You see that? Look at that little collector’s set. It’s got the game (obviously), along with a 164 page art book, three posters, the Bioshock 2 orchestral score on a CD, and to top off the collection: the Bioshock orchestral score on a 180-gram vinyl record. Those who know me personally may know of my recent start of a vinyl collection. When this collector’s edition was announced last fall, I knew that this would have my money. Though after I wrote my previous entry, I realized that I would only be doing myself a disservice. I haven’t finished the first Bioshock – the achievements were mostly accounted for on my Xbox 360 gamertag by another player and sad as it is, those little blip noises are fun to get. That tiny incentive, plus seeing the game’s ending, contributed to my failing to play this title.
That vinyl was the only reason I wanted to get my hands on this game right away. Having the eerie, spooky sounds that play during the first game on a record, complete with the pops and fizzes that accompany the media is an awesome thing to have. Recently, it was announced that Final Fantasy XIII would see a portion of its soundtrack released on vinyl in Japan. Also to be limited edition, I’ll probably never find a copy of that. Soundtracks are one thing that I really enjoy in a video game, because the music is fresh and can really tell a story through the music.
Anyway, one day following Bioshock 2’s release, I decided to check out eBay. And not really to my surprise – people have parted out these collector’s editions and are selling the pieces individually. I was able to luckily find a reasonably-priced auction of the vinyl and got it for $20. Now, no more need to shell out $100 at Gamestop for the set. I can put the $80 that I didn’t spend toward Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III (which is getting a new trailer tomorrow – can’t wait to see what Santa Monica has in store for us), and yes – I’ll probably cave and also get Pokemon Soulsilver. I’m feeling nostalgic and need something to entertain me on my DS.
I fully intend on playing this title in the future. I owe it to myself to finish its predecessor first, and maybe I will get it when it goes down in price. As the final college days go by, I'm seeing where my money is going to have to go, and what expenses I'll have to cut. Gaming is unfortunately one of those cut-able expenses, but I won't be abolishing it. I just need to game (read:purchase) smarter.
