It has been quite some time since I’ve taken you all on a journey to see inside (and outside) of a Limited Edition version of a game.  I guess the wallet hasn’t been kind to me or there just weren’t many to write about.  Either way, this is the first dose of Edition Examiner on Gears of War 3.  We’ll take a look at both the Limited Edition and Epic Edition of the game.

These are just my opinions of the Limited or Collector’s edition of games that I’m able to get in my grasp.  The Edition Examiner covers two important things; craftsmanship and extras.

Craftmanship – The Gears 3 LE comes in a nice, black satin like case with a wreath on it outlining the Dr. Adam Fenix service medal.  It is a very nice touch to the LE.  It has a really good feel to it and it looks amazing.  As you open it you get a sense of how important the documents inside must be.  It’s just very well done.  Inside, the contents are housed perfectly.  There’s a ribbon to pull down that reveals the other goodies in the LE.

I loved what Epic opted to go with here.  I would have preferred the tin or metal case but this black satin one is definitely no slouch in comparison.  The actual game could have been put in something other than the plastic case though.

Extras – The LE for Gears 3 comes with a cool COG Flag, an Octus Service Medal for Dr. Adam Fenix, a redeem code for Adam Fenix in multiplayer and the personal effects of Adam Fenix including his Last Will and Testament, initial Hammer of Dawn schematic and photos of Fenix family members.

I loved the fabric of the flag and the distinct history the documents presented.  Adam’s Last Will and Testament was as authentic as they come.  The family photos were a nice touch as well. From an extras standpoint, it holds its own.  But there could’ve been more considering the price.

Screenshots: Gears of War 3 Limited Edition

Final EE verdict - I was impressed with the quality the case was.  I would’ve much preferred a tin or metal case for the game much like they did with the LE for Gears of War 2.  I think a tin case would’ve fit the contents better considering there is a Will in there and the mood of the content is that of protecting sacred documents.  It’s Marcus’ father for crying out loud!  Give the man a tin case.  The satin black as I mentioned is no slouch though so owners of the LE should definitely not cry about it.

However, with all that said the Limited Edition for Gears of War 3 is worth the dough for COG fans.  For everyone else, it’s a tough sell.