Those of you who know me personally know that the Sega Dreamcast is my favorite classic console, and that the PS2 is one of my least favorite consoles (due to it’s role in killing off my beloved Dreamcast). You might also know that most of my CEs are for the Xbox and Xbox 360 and I almost never buy anything outside of the NTSC region, especially not if the release isn’t in English. So how is it that one of my newest and most cherished acquisitions is a PS2 title from Japan? One word: “Rez”.

If you know me, then you’d know that the game at the top of my “best games of all time” list is Rez. If you’re unfamiliar with the game you owe it to yourself to play it. It was originally released in 2001 for the Dreamcast in Japan and later in Europe, never to see an official release on US shores until it was re-released for the PS2. I played a bootleg on a friend’s Dreamcast in college and was instantly addicted. The game answers everyone who ever raised the question of: “Are games Art?” with a resounding “YES!”.

The game itself transcends language and makes an attempt to immerse the player using as many senses as possible and syncing them up such that you can feel sound or hear light in a process the game’s creators call “synesthesia”. If you’re interested in playing it yourself The game has been remastered in HD with surround sound and can be purchased on the Xbox Live Arcade or as part of the “Qubed” collection. You may have heard of the recently released “Spiritual Successor”: “Child of Eden” which carries the concepts into the modern age leveraging the graphical horsepower of the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well as the Move and Kinect controllers to further immerse the player into the game.

Enough about the game, you’re here to read about the special package. Like most valuable CEs this one was very limited in production, rumored at only 500 units made. The box itself was designed by Tsuyoshi Kusano and echo’s the game’s art style. The game’s story is based around organic growth and evolution yet at the same time it’s represented in a very computer-generated/technologized art style. Similarly the packaging uses high quality raw cardboard to represent the organic side of Rez and is decorated with very utilitarian print and symbolism that represent the technologized side of Rez. It’s all tied together with the very artful construction as the box uses no glue, tape or fasteners anywhere and is completely held together by the way it’s cut and folded, almost like an origami sculpture.

The concept of synesthesia is carried over into the content of the Kanzentousui Set. Kanzentousui, depending on who you talked to, translates as either  “Complete Euphoria” or “Perfect Intoxication”. The premier include is a set of Rez themed Tapex Vibration headphones. These are high quality headphones with small motors in them that cause them to vibrate and pulse with the music in the game.

Also included is a t-shirt and sticker set (both also designed by Tsuyoshi Kusano) as well as a set of “cooling eye patches” to help you relax after playing the game.

I had never seen a copy of Kanzentousui Set available anywhere so when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance. Being such a unique item I asked it’s previous owner about it’s history, and I was very surprised at the response I received:

I used to be the editor of EDGE (UK mag) and I received this copy from Mizuguchi’s assistant at Sega (I believe several hundred copies were given away to people in the industry and 500 sold in stores). I think it was partly as a thank you because back in 99 (?) when the game was in development, I made a trip to Japan with an editor friend (Simon Cox, then editor of Official US Sega Dreamcast magazine) at a time when the game still didn’t have a name.

The soundtrack to the pre-production game at the time included a brilliant piece of techno called Rez, by the UK band Underworld (such a bummer the UK music label wouldn’t allow this to be used). Simon and I (Jason Brookes) suggested ‘Rez’ as the possible name for the game, and he loved it. As a result we are credited in the end sequence I think.

If you’re at all familiar with Rez then you’ve probably also heard of the mysterious “Trance Vibrator” peripheral. The Trance Vibrator was a smooth orb shaped USB device for the PS2, it’s sole purpose was to vibrate in time with the in-game music. Players were encouraged to place it in their pocket or tuck it under their legs while playing to help improve the synesthesia. Of course, the gaming media and most gamers often joked about the possible, sexual, uses for the device. The HD re-release on the Xbox 360 continues this “tradition” by allowing you to use the vibration features of additional controllers allowing them to work similarly to Trance Vibrators, though it’s not quite the same. The Trance Vibrator was released as a stand-alone peripheral, as well as a part of a “special package” bundle with game. The Kanzentousui Set doesn’t just include a copy of the game but a complete sealed (and rare in it’s own right) Trance Vibrator bundle.

