The “Collector’s Edition Mass Effect 3 Vault” casemod comes with a ton of multiplayer perks but I’m not sure it’s worth the pricetag.
You might think that Mass Effect is story that takes place in your imagination as delivered by the electronics of your standard Xbox 360 or PS3. Apparently, you are not getting the “full experience” unless you also invest in armoring your console with a textured Commander Shepard chest piece emblazoned with the famous N7 logo. At least, that’s what professional case mod manufacturer Calibur11 delivers with the $90 “Vault”. Did I mention that the N7 lights up? And in two colors! Now that’s value!
Joking aside, this thing does look pretty cool, if you are into the whole collectible merchandise racket. Calibur11 only made 25,000 of these units, so there’s a bit of a limitation on the supply, I suppose. You get a fancy certificate of authenticity, something which I totally wish I had for that signed nude photograph of Ernest Borgnine I’ve been holding on to all these years.
If you delve into the multiplayer a lot like the rest of The Escapist crew, there’s a nice cradle to hang your headset. On top of that, there’s a code that ships with each Vault case entitling you to the “Reinforcement Pack” DLC from BioWare. These packs are a collection of perks like character race and class unlocks, weapons and weapon modifications, ammo, power and health consumables usable only in multiplayer. According to Calibur11, “each pack is composed of a random selection of these items, and some items are more common – or rare – than others.”
There’s no word on how high-grade the “Reinforcement Packs” that come with this mod are. BioWare says there are different levels of rarity. “There are common, uncommon, rare and ultra-rare items – items that are rare and/or powerful are differentiated visually when they are obtained upon opening a pack. The items included in each pack are selected at random. Higher value packs have a higher probability of selecting the most valuable items.”
Even if you are a ME3 multiplayer freak, I’m not sure all that adds up to $90 worth, especially if the Reinforcement Pack is of a cheaper variety. Then again, I could just be a curmudgeonly asshole who would rather spend money on something worthwhile. But hey, you don’t have to share my cynical view, head over to Calibur11’s website to order your Collector’s Edition Mass Effect 3 Vault today.
If you’re interested, here’s more shots of Calibur11’s fancy mods:
Published: Mar 6, 2012 07:11 pm