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Series: Metal Gear Solid 2
Craftsmanship: 8.8 out of 10 - Tentacles = high poseability - Solid sculpt and paint job - Reminiscent of Dr. Octopus - Many points of articulation - Good accessories - Certain amount of “cool” and “geek” factors
Playability: 8.0 out of 10 - A cool “old man” action figure - Gun and sword can be lost - Tentacles are very bendy and easy to put on and take off - Moderately durable - Compatible with the other figures in the series
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Solidus Snake (MGS2)
It’s a challenge not to constantly think about how much Solidus Snake looks like Dr. Octopus – a kind of redux with no dumb glasses and more football pad-type armor, but Doc Oc nonetheless.
The number of articulation points on Solidus is quite good with upwards of 20 points. More importantly, they can all be put to good use. (Although, his shoulder pads limit his arm mobility a bit.) The ball-jointed hips and hinged ankles combine to allow multiple stances while still maintaining balance. Even if you contort him into a stance that makes him tippy, his dual tentacles more than compensate for it and make him rock steady.
The two tentacles measure about 11 ½” – more than long enough for any pose you can think of. (Is he compensating for something?) Whether wrapping up other figures in the series or providing more points of contact to maintain his balance, the tentacles add to both the Playability and Craftsmanship scores. They’re also easy to bend and have three “fingers” on the end of each arm to provide more balance. Further, they’re simple to mount on his shoulders. (And also simple to remove them.) If you’re looking for the Best Tentacled Figure |
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on the market, Solidus may be your best bet. (As with all tentacles, watch for over-bending them which can break the metal wire inside – or worse, poke them through the skin.)
Sculpting is excellent and because of the nature of his suit the points of articulation aren’t obtrusive. The small touches like the labeling on the tentacles and the detail of the soles of his boots are very nice to see – and are expected from McFarlane. The facial features are right on, complete with sinister eye-patch. In short, he’s direct from the video game.
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Playability gets dinged in a few areas. First, the included machine gun and sword are small enough to be lost easily. Both fit the character well, although getting the machine gun in his hands is damn tough -- at least the way I figure he should be holding it. Granted, it fits snuggly but everyone should have a tough time equipping Solidus with it. (I had to modify the gun slightly to make it work.) The option – hanging it like purse off his forearm – isn’t really an option if you want him to look tough. (The strap on the gun is easily pulled off.) Even with the copious articulation, Solidus remains a moderately tough toy. The usual drop / kick / stomp test didn’t break any pieces off which is usually expected with figures that come with lots of articulation. Also upping the Playability is the compatibility with the other figures in the MGS2 series. Much like the across the board compatibility found with the Simpson figures, accessories from other figures are interchangeable.
Speaking of interchangeable, Solidus’ head is removable (at least according to the instructions). I have not been able to actually remove it although I did bruise my thumb on his nose. The problem is that the mounts for the tentacles prevent getting a good grip on his head.
Solidus also comes packed with Metal Gear Ray’s head, which, I suppose, is essential to completing Metal Gear Ray (the 7th MGS2 figure). I wouldn’t buy Solidus for Ray’s head -- Solidus is a good enough figure on his own. A definite must have for MGS2 fans but also a figure worthy of consideration by non-fans for sheer "cool" factor.
-Omni
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