One of the first reasons I started collecting action figures was to have a trophy and a fun representative of a game I really enjoyed. When I got my first PlayStation (4, still running!) I fell into a deep immersion in the world of Horizon: Zero Dawn. It's an amazing game with a killer environmental aesthetic, an intriguing world narrative, and a strong female character who doesn't need a romantic relationship to be a valuable main character in the story. Aloy is a strong warrior who is embarking on a quest with a complicated destiny. She has grown up in a world where technology has reverted for humankind into bows and arrows, and yet the planet is roamed by ancient robots that are more animal-like than anything. They begin to act more erratically, though, attacking humans and becoming dangerous in every environment they inhabit.
Aloy uncovers the mysteries of the world and how it came to be, while also learning more about her own personal history. The combat, stealth and weapon abilities are amazing in the game, as well as how you can command and ride creatures. My favourite in this second game is riding the large robot pterodactyls (Sunwings). Graphics are incredible, though I will say, for some reason, the facial animation for Aloy I wasn't as fond of. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but I preferred it in Horizon: Zero Dawn.
This figure is a very solid release. The paint isn't as refined as a NECA product, but it's got quite a lot of articulation in spades, a decent range of motion and articulation, and quite a few well-done accessories. Honestly, looking at others in this line makes me want to get most of them, except for maybe Kratos and Atreus, because I already have a very well-done NECA boxed set of them.
Sculpt/Paint: 3/3 At a price point under $40 CAD, the paint here is amazing. It is leagues better than a McFarlane DC figure standard release. These feel a lot closer to NECA figures than anything else. The paint used is admittedly fairly flat, but it is colourful, it follows the sculpt, and there aren't really many missed details here. The face sculpt and colours look good, and all the piping, necklace bands and armour pieces are painted well. Proportion-wise, these are a bit short even for 1:12th scale and come just under some of my SH figuarts Naruto figures. This one is closer to 5"3/4, and that's with the big hair put in.
Articulation: 3/3 (32+ if you factor in the movable hair parts). The articulation is quite extensive, but like NECA, there are some areas I worry about breaking if you move parts without caution. The ankles are hinged and swivel at a 45 degree ankle, and feel like the peg is difficult to move (watch out, could snap!). There is a small ball joint higher up, mid-calf. The feet have toe hinges, which I could always take or leave on figures, but here it isn't too loose. The thighs have cuts for swivel and basic ball joints at the hips. Strangely, the waist doesn't have a twist, but there is a very nice ab cut out crunch, and good diaphragm swivel that has a lot of range, and helps take out the sting of no waist swivel. The shoulders are standard high swivels, and they do this for the elbows as well. The wrists have a hinged swivel that is so small that it is hard to see. This is another case of possible snapping if you don't handle it carefully. The head has a lower and upper neck ball joint, and the hair has a bunch of points that allow you to create a windswept or action effect. Very cool!
Accessories: 1/1 I can't say this has ALL the accessories Aloy uses in the game, but I feel like that could easily be a variation release to include all the crazy weapons you can use in the game. Like, I understand not having the Caster or many of the explosive types. What it DOES have is pretty good. You get the spear, the bow (with a nice, slightly elastic string), arrow, and quiver that attaches at a peg on the hip. There are also six extra hands for punching, bow use, and spear holding. The face plates are pretty good too, different expressions and war paint choices. Very nice!
Fun Factor: 2/3 The figure is quite a bit of fun to play with, but loses a mark for the following: 1) When you move the joints, they kind of "bounce" or elasticize back a little, making posing tricky at times and 2) the concern about snapping the very tiny wrist and ankle swivels. 3) Tricky to balance with both the non-flat feet and the mid ball joint at the calf, making it harder to stick a pose. Other than that, very cool to put in a pose, and likely I'll give her a jumping bow shot pose on my shelf!
Verdict 9/10 Worthy Considering the price compared to current action figures being sold, this is a REALLY good deal, especially considering there aren't any real contenders out there for an Aloy action figure. I would not only recommend this one, but I will also be ordering Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima and likely some others that I never got the chance to buy for video games I've really enjoyed.
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| The deluxe box was quite nice! |
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| Box unfolded, left side was the accessory tray |
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| Looks very focused |
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| Back view |
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| Accessories! Quite a nice spread |
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| Good splits! |
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Had to use the spear to balance the figure! First time in a A
long time I haven't been able to get a figure standing on one foot!
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| Stabby stab! |
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| Look yonder! faceplate |
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| I don't know exactly how to use this face! |
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This is the best archer figure I've seen/had. The bowstring being elastic is great, the
arms pose well, and the arrow fits perfectly in her fingers. 10/10 |
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