I’ve had my fair proportion of quirks with Strictly Restricted through the years. A lot of the points had been both infinite ready occasions or the occasional product that felt… effectively, low-cost. However is the corporate outright unhealthy? Have they ever ripped me off? No — they haven’t. Nonetheless, I ultimately stopped shopping for their “overpriced” restricted editions, identical to I finished shopping for from their much more overpriced rival.
So What Occurred?
All of it got here down to 2 main disappointments: the Ultracore collector’s version and the Ninja Saviours collector’s version. Each had been observe‑ups or reimaginations of Amiga classics — and each had been genuinely good video games — however the collector’s bins themselves had been such a letdown that it pushed me over the sting. After that, I made a decision to name it quits.
And truthfully, it wasn’t simply the standard. My mancave was getting full, my cabinets had been groaning, and my girlfriend was getting an increasing number of pissed off with the rising mountain of “restricted” bins. Sooner or later, one thing needed to give.
MAGAZINES, OLD CONSOLES, GAMES AND BOXES HAD TO GO…
My mancave was full, and promoting stuff was out of the query… or perhaps it wasn’t. A number of issues did go — principally outdated laptop magazines and people large mom‑F‑massive recreation bins 🙈.
However the remorse hit quick. I’m speaking two minutes earlier than even placing the listings up. After which the reminiscences got here flooding again: I’d already bought my Dreamcast, my Xbox, my Sega Grasp System, my Sega Mega Drive, my Nintendo 64, and all of them with stacks of video games. I even dumped a bunch of Loot Crates, too.
Now? Yeah… I remorse it much more now when I’m writing about it right here.
However on the identical time, I by no means actually used any of it. So perhaps it was good riddance. Perhaps. Collector logic is a harmful factor.
PlayStation VR2 Appropriate, Look AT That Shiny Field…
With the previous disasters behind us, let’s look ahead — as a result of as we speak one thing genuinely particular hit my mailbox. The uncommon‑to‑be PS VR2 (and flat PS5) recreation I,ROBOT by Jeff Minter and the crew at Llamasoft, revealed by Atari and launched bodily by Strictly Restricted, lastly arrived. And the strangest half? I truly did order it… final week… and it was low-cost. How weird is that?
After years of delays, overpriced bins, and collector heartbreak, all of a sudden a Llamasoft title simply exhibits up at my door prefer it teleported there. It virtually looks like Strictly Restricted is attempting to redeem themselves — or perhaps the universe glitched for a second.
And earlier than I neglect: large shout‑out to Savage Gamer on X. Take a look at his profile and provides him a observe — it’s completely price your time.
I already reviewed the sport within the Each PS VR2 Recreation Reviewed sequence, however I’ve determined to incorporate it right here too:
Oh, how I really like Jeff Minter’s video games. I’ve adopted him because the early ’80s, and nearly each single title he’s launched has ended up as a Recreation of the Yr contender in my e book.
I, Robotic is a type of peculiar, oddball creations that might solely come from Minter’s thoughts — a recreation like no different. It’s chaotic, hypnotic, and unapologetically bizarre… and that’s precisely why I am keen on it.
Initially an Atari arcade recreation from 1984 designed by Dave Theurer, this re-imagined model reboots the idea by Minter’s kaleidoscopic lens. The PSVR2 version transforms it into a vibrant, sensory overload full of weird sound results, pulsating rhythms, and dazzling visuals that look completely beautiful by the OLED lenses.
Gameplay is cut up into a number of distinct modes. The principle one includes a Gridder-style mechanic the place you glide throughout tiles to color them in — full all of them, and the extent is completed. Then there’s a tunnel shooter sequence paying homage to Polybius on the unique PSVR, and at last an arena-style shoot ’em up the place you clear waves of enemies to advance.
It’s not precisely a “showcase” title for PSVR2 within the conventional sense, however for retroheads and Minter followers alike, that is pure gold.
The sport runs at what seems to be a local 120 fps, with razor-sharp readability and that signature Llamasoft aptitude that by no means fails to soften your mind — in the absolute best means. * Enjoyable, superior and odd – not for everybody although *
The precise recreation field is effectively made, nice use of colors, and it’ll match properly subsequent to my different Jeff Minter video games assortment (starting from the early eighties to now, btw)
Once I have a look at this recreation field, I begin to surprise the way it may very well be potential that video games like Polybius and TxK by no means acquired a bodily version. IMHO, it is a catastrophe; Jeff Minter’s video games have to be served higher.
Strictly Restricted Loot Crate? That’s Actually The First Factor That Got here To Thoughts.
As a collector, I anticipated the same old routine: the sport arrives, I crack open the mailer, verify the situation, slide it onto the shelf, and admire it like a trophy. However this time, once I opened the field, there have been six sudden extras staring again at me — and all of a sudden, Strictly Restricted had my consideration once more.
For an organization recognized for tight budgets and minimalist packaging, this felt like a real shift. They didn’t simply toss in filler; they included objects with actual collector enchantment. High quality pins, a steel coin, stickers — the form of small however significant bonuses that make a bodily launch really feel curated slightly than mass‑produced.
And sure, some collectors scoff at cross‑promotion merch, however I don’t. I truly like it when firms slip in objects from different video games. It’s a part of the enjoyable — slightly nudge towards discovering one thing new, a reminder of the broader ecosystem of area of interest titles we like to chase.
Contained in the field was a Bubble Bobble pin, a Cannon Dancer coin, a Deathsmiles I+II pin, and three stickers tied to video games I’ve by no means even heard of. However that’s the attraction: sudden, quirky, and completely shelf‑worthy. For as soon as, Strictly Restricted delivered one thing that felt like a correct collector’s bundle.
Buuuuuuuuut… There was yet one more factor within the field that rubbed me the improper means.
A NINJA SAVIOR KEY CHAIN???…
As a collector, this one hit me proper within the backbone.
I bear in mind seeing this keychain earlier than the Ninja Saviors Collector’s Version was even introduced. I’m virtually sure it was proven someplace again then — and now right here it’s, casually tossed right into a random Strictly Restricted cargo as a substitute of being included within the precise CE field the place it clearly belonged.
And that’s what stings.
It is a fairly rattling cool merchandise, the form of factor that ought to’ve been front-and-centre within the Collector’s Version — not hidden in a shock merch bundle months or years later. It truthfully makes me surprise if that is yet one more signal that Strictly Restricted tousled the Ninja Saviors CE early in manufacturing. A black field, a black slipcase, and now this keychain floating round outdoors the CE? It paints an image… and never a flattering one.
– However hey, perhaps it’s only a PR stunt. Perhaps they’re dangling this keychain in entrance of us collectors to tempt us into shopping for massive Collector’s bins from them once more. Wouldn’t be the primary time an organization tried that trick.
And right here’s the worst half: I actually wish to use this on my precise keyring. However I’m terrified it’ll snap. So as a substitute, it’ll most likely find yourself on show subsequent to the Collector’s Version — yet one more trophy within the shrine of “cool issues I’m too scared to truly use.”
THE END, THE VERDICT, THE UNEXPECTED BLOG POST…
And that’s the complete haul — the whole lot that got here within the package deal, gathered into one satisfying collector’s unfold. A small supply, certain, however completely worthy of its personal highlight. These sudden moments, the surprises, the eccentricities, the little jolts of nostalgia and confusion… they’re a part of what makes accumulating enjoyable within the first place.
Thanks for studying, and for dropping by the weblog as soon as once more. Rock on — and catch you afterward.
