The Lord of the Rings War in the North Collector's Edition

The same war, different spoils. This variant of The Lord of the Rings War in the North Collector's Edition on Xbox 360 trades the steelbook and snowtroll figure for a more digitally focused set of extras, making it a fascinating companion piece for completionists.

The art book remains, and it's still excellent. Concept art of key characters, enemies, and Middle-earth environments gives you a tangible look behind the curtain of a game that deserved more attention than it received. The music package returns too, with the Inon Zur at Abbey Road Studios featurette, E3 2011 concert footage, and three soundtrack selections that remind you this game had a genuinely impressive score.

What sets this variant apart is the digital content. The Ranger of the North Avatar for Xbox Live came with the full armor set, helmet, quiver, and bow, letting you rep the Dunedain across your entire Xbox dashboard. The War in the North Theme Pack added wallpaper, fonts, icons, and more, essentially skinning your 360 in Tolkien aesthetics. These are the kinds of platform-specific bonuses that vanish when the storefronts close, making sealed copies of this particular variant quietly interesting to collectors who document the full picture. Two versions of the same collector's edition, each with their own identity. That's the kind of puzzle we live for.