So, as I plunge head first into an all new line to collect except for Transformers, I am awestruck. Completely. That happened because I was smart enough to choose what may be one of the best toylines I have ever seen in person.
If you're a gamer, or at least like to play computer/video games every now and then, you must have heard of the Bioshock games. And if you haven't, you really need to look them up. NOW. It's a first person shooter, set in the underwater steampunk city of Rapture, where genetically enhanced humans have mutated into "splicers", insane freaks who killed off most of the sane population.
The first game was released in 2007, and the sequel was released back in February this year. To promote the new game, toy company NECA (famous for their Ninja Turtles, Predators, Gremlins, etc.) contacted the creators of the Bioshock franchise, 2KGames and basically told them "yeah, you have an awesome game here, and we want to turn that into toys". Said and done.
The first figure released was Big Daddy, which I'm reviewing here. It was released a few months prior to Bioshock 2 hitting shelves, hence the "sneak preview" sticker
Already in these pictures, you can see glimps of how highly detailed Big Daddy is, and that he is not, in fact, a Micromaster
You can also see that there is no character bio in the back, which really is a shame as the story behind the Big Daddies is both interesting and shocking, but it does give you a good look at the rest of the upcoming Bioshock 2 figures.
Removing Big Daddy from the packaging reveals how big and heavy the figure really is. The plastic is really high quality, thick and sturdy. Resembling a turn of the century deep sea diving suit on steroids, the Big Daddy hunches over menacingly with a HUGE drill attachment for a right hand. NECA nails the steely drill, brass/copper piping and armor plating with extreme detail, the surfaces realistically portrayed with scuffs, nicks, and pockmarks. It's metal made of plastic, all brought to life by a very convincing paint job. The figure is around 20 cm tall, and about 15 cm wide, and it weighs almost ½ kg!
It's not just the metal that looks like metal. The clothing looks like clothing as well. This figure is just so incredibly detailed, I can't even describe it all
NECA also took great care with the more fragile-looking parts, like the face cage, the tank valve and such. They're made out of a softer, bit more rubbery plastic, but by no means as soft as for instance the antenna on Animated Wreck-Gar's head. I could probably drop Big Daddy from several feet up without any damage. Awesome
When you look at the figure, it doesn't look like an action figure, does it? It looks like a rare, fragile collectible. But you couldn't be more wrong! As I stated earlier, the figure is really heavy and high quality, and the paint job and detailing is really, really, great. Big Daddy is also really well articulated so you can do all those cool action poses
Big Daddy has ball jointed shoulders, thighs, elbows, ankles, and wrists, along with swivel knees and a rotating drill! And they're so cleverly hidden and tucked away, you can hardly see them when just looking at the figure!
See any joints? They put an impressive amount of articulation into such a hulking figure, and I'm really, really impressed. I can't wait to open up the rest of the figures that more closely resemble humans and check out the articulation on those! I wonder what Transformers would be like if they had this amount of detailing in them.. Not even Masterpieces come anywhere near the level of detailing and paint, and the NECA Bioshock 2 toys aren't even that expensive! Big Daddy retails for about $20!
Anyways, hope you liked this review, and now you need to go play the Bioshock games and buy these figures!
Non-Transformers: NECA Bioshock 2 Big Daddy
25 September 2010, 16:51
Arlöv, Sweden
