The $900 Resident Evil 2 ‘Premium Edition’ feels overpriced

The remake of Resident Evil 2, announced during this year’s E3 in Los Angeles, certainly got a lot of fans excited. Now, developer and publisher Capcom has unveiled a monstrous new collector’s edition of the game. Coming in at 99,800 yen, or around $900, it may be just a little bit overpriced for what’s inside.

It’s called the Biohazard RE: 2 Z Version Premium Edition. It includes the game’s standard collector’s edition, which, among other items, features a dashing 12-inch tall statue of main character Leon, as well as the game’s enhanced soundtrack and an art book. By itself, that package will run you about $225.

Capcom

The Z Version Premium Edition adds on a full-size Qwerkywriter Bluetooth mechanical keyboard, complete with top-of-the-line Cherry blue keyswitches and a mount for your tablet or smartphone. It’s a modified version of Qwerkywriter’s own S model, which you can find online for $249.99.

Fans of Resident Evil 2 will remember that, as with most games in the series, the only way to save your game was to collect ink ribbons and insert them into typewriters secreted throughout the game world. To my eye, at least, the custom Qwerkywriter simply doesn’t look much like the typewriters in the game. Even the keycaps are the wrong shape.

Capcom

Adding up the cost of the collector’s edition and a standard Qwerkywriter S, a little back-of-the-napkin math tells me you’re receiving roughly $475-worth of goods. So, aside from the nifty gold trim appliqué, what else do you get for the extra $425?

Well, you get all four rolls of the collectible washi tape, known as masking tape here in the United States.

You will also receive two in-game items, called Samurai Edge Chris and Samurai Edge Jill. No pictures of what those items will look like are available at this time.

Right now, the Z Version Premium Edition is only available on the Japanese Capcom online storefront. No word on if there will be a U.S. version.

The Resident Evil 2 remake was announced in 2015 by producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi. The game is expected to arrive Jan. 25, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. The base game will cost $59.99.