Loot Gaming - July, 2016 - Stranded

Hey, everyone! Mike here, and as you can probably tell by the title of this entry, I have subscribed to one of the "spin-off" Loot Crates. Here, have a look:

In case some of you haven't heard of Loot Crate, it’s a monthly subscription box that caters to "nerds" and "geeks". Each month, subscribers get a box of items that match the announced theme. Loot Gaming is the video game version of Loot Crate and caters to gamers. Like its parent program, Loot Gaming has different subscription options. Here's a breakdown with shipping to Canada included:

1 Month Plan - $34.95 USD / $47.00 CAD per month

3 Month Plan - $101.85 USD / $138.00 CAD per 3 months

6 Month Plan - $197.70 USD / $268.00 CAD per 6 months

1 Year Plan - $383.40 / $519.00 CAD per year

If you've seen the pricing for Loot Crate, you will notice that Loot Gaming is more expensive. Plus, the conversion to Canadian Dollars is pretty painful, probably due to the weak dollar over here. One can only hope the items are still worth the price tag.

JULY, 2016 - STRANDED

Yes, it's mid-August and I just received my July Loot Gaming box. This is probably because Loot Gaming ships later than Loot Crate. I can understand that with so many spin-offs and one-offs, Loot Crate needs to stagger their shipping, but it would have been nice to receive the July box in July. Oh, well. Such is life!

So, what items did I receive in my box? Here's a list with approximate Canadian pricing:

- Loot Gaming Mini Magazine ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Gaming Theme Pin ($2.50 CAD)

- Far Cry Primal T-Shirt ($18.00 CAD)

- Dead Island Towel ($15.00 CAD)

- Assassin's Creed Flask ($13.50 CAD)

- Tomb Raider Figure ($12.00 CAD)

Loot Gaming Custom Box

Like with Loot Crate, subscribers to Loot Gaming receive their items in a box that has a themed design inside. As seen in the photo above, the July box can be folded into a cool temple shrine. My only criticism is that the steps printed on the lid look awkward when the box is placed on a flat surface. The main body of the box would have to be raised up, allowing the lid to come downwards, for the design to truly look right.

Loot Gaming Mini Magazine

I'm a big fan of Loot Crate's mini magazines and the quality in the Stranded issue for Loot Gaming is equivalent. I especially liked reading the interview with actor Phil LaMarr.

Loot Gaming Theme Pin

The pin I received in my Loot Gaming box follows the new circular design of the Loot Crate pins, which is fantastic. I'm not sure that a hunting knife is the best representation of being stranded, but I actually really like the design as a whole.

Far Cry Primal T-Shirt

I recently bought "Far Cry: Primal", but haven't played it yet. I'll definitely be wearing this shirt when I do 'cause it looks really cool.

Dead Island Towel

I'm a huge fan of zombie games, but I have yet to play "Dead Island". Now that I have this awesome towel, I guess I'll have to sooner than later! Also, I need to mention that this is a very creative item for a subscription box. It was totally unexpected.

Assassin's Creed Flask

I've always wanted a flask and now, I have one from "Assassin's Creed: Black Flag". Nice!

Tomb Raider Figure

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Tomb Raider", Loot Gaming included this exclusive vinyl figure. It's cute and badass at the same time, but there are some problems. I'll start with this photo:

The box the figure came in was a little beat up because the packers had to stuff it into a shipping box that was just a bit too small for all the items in it. Considering how small the actual figure is, I think a smaller box for it would have been a good idea to avoid it getting squished and to also be less wasteful.

As for the figure itself, I had to lean it against the box in the first photo because it is very top-front-heavy and the bottoms of its boots are uneven. Here, have a look:

As you can see, most of the mass of the head is in the front. Combine that with the arms pointing forward and we already have a problem keeping this figure standing on its own. The uneven boot bottoms just make matters worse.

I'm quite disappointed in this figure. As great as it looks, it seems whoever designed it rushed things and now I can't display it properly. It's a shame.

OVERVIEW

My first experience with Loot Gaming was mostly positive. Despite the higher price tag for the subscription compared to Loot Crate and the low amount of items, the overall value was definitely good. The items themselves were also great for the most part. I especially liked the flask and the towel. The only item that wasn't up to par was the "Tomb Raider" figure.

Would I recommend Loot Gaming? It's a little early to say. I'm definitely going to stay on for at least one more month, though, so stay tuned for another Loot Gaming review next month. If you're interested in learning more directly from the source, you can visit the Loot Crate web site HERE.

As always, thanks for reading and see you again soon!

~ Mike

Loot Crate - October, 2014 - Fear

It's October! Halloween Month! Jess' favourite time of year! YEAH! I'm happy to say that although my Loot Crate arrived a little late this month, it still made it before November. After being a subscriber for several months now, I'm pretty convinced that the delivery speed is determined by Canada Post, so I'm not going to blame Loot Crate for any delays. As long as my box arrives in the month it belongs in, all's good.

Now, for those of you who haven't heard of Loot Crate, it is a monthly subscription box that caters towards "nerds" and "geeks". Each month, subscribers get a themed box of 6 to 8 items. What's interesting is that Loot Crate has different subscription programs. Here's a breakdown:

1 Month Plan - $19.37 USD / $29.95 CAD per month
3 Month Plan - $55.11 USD / $84.00 CAD per 3 months
6 Month Plan - $105.99 USD / $162.00 CAD per 6 months

OCTOBER - FEAR

When I was a member of Nerd Block last year, I was extremely disappointed when their October box had absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. They could have at least had one Halloween-y item, but no. They didn't care. This year, I was really excited to hear that Loot Crate's October theme is FEAR. Finally, a Halloween-themed box! Wahoo! So, what scary awesomeness did I get in the mail?

- Loot Crate Mini Magazine with 3D Glasses ($2.50 CAD)

- Loot Crate Theme Pin ($0.75 CAD)

- How to Survive a Sharknado ($13.00 CAD)

- Death by Kittens T-Shirt ($15.00 CAD)

- Walking Dead Art Print ($2.00 CAD)

- Walking Dead Comic with Exclusive Cover ($5.00 CAD)

- Dead Rising Pen ($12.00 CAD)

- Slashes & Bites Tattoos ($5.00 CAD)

- Toxic Waste Candy ($0.25 CAD)

- SMITE Gift Card

Custom Loot Crate Box

Another custom box?! Yes, another custom box! I love it. I absolutely, positively love it. To say I'm blown away is both fitting and not enough to describe how appreciative I am of the amazing people working over at Loot Crate HQ.

Loot Crate Mini Magazine with 3D Glasses

One of the awesome aspects of being a Loot Crate subscriber is that each month, I get a magazine with nerdy articles and a kickass cover. This month, Loot Crate really outdid themselves not only with an incredible cover design, but a cover design that is 3D! And, yes, they included old school blue and red 3D glasses to let you experience the epicness. :D

Loot Crate Theme Pin

One word: Zombies!

How to Survive a Sharknado

Remember that little made-for-TV movie on SyFy starring Tara Reid that involved sharks and tornadoes? Well, this is a book that helps you survive the destructive combination that is sharks and tornadoes, as well as other bizarre disasters. It's a must-read.

Death by Kittens T-Shirt

I don't know... On the one hand, I love the Punisher, so a white skull on a black T-shirt is awesome. On the other hand, the skull is made of kittens. Cute, cuddly kittens... So, if I wear this shirt instead of my Punisher shirt when I go paintballing, will I still instill fear in the hearts of my enemies?

Walking Dead Art Print

Oh, man. This postcard-sized art print is both adorable and heartbreaking. Hopefully, this thing doesn't spoil anything for people who haven't watched the show...

Walking Dead Comic with Exclusive Cover

I am a huge fan of the Walking Dead comics, and it was a very pleasant surprise to get Issue 132 with an exclusive Loot Crate variant cover. I won't be opening the bag, though. This baby is going on my shelf and I'm going to read the digital version instead. :p

Dead Rising Pen

While I was writing the descriptions above, all I could think of was writing about this incredible Loot Crate exclusive Dead Rising pen. The saw is the cap and the sledgehammer is the pen. I have never played Dead Rising, but zombie games are a favourite in the Chan household and I've been dying to play my copy of Dead Rising 2. This pen is just so ridiculously cool that it's now sitting on my desk as a display piece. I don't see myself ever using it as a pen!

Slashes & Bites Tattoos

Okay, these are pretty neat. Neither Jess nor I will ever be using them, though, so off to our niece they go. Yep, we spoil her!

Toxic Waste Candy

The name and "Hazardously Sour" note have me intrigued. I'll be trying this watermelon-flavoured candy very, very soon. Wish me luck!

SMITE Gift Card

I've heard a lot about the game SMITE and have been itching to try it out. Now, with a free Halloween-themed skin, it's only a matter of time before I'll be killing things with a god. :D

OVERVIEW

I gotta say, Loot Crate really knows how to do a Halloween box! From the custom box design down to the candy, this month's crate is exactly the kind of subscription box I expect for October. My favourite item is, quite obviously, the pen. It's the kind of custom item that keeps me coming back for more each month.

I have been extremely excited since the Loot Crate Facebook page announced that the upcoming theme will be "Battle". As a fan of Street Fighter, I can't wait to see what kind of items I'll be getting. If you're interested in learning more about Loot Crate, please check out their Web Site. If you would like to subscribe, you can get $3 off using the code BATTLE

Thanks for checking out my blog. See you in November!

~ Mike