Gears of War 3 has finally graced our presence and I am here to tackle the Epic Edition. Is this collector’s edition worth calling “epic,” or just epic fail?
Gears of War 3 hits the market with three different retail versions: a standard edition, a limited edition and the Epic Edition. The Epic Edition comes with everything in the limited edition, and then some.
The case itself for the Limited Edition is a replica of the award box for Adam Fenixs’ Octus Award, which feels nice and sturdy and includes a viewing window to see the award. Inside, open the front panel and you can remove the award itself. Engraved on the back of the award is a code to redeem an Adam Fenix multiplayer skin for Gears of War. This alone I found a nice touch; it’s right here instead of putting it on a redeemable code card. The award has a very solid weight and is a great centerpiece. I would not call it epic, but there’s something else in store.
Under another panel the black box contains a COG flag. It’s high-quality and looks great if you choose to hang it up. Tucked inside the flag are the personal effects of Adam Fenix, consisting of two photos with brief messages on them, a letter to Marcus, the certificate for the OCTUS award, Fenix’s last will and testament, a Gears of War sticker sheet and blueprints of the Hammer of Dawn. All these little things I found to be a wonderful touch and adjunct to the theme.
Now onto the epic part of this edition! (This includes all of the above.)
The highlight of the Epic Edition is a highly detailed, eleven inch PVC statue of Marcus Fenix with a cardboard background. This statue is one the best I’ve seen included with a game. The details are fantastic; it feels solid and looks great. As an added bonus, parts of the details glow in the dark.
Included in the well-sized art book are concept art pieces, interviews and some fun behind-the-scenes tidbits.
Also included in the Epic Edition is the Infected Omen Weapons Pack, which contains a redeemable code for Infected Omen weapon skins.
I love this collector’s edition. It’s a major improvement from their previous one. The one thing I found lacking was a behind the scenes DVD, which the previous collector’s editions included. The game case resembles data devices used in-game.
The cost for the Limited Edition is $79.99 and for the Epic Edition it is $149.99. It’s a lot to shell out, but if you have the Spare Change, it is a very nice addition to your collection.