"Rain as the Rustle of Pages". Collector's Edition of Heavy Rain.
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Perhaps no game has been anticipated by me quite as much as Heavy Rain. Even after Quantic Dream canceled the release for PC, I didn't lash out at the developers but accepted their rules of the game. It wouldn't be entirely accurate to say that I bought a PS3 for Heavy Rain, but I can definitely assert that if it weren't for it, I probably wouldn't have decided to be a console gamer. At this point, I've played the game roughly halfway through, and... It's hard to express these emotions and excitement in words; it's just too difficult! In my humble opinion, Heavy Rain is the true pinnacle of video game evolution at this moment... But this discussion is not about the game, but about the Heavy Rain Special Edition, or in other words, the collector's edition. Initially, I thought it would be the first game for PS3 that I would buy at the Russian premiere. However, when the date for that premiere was set for February 26, I realized that I wouldn't survive four days of holidays without a game. Activating all resources, I managed to snag that coveted collector's box on the morning of February 23. So, here comes yet another review of a collector's edition on the night of the global release! It's a pity that it's not the Russian one, so the gift t-shirts (which are given at the premiere) will not be featured in this review...

In general, console collector's editions can be roughly divided into three types: those that are 100-200 rubles more expensive than the regular edition in a nice package with some in-game bonus; those that are 500-700 rubles more expensive than the standard one with a figurine or other fan items; and the ultra-expensive editions like **Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition** (with night vision goggles) or **God of War Ultimate Trilogy Edition** (with a replica of Pandora's box).

The collector's edition of Heavy Rain falls into the first category, so there isn't much to hold in hand. But there is a lot to admire from the outside! The outer packaging is stunning: silicone droplets of rain and water streaks are applied to the hard cardboard. It's quite challenging to distinguish them from real ones, and the cover looks very stylish (although of course, it could have done without the large round sticker on the cover):

And a description of the game on the back:

A standard slipcase slides out from the cardboard packaging, which is found in many Sony games. In the center is the disc, with two 'pockets' on the sides for bonuses (which contained a flyer with a promo code and an art book manual):

![](/api/field/image/uEyUIcKJnrbUO)

On the back side are photographs of three characters from the game: Ethan Mars, Scott Shelby, and Madison:

![](/api/field/image/ikeIZiW6pxZAj)

Now let's recall what the publisher promised in the collector's edition.

*Special Edition includes:

  • **Heavy Rain: Chronicle 1 - The Taxidermist** - the first downloadable episode for Heavy Rain - absolutely free and earlier than it becomes available to owners of the standard edition.

  • The official soundtrack for Heavy Rain, recorded at the legendary London studio **Abbey Road**.

  • Dynamic theme for the main menu of PlayStation 3.

  • Exclusive slipcase

  • Fold-out art book

  • Origami

The first three bonuses are digital and activate via a promo code.

![](/api/field/image/PCEen5jM3LlDK)

While the key can't be activated yet, the first DLC will still not be available until March, and the rest can be evaluated right now. You can read about the soundtrack here, and the dynamic theme looks like this:

The next detail of the collector’s edition is a piece of paper for origami. The assembly instructions are shown during the game installation, so I apologize, but I'll show you the bird already assembled. I don't want to unfold it, the paper will be very wrinkled. By the way, if I understood correctly, this figure will also be received by owners of the standard edition of the game.

And the main detail of the collector's edition that you can hold in your hands is the art guide. Unlike the normal page-by-page guide, this one consists of a sheet folded eight times, similar to a newspaper, but of much higher quality. There are both a game guide and character sketches. Here are full pictures of this beauty:

![](/api/field/image/aXJCCr0f6sZrv)

![](/api/field/image/EvdwNXbcbGNIL)

Overall, I see no reason to buy the standard edition for a hundred rubles less. We have a worthy edition of a magnificent game that should be in the collection of every PlayStation 3 owner!

AQuaRity, specially for GAMER.ru

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Congratulations to everyone on the long-awaited release!

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