There’s only one thing better than playing games and that’s collecting every piece of merchandise tied to them. There was nothing like flipping through your favorite gaming magazine and seeing a profile of a limited edition collectible or discovering a piece of memorabilia from a beloved game in an overlooked corner of a shop and it’s a feeling we strive to replicate every month as we look through our own collector’s cabinet and dig out items new and old to show the world.

Back in 2013, visual novel developer Love in Space launched a Kickstarter campaign for Sunrider. This space-based RPG/visual novel drew attention and was funded within the first few days. As with most Kickstarters, this one offered a variety of physical goods for backers. The $75 tier offered a collector’s edition box version alongside a lot of other items such as a poster and 3D model. Last year, a few boxed copies of Sunrider were left over from the campaign and sold on Sekai Project’s storefront. This was just the boxed copy itself and none of the other physical or digital items also available during the funding campaign.

The Sunrider Limited Edition box is the same size as old PC boxes, but does not open in the same way. There's a cardboard latch on the side, causing the box to open more like a book. This box is also signed on the outside with a silver pen. Inside the box are a copy of the game, concert art booklet and another art book as well as a postcard. Love in Space also produced a limited edition for Shining Song Starnova, which included a soundtrack CD, but this special edition does not.

It’s amusing to see the postcard inside as it is a thank you note for backers of the campaign. Of course, buying the game years after the campaign, this “thank you” is no longer directed toward anyone in particular. The physical version of the game is a DRM-free DVD which includes the following: Sunrider: First Arrival, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius and Sunrider: Liberation Day. These are the different chapters of the game. At this point, Sunrider: First Arrival and Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius are available as a single free download on Steam. Sunrider: Liberation Day - Captain’s Edition is also available for $24.99 on Steam.

The two included art books are the Sunrider: Concept Collection and Sunrider: The Visual Collection. Between the two, The Visual Collection is of much higher quality. This paperback book features a nice glue binding and 52 full color glossy pages. It depicts art of the characters, mechs, ships and a variety of CGs from the game. Please note that the CGs could contain spoilers so don’t flip through before beating the game. The CGs also include nudity so the book is best for 18+ gamers.

The Sunrider: Concept Collection booklet on the other hand did not receive the same level of care. It feels like a cheaply made zine, with 26 pages of black and white sketches on folded printer paper that was simply stapled together on one edge. It’s confusing why this content was not included in The Visual Collection in a sketches section. Alternately, why was this booklet not given the same high quality treatment as The Visual Collection? Either way, it’s a let down compared to the other items.

Overall, the Sunrider Limited Edition feels right at home alongside other Kickstarter limited edition packages. It includes the game and a few extras in a nice big box. This is worth owning for fans of Sunrider who want a physical product. As of now, the game isn’t available physically by other means. Those who don’t need a physical copy can of course pick the game up digitally via Steam.

Want to look through the rest of our Collector’s Cabinet? Head right here.