Posts Tagged “Xbox 360”
While the reputation of Chinese manufacturers have certainly been at the very least respectable for those genre-collecting in recent years, it only takes something like NECA’s latest video-game tie-in Gears of War Lancer replica to remind that Chinese manufacturing is very much still capable of being just as they were in the bad old days.
If you haven’t checked out our massive review just below yet, here is a recap of shoddiness:
- Major defect in the battery compartment dimensions. Inoperable sound/vibration feature widespread
- A lovely rattle of indeterminate origin inside the prop itself
- Inaccurate stamping on shipping carton indicates batteries are included when it’s not the case
To NECA’s credit, they acknowledged the battery issue with swiftness, offering to send out metal conductor plates that remedy the problem (at no charge, of course). Don’t expect any sort of confirmation response after sending them your info. I didn’t, and yet the plate complete with instructions arrived as promised just days later. So go on.
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Review
Gears of War Lancer Replica | Artist: Epic Games | Edition Size: Unknown
It’s interesting to read some of the early impressions of this piece. It’s clear that there are two value systems at work here. For the gamer, this is ‘really expensive’. The seasoned collector sees it differently, as the price here equates nowadays to more or less that of a 1/6 figure. Knowing this, one should not go in expecting the kitchen sink. As both a gamer and a collector, I can see either side of the coin.
 I’m constantly amazed at how the two have intersected of late, and this, perhaps fittingly, is the most excessive example of a video game “pack-in” collectible yet. And with serious issues that accompany nearly all of them (broken Bioshock Big Daddy statues, malfunctioning Fallout 3 Pip Boy Clocks), one wonders how long this trend will keep up. Here’s how NECA’s take on Marcus Fenix and crew’s favorite chainsaw-tipped weapon of choice stacks up:
It feels plastic-y, it sounds plastic-y, mostly because it is plastic-y. Barring some of the dicier moving parts, it’s not particularly light or flimsy though, don’t let that fool you.
Yes, there are a surprising number of movable elements, and no, the chainsaw is not one of them. There’s a sliding handle and two other parts beyond my firearm knowledge to describe– latter of which actually make way for a removable ammo cartridge (sounds cooler than it is). And with zero instructions included*, it’s very possible that someone might own this for years without ever knowing.
(*barring the sizable blurb on the shipping carton pertaining entirely to batteries, which among other things, states that they are included when they aren’t. ugh)
What do you need batteries for, you say? To power the vibration and sound feature of course, which require three C Cells. Unfortunately due to my habit of not stockpiling C cell batteries, I have not played with these novelty features as of this writing. And there is a good chance that it might not have even worked: a high, high percentage of people are reporting failure on their Lancer, with however a relatively simple improvised fix involving tin foil or a paper clip. (Read the Amazon customer feedback for tips.)
[[Update]] NECA has issued a notice of this defect and are sending metal plates to those with issues.
How did NECA salvage this from a total disaster? With the solid design of the gun itself and the details they managed to preserve here in life-size form. I do recall reading that this was essentially spit out from Epic’s (developers behind Gears of War) 3D data, which makes it difficult to fault for consistency.
Paint is a mostly uncomplicated affair consisting of a base coat silver and black. There are no attempts at weathering or texturizing which in this case is probably just as well. With that out of the way, the rest of the effects are reserved for gore, and an appropriate chainsaw splatter cover the front of the piece. A fancy element like this is easy to guff-up but the result is surprisingly decent. Very Gears-like splash patterns though it must be said that the results still look mostly like matte red paint rather than the darker, more viscous and glossy stuff it’s aiming to mimic.
The remaining small patches of blue are meant to simulate the lights which are so pervasive in the GOW universe.
NECA treads the line between ‘toy’ and ‘replica’ pretty closely. I’m not sure the more delicate parts would survive Little Billy’s play sessions for long (assuming Billy can actually lift this thing), yet what kid could resist such a thing? It’s really like the ultimate Gears of War Halloween prop: inexpensive enough that you don’t mind toting around to fake-chainsawing people, but respectable in detail.
