Bioshock 2: Ladysmith Splicer Figure Review

It's been some time since the first wave of Bioshock 2 figures were released.  I was thoroughly impressed with the Big Daddy Deluxe figure.  However, the other figures... well... I wasn't as interested in.  After what seemed like a really long time, the second wave of Bioshock 2 figures have finally been released.  I had the Ladysmith Splicer figure pre-ordered for a long time, which I now have in my grubby paws.  So, was she worth the wait?  Eh... in some ways she is, but in more ways she's not.


Flavor Text:

"Once she was the talk of the town - a high-profile socialite whose wit was her weapon among Rapture's elite.  As the city fell from grace, so did she - becoming addicted to ADAM, splicing herself stronger and faster to feel safe in the streets.  She resents having to eat refuse and scrabble for ADAM, but ultimately, she's a survivor.  As a 'Leadhead', she pelts her enemies with bursts of tommy-gun fire between vicious verbal barbs."


The Good:

• Ladysmith Splicer comes with several accessories: rolling pin, "bunny" mask, tommy-gun, and a [small] standard plastic base.

• It's no surprise to see NECA's ability to recreate an exact replica of the video game [enemy] character into plastic form.  Everything about the Ladysmith Splicer is "game-accurate."

• I just love how much NECA's sculptors paid attention to the texture and coloring of the "washed out" and deteriorated clothing worn by the now mutant-looking Ladysmith Splicer.  Just amazing.

• I really love the incorporation of the "bunny" mask accessory.  No splicer is complete without one.  However, the one included isn't as scary and deranged-looking as the ones first seen in the first Bioshock video game.

• Surprisingly, the Ladysmith Splicer figure has very little paint application problems, which is always a plus in my book.

The Bad:

• Unfortunately, Ladysmith Splicer has an unimpressive 6 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, swivel elbows, and ball-jointed waist.  Although I expected this, I'm still somewhat disappointed that NECA didn't try and incorporate more articulation for what is considered a staple character in the Bioshock universe.  Swivel wrists and perhaps swivel legs would've made fine additions to the Splicer's overall articulation count.

• I really despise "swivel elbow" articulation because it looks makes the sculpt look awkward and doesn't really help with posing.  However, I will grudgingly admit that in this case, the "swivel elbow" articulation works without being too much of a distraction.

• I love the fact that NECA included the well-known "bunny" mask accessory.  However, I am annoyed at how badly this was incorporated into the figure.  If you examine the "inside" of the mask, you'll see a little "hook" on the left side which is supposed to hang in a little groove of the Ladysmith Splicer's hair.  Unfortunately, the "bunny" mask has a hard time staying on almost 99% of the time.  It's possible (however very unlikely) that my mask accessory is busted.  I think it has more to do with the poor design behind the mask.  An alternate head with the mask on would've been a much better [and safer] idea.

The Ugly:

• Actually there is something.  Yes, you can look up the Ladysmith Splicer's skirt, but I highly recommend against it.  See?  No pics for you.

I purchased this figure from CornerStoreComics.com for $14.99 (price doesn't include S&H).  I recommend ordering this figure from CornerStoreComics.com (last I checked, they charge the lowest price of $13.99 individually).  They're really good about packaging and sending out items in a timely manner, and they seem to get their items a little earlier than most electronic retailers I've dealt with.  However, they are a bit inconsistent when it comes to notifying you when your items have been shipped.  You can also find these on eBay at a slightly higher cost (damn you pesky S&H)!

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT eBAY OR CORNERSTORECOMICS. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

Overall, NECA's Ladysmith Splicer is a nice continuation of the Bioshock 2 franchise.  However, the minimal articulation for such an unusually spry character hurts the overall value of this figure.  The inclusion of the rolling pin accessory is an interesting and yet funny addition (I don't remember any of the Splicers carrying such a weapon).  Despite the lack of articulation and trouble keeping the "bunny" mask on, this figure is most likely a necessary part of your Bioshock collection amongst your other Big Daddy and Little Sister figures.

Score:

Bioshock 2: Big Sister & Little Sister Figure(s) Review

Although I don't own many video games, I've got to say that Bioshock is one of those first-person shooters that have a really catchy storyline (Halo and Half-Life included).  It's one of those games that I can't stop playing over and over again.  With the upcoming release of the sequel to the original Bioshock, I proudly present a review of NECA's "Big Sister & Little Sister" action figures.



Flavor Text: 

"Big Sisters are Rapture's fiercest predators.  Despite being covered in armor they possess deadly agility and can strike from anywhere.  Charged with protecting Little Sisters, Big Sisters keep an eye on all of the ADAM in Rapture and punish anyone that disrupts the balance.  Able to throw objects telekinetically, leap off walls for powerful melee blows, throw fireballs, execute devastating charge attacks and even extract ADAM directly from living Splicers, Big Sisters are the worst nightmare of anyone unlucky enough to draw their ire.

