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Craftsmanship: 9.0
out of 10
-
Exquisitely detailed
- Action
poses make them look like they could start moving at any moment
- Bases are
perfect and marked with the player’s name
-
Industrial-strength foot pegs will never break
- "Rubber
hands" make is easy for figures to hold the hockey sticks
- If you’re
a hockey fan, these figures are a must
Playability: 3.1
out of 10
- A strong
imagination is needed to play with these
- Lack of
any significant articulation
- More
statue than anything else
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Instead of breaking this series up into figure by
figure reviews, we decided to do them all in one shot. Something almost all the
figures have in common is the
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evidence in the correct colouring and accurate
brand names that each player is associated with. (Since these figures are not
endorsed by the NHL – a fact pointed out at least five times on the card – you
won’t see the team logos but the colours are the same.) An especially good touch
for the goalies is the real mesh for the goals. So, all that being said, here
are the reviews.
Dominik Hasek: One of the goalies. Excellent base and accessories. He
comes with a hockey puck, goalie stick and water bottle. The goal posts snap
easily into the base. Hasek’s pose leaves the five-hole way open, but he’s
extremely well sculpted. The helmet and pads are especially well done.
Mark Messier: "Moose" looks like he’s about to take a face-off. His
limited articulation means he can’t get out of that position. Once again, the
sculpt is excellent. He’s got an intense look on his face, much like his
real-world counterpart. The "rubber hands" make it extremely easy to get Messier
to hold his stick. The paint job is very good as well (without oversplash),
especially the stubble look. The shape of his base doesn’t really accommodate
the pose – he kind of hangs off one side.
Eric Lindros: The likeness is probably the best of the series. Sculpt
limits poseability but it is excellent. All the paint is between the lines and
everything looks as it should.
Jaromir The long-haired Penguin may be happy to be playing with Lemieux
again, but he should be just as happy about this figure. The helmet with visor
is a perfect replica of the one he wears in real life. Jagr is in a "pass it to
me, I’m open" stance. (Or an "I’m getting ready for a break-away" stance –
depends on your mood.) Paint job is, again, excellent.
Pavel Bure: The Weasel looks more weasely here than anywhere else (Can ya
tell Omni's a Vancouverite? - Ed.). Canuck fans will enjoy playing floor hockey
with him – using him as the puck. The detail and sculpt are both very good, as
is the paint job. Of all the figures of the series, Bure is the one that most
looks like he’s about to actually start skating. The base is perfect for the
pose – the "triangle" shape accommodates his forward leaning stance.
Brian Boucher: Another good action pose. Because Boucher lacks a metal
peg, he can be displayed on anything. Of course, it’s not as dramatic as when
he’s in front of the net trying to stop a shot. The custom helmet he wears is
done with great detail. As with Hasek, the goalie pads look like they’ve
actually been used – they have dirty edges and scuff marks. He comes with a
goalie stick, puck, and water bottle.
The one advancement with these figures that I would like to see extended to all
McFarlane figures is the rubber hands. It makes putting accessories into their
hands easy and eliminates the fear you’re about to snap something off. (I’m
especially thinking of Abbey Chase from McFarlane’s Danger Girl series.)
Obviously, NHLPA (series 2) is targeted at sports lovers and hockey fanatics –
two very large groups. People more interested in playing with their toys will
probably pass up this series, but for those that want excellent likenesses of
their favorite hockey player in some very good poses for display beside their
computer or on their mantle during the play-offs, they can do no wrong
purchasing this series.
- Omni
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