KRATOS - GHOST OF SPARTA NECA Ultimate God of War 3 action figure review

Mezco Toyz has been getting a lot of (deserved) attention and accolades in the adult collector world for their One:12 Collective line of action figures. That line is pushing the boundaries of 6 inch scaled action figures designed specifically to be considered "high-end", meaning a price point that matches a superior quality of figure, materials and presentation (ie, packaging).  I love the releases so far, and the ones that have been solicited for this upcoming year are equally deserving of high expectations. However, NECA has, somewhat more quietly, ALSO upped their game for the adult collector, specifically in their "Ultimates" line. They've brought in window-box packaging, increased articulation, dynamic sculpts (which has long been their trademark), improved paint, and tons of accessories, while KEEPING their price point only marginally higher than that of their "regular" releases. The Ultimates have often re-visited previous figure releases, with improvements in some or all of the factors mentioned above. I've managed to resist buying all of these until recently (I did pick up the amazing Devil May Cry Dante, but eventually returned it, as it's not a character I'm "married to", and I've got a New Year's Resolution to stick to ONLY the characters I truly love). NECA captured me with their Ultimate Striker Eureka, and now, with their Ultimate God of War Kratos - The Ghost of Sparta. I've played through God of War II, and I have a couple of the regular release Kratos figures. I also had the Play Arts Kai version, which I eventually parted with. I've really liked the figures we've gotten, but I've never truly been "blown away". Until now...

The packaging presents NECA's Ultimate Kratos as an amazing figure. The artwork is eye-catching and appropriate to the source material. There are multiple action shots showcasing the figure and what it can supposedly do. Inside the velcro-closed flap is artwork detailing the articulation scheme (one hopes) and a window that shows the figure and its accessories very nicely. There is no clear plastic film like one would find with Mezco's One:12 or with the Japanese Figma and Figuarts releases, nor is the product sandwiched between clamshell trays. There is some scotch tape to keep the accessories from rattling around. Kratos comes with his "growling" head attached, and a "scowling" head off to the right. His Blades of Whatever (I'm going to call them Chaos for this review) look like they feature translucent orange plastic around the blade edges, rather than the previous "painted yellow" blades. He also comes with a pair of Cestus gauntlets, as well as an additional Golden Fleece armor piece for his forearm (it needs to be detached to get the gauntlets over his hands). It's a nice assortment of extras and goes a LONG way to making this figure "ultimate" or at least "definitive".

It would have been great if the previous NECA release accessories could have worked with this figure (the Medusa head or the flaming blades), but since those were God of War 2 figures and this one is from God of War 3, I can understand leaving that ability out. Having that level of interchangeability could have made tracking those older figures down now worth it. Maybe even re-releasing the weapons only as an accessory pack might be something NECA could do?

The figure itself is appropriately intimidating. Ultimate Kratos stands nearly 7 & 3/4" tall and features a gorgeously detailed sculpt. The muscles have plentiful and appropriate striations, and thick veins criss-cross the deltoid muscles, and even the temples of his head. Scars adorn his thigh and pectoral muscles, while the stitched gash from the Sword of Zeus (I think?) prominently cuts across his incredible abs. The sculpt detailing is deep and varied to convey textures, from the leathery sandals and gauzy wrappings at the upper thighs, to the wind-swept feel of the "skirt" and the heavy chain metal of the blades anchored around his forearms. It really is one of the finest sculpts I've ever seen on an action figure, period, and I've been collecting for 20 years.

What makes the figure even more striking is that the paint applications are impeccable, and serve perfectly to enhance the sculpt, rather than detract from it. First and foremost, the ashy appearance of the skin is truly incredible. There's a base of dark grey with the white almost dry-brushed over top, allowing the deeper crevices of the body to be subtly accentuated. The skin itself has a dappled texture to it, giving the entire thing a grainy look. The tatoos are a deeper crimson than on previous Kratos figures, and the deeper brow wrinkles and eye scar really add to the grim determination of the Ghost's countenance.

There's a level of thought that has gone into this figure's engineering that isn't usually found in mass market figures. As a result, it's nearly perfect. The Golden Fleece armor is made of rubber, so it's pliable enough to accomodate various poses. The skirt is swept to the side, so that his thighs can flex forward somewhat more easily. Two heads are included so that buying multiple figures is less necessary. There's a place to store the Blades on Kratos's back, and there's a ton of good, solid articulation to be used. Overall, a magnificent figure worthy of accolades! My first qualm is a small one, and has to do with another bit of thoughtful engineering on NECA's part. They have included a tiny baggie with 2 small posts inside. The rack on Kratos's back can be removed and these pegs can be inserted if one wishes to display Kratos without the rack. However, the posts are very smooth and don't blend in with the ash paint of his back, and they sit flush once inserted, making their removal a wicked pain. That said, it was a really incredible gesture on NECA's part, and shows that they are action figure lovers in their own right!

My second qualm is a bit bigger. It has to do with the way The Ghost of Sparta's feet are engineered. The shin guards come down low, and the tops of the sandaled feet arch pretty high. As a result, the shinguard hinders the foot's ability to flex (toes upwards). This is significant because in order to take a deep stance, a human leg needs to be able to flex the knee forward enough to align with or be in front of the toes. This figure's foot makes that impossible. As a result, Kratos cannot take the deep iconic stance that he should. In fact, my Kratos couldn't stand at all on his own, as the right foot on my figure was impeded so much that he would be forced into a serious lean backwards with the foot flat on the ground. I took a Dremel to the armor and the foot, and as a result he can now stand unsupported, but that deep crouch is still out of the question.

The Ultimate Ghost of Sparta comes outfitted with a full compliment of excellent accessories. The Blades are sculpted impeccably, from the demon heads to the blades themselves, which are thinner than previous versions, and which are made of clear-ish orange plastic. There's a small piece of Golden Fleece Armor included to attach to the right forearm when Kratos is wielding his blades, but which can be removed for his other included weapons, the Cestus Gauntlets. These beasts are incredibly detailed, quite sharp, heavy and painted beautifully! They slide over his fists to remain snuggly in place. Finally, there's the alternate heads. I love both, and might need two figures on display for all of the weapon/head options that exist. I've gone back and forth about the size of them, however. There's something about the entire figure that makes the head(s) look too large for the body. I think it's an illusion created by the small waist, and from a distance, there's really no issue.

If you want an A+ action figure, NECA's Ghost of Sparta Ultimate Kratos is it. It's probably in my Top 10 Best action figures in my entire collection, and does SO MUCH right that it's really easy to overlook its few detractions. This is everything that an Adult Collector's action figure should be: 1) thoughtfully boxed in re-sealable and attractive packaging, 2) perfectly sculpted, 3) perfectly painted, 4) well-endowed with articulation and practical and thoughtful accessories, 5) engineered to enhance its abilities, and 6) (maybe most importantly) priced appropriately. Kratos is a figure worth having in your collection, even if you are not a fan of the game, and that's the real compliment to any figure: when it can stand alone without its media support and still be remarkable in its own right, you know you've got a winner in your hands...

Beside NECA's earlier GoW2 Kratos