Despite it’s rarity, quality and rich history this set isn’t likely to command the same value as some more common special releases. While it’s lauded universally by game critics and aficionados alike, it never got much mas market attention or interest. At best it has a cult following, which is a real shame as it’s a wonderfully crafted game. I’m proud to have the Kanzentousui Set in my collection as the packaging so perfectly reflects the character of the game itself, which all things considered is exceptionally uncommon for a CE release from this era. Much like the game itself, guests who view my collection often pass over the Kanzentousui Set for CEs of games they’re more familiar with, that is until they notice that simple and elegant box displayed prominently on the shelf is completely unfamiliar to them, and then I introduce them to Rez.

Following close on the heals of last week’s Uncharted 3 unboxing starring Nolan North we receive yet another star powered and surprisingly entertaining unboxing video, this time staring Rapper and TV Star Ice-T.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’ve pre-ordered the Love Is Over Deluxe Box for Catherine, here is what you have to look forward to, if you haven’t pre-ordered it well … here’s what you’re missing.

It wasn’t until some time later that I actually saw a picture of the Survival edition, and I decided that I needed to have it in my collection. It did indeed come in single box and the box was very much appropriate for the game, the plain cardboard with simple black print made it look like an artifact out of time and while I held the lunchbox Collector’s Edition to be one of my favorite CEs, the decoration of the Survival Edition box was much cooler in every way; even the console branding is somewhat “tarnished” in appearance.

Inside the box is what you’d expect, the Collector’s Edition alongside a smallish cardboard box with the pip-boy clock.

Again, we’re treated to a highly decorated box that looks like it’s been sitting on a dusty shelf since the 50s. Unlike the outer box, which is just plain cardboard with a decorated cardboard slip-cover, the pip-boy box is actually decorated on all sides. The design of the pip-boy’s box is what you’d imagine the product box for a real life pip-boy might look like. It shows off the “product” from multiple angles and has some schematic type images and other details such as a fake “inspected by” sticker.

I think what makes a CE release truly special as opposed to just a game with some trinkets is the attention to detail in the packaging. While games like Call of Duty might include some cool items like night vision goggles or a camera equipped r.c. car, the packaging for those CEs is severely lacking. The outer box has some thought but as soon as you open it up it’s as if you just bought a child’s toy; it cheapens the experience significantly. By comparison look how much effort went into the detail of Pip-boy box, they went out of their way to decorate it appropriately on all sides. I hope the team behind this CE knows their efforts didn’t go unnoticed; I hope other teams building CEs now take note and put as much effort into carrying their theme into the packaging and not just boxing it up like it’s some generic product.

Inside the box you’ll find some bubble wrap to protect the pip-boy clock (one of the very few in-authentic aspects of the packaging). Also, in addition to the clock there is a stand that consists of three simple pieces. The clock itself is cylindrical, it has a hinge and a clasp and if you have very slender arms you could probably wear it, though the packaging tells you explicitly not to. I’ve actually seen one where someone had modified their clock and fitted it with an iPod Touch complete with a theme to make it look like the actual pip-boy display. The collector in me cringes at the thought of hacking up the content of a CE, but the part of me who likes to tinker with things thinks it’s a really great idea.

The clock is extremely detailed I believe they used the actual in-game 3D model to create the mold used to produce these. Below the display there are three buttons that light up, these are labeled with pip-boy functions but they are actually used to set the time. To the left of the display there is wheel and a knob, both of which you can move but they are not attached to anything. In the upper left is the radiation meter, which looks to be an actual working compass.

Batteries are not included though they are inserted on the top behind a small door that is held in with a screw.  I believe it takes 3 AA sized batteries. Sadly my clock doesn’t function but those that I’ve seen that do work light up the numbering and buttons in an electric green similar to the old “green screen” displays used throughout computer equipment in the game.

Perhaps the most special thing about the Survival Edition is it’s rarity. Bethesda published a developer diary on the Survival Edition’s inception and they mention that it was produced in “very limited quantities”. Due to how infrequently these seem to pop up for sale and the price they fetch on the used market, I tend to believe it.

Of course we can’t forget that the Survival Edition isn’t just a nice box with a pip-boy clock it, includes the entirety of the Collector’rs Edition release as well. I’m writing this unboxing because I wanted to share with you the details of the Survivor Edition; one of the favorite CEs in my collection. The Collector’s Edition saw much much higher production and was available just about everywhere, so I wont go into the details, but it is an excellent edition in and of itself. If you haven’t seen it and would like to, you should visit it’s page in the database.

