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One of the complaints with the early figures from Formative was their
cheapness. Of course, they only cost eight bucks, so some level of
cheapness was to be expected. But they have consistently improved
the quality of both their figures and accessories. I picked this guy
up at Target for $7.99.
Packaging - **
Nothing exciting here. A basic box, with little info provided. Articulation - ***1/2
All of the 12" bodies are trying to one-up each other these
days. The only one out there that currently out does the
articulation on this body is the new Sideshow Toy with articulated feet,
but it's not really out yet. They've done a terrific job with an
excellent 12" body. Even if you don't care for the characters,
these bodies are cheap enough to work great for customs. I'm pretty
sure this is exactly the same body they used for the moving soldiers last
fall, without the controller. My only problem
is that they joints seem a little loose. It's nothing major, but they were
a little floppy. The body doesn't seem a lot taller than the Dragons
- it is slightly taller than 21st Century stuff though. Check out
the picture at the bottom for a comparison. He is definitely bulkier
in the chest though, and would probably work well for super hero customs. Accessories -
***
The accessories with this figure are a world above some of the previous
items from Formative. The handgun, Thompson, and knife are very hard
plastic, and are extremely well sculpted, particularly at this price
point. The dog tags are decent, but the holster and sheath are still
not very well done. The cloth bag is very plain, but will hold quite a few
items They need to work on these soft accessories, but the hard
plastic ones they are now producing are terrific. This is another
reason to pick these up - the accessories are at a level of quality that
they can be used for kitbashing. Sculpting -
**1/2
The head sculpt on this figure is adequate. I would prefer if he had
his mouth shut, but the appearance would work for any number of
customs. Also, these heads are easily removed if you'd like to swap
this body to another figure. Outfit - ***
The shirt and pants on this figure would make a terrific Ninja
outfit. Jet black, with real pockets in the front of the shirt, this
costume is very useful. The boots are also terrific, and the soft
rubber works much better to take them off and put them back on. The
belt fits well, and has a decent clasp. The only less than exciting
item here is the beret - I prefer hard plastic berets to cloth ones, but
as cloth ones go this one is pretty good. Value - ****
One of the best values you'll ever find. This figure, at eight
bucks, goes to show just what is possible. A clothed, 12",
highly articulated figure with good accessories, under $8. These
figures might not be the most exciting characters, but the possibilities
for kitbashers and customizers is almost unlimited. Overall - ***
I highly recommend these figures for two groups - folks who want the
bodies, outfits and accessories for customs and kit bashes, and kids, who
will get lots of play value out of these reasonably priced figures.
Need to build up your army? Then Soldiers of the World are for you!
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