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Packaging - **1/2
It’s sturdy and the graphics are indicative of the game, but this blister card just seems kind of plain in the end. I’ve just been spoiled by clamshells this past year, and I’m being lazy about reviewing blister cards these days. I admit it.
Sculpting - ***1/2
The Grunt is certainly an improvement in design over the hunching Elite. You’re not going to have any balance issues with this little guy.
The pebbled skin looks excellent, as does the texture on the claws and elbow/knee horns. The real highlight of this figure has to be the unique design of the armor. The huge thorn-like back plating was one of my chief worries, especially in regards to balance issues. Joyride simply made the back hollow –problem solved. The segmented lines along the back, the shoulder plating, and chest insignia are all dead on, as is the three cylinder breathing mask. The eye sculpting is highly detailed and strays from the computer game. Instead of the large, glassy bulbs they had in Halo, these figures have small, squinty, evil little eyeballs. They work and look great, but might not go over as well with game purists.
Paint - ***
I almost gave him a higher score than this –in truth he probably deserves a half star more. The blue wash on the skin is flawless and looks great, as do the dirty gray horns and claws. The silver detail on his armor has a nice weathered look to it as well.
The real problems here are found on the breathing mask and red armor sections. Joyride tried to make the red section look weathered as well, with less than stellar results in some areas. Around the waist there are some nice worn spots, as well as on the back curved section, but everywhere else is a complete mess. In some places it just looks like errant brush strokes and patching.
They also tried to weather the straps on the breath mask. Instead it looks like someone ran a different paintbrush across before it was done drying.
Articulation - ***
The Grunt has three things in common with the Elite guard: aesthetically designed joints, no movement below the waist, and eight points of articulation (ball-jointed shoulders, and cuts at the neck, biceps, wrists, and waist).
However, I feel justified with a higher score than the Elite because the articulation works a lot better here. The figure is well balanced and really doesn’t need any leg joints to help keep him upright. He also stands up straight on his own, as opposed to his hunched-over bigger brother. The only joints that stand out for the wrong reasons are his wrists. Due to the sculpt design, the wrists don’t match up with the rest of the arm unless resting in the pre-sculpted positions.
The waist joint seems to have a little play in it, allowing for some slight leaning back and forth, but I can’t tell if that’s on purpose, or just loose.
Accessories - **1/2
The Grunt comes with two weapons: a plasma pistol and the Needler. They both look close to their video game versions, especially the pistol. I would have liked the dial on back to be painted brightly like the game version, but we can’t have everything. This weapon is also packaged with the black Master Chief figure and orange Grunt.
The Needler is a little more awkward sculpt-wise, but is a much better fit in the Grunt’s hands than in the Elite’s. This is the same sculpt found with the Elite previous red and blue Elite guards as well as the orange Grunt.
I would have liked to have seen some plasma grenades as well, since I can’t go anywhere without a handful of these little buggers chucking them at me in the game.
Durability/Quality - ** ½
That waist joint kind of has me worried, but we’ll have to wait and see. He’s not overly heavy in comparison to the other figures in this series either.
Value - **
Halo figures aren’t as easy to find as some of the other lines out there, especially the first two series. I’ve seen them from $13 to $20. You might be able catch a few figures on sale for $9.99 depending on where you look. I certainly would feel better paying ten as opposed to fourteen, and if you can find any of these figures for that price bump the value up to three stars.
EBGames
has this guy, as well as several others –including an exclusive cobalt Master Chief—in for $14.99 a pop.
These guys aren’t as easy to find as some other figures out there, so Ebay
might be a good bet.
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