Little Sisters are young girls who have had ADAM producing slugs implanted into their bodies, enabling them to drink the blood of dead Splicers and extract usable ADAM from it.  This makes them incredibly valuable in Rapture, where Splicers crave ADAM enough to kill for it.  Because of this they are accompanied at all times by Big Daddies, hulking protectors in diving suits who will defend Little Sisters to the death.  Little Sisters are driven mad by their constant exposure to substance ADAM but are not beyond redemption, in the right hands they can find salvation and be turned back into the innocent little girls they once were."



The Good:

• The Big Sister (BS) has an impressive 16 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: swivel head, ball-hinged shoulders, ball-hinged elbows, quasi ball-hinged wrists, ab-crunch joint, swivel legs, ball-jointed thighs, hinged knees, and ball-jointed ankles.

• We finally get a Little Sister (LS)!  She has an amazing 10 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, hinged elbows, ab-crunch joint, swivel legs, and hinged knees.

• Accessory-wise, the Big Sister comes with a removable canister with "Little Sister cage".  The Little Sister comes with her trademark "ADAM harvesting tool".

• The package design by NECA is similar to the previously released Big Daddy "Sneak Preview" figure but with slight differences.  The "Bioshock 2" logo is displayed prominently on the front, off-center.  There's also a silver-colored sticker labeled "Toysrus Exclusive" near the upper right corner.  The backdrop of the figures portray a watery background, most likely the seas of Rapture.  The right-side of the package grandly displays the "deep sea diving" Big Sister's face and the eerily-cute Little Sister's face as well.  Although the size of the clamshell packaging is wider than usual (to accommodate both figures), it's surprisingly a lot thinner and compact.

• If you look carefully examine the BS's canister, you'll notice several different pictures: several different types of fish and one BS holding the hands of two LS.

• NECA is well-known for their great attention to detail, and their sculpt of the BS is no exception.  The minute details on the "diver suit" areas of BS are just phenomenal.  The leather straps with the metal belt buckles wrapped all around BS's slender feminine body and her legs are also sculpted with an overload of details.  Her right arm sports a "harpoon"-type weapon whereas her left arm has an over-sized "ADAM" harvesting tool.

• This time around, I had a far easier time inserting the BS's slender canister into her back.  Due to the large "Little Sister cage" with the ribbons decorated all around it, I worried that it would snap in two.  Just becareful when you shove in the canister.  You've been warned.

• The paint application is a lot better than NECA's usual fare.  I only noticed a few out of place: the red holes bleeding out onto the BS's diving suit mask, and a splotch of conspicuous white paint on her right backside (right next to the canister indentation).

The Bad:

• It really is unfortunate that NECA decided to go with the "swivel head" articulation.  It would've been better if they went with the "ball-jointed neck" route.  This would've given the BS a lot more potential poses.

• Although the BS has an ab-crunch joint (which most definitely enhances the overall figure), I wish NECA also included a "swivel waist" joint.  It just makes sense, at least to me to include the most basic articulation.

• The lack of depth in the BS's "eye-hole" bothers me quite a bit.  The applied red paint further cheapens the overall look of an otherwise excellent figure.  If NECA's sculptors hollowed out (scooped out) the "eye-hole" area a little bit and placed a translucent piece of red plastic (look at NECA's previously-released excellent Dead Space figure) inside, I think it would've made their BS even greater.
  

• Probably because of the thinly sculpted arms, the BS couldn't bend them completely at a 90 degree angle.  It's a little irritating for collectors like me, especially since I like to pose them a lot.  However, I understand the issues NECA would've had to face.

• There were more than a few problems regarding the LS.  Paint application was a problem: even before I removed the figure from its packaging, I noticed a big white dot on the LS's right side of her head.  If you examine both sides of her head, you'll notice the hair sculpt continues until it reaches the back of her ears.  Unfortunately, the paint application stops a bit too early.  There's also a little "creative" paint application near the LS's forehead on the left side.  The LS's pre-posed hands have a really hard time holding onto her "ADAM harvesting tool".  I don't understand how this could've happened.  

• It would've been nice if the LS was given "swivel wrists" and perhaps "hinged ankles" articulation.

• There's a glaring inaccuracy regarding the paint application for the LS's "ADAM harvesting tool".  For some reason the tube is colored brown, when it should be glowing pinkish-red.

The Ugly:

• Nothing ugly here, folks.

Since these figures are a "Toysrus Exclusive," you will only find these at Toysrus for $19.99 (price doesn't include S&H and tax).  Although their shipping took a day or two longer than was expected, it arrived without any other problems.  The box it was shipped in is approximately the same size as the clamshell packaging, so there were no packing materials inside the box.  The clamshell was intact (just a few minor scratches) and the figures weren't broken.  I haven't seen these online elsewhere, so Toysrus is your best bet to snag one of these.

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT TOYSRUS.  I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES.  I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

Although there are problems with these figures, NECA has continued to impress me with their Bioshock 2 line.  The level of quality and care is apparent and will have the most appeal with adult collectors.  I eagerly look forward to the rest of NECA's Bioshock 2 lineup. 

