|
Packaging - ***
The package shows off the phaser pretty well, but lacks the usual 'try
me' feature. The battery, buried under the Type 1 phaser on top, has
one of those small plastic tabs to avoid battery discharge, but it's
also in a place that's unreachable until the toy is freed.
Sculpting - ***
I've seen this phaser modified by some customizers to be more accurate
to the film, and those models can pull big bucks on ebay.
That's due largely to the fact
that while this is technically a toy, the overall attention to detail
and accuracy is extremely good. For a very good price it gives them
something of quality to build off of.
This is actually two phasers of
course - the large Type 2 phaser, and the smaller Type 1 phaser that
fits inside the larger handle. The smaller phaser is held in place with
a VERY strong magnet that keeps the electronic contacts in place.
Unlike the older style phaser,
this Type 1 has a bit of a rough looking back edge. This is due to the
overall design of the Type 2 phaser, a phaser I have to admit to not
liking as much as its old school cousin.
The one real nit with the
overall sculpt is the trigger. On the actual version, the small button
in front is the trigger, but here there is a larger cut out section on
the front of the handle. The small button is sculpted on the handle,
but pressing it actually moves this section back as the trigger. It's
not as attractive as the real deal, and does make this look a bit more
toy-like.
Paint - ***1/2
The exterior is done in an attractive metallic silver, and is very even
in finish and color. It seems to me like it was a bit more of a
metallic blue in the film, but this is probably one of those
situations where the on screen color and real color of the prop didn't
match up.
There's a cool multi-color
reflective sticker that runs around the top section that adds some pop
to the plain silver, and of course the light features (which I'll
discuss more in the next sections) add quite a bit as well.
Sound Feature - ***
The phaser makes a number of firing sounds, depending on which lights
are activated. In fact, I think there's four or five different sounds,
but it's tough to tell at times because some are very, very close to
each other.
The type 1 and type 2 phasers
both emit the same sounds, not too surprising since the buttons on top
are the ones that control them.
The speaker is loud and clear,
easily heard over normal conversation, and is optimally positioned
right up front.
Light Feature - ***1/2
The lights are even better than the sounds, with a great combination of
effects. There are six small lights on top which light up differently
as you press the button labeled with the arrows. Depending on which
lights are blinking, the phaser makes a different sound. The lights
also blink differently when the phaser is firing.
To round off the light effects,
the large on/off button on top lights up brightly. It also emits a
noise (sadly, I forgot to mention that in the previous section!), when
turning on or turning off.
To round things off, there's
also a 'phaser beam' light, emitted from the front of course. Being a
reddish light, it's not as bright or easily visible under normal room
lighting, but in a dimmed room it looks pretty good.
Fun Factor - ****
If you're going to the Con as an older Kirk, then this is the phaser
for you. It's perfect for co splay, with enough detail to be
interesting
but not so much that it costs an arm and a leg. Sure, you can get much
more accurate, high quality versions of this phaser, but at many times
the cost you probably won't want to drag them around on Halloween or at
the local sci-fi con.
Value - ***1/2
While this isn't quite a 'prop replica', it's certainly more than your
average toy, too. At $25, you're getting a great deal either way.
Things to Watch Out For -
Nothing!
Overall - ***
I have to admit my bias - I never liked the newer STOS phasers as much
as the originals. They are sleeker, and a bit more futuristic I
suppose, but there's something about the older versions that simply
looked more lethal and realistic to me.
Still, if you're looking for a
cosplay phaser from the films, then this is the one you should be
checking out. The price is really reasonable considering the quality of
the lights and sounds, and this is the perfect toy for the Star Trek
geek.
Score Recap:
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ***
Paint - ***1/2
Sound Feature - ***
Light Up Feature - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - ***
Overall - ***
|
Stumble It!
