I have a very odd relationship with Halo Toys. I've never played any of the games, but I've read several of the novels, a handful of graphic novels and seen a pair of Halo movies. What I've seen, I've liked. That goes for many of the toys, as well. Jada's vehicles are honestly terrific, and I've even made the plunge with a few Mega Bloks sets, some of which were good (Mongoose), others terribly bad (UNSC Hornet). I seem to fade in and out with McFarlane's offerings, as well. They look great, and every so often I just can't help myself, so I have a handful of figures: Tartarus, Brutes, a half dozen Master Chiefs and others. At one point, I must have had a dozen assorted Spartans, which I have since sold off. See, after the initial excitement wears off, the McFarlane figures kind of fade into the background of my collection, and are forgotten. At least until a new batch is released and the cool factor grabs hold of me again...
We'll start with the Spartan EOD figure: holy cow this guy is awesome looking! I actually have the older version EOD (cyan) with Mongoose, and this Reach version absolutely blows that one out of the water. The sculpt is brilliant from head to toe. The paint, weathering and tamps are all fantastic: there's loads of fine detail in each and every aspect. McFarlane increased the Halo figures in size for the Reach line, and man does it make a difference!
The EOD Spartan stands 5 & 1/2" tall, and features a helmet that brings to mind the design of the original Stormtroopers from Star Wars, which may be one reason I like it so much. He comes with sculpted pouches and packs across the chest, and a knife in its sheath on his left shoulder. The shoulder armor is mismatched. Proportions seem very good, and the only odd-looking spot to the sculpt is in the lower torso area, which seems thick and bland, giving it a diaper-ish appearance.
The articulation is superb, as well. The recent Halo figures I own have the best ball-jointed heads of any action figures. If only Mattel could figure out how to do this! The shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles all feature clicky ball-joints, which allows them to hinge and rotate effectively. Yes, the elbows are restricted by the armor, and the "across the chest" arm poses can be difficult to get to look right. There's a torso ball and some interesting hips which allow for forward, backward movement as well as rotation. It's all standard to the Reach line. I found that the more I worked with posing the figures, the easier it became to do- just takes a little getting used to.
The EOD comes with an amazing rocket-launcher. The detailing, paint and highlighting is really as perfect as can be. It feels a little fragile (especially around those thin grips), and that, combined with the hard, inflexible plastic of the figure's hands, makes getting the launcher into his mitts a challenge...
The final piece in this magnificent package is the Mongoose, itself. It measures about 6 & 3/4" long, making it bigger than the previous Mongoose I own. The detailing is far superior, as well. Added sculptural detail to the front, treads, and even the seat itself, make this a far more lifelike replica. The treads are highlighted with a silver brush, which seems odd to me unless they are supposed to be made of metal, but I saw an ODST version in the store with mud-spattered treads and it didn't look as good as this one, so who am I to question, right?
The Mongoose is done in a blue that perfectly matches its Spartan rider, highlighted with a light drybrushing. The look is terrific, but the wheel wells are devoid of matching detail, and the undercarriage doesn't have the same level of weathering. The result is a good "overall" look, but an odd dichotomy of toy vs. model when scrutinized more closely. The wheels all spin independently, and the handlebars turn (no effect on the wheels, though). There are two foot pegs that fold down and a folding seat behind the driver as well as a fold-up platform for a standing Spartan. The Mongoose is an excellent vehicle at this scale, more realistic in appearance than most vehicle toys as a result of the drybrushing. It's not perfect, but in tandem with an awesome action figure and his accessory, it's quite satisfying.
Many things I read online disparage McFarlane Toys. Comments and reviews seem filled with disdain or downright dismissal. It's unfortunate. McFarlane Toys has made a series of blunders, yes. The Prince of Persia and Walking Dead figures almost seem to be coming from a different company. My opinion is that McFarlane Toys does still have an A-game, and it's Halo. They are so focused on their largest property, that the other lines seem to be handled by some B-team. So, while those lines are easy to dismiss or scoff at, doing so to the Halo figures would be a big mistake. This set is one of the best action figure/vehicle pairings I have ever bought. The figure is fantastic, and it's supported by a great accessory and a nicely managed vehicle. The sculpt, paint, attention to detail and articulation on both are superior, and well-executed. Quality control is still spotty, even with the Halo line, for McFarlane, but I'm happy to say that everything here is working quite well, straight out of the box. If you can manage to find this box set, my advice is to not pass it up. I don't think you'll be disappointed...
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