The Lancer replica comes as part of an unofficial bundle available only from Amazon at a total cost $140, including the Xbox 360 game, Gears of War 2. Factor out the cost of the game itself and you’re essentially shelling out $80 for this replica. Were the paint a little more sophisticated along with higher quality construction + materials– let’s face it, were it a full-on $400-$500 prop replica– it would’ve been something to behold. As is, it meets my expectations for the price point and acquits itself fairly well.
Information
- Gears of War Life-size Lancer
- Make: NECA
- License: Gears of War
- Artists: Epic and NECA
- Retail Price: $139.99 (with Gears of War 2)
- Edition Size: Unknown
- Scale: 1/1
- Type: Weapon replica
- Purchase Options: Amazon.com | Ebay
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 It seems ages already since this beauty was shown off at Comic-Con, but Weta’s finally put up their first Halo piece for order- Cortana.
As I was prepared for a price of $250-$300 from what seem to be ever-rising cost of collectibles, the $225 ’special’ pre-order price comes as a nice surprise. There a certain element of beauty here that sets it apart from the other Chief / ugly space creature pieces, which the masses have definitely responded to. Edition size to be determined.
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 Collecting, is becoming less and less of a niche.
How else to explain the prominent lead of “Figurines” in the poll conducted by Street Fighter 4 developers, Capcom? The survey seeks opinions on what should be included in the upcoming “Collector Edition” of the blockbuster title for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
It’s huge, the way collectibles are seeping into the mainstream more and more over time. Already a staple in the home video world, they are now becoming commonplace in gaming as well, with successively more elaborate ‘collector editions’ in the pipeline.
Recent examples include Amazon.com exclusive editions of Gears of War 2 (life-size Lancer prop gun) and Fallout 3 (Pip Boy 300 clock). Street Fighter 4 is only the latest confirmation of this trend- if the planet’s #1 online retailer producing its own independent collector’s editions of video games wasn’t confirmation enough.
Amongst hardcore gamers, where collectibles are usually viewed as fluff, its lead over actual game content represents a new paradigm of thinking. If Sideshow’s on the ball, they’d make sure gift cards were in every copy of SF4 to capitalize on this perfect gateway to the Pop Culture Shock Street Fighter statues under their umbrella of distribution.
Other options to fall by the wayside include the more practical staples: t-shirts and strategy guides. To place a vote, hit up Capcom’s Street Fighter 4 home page. I got mine in.
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To the dismay of many gamers, the life-size Spartan Helm replica that accompanied the Legendary Edition of Halo 3 was not functional (wearable). Fret not. Courtesy of the twisted guys from Epic, NECA, and………Amazon(!?), your happy make-believe time is about to get a lot more fun.
For Gears of War 2, due holiday 2008 on the Xbox 360, anyone can finally live out their Marcus Fenix- or Texas massacre- fantasies to the fullest with a life-size Lancer Assault Rifle replica– the massive, chainsaw-tipped machine gun synonymous with the video game series. And it’s exclusive to Amazon.com, which unlike the Halo 3 helmet, is not part of any official Microsoft bundle.
Just up for pre-order at the friendly internet retail giant, the $139.99 price includes a ‘free’ copy of the game, hence the ‘bundle’. Don’t worry, you can opt to have this served with the Limited Edition of the game for the requisite extra $10, allowing your chainsaw prop without sacrificing the art book, steelbook case and all that other goofy nonsense. Very nicely thought out. (see Amazon’s bundle explanation)
 I regret to say that I somehow missed seeing this at Comic-Con, and was not overly optimistic seeing the pics of ‘CliffyB’ (Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski) enjoying the piece. Really useful for scale and sense of overall ridiculousness, they don’t do much to flatter the replica itself. A little digging finds these show pics from gearheadsofwar.com and I’m actually pretty impressed with what NECA is putting out (subsidized by Amazon?) for $140, or $80 if you cotton to the idea of the game being free.
