Havoc (C&C Renegade)

by Joyride Studios

*Review figure has substantially different sculpt

Currently, there don’t seem to be any plans for future Renegade games after Electronic Arts shutdown Westwood Studios in their latest round of restructuring.  It’s too bad really because C&C Renegade – a first-person shooter set in the Command & Conquer universe – wasn’t half bad (which is to say nothing of Westwood’s proud gaming tradition).  But this is an action figure review, not an editorial.

Havoc, Renegade’s protagonist, gets the plastic treatment here and is a decent C&C collectible. (And the only non-vehicle action figure since Agent Tanya got cancelled.)  The execution is above average but it could have been made a whole lot better with better articulation and more attention to detail.  McFarlane Toys has mastered articulation and Joyride could learn something.  Havoc has ball-jointed shoulders and he could have used 

them at his hips too because the seam joints just don’t do the job in terms of poseability.  Of course, I understand the reason for this mix of articulation – it’s to make sure Havoc can stay in one of the best action stances seen for an action figure.  Of course, you can’t really move him out of that stance, but whatever.  Because he can hold two guns and fits great on his base he makes a pretty good display piece – unless you look too close.

Havoc’s war paint is way too dark in comparison to the rest of his exposed skin.  All the models have a light spray of camouflage but the action figure has way too 

much paint.  The rest of the paint job is good.  The sculpt’s finer points include his irregular left ear and facial scar, but some other points were missed including the raised “GDI” on his belt buckle.  Completely missing are his slick goggles.

His hands hold the guns easily and firmly but during play only the handgun will stay put.  (The guns themselves are in danger of being lost.)  Unfortunately, he doesn’t actually have much play value thanks to the action sculpt, even less when you consider there aren’t any other C&C character figures available.  However, he can be considered a war toy so he will be played with – in the dirt, the mud, and sand.  Thanks to his basic construction, Havoc is fairly durable, even his hands.  He gets scratched up but no action figure is indestructible.

As far as C&C collectibles go, Havoc is above average.  There are some faults, which if addressed could have made Havoc a “must have” even among non-C&C fans, but he’s still a good display piece and he will get some play time among the younger crowd.

- Omni

(May 24, 2003)