Hey everybody -- We've reached that time: there's only one week left in this campaign, and so it's time to start rolling out a ton of updates as we get into that final stretch.

First, let me again give a huge sincere thanks to everyone who's supported this campaign so far! If you'd told me in the lead-up that together we'd nearly double the original goal in its first three weeks (and many actually did try to convince me it might), there is absolutely, honestly no way I would have believed you.

So: as my way of doing more than just saying thanks, I've reached out to even more of my most talented friends to put together something extra special for the people who made this campaign a success, which it's now time to reveal.

For donators $25 and higher, a FEZ soundtrack EP by Disasterpeace

Over the past few weeks, I've had the extreme good fortune to spend time with a near-final version of Polytron's long-awaited Xbox Live Arcade debut adventure game FEZ, and I don't quite yet fully have the words to say just how amazing & entirely worth the wait it is.

Now, you'll have the chance to experience at least part of that amazingness before everyone else with the Fragment EP, a three-song digital soundtrack preview from composer Rich 'Disasterpeace' Vreeland. Already in heavy rotation here and still consistently giving me heart-clenches and goosebumps, Fragment will give you your first sense of the game's incredible atmosphere & mood. 

With hints of Boards of Canada's beautifully tape-looped & corrupted soundscapes and even a bit of epic, sweeping Vangelis (!), this is definitely going to be your new favorite game soundtrack of the year, sitting directly next to Jim Guthrie's masterful SWORD & SWORCERY LP.

For donators $75 and higher, a Venus Patrol T-shirt by Mikko Walamies

I've had more than a few requests to take some of those extra donations and splurge on a Venus Patrol T-shirt, and I don't think I could have come back with anything better than this: an original design by Mikko Walamies, the artist & graphic designer behind early iPhone favorite ROLANDO and upcoming indie PS3 adventure OKABU.

Even as we finalize inks & fabrics, Mikko's first sketch above is already exactly what I'd hoped for: a T-shirt for a videogame website that's actually, like, sort of sexy -- a scene that conjures the kind of mystery, wonder and beauty I'd like to see more of in games themselves, rather than relying on the usual 8-bit/nostalgic game-shirt tropes. 

I've still got a few more things I'm trying to stuff up my sleeves to then immediately let loose on you in these final days, but I hope you're as excited to get both of these things as I am to be offering them through the campaign!

I'll be back with more updates on these and everything else very soon: in the meantime, thanks for all your help spreading the word -- which I hope you continue to do! -- and if you've already pledged and want to bump your donation up to receive the things above, don't forget that you can "manage your pledge" button on the main page to hit the next level.

Thanks again!

-B.