As a gamer and a collector, unfortunately I am rarely resistant to the increasing convergence of the two.
Gears of War 2 hits November 7 for the Xbox 360.
* Trigger Activates Motorized “Chainsaw” Sound and Vibration Feature
* Side Handle Folds In & Out and Slides Back & Forth
* Removable Clip
* Created from the actual 3D data used in the Gears of War 2 videogame
* Powered by 3 “C” Batteries (not included)
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I went back and took pictures, you see, because the Indian customer service guy (who is really quite nice and articulate) informed me that while Microsoft will fix it for free– they extended the warranty for a much ballyhooed three years, if you remember. However, this act of generosity only covers the red light errors– or RROD, the Red Ring of Death.
If your 360 dies a RROD-free, apparently you’re SOL, and have to pay $99 to have it repaired. Just FYI. Back to my case, while it was all candy and roses to have my my brick fixed for free– the man kindly let me know that should the repair center find any defects ‘unrelated’ to the RROD, that I would still have to pay the $99. I’m taking all precautions to proof myself from that BS.
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This is one of the biggest days in gaming, ever. And everything went swimmingly. Kinda. Amazon delivered my Special Edition on launch day. I never really know what to expect, being free shipping and all, but this is impressive.
I got the Amazon exclusive license plate as well, neatly attached. It’s nicer than I expected too. It’s just like a real, genuine license plate. Although, I don’t know what I could’ve possibly expected. Like the real McCoy, it’s metal (aluminum?) with a powder coat finish, embossed letters, and full sized (I think). And it wouldn’t be Grand Theft Auto without a satirical slogan to boot: “Liberty City: Worst Place in America.”
 Considering that it cost me a total of $0.00, it’s really a solid addition to the other items that actually come with the “Collector’s Edition”, all of which are practical real world items befitting of GTA’s seedy, grimy, underbelly of a city. Or, New York. A metal lockbox with keys (yes, it works), a keyring, and a duffel bag.
The license plate fits into that theme many times more convincingly than a t-shirt or poster, which some of the other retailers are offering. As of this writing, it is still available from Amazon, with purchase of the Special Edition of GTA4. It’s a heck of a package for $90, which only shows you how desensitized I am to game prices. Still you get a lot for the extra $30, including a soundtrack and a much-better-than-I-expected art book. Art books are so hot right now.
 So how’s the game itself? Well, ladies and gents, my Xbox 360, on April 29: 2008– launch day, Grand Theft Auto IV— passed into the netherworld. I’m less upset than I am amused, really. It’s been terribly busy of late and I lack the luxury of fully delving into Liberty City anyway. If it had to happen, it might as well have been today, for kitsch factor. Was this payback for dumping Windows, Bill? Fair’s fair. But suppose this had happened to a kid version of me, just imagine what I would’ve done. You’re right, probably nothing. And I wouldn’t have even been able to blog it. That’s truly terrifying.
[[Artist Proof]] Xbox 360
“From One Launch Day to Another”
Nov, 2005- Apr, 2008
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Remember that Bioshock statue replacement program I mentioned a while back? Yeah, neither did I. Truth is, the little broken pinkie on my first statue didn’t bother me all that much. I was lucky in that the damage was rather inconspicuous, as opposed to the many who had their drill bits snap.
Nevertheless, a nice brown box arrived today and with it, a brand spanking new Big Daddy statue, and the promised Bioshock Art Book entitled “Breaking The Mold“.
 A couple of things worth mentioning straight away: I was expecting an empty shipping box, not a new statue right off the bat. This was supposed to be a replacement program remember? Perhaps they’ve just decided to toss that out the window because, hell, it’s been so long. And really, what are they going to do with a bunch of broken statues? Saves them the headache. There is nothing else included- no return directions, no other documentation, nada. I’ll have to check the 2K site to see just what the deal is.
