Review of Kratos - God of War
Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

If you've ever seen a video game, you know who Kratos is. The God of War franchise has been very productive and lucrative over the years, but surprisingly there hasn't been a ton of merchandise or other adaptations. No tv or movie deals (yet, although there's been a movie 'in development for a long time), and while NECA has done a few figures (the 1/4 scale version is great), Kratos hasn't been done to death. Or in sixth scale at all.

Mondo's version has just started shipping. They are producing two versions as usual, a regular (reviewed tonight) and an exclusive (with a few more accessories). The regular will run you around $230, and the exclusive is just $5 more.  This is one of those cases where I'd go exclusive if you can, and he just so happens to still be available.

Packaging - ****
The box is quite attractive, with an outer slip cover that has a die cut front, showing the God of War emblem on the inner box. This inner box also has a wrap around fifth panel, and the artwork is great. It's all collector friendly of course, and the box itself is very sturdy and will hold up to handling and shelf wear. They could have added some basic instructions, but you'll be able to figure it out.

Sculpting - ****
Kratos comes with two portraits - the "I think I'm going to rip your head off" expression, and the alternate "I'm going to rip your head off!" screaming face. Both are quite realistic, and they match the game appearance extremely well. The detail work in the beard is particularly impressive, but the skin texture and wrinkling is quite nice as well.

The body has some nice texture too, with some scarring and veining. This excellent detail work carries over to the various accessories, especially the severed head of Mimir.

Kratos is a big dude of course, and I believe in the game he's supposed to be in the 6' 6" range. Here, he's even bigger, coming in at 13" which would translate to 7'.

Paint - ***1/2
Overall, the paint quality is very high, with a lot of attention paid to the three heads. The terrific detail work on the beards is highlighted by the paint on all three, and the smaller details - eyes, eyebrows, teeth, lips - look terrific. There's even a nice glowing effect to the right eye of Mimir.

The body work isn't quite as detailed, and the broad, flat color tends to wash out some of the sculpt. The tattoos look good, with some aging and fading, but the overall body is less impressive than the heads.

Articulation - ***
The underlying body is not all that impressive, but it can take some decent action poses.

The ball jointed neck is good, and the heads swap easily. There's some tilt and lean, and you can add a little personality with it.

The rotating hinge shoulders, elbows, and wrists work as you'd expect. It's these elbows that are the most restricted, making some natural arm poses difficult. They are less ugly than other designs, but also less mobile.

There's a rolling torso joint, but it's a tight fit, with little movement.  The hips, knees, and ankles work better than I expected however, and you can get some decent rocker movement for the feet. The top section of the boots, above the knee, is a separate piece, allowing better posing of the knees.

Accessories - ****
This is the regular version - for an extra $5, you get three more accessories with the exclusive, and it's well worth it.  However, even without those three, there's plenty here.

I already mentioned his second portrait, and it's a very useful one. Depending on the mood you're going for, you may swap between the two with some regularity.

There's also some extra hands, each with their own wrist peg.  He comes with fists, but you can swap in tight grips or open hands.

There's the head of Mimir I mentioned earlier, perhaps my favorite of the extras. He can carry it in a gripping hand, or he can have it hanging off his belt. The sculpt and paint work is outstanding.

There's a small fanny pack - yea, they were cool then - which can hook on the back of his belt as well. He also has a bag of Ash, which is sculpted solid.

There are two versions of his shield, open and closed. Both of these use a magnet to attach to the gauntlet on his left arm. It's a brilliant idea, far better than trying to use posts or straps. Either look good in place, and the magnet is strong enough to keep them there. It's quite easy to swap as well.

He needs some weapons of course, and he has his Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos. The axe has the carved runes on the blade, and a very detailed handle sculpt. The blades have a nice pitting and aging, and there are two real metal chains attached to the hilt. These can then be wrapped around the forearms in impressive ways.

There is a small knife too, with a sheath that can, like several of the other items, be hooked on his belt.

Finally, there's a display stand, with a carved base and crotch support.  Overall, it's a very nice set of extras, but the exclusive includes another pair of blades and another axe, all for just $5 more.

Outfit - ***1/2
Unlike their BTAS or MOTU sixth scale figures, old Kratos has an actual costume made from soft goods - cloth, leather, faux fur. The stitching is quite nice, and the tailoring is great. Everything fits tightly without being too restrictive, and the overall look matches up with the game appearance quite well.

The sculpted bits of armor also blend in well, creating a consistent appearance between pieces like the sculpted plastic fanny pack and the leather 'skirt'. The fur vest is particularly cool, although there's more of it in the back than the front.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
The two heads are both very useful, and allow you to mix up the poses on the shelf with regularity. He also has enough accessories to create quite a few different battle looks, and while the articulation might be a little disappointing, you can still get some great fighting stances. Perhaps most important, the quality of the sculpt, paint, outfit, and accessories is such that he can go up against other sixth scale characters from other high end companies and not look out of place.

Value - *1/2
When I reviewed their Mer-Man last week, I mentioned I was a bit worried about the $170 price point. And then this guy hits at $230.

To be fair, this is closer to a true modern sixth scale figure, and less like a large plastic action figure. With a good assortment of accessories and a very nice cloth outfit, I have no trouble comparing him to other higher end sixth scale offerings.

But even then, this guy is in the league with Asmus, or ThreeZero, or even Blitzway.  I'd go with an average **1/2 for him anywhere in the $180 - $200 range, no problem. But at $230, he's pushing it even for Hot Toys.

Now, we don't know how expensive this particular license is, and that is always a big factor. But I think $200 is a far more appropriate mark, given what we do know.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing. It's all quite sturdy. I was a little worried though about the long term safety of the small rope on his belt that I used to hang Mimir. If you use it, I'd take a little care.

Overall - ***1/2
My only nit - and this is common these days - is with the price point. They are asking Hot Toys money for him, and I don't think he's quite there.

However, he is also the only sixth scale Kratos we've ever seen, and might be the only one we ever see, at least for the foreseeable future. And while the price is high, he's still a very high quality figure that can hold his own against the others on your shelf.  If you're a big God of War fan, it's unlikely that the price will deter you, and you'll be quite happy with the final product when you get it in your hands.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ****
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ***
Accessories - ****
Outfit - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - *1/2
Overall - ***1/2

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has the pre-order for $230.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
If you like Mondo's sixth scale work, check out their MOTU, Rick and Morty, or BTAS stuff.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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