last year had at least one copy to sell, while quite a few of them had stacks of copies they couldn't move; quite unheard of for an Atlus game, especially for a title released back in October '06.

It probably shouldn't be a surprise at all, but seeing the game sell for a mere $20 new and comparing it to the price now is rather stunning. If you saw it back then, hopefully you jumped on the chance and obtained a nice, shrink-wrapped copy of the game. Of course, if your sense of perception is beyond usual, you probably obtained two so you could sell one for a hefty profit now. It's going to cost you at least $60 for a new copy, and a little less than that for a used one.

It's things like this that makes the act of buying games to throw into your backlog a little more sensible (just a little). I'm glad I jumped at the chance of buying the first Devil Summoner when I did, because anyone looking for it now is probably going through hell. If you are, I wish you the best of luck.
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The PlayStation 2 is so last generation, but that doesn't mean good games are no longer being made for the system. Case in point, within the last month the PS2 had two notable releases. Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus released on April 11th and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon released yesterday (although it didn't hit most stores until today). The franchises themselves in which the games hail from are notable for the small but dedicated following they've garnered over the years. For the sake of this swag editorial I'm only going to focus on the extras that were included with the games.

First up we have Devil Summoner 2, which just came out. Atlus had been promoting the bundle for months now, but pictures really don't do it justice. The box is extremely impressive in person.

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I'll have to admit I was interested in the game more than the plushie (being a limited release and all), but I'm glad I went for the swag. It didn't cost anything extra, and I got this awesome package in the deal. I'm tempted to leave it just like that until I'm actually ready to play Devil Summoner 2. In fact, I think this game will remained sealed as it sits nicely on my shelf along with Raiho.

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Surprisingly, the back of this package is just as nice as the front. Atlus certainly put a lot of thought and care into this presentation. I'm tempted to buy a second copy of the game without the packaging just to preserve the seal on mine. It's not very realistic given my frustrating lack of full-time work, but I can dream. I can dream.

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By comparison, Guilty Gear looks so much less impressive. Still, a free soundtrack and an expansive version of a game that had become hard to find in local stores is a good deal. While I was at it I also bought Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier for my DS. The soundtrack is also an added bonus, but I'll admit right now I don't know the first thing about Super Robot Taisen. I picked this title up for the perverted humor and KOS-MOS cameo. (Yes I know, I'm such a geek.)

For the moment all of my current purchases have found a notable spot in my video game backlog, but in the meantime I can still enjoy the included swag.

August 2010

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Recent Comments

  • Geoffrey Barnes: I can finally reply here again since the entry's up! read more
  • Angela Moseley: I'm a bit surprised that you weren't able to find read more
  • Geoffrey Barnes: I thought that dungeon music was pretty good, honestly. But read more
  • Angela Moseley: Who knows? I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. Still, read more
  • Angela Moseley: Then the soundtrack must dramatically improve after the first dungeon read more
  • Geoffrey Barnes: I wrote this post thinking publishers wouldn't find Call of read more
  • Geoffrey Barnes: I'm listening to it right now and it's pretty great, read more
  • Angela Moseley: It looks like I'll have plenty to feast on in read more
  • Angela Moseley: I had a feeling you'd like the Devil Summoner Trio. read more
  • Geoffrey Barnes: Have fun if you get it! I can assure you read more

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