So, what about the Big Daddy? Well, it’s not broken, as expected. It actually comes in its own little styrofoam transport now, which is at least, like 1000% safer than the Collector’s Edition package ever was. Aside from that, it is identical in every fashion. It’s a little more vibrant in color, but that’s due to dust on the oldie more than anything else. For the time being, I, sounding like a bad 80’s sitcom, have Two Big Daddies.
The Art Book you see, was meant to be an act of extremely good faith on 2K’s part. The initial plan was that, while we were waiting for our statues to arrive, we’d have something else to tide us over. I don’t quite know the full story behind this book, meaning, if this was actually created for purchase in addition to being given away to the replacees. [[updated! see comments for clarification from Elizabeth of 2k Games]] The lack of a barcode says no, but the fact that Ken Levine wrote a forward to this which makes no mentions of the replacement program says maybe.
 
Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually sold this somewhere for $15; the quality is actually that good. Surprising, but it’s true. The printing is really high quality, on very nice paper stock. It’s rather substantial as well, no page numbers and I’m bad at estimating, but I’d guess there’s a good 50 pages. The art itself is fascinating as it ought to be. Bioshock packs better production values than most movies. If you’ve never played the game, I’m not pulling your chain. The art inside is reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings “Art of…” books. Full of conceptual sketches, color comps, and to my delight– a few sculpted maquettes!
Bioshock remains one of the finest Xbox 360 titles I have played, and this whole ordeal only makes me think more highly of 2K, not less. Fat chance we’ll ever see them throw another “Collector’s Edition” with something cool our way though.
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I can’t describe the Big Daddy any better than what you can see for yourself. It’s a weird, sentient, aquatic gear-loving creature, with a giant drill for a right hand. It really makes more sense in the context of the game. And it’s already become fairly iconic, considering the game is only days old. With Bioshock locked as a “Game of the Year” nominee, and with it being a huge success, we will be seeing this fellow for years to come.
   
The statue stands about 6 inches tall. And it is a statue, not an action figure. The wording has always been vague from 2K’s press (what’ya expect? They’re interested in selling the game, not the statue)– I believe they refer to it as a ‘figurine’. Like every collectible these days, this statue comes from China. I was hoping to find some sort of indication as to which manufacturer, but no such luck. I was delighted to find that it is made of polystone and therefore has that familiar heft we’ve all come to love. The fresh poly scent is that which most any Sideshow, Weta, and probably Gentle Giant collector is immediately familiar.
It’s actually kind of adorable, despite the fact that it is (in the game) a big terrible creature that has a tendency to drill people to death every chance it gets. The sculpt itself is fair; Not up to par with what you’re accustomed to from the high end collectibles companies, certainly– but keep in mind this thing costs $10 (technically even less, when you factor in the other stuff you get with the Collector’s Edition). The paintjob is on the sloppy side, but all things considered, it does the job fine. The whole thing has this ancient luster about it that is incredibly fitting, and it’s a handsome piece. Certainly worth the trouble I went through to get it.
Pluses:
- Dirt cheap
- Good size, for a pack-in
- Made of polystone, nice weight, fairly detailed
Minuses:
- Not the most sophisticated paint apps.
- Wire cage too large and missshapen
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The more eagle-eyed observers may notice that the pinky tip of my Big Daddy is broken off. I was aware this prior to even leaving the parking lot, but didn’t bother me one bit as I would be taken care of: 2K Games is admirably offering a replacement plan for busted Daddies. Shipping paid and everything, and an artbook thrown in on top of that for my troubles. Now, that is classy.
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Update: The Collector’s Edition is sold out at just about every Gamestop, and online. Why didn’t I reserve one?
Continuing on the trend touched on a few days ago- more decked out “Collector’s Editions” games are imminent. Hitting shelves first: Bioshock.
Game is really too weird to explain, but I will give it a stab, having just now played the free demo from Xbox Live: It’s the mid-1960’s, and you are a cross-atlantic flight when your jetliner suddenly goes down. The game begins with you treading water amid flaming ocean debris. