The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is currently dominating video game charts around the world. As you would expect with an AAA release like this, there’s also a premium collector’s edition. Shane the Gamer’s Australian editor, Darren Price, has been taking a look at The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Xbox One Collector’s Edition.

The Witcher 3 has been a long time coming, but it’s here now and comes with a rather impressive-looking collector’s edition.

As seems to be the norm with these special editions, The Witcher 3 CE comes in a huge and very public transport-unfriendly box. It’s pretty heavy, as well, which is a good sign.

The lid and flaps of the box has been signed by the staff at CD Projekt RED, which is a really nice touch.

On the top of the box is a rather intriguing and nicely finished glossy slipcase.

It’s heavy and a very nice way to present the collectors’ material.

The slipcase pulls apart into two pieces and reveals a tray.

First we have The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Art Book, which I believe is included in digital form with the PC version of the game (it was with my copy, anyway).

It’s a hardbound with a striking metallic cover. It has a introduction by Konrad Tomaszkiewitz, the game’s director and carries a warning that it may contain spoilers.

Not only is the book full of beautiful concept illustration, the images are accompanied by text that gives an interesting insight into the game design process.

It’s great to see locations that you recognise from the game and to see how they were first envisioned on paper.

The production paintings are amazingly intricate, some bordering on fine art.

The art book is nicely designed and wouldn’t at all look out of place on the coffee table.

Under the art book, the next item in the slipcase tray is a cloth map of The Northern Realms.

The map is full of detail, but I wouldn’t say it’s of the highest quality. It’s a screen print on a piece of fraying cloth. Looks good from a distance.

Under the map we start to get into the nitty-gritty with the package’s smaller items (including the game itself).

The finely detailed metal replica of Geralt’s wolf medallion, looks good on the shelf, as a cosplay prop or as a piece of everyday jewellery guaranteed to get you some odd looks on the bus.

The Xbox One version of the collector’s edition features two decks of gwent cards, the card game played in the game.

The decks come complete with a rulebook and winning counters so you can enjoy Geralt’s favourite card game with friends.

The decks provided were those of the Nilfgaardian Empire and the Northern Realms.

Each house has its own unique cards, with two double-sided leader cards. There’s enough cards in a deck for two players to play a round with the same house.

Just as in the game, the cards also depict characters from the story and the series’ lore.

The cards are very nice and a great exclusive collectable item for Xbox One owners.

Now on to the game itself. Which is the reason we are here. This being a CD Projekt RED game, even the vanilla version is packed with extras, which collector’s edition owners get in addition to all special goodies.

Inside the case we find the game, itself, and a fairly detailed manual with just enough information to get you started.

Under the game disc, there’s the soundtrack CD.

In addition to the manual, the game comes with a copy of The Witcher Universe Compendium.

This short guide gives players a bit of background to the exotic world of The Witcher, its inhabitants and its history. At the back there’s a code that can be redeemed for a digital comic from Dark Horse.

There’s also a paper version of the cloth map exclusive to the collector’s edition.

To be truthful, the paper version is a lot better-looking.

There’s also a couple of wolf head stickers which may or may not be useful.

The last item in the game box is a bit curious and touching at the same time. CD Projekt RED have included a little thank you note to gamers that purchased the game, thanking them for their support.

Special edition owners that find the game’s regular packaging a bit dull will be please to find a steelbook in the package. On the front is a nice portrait of Geralt.

Whilst on the back is a portrait of the game’s female lead, Ciri. And that’s it for the items in the collector’s edition slipcase.

On to the huge lump of polystyrene underneath.

This huge lump of packaging does, of course, contain the statue of Geralt fighting a griffin.

The top of the packaging is emblazoned with The Witcher’s wolf logo.

The three-piece statue is very well protected.

The main part of the statue is made from weighty polystone, with the griffin’s tail and Geralt’s sword blade being made from plastic, but with quality metal rod fixings. They slot into the main statue easily and are firmly attached.

I’ve got to say that this huge statue is easily the most impressive piece that I’ve seen in a game’s collector’s edition package.

Hand painted and full of detail, it’s a solid piece that’s a pleasure to take in.

The statue captures a dynamic action pose as Geralt bears down on the stricken griffin. You can almost hear the creature’s scream as Geralt brings his blade down.

Geralt wields his silver blade with his steel sword sheathed on his back.

There’s loads of meticulously modeled tiny details.

Look at the wolf detail on the sword hilt.

Geralt’s face isn’t as finely detailed as I’d perhaps have liked.

But it is still, unmistakably, Geralt (I’m looking at you Ubisoft).

The base says it all.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Collector’s Edition is a huge box packed to the brim with the sort of goodies that’ll excite any fan of the series. The standout item is, of course, the beautiful statue, closely followed by the excellent art book.

