Master Chief

Coming out of the first wave of toys for Halo 4 is Microsoft's iconic hero, Master Chief. The Spartan supersoldier's adventures have spanned 4 games and the franchise itself has several other spin-offs. If you are wondering why you are being taunted by a 12-year old douchebag on Xbox Live, it's probably because of Halo. Anyways, since the blockbuster game released this month that means that tie-in merchandise is out too. Nowadays, what big tentpole franchise doesn't have a toy line? Hit the jump to see more!

I saw the Chief in a Walgreens for 11 bucks and I figured for a neat action figure it was worth it. The packaging was actually half open as the clam shell on the card was hanging on just barely. When I propped it up to take the pic it stayed on. Master Chief comes with one accessory, his MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System aka assault rifle.

McFarlane Toys did a great job on nailing the details on Master Chief's armor. The look of this powered armor is different than previous versions of the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor. It's not as form fitting, and there's interesting bits all over. The developers said that they wanted the player to really feel like they were inside Master Chief's armor instead of just being a floating gun on the screen. Hence the redesign to make him look like, in the developer's words, "he's wearing 800 pounds of tank and jet fighter".

I personally think they did a great job of keeping the aesthetic of previous Halo armors, but differentiating it enough to stand on it's own. The shoulder plates are probably the most drastic change from previous armors Master Chief wore. McFarlane Toys sculpt captured the new suit perfectly.

 I really like the joints that are used by McFarlane toys. They have little ridges that act as detents and help lock the joints exactly how you want them. These joints are simple and make sense, enhancing regular old joints while not being as finicky as Revoltech joints.

Chief's gun is pretty basic, but still nicely detailed. It's done in a two color metallic grey and black color scheme and looks cool. The other side has a big doofy peg sticking straight out of the side. That peg allows for Master Chief to hold it on his back. This would have been a nicer feature if he had come with a second gun, but that's not a big gripe.

I really am very fond of Halo, having spent many, many hours in my 20's happily sitting on a couch with my friends and blasting away at each other. Beyond that, for some reason the story of Halo resonates with me. The games only offer a small glimpse into the rich universe that Bungie, and now 343 Industries continually expands. I'm glad they went with McFarlane Toys, the sculpt is real sharp and for a McFarlane offering, the articulation is pretty good. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, waist, knees, ankles, and toes are all articulated. The only thing I could ding this figure on is the hip joints. Just by looking at them I know they decided to do them that way to maintain the seamlessness of the figure, but these hip joints are basically super limited ball joints. Even with all the wonderful articulation from the knees down, he's kind of gimped when it comes to getting dynamic poses involving his legs.

My final thoughts on this toy are positive. Master Chief is pretty much the iconic "space marine" video game hero. He's fought across the universe to protect humanity from the Covenant. In the larger scheme of things, Master Chief might have done an even greater service, he basically saved the Xbox and made it into the monster brand it is today. If you see this guy around pick him up, he's cheap and fun and really well done. Thanks for reading!