Master Chief (Halo 2) - Action Figure Reviews

Series: Halo 2, 1

Craftsmanship: 8.8 / 10

- Fantastic articulation combination

- Interchangeable hands

- Good detail and compatibility with other Halo figures

- Knees are incredibly loose

Playability: 9.0 / 10

- Hand and guns could be lost

- Durable

- Great diorama and play options available

Related Links:

- Review: Halo 2 (XB)

- Review: Halo (XB)

- Action Figure: Master Chief (Halo)

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Master Chief (Halo 2)

by Joyride Studios

master chief halo 2

What can be said of Master Chief that hasn’t already been said? His first game out and he snags his own action figure. On his second outing he gets another action

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figure, this time a more athletic figure that echoes his new look in Halo 2.

Joyride does a good job sticking to the source material here – there’s no mistaking Master Chief. But there’s one aspect that isn’t quite right. He looks slightly like a toddler wearing shoulder pads, like the suit just doesn’t quite fit. After some

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painstaking and elaborate research (i.e. playing Halo 2 to the end) I’ve finally put my finger on it. His upper body isn’t bulky enough. It’s kind of like those 1977 Star Wars figures that lacked any body definition. It’s not as pronounced with Master Chief but if you get the feeling there’s something not quite right, that’s probably what it is.

Nearly everything else is perfect. I say nearly because his knees are so loose he constantly falls over if he’s not propped on something or posed in a crouch. Maybe the problem is restricted to the review figure but I doubt it.

Master Chief has 20 points of articulation. This is great for putting him in all sorts of poses. The elbow joints are double and he has a seam joint at the waist and ball-jointed torso. He doesn’t just look more athletic he is more athletic. Besides all that he even comes with a spare left hand so he can be posed holding both SMGs to mimic Halo 2’s dual firing feature.

The sculpt of the figure does justice to the license however there is still room for improvement. The armor detail has been smoothed over, showing no battle damage whatsoever and a rather “plastic” look. (Yes, I know it’s an action figure!) The visor – definitely the focal point of the original figure – is eye-catching and not just because it makes Master Chief look a little like a Cyclops.

Master Chief is an extremely playable figure. He is a good size to match up against other figures and the super-poseable nature of Master Chief means hours of playtime. The interchangeable left hand could be lost if you’re not paying attention and the SMGs are on the small side but Master Chief himself hold ups pretty well. He spent two days fighting with the eclectic items in my work bag and he escaped without a scratch. He’s compatible with the previous Halo toys and can even hold most of the Covenant weapons, though he looks most bad-ass holding the Battle Rifle.

Playable and looking good, Joyride scores again (though it could have gone off someone’s skate – still room for improvement).

- Omni
(November 21, 2004)