Hmm: EA's Holding Back A Lot For SimCity Deluxe
Ah, deluxe editions. I do not, by any means, think they're inherently bad, but they can certainly enter murky territory with a quickness. Maybe even two quicknesses. Three might be pushing it, though. Sometimes, that means we end up getting lost in a snowblind forest of different versions, ala Assassin's Creed III, but others are a bit more cut-and-dry. Or at least, it seems that way on paper. And yet, even so, there's always reason to approach these things with caution. Case in point: SimCity's digital deluxe edition. It's got a small country's worth of bonuses themed after a few particularly large countries, but is it worth all the extra simoleons? Perhaps answers lie after the break.
Obviously, the likes of Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower would make for some pretty fine additions to any aspiring concrete jungle, but they're only the tip of the iceberg.
"Get three European city sets at a great value with the SimCity Digital Deluxe, available exclusively at Origin. Recreate a European inspired neighborhood in the center of your city! Place world renowned landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate or Big Ben to help your tourism business in your city. Receive challenging missions, complete unique achievements and earn big bucks as waves of Sims visit the landmarks. Watch as the businesses, homes and vehicles around your landmarks start to take on the flavor, style, and architecture of those countries. The Digital Deluxe Edition also includes the SimCity Heroes and Villains set."
The aforementioned super heroes serve as a holdover from the less impressive limited edition, but everything else is digital deluxe specific.
The entire package will run you $80/£65, and that's one of many reasons I'm of multiple minds about this. On one hand, none of this content sounds particularly essential (not, like, say, the ability to construct larger cities or anything along those lines), so I don't think mayors with shallow pockets and emaciated piggy banks should feel particularly slighted. But the separation of these perks from other editions feels arbitrary at best, and honestly, are they worth an extra $20? I mean, I don't think I'd even give them a second glance if they were sold separately as DLC for that kind of money.
So really, what practical purpose does this edition serve? The way I see it, no one really wins. The bonuses don't seem strong enough to build EA a meticulously planned and maintained path into our wallets, but some fans may still feel like they're being coerced into spending extra for the "complete" package. So it doesn't strike me as an entirely "evil" deluxe version, but I wouldn't exactly call it good either.