Score:

Bioshock 2: Big Daddy (Sneak Preview) Figure Review

I was first introduced to Bioshock almost a year ago by a close friend who had an Xbox 360. For the 5 minutes I played, I was thoroughly impressed with the graphics and gameplay. A year passed and I soon forgot about it. Suddenly, I began to thirst for news of first-person shooters that had great graphics, gameplay, and [especially important] a great story. I looked up Bioshock on Amazon.com and happily discovered the game was being sold at a heavily discounted price. "Why the hell not?" and I ended up with my very own copy. I played this game so many times and all levels of difficulty and still haven't tired of it. Coincidentally, NECA mentioned that they were going to produce Bioshock 2 figures for 2010 by first releasing the [well-known] Big Daddy as a "sneak preview" deluxe figure. If you're like me, then you've grown quite fond of the hulking BD with numerous near-death encounters. Having missed out on owning an exclusive small figure of Big Daddy (which was released with the Special Edition version of Bioshock), I so badly desired my very own articulated BD.




The Good:

• Big Daddy has an impressive 12 POINTS OF ARTICULATION: ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed elbows, ball-jointed [left] wrist, swivel [right hand] drill, swivel legs, swivel [left] knee, hinged [right] knee, and hinged ankles.

• The overall package designed by NECA is quite breathtaking. At the bottom front of the packaging displays the "Bioshock 2" logo. The upper-left hand corner sports a sticker labeled "Sneak Preview" in retro colors and font design. The backdrop of the figure portrays the beautiful underwater city of Rapture. There's also a corpse of one of the inhabitants (quite possibly a Splicer) of Rapture. The right-side of the package grandly displays the "deep sea diving" Big Daddy's face as well. And yes, the size of the packaging is much bigger than we're used to. And it's even heavier than usual.
  

• NECA has been known for their scrupulous attention to detail, and their sculpt of Big Daddy is no exception. The minute details on the "diver suit" areas of Big Daddy are just phenomenal. The bolts and little screws sculpted all around just shows how much love and labor that has been poured into BD's creation.
  

• The "broken" [left] knee guard is so convincingly [excellently] sculpted that I thought one of those Chinese factory workers screwed up during the mass production of the BDs. Imagine my surprise (and relief) when I discovered it was originally sculpted to look like that. Silly me.
  

• Surprisingly, the paint application on this figure is consistent for once! It took quite some time for that to happen, but nice job, NECA!

The Bad:

• I had a really hard time inserting the smaller [of the two canisters] into Big Daddy's back. No matter how much I pushed and shoved the damned plastic into its designated slot, it refused to move in. I gave up for a few weeks until today. I examined inside the slot and noticed the indentations on the "peg" part of the canister matched the indentations found deep inside the slot. Determined by this discovery, I violently shoved the damned thing, and eventually succeeded. This problem may have been exacerbated by the coat of paint applied around the indentations of the small canister. Interestingly, inserting the larger canister was a breeze.
  

• Although I understand why NECA decided to exclude it, giving Big Daddy some waist articulation would've been nice. This would've allowed me to pose BD in his "shoulder bashing" move as seen in the videogame, Bioshock.

• The lack of completely bendable knees is also disappointing, but the hinged ankles sort of make up for it.
  

• The gauge meter (protruding from the smaller canister) lacks the detailed readings (numbers and such) seen in the videogame as well as on the game cover. Little details like this make or break an action figure. Interestingly, NECA decided to leave that part out.
  

• Although Big Daddy was released as a "deluxe" figure, I really had hoped that NECA would've released him as a two-pack with a Little Sister. If you've played the game, you'll know that a Little Sister is always accompanied by a Big Daddy. This would've understandably increased the price, but I'd most definitely pony up some serious cash for that. Thankfully, we'll be getting a Big Sister and Little Sister two-pack sometime early 2010 as a Toysrus exclusive. Keep your fingers crossed.
  

The Ugly:

• Nothing ugly here, folks.

Additional Notes:

• I'm really surprised that NECA didn't release this Big Daddy figure with a "chase/variant" figure of an enraged (you can tell by the red-colored eyeholes and his aggressive behavior towards you) Big Daddy. This surely would've increased interest and quite possibly more sales. Heck, I know I'd definitely pay good money for a "chase" version of that.

I purchased this figure from CornerStoreComics.com for $18.99. (price doesn't include S&H). I recommend ordering this figure from CornerStoreComics.com (last I checked, they charge the lowest price of $18.99 individually). They're really good about packaging and sending out items in a timely manner, and they seem to get their items a little earlier than most electronic retailers I've dealt with. Interestingly though, I've noticed that they no longer notify you (by e-mail or anything) when they ship these out to you. You can also find these on eBay at a slightly higher cost (damn you pesky S&H)!

NOTE: I DO NOT REPRESENT eBAY OR CORNERSTORECOMICS. I HAVE NOT BEEN PAID TO MENTION THEIR NAMES. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING THEIR SERVICES BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

Overall, NECA's Big Daddy is one hell of a beginning into the Bioshock 2 franchise. Despite the lack of articulation (in some areas), this is one figure you'll most definitely regret not purchasing. If you're still on the fence about this figure, keep in mind that this Big Daddy figure will no longer be released with the rest of the Bioshock 2 figures in 2010.

Score: