Deus Ex: Inhuman Revolution
UPDATE: Eidos Montreal report that the "Automatic Unlocking Device" is actually a consumable. Hurray!
'News' has come down the 'wires' about the various goodies to be had from Deus Ex 3 special editions and pre-order exclsuive thingywotsits. One in particular caught my eye. Pray allow me to quote my exact wording in the RPS meta-office when the press release arrived. I warn you: I'm about to clamber into the Angry Tank.
The press release: Explosive Mission Pack Exclusively at GameStop - An entirely new mission with special cameo appearance of original Deus Ex character
Me: OH PISS OFF
I don't mind pre-orders adding on guns and hats whatnot; I understand it's important for retailers to sell games and that the market is ever more complicated and competitive. But dangling that sort of money-grabbing, choice-destroying nostalgia-carrot in front of the very people whose undying enthusiasm has been a key factor in allow this game to happen? Ew, ew, ew.
Essentially, if you're a long term DX fan you're going to have to make the fairly unpleasant choice of saving money by ordering this much-anticipated, primarily black'n'yellow-hued sequel from your (r)etailer of choice, or dropping full-whack premium at Gamestop to ensure you're getting the full story and maximum links to DX1. You're being punished for being one of the people who most cares about this game. Awful.
OK, calm down. Calm down. Let's see what else we've got. Should be fine now. There surely can't be anything quite as harrowing. Here's the rest of the Gamestop pack...
- Linebacker G-87 multiple shot grenade launcher
- M-28 Utility Remote-Detonated Explosive Device (UR-DED)
- Automatic Unlocking Device
WHAT THE..... Automatic Unlocking Device! Jesus milkshake-drinking Christ! What? Why? God! "Buy from gamestop and you can just wholesale skip one of the game's tension-setting challenges!" Which, yes, was an option in DX1 but not one you only got by paying extra to a specific real-world shop.
Ok. Ok. If you instead buy the game from the incredibly vague 'participating retailers', you get these:
- Huntsman Silverback Double-Barrel Shotgun
- Longsword Whisperhead Extreme Range Sniper Rifle
- Extra Credits
Extra credits. That's probably not so bad. Sort of defeats the entire point of roleplaying, but there you go.
And on to the 'Augmented Edition' special edition of the game, which'll cost you $10 more than the standard:
- 40-page Artbook
- Exclusive Bonus DVD: Making Of, Special Trailers, Animated storyboard of CGI trailer and Soundtrack
- Premium Packaging
- Motion Graphic Novel
Fine, fine, probably. As long as the plot makes sense without that motion graphic novel.
This is all North America, by the way. Dunno what Euro-folk are in for yet.
"Automatic Unlocking Device." Bloody hell.