Final Fantasy XIII Deluxe Edition

If the Lightning Edition Bundle was the appetizer, the Final Fantasy XIII Deluxe Edition for PlayStation 3 is the full seven-course meal. This PS3 collector's set goes deep, packing a DualShock 3 with pink Lightning imprint alongside a ten-track original soundtrack, a CG illustrations booklet, a character poster, and an original sleeve case that wraps the whole thing in premium presentation. There's even an HDMI cable packaged separately, because in 2009, Sony apparently knew we'd need convincing to go high-def.

The PSN card for Premium Avatar DLC rounds out the digital side. What makes the Deluxe Edition special is how it captures that transitional PS3 era when Square Enix was still treating physical releases like events. The CG illustrations booklet showcases the absurdly detailed character work that defined XIII's visual identity, and that soundtrack disc gives you a curated slice of Masashi Hamauzu's polarizing but undeniably gorgeous score.

Stacked next to the standard Lightning Edition, the Deluxe set is clearly the version built for completionists. Finding one with the poster uncreased, the booklet pristine, and the controller still sealed is the kind of grail hunt that keeps us scrolling auction sites at 2 AM. This is Final Fantasy collecting done right.