The Survival Edition of Fallout 3 was sold exclusively through Amazon.com. It was released on October 18th 2008 on Xbox 360 and PS3 at a price of $129.99 and on PC at a price of $119.99.

So far it looks much better than the Fable II LCE. Also, is it just me, or are playing cards the new favorite pack-in for Collector’s Editions these days? Both Fallout New Vegas and Dead Rising 2 included decks as well.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Those of you who collect sealed games should be aware that the entire outer case comes shrink-wrapped from the factory. Even the sleeve is contained within the shrink wrap.

The cover art is fantastic, and while I usually hate the hero + title = cover formula that you see on 99% of game covers it’s done here in a way that make it look like what you’d expect to find on the cover of a horror/thriller novel by the likes of Steven King. The hero is just a silhouette and the concentration is on the title and the over all mood.

Once the slip cover is off the main case is a very convincing book, it’s got the same heft as a book and the “cover” material feels exactly the same as the material used on a hard cover book. The lettering here is an embossed metallic similar to what you’d find on an actual hard cover. The silhouette detail on the back is a nice touch too.

The “pages” are just a thick chipboard box that has been striped to look like pages, it’s not very convincing once it’s in your hands but from a small distance it does actually look like a book. The cover is magnetically clasped to keep it closed.

The binding of the book separates to reveal what looks like 3 additional books. Only one of them is though. Inside you’ll find a standard plastic game case with the game disc, manual, and content code card. An actual hard cover novel written about the fictional story of Alan Wake including both color and black and white images, as well as a 2-disc digi-pak case with the soundtrack disc and a bonus content disc.

The game case is pretty standard, the artwork mimics the outer case but it s a bit more clean, the back of the case is plain black and rather than going with the standard Xbox 360 green case color they went with black. Normally I don’t like when the plastic cases break style with standard Xbox 360 cases but here it really works, a bright green border would likely be visually distracting.

Inside the case is pretty standard fare, there’s the game disc and manual, as well as a content code card for the LCE’s downloadable content. I found it interesting that they put a large warning on the content card instructing you to not throw it away.

The only item inside the case that breaks from the image on the main box is the hard cover book, the fictional “Alan Wake Files” compiled by the fictional “Clay Steward” is basically the fictional novel that the game is based on.

This book includes a hard cover made of the same material as the main case, very high quality and loaded with content.

The visual details of this book are fantastic, it has fake reviews on the back of the jacket as well as a forward and an about the author on the back flap. You could put this in a book store or library and it would be right at home.

The digi-pak case mimics the artwork found on the outside of the box, though a little cleaner, from an outside perspective it looks almost like a paperback book.

Inside the case you’ll find the soundtrack CD as well as a bonus disc that contains additional content for your Xbox 360 (themes, avatar items, etc). Both discs had a small cardboard ring around the center, presumably to prevent the discs from coming lose during shipping. It’s attention to details like this that make the Alan Wake LCE one of the best CE’s I have in my collection.

Final Thoughts:
I would consider the Alan Wake LCE  to be one of the best CE releases in my collection, it hits on all the marks, the visual style of the case is fantastic, it’s incredibly sturdy, and it’s one of the most unique case designs I’ve ever seen. Not only is the design unique but it’s incredibly appropriate for the game, the other bonuses and the way they were included in the package is also done incredibly well. Attention to quality such as the little cardboard donuts on the bonus discs to keep them from coming lose during shipping, and shrink wrap over the slip cover proves that they actually thought about the package and cared about it’s quality as opposed to just throwing a bunch of stuff in a box that looked good on a bullet list and made them a few extra bucks.

I’d say this ranks right up there with the CEs for Bioshock 2, Fallout 3,  and all the other extremely well executed special releases; 5 stars, 10 out of 10, A+, 100% or whatever other metric you’d want to apply to this release, it gets my highest score.

The cover art is apparently too hot for GameStop so if you want to skeeve out to the game box you’ll have to do it here as opposed to in the store. Just don’t get… ice cream… all over your keyboard.

…and yes the titted mouse pad is equal parts cool, creepy, and confusing, just as you’d imagine it would be.