Jada Toys has released a series of highly detailed Halo 4 Vehicles that I've only ever seen at Wal-Mart stores. The vehicles are made of a combination of die-cast metal and plastic, and include miniature figures, as well. Tonight, I'm taking a look at the UNSC Warthog Combat Edition.
This vehicle comes in a couple of different variations, having to do with the paint. The Collectors Edition has a high gloss dark green paint job, while the Combat Edition is a paler matte olive green (which I prefer). The vehicle comes packaged in an attractive window box which would be suitable for display on its own, since the contents are clearly visible from nearly all angles. This may be your preference, as getting this thing out of the packaging was one of the most frustrating experiences I've ever had. The pictures included here will attest to the fact that it CAN be done, but leave yourself a good 20 minutes, a sharp knife and plenty of calming techniques to do so (maybe the sharp knife isn't such a great idea after all).
The Warthog itself looks fantastic. It's about 7 & 1/4" long and 4" wide, and the paint and detailing work are exceptional. Mine has some green rubbed off at the edges of the UNSC symbol behind the front tire, but the lines and everything else are all crisp and clean. The cockpit has details right down to the speedometer and the gear shift. The gas cans on the back are a deep red, and most of the highlights are in silver or gray. The wheels (plastic, not rubber) rotate independently, but there is no suspension system. There are fine plastic rails at several points around the outer edges, which really add to the look. Just be careful, they push in very easily- I thought I broke bent one but it can just be popped back out again.
There are only a couple of real drawbacks, as far as I'm concerned, with this set. One is the turret. It comes out of the package bent and oddly angled. Not the end of the world. The next has to do with the paint. Like I said earlier, it's all really well done, neat and clean. That's the problem- it's almost too clean. This thing looks like it just rolled off the UNSC assembly line. Not a spec of dirt or weathering anywhere. Now, that's fine, but a little dry-brushing or airbrushed highlights could really have served to bring out the detail and add realism to an already realistic toy. The final issue has to do with the figures. Included are Master Chief and a Marine. Besides being really, really tiny (2" tall- never having played the game, I don't know exactly how they should stack up next to the vehicle, but standing beside it they look ridiculously small- just about the same height as the tires), their articulation is really, really delicate and difficult to work. I can't get any knees bent, but I did manage to get the hips to move enough for Master Chief to sit in the driver's slot (he's drowning in it- looks like a kid driving dad's car). The Marine won't budge, and his legs are stuck in an odd bend that makes it impossible for him to stand. If you care about the figures, you'll want to take this all into consideration. If you're like me, and don't care, it won't make a difference. I bought this set for the Warthog- it'll be displayed sans figures- and as far as that goes I'm really impressed. For $15 bucks, you get a solid, hefty and detailed die-cast Halo Warthog that looks terrific on the shelf. I haven't opened any of the other sets, but if they look this good I'm going to be a happy camper...
No comments:
Post a Comment