Above is the initial advert for the Day One Edition which is similar to the one from Tales of Xillia, with a few slight changes. For Tales of Xillia 2, you get:
- Metalcase packaging
- Game software
- Music selection CD
It comes in a compact package and the biggest draw is really the metalcase, which makes up for the lack of an artbook. Of course, you also get the Bandai Namco VIP points code.
Metalcase Packaging:
The metalcase packaging actually has a clear plastic slipcover where the rating, "Day One Edition" lettering and the PS3 logo is printed on.
Slipping it off, you can actually see the artwork in all its glory, and it's a really nice cover art.
The back of the plastic slipcover is just your standard blurb, nothing special.
The metalcase's artwork on the front is indented too, and the back just has the title logo.
The metalcase opens up like a normal disc package.
Inside are the two discs, one for the game and one for the music tracks. This is actually quite neat and very cool.
The Game:
In short, Tales of Xillia 2 is a neat JRPG. While it can be a bit too familiar to the original, they new story and tweaks to the battle system makes it really fun to play.
Personal opinion is that it is a better game than the original. For a more detailed review, refer to this page.
Soundtrack:
The music selection CD contains fifteen tracks:
- Tales of Xillia 2
- Tranquil Proof
- Flight Until Thine Blade Breaks
- Elle is Elle
- The Bridge That Leads the World
- The Illustrious Spirius Corp.
- He Who Protects This Land
- Food is the Culture Cornerstone
- Dance of the Resplendent Spirit
- Gambit of the Final Waymarker
- Proof in the Depths of Sorrow
- The Land of Canaan
- Go as Your Will Leads You
- Your Wish is Granted
- Proof of One's Choices
There are more songs than expected, and the running time is just a bit over an hour at 61 minutes. All the songs are new ones specifically composed for this sequel and they included the battle theme too, which is usually one of the best tracks.
Overall:
While the lack of an artbook feels like an obvious omission, the metalcase which replaces it is much better and cooler, since the artbook for Tales of Xillia was quite disappointing anyway. While none of the bonuses are absolute must-haves, it is worth considering since it's really nice.
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Game reviews can be found here.