The original "BioShock" offered up a pretty excellent special edition, if only because of the incredibly well-made, desk-worthy Big Daddy statue. Now it looks like "BioShock 2" is following in his large, clunky footsteps with an equally compelling special edition.

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Silence, as they say, is golden. It's a rule that holds more true in video games than in most media. Quiet isn't necessarily a good thing during the heat of play – you want to hear your enemies approach, some killer tunes, Yoshi's squeal as he devours some witless sentient mushroom. A game is best served by silence in its protagonist, the lead character and, very often, the hero you get to control when you pick up the controller.

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How do you turn a deeply flawed man into a religious figure? Simple: make a sequel. That's what 2K Games did with the protagonist of the critically acclaimed "BioShock" for the upcoming sequel, "BioShock 2." The follow up to one of the best games of 2007 takes place ten years after the original game, where the inhabitants of Rapture are left with a very deep impression of the original's main character, Jack Ryan; so much so that some of the inhabitants of Rapture have placed him on a pedestal usually reserved for holy figures. At a recent demo, "BioShock 2"'s creative director, Jordan Thomas, had this to say when asked about Jack’s role in the upcoming game:

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"BioShock 2" has a lot to live up to. It's the eagerly anticipated sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed titles of the past two years and it's those very expectations of fans that run at odds with the title's chances of critical (though maybe not commercial) success. Earlier this month I spoke with Ken McClendon, the lead designer on "BioShock 2," about this very issue. Just how does one go about creating a sequel with fan expectations set to such a high bar -- especially when one considers that it was a well-crafted plot twist that cemented the first title's success in the first place?

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Earlier this month I sat down in front of a build of "BioShock 2" in room packed with journalists from the world over. Everyone seemed to be eagerly anticipating the first hands-on experience with the title and I was certainly no exception. But rather than give you all a run through of the hour-long section I played (a section of Rapture called Ryan's Amusements where children are educated of the evils of the outside world) or tell you how the game plays (like "BioShock"), I figured it would be worthwhile to note the differences between the original and this latest outing.

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"Bioshock 2" will confront high expectations when the combination sequel/prequel finally reveals itself, and the follow-up to 2007's popular Game of the Year choice now has a global street date. Tagged for the Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and PC, the the title's official day of release has been set for February 9.

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Despite the crap economy, seems like this holiday will be even more rife with special editions of video games. And, as publishers try to differentiate, they're getting more and more creative with what sorta stuff they're putting in there. Night vision goggles and rooster hats certainly spring to mind.

Anyway, what are some of your favorite special edition pack-ins from over the years?

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Xbox Live is down for the entire day today, so if you're looking to pwn some noobs, you've come to the wrong place. As an alternative, might we suggest these single player-only games to while the hours away? (Note: In the interest of keeping this list manageable, these games have no online components...but a great solo experience!)

Fallout 3

From a bang-for-your-buck perspective, few single-player games offer more value than "Fallout 3." Even without the DLC, you're looking at a good 40-50 hours of gameplay. Chances are by the time you put this one down you'll be just in time to play "Project Natal," let alone Xbox Live.
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