All in all, this is a pretty spectacular package, made all the more awesome with the Xbox One version including physical decks of gwent cards.

Without a doubt the perfect accompaniment to what is likely to be the game of the year.

The post The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Xbox One Collector’s Edition Unboxing appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

This time players are transported to the Himalayan mountains, to a land caught up in a civil war against the tyrant Pagan Min.

Following Ubisoft’s tradition for producing some very special editions of their games, for Far Cry 4 they’ve produced the Kyrat Edition– named after the unfortunate country from the game.

The Far Cry 4 Kyrat Edition comes in a big box, not at big as the Assassin’s Creed Unity Notre Dame Edition, but nevertheless, it’s still sizable. Stuck to it (using some rather Heath Robinson rolled up bits of sticky tape) is a piece of cardboard detailing the goodies inside.

It’s got a map (that, interestingly, looks nothing like the picture on the back of the package), a faux leather notebook, a propaganda poster and some exclusive DLC. As is the norm, with thse Ubisoft specials, the centrepiece of the package is a figurine, this time of Kyrats despotic psychopath of a leader, Pagan Min.

Let’s take a look inside.

Even with the cardboard wrapper off, how to actually get into the box isn’t entirely obvious. At the front there’s a little paper tag with “Far Cry” written on it.

Similarly on the top, at the back is what looks like a drawer with a paper tag, again, with “Far Cry” written on it.

Pulling the tag at the front releases the fold-out side of the box, revealing the statue of Pagan Min in his plastic packaging.

Next up, there’s that bizarre drawer at the top.

Pulling it up reveals the game and the notebook. Both of which promptly fell out onto the top of the box. Bit of an odd design, there.

Pulling out the drawer makes it all much easier to get to. Let’s take a look at the assorted goodies, within.

First there’s the “Travel Journal”.

Whilst it doesn’t look bad with its embossed faux leather cover and that little metal Far Cry machete, I’d have preferred an art book.

Instead we get a blank notebook- something that you’ll never look at again.

The propaganda poster is fun and has a Fry Cry 4 poster on the back.

I’ve got to say I’m a little disappointed with the map, I liked the look of the detailed map on the back of the box, but instead we have a reproduction of the in-game map.

Never mind. Let’s move on to the Pagan Min statue.

Sitting atop a huge throne shaped like an ornate elephant, Pagan Min has a collection of assorted weaponry at arm’s reach.

It’s not the most detailed Ubisoft figurine, but up close like this it does seem to capture Pagan Min’s calm, sociopathic personality quite well.

There’s some lovely detail in the cloth.

And even in his shoes.

But, still it all seems a bit cheap compared to last week’s Arno figure in the Assassin’s Creed Unity Notre Dame Edition. Those hands look like flippers.

Moving away from Pagan Min, the rest of the statute is of a much higher quality. Look at these tiny grenades. They’re no bigger than you little fingernail.

These bullets are half the thickness of a matchstick.

All these tiny weapons are expertly crafted.

The bullets draped over the arm of the chair look very cool.

The throne is very detailed and actually looks like a lump of stone.

It’s nicely painted as well.

There’s a curious little drawer on the back of the statue.

It contains noting but a tiny rolled up bit of paper.

Unrolling it reveals a Kyrati Proverb “A Mortar is worth a thousand bullets”.

I can’t say that I was overly impressed with this statue. From afar it looks good, but it doesn’t stand up to close scrutiny, unlike the recent Assassin’s Creed figurines from Ubi Collectables.

Still, it’s not bad. It’s just that Ubisoft have spoilt us in the past.

Finally, let’s look at the game itself. Like the box in the Assassin’s Creed Unity Notre Dame Edition, the case has a “Not to be sold separately” note on it, because it has extra stuff inside.

As well as the little manual and an ad for the season pass, there’s two cards with DLC codes to redeem.

The first is the Hurk’s Redemption Limited Edition DLC, which adds three extra single-player missions and a harpoon gun to the game. This is likely a cut down version of the “Hurk Delux Pack” DLC available as part of the season pass offerings.

The second card has a code for the PS4 exclusive Keys to Kyrat DLC. This enables players to give invite ten friends to play the game in co-op with them even if they don’t own the game. Pretty sweet.

Overall, the Far Cry 4 Kyrat Edition is a nice package. Not at all up to the standard of the Assassin’s Creed offering, but still worth the money, if you like your gaming merchandise.

The notebook, is a bit of a letdown, especially as I’m sure Ubisoft has a ton of concept art that they could have shared with us instead. The statue of Pagan Min is going to look good on your shelf, but don’t look at it too closely.

Then there’s the game itself. Be sure to check back soon for the shanethegamer.com Far Cry 4 review!

The post Far Cry 4: Kyrat Edition PS4 Unboxing – Feature appeared first on Shane the Gamer.