Did you get the other stuff like divine divinity game, beyond divinity game, soundtrack, zandlor deck of cards, map, sticker, etc?
Sorry for the late reply.
Yeah, I got all that. Here is a quick review:
I bought the physical non-kickstarter collectors edition at the start of June. It unlocked Steam Early Access. On the 30th, it unlocked the full version. I started a new game and didn't have Zandalor's Trunks and the Golden Grail. Two days later I restarted the game, creating my current Source Hunters, and they started with the dlc items.
- DLC items. I stashed the Golden Grail because I want to play the game as "vanilla" as possible. The Golden Grail allows you to get more money, so I don't use it. Zandalor's trunks sometimes say something, in a snarky voice. They're kinda funny, but nothing really special.
Last week I recieved my CE box. Lets go over the contents:
- Gamebox + game + manual. I don't know if the game is "steam-only" as I didn't use the dvd. The manual is... OK. It explains the basics, from UI to some of the stats. I was looking for something a little more "crunchy", where they would explain how to level up, the rate of the growth per level (1 attribute point every X levels), a brief explanation of the available spells at character creation. I this Larian also missed a great opportunity to add more "fluff" to the manual. A little bit more about the lore of the world - what are the Source Hunters, history of Cyseal, etc. They could also have written the manual "in character", maybe as a "Source Hunter Guide". That would've been awesome. I was looking for something for the big fans, to find more about the game. Most people won't bother with the manual, so I understand why Larian didn't want to put a big effort in it. But who goes and reads the manual will find nothing of use. On the bright side, it is well written; the foreword by Swen is nice and almost touching; and the "What is Divinity Original Sin" section is one of the best summations of a game I've seen.
- Map. The map is made in an almost hard, see-through fabric. I didn't like it that much. The fabric has a weird touch, the printing seeped to the other side, so I had to think a bit to see if I was looking at it correctly. I was looking forward to a malleable cloth, like a t-shirt fabric or something, with ragged edges. This was the biggest disappointment!
- Deck of cards. They're nice. They're made in normal card-stock, with all 52 cards plus two jokers. All the face cards (JQK) and the jokers have a character drawn on it, organized by suits (one suit have humans, other has orcs, etc.). I was hoping for character art in every card. I think THE MAN WITH MANY CHEESES would be perfect for the 10 card. The game has enough NPCs to fill the deck, and there is no problem in going into spoiler territory (it is for the big fans!). I would also liked the card to be plastic. As they are, I won't use them for playing, for fear of ruining them. They're neat, but could be better.
- Crafting Cards. I'm kinda torn on these. I usually don't have patience for crafting systems, and while I like the drag-and-drop crafting system in D:OS, I find that inventory UI problems make finding new recipes a bit of a chore. So I was waiting for the crafting card to help me, well, craft some stuff. They don't have all the recipes in the game. While I understand this decision - crafting is a part of the game, so Larian didn't want to spoil it all - it is kinda pointless bacause the internet exists, and every recipe is already in there. Also, less cards equal a cheaper to make CE. But the cards have nice art, and great "Larian-style" flavour text, so they're nice to read.
- Soudtrack. The soudtrack comes in a carboard case and features 22 songs IIRC. The CD comes in a cardboard case. It would be better if it were in a jewel case but who uses CDs these days? I think there are some songs missing in here, but there are *ahem* ways to get these songs. Heads up the "Dance of Death" and "Mysterious Stranger". They're great songs!
- Stickers. They have a nice quality to them. They appear thick, and the paint is solid. I have no use for them but there's that. They're good.
- Poster. On one side you have the "soldier with a toy arrow in head" symbol of Larian Studios. On the other you have the well known "Source Hunters holding hands" with the D:OS logo, all in a white background. While it seems rushed and cheaply designed ("Just slap the source hunter and the logo in there") I kinda like it's minimalist. I would've like that they put it in a dark background, like in the CE box, and ditched the logo. It's good. I might put it on my wall!
- Keys and stuff. You get the give-it-to-your-friend extra key, the dlc key, a key for Divine Divinity and a key for Beyond Divinity. I'm still unsure if I need to activate the dlc key or if it is to be given to someone (then, why not put it together with the extra game copy?).
Some Questions:
- Will I have a digital soundtrack? Will I have a digital artbook? If yes, do I already have it (haven't checked in a few days) or do I need to use the dlc code that came in the CE? Will the game be available in the Larian Vault?
The Veredict:
Not great, but acceptable. I was really dissapointed with the map, and really wanted the crafting cards for a bit of a "easy mode". I really miss the dice. I love dice! The soundtrack is great, but lets get real, it's not a game changer. People who want the soundtrack already have it, with or without the CE. Even I, too lazy to rip the CD, found an *ahem* alternative source to get a digital version. The dlc items are so and so. Zandalor's Trunks are occaisonally funny, and the Golden Grail is useless. I've still explored half of Cyseal and am already swimming in money.
But I don't think it wasn't worth it. The most valuable thing in the CE is the second copy of the game. It's a bit useless as the game is drm-free but this way you can play with a friend with a clean conscience.
I don't regret buying it. In fact, I only wanted to "throw money at Larian", because D:OS was intriguing and they are know for nice game full of heart (I haven't played too much of their previous game). So I threw them money, and in return I got this really, really fun game and a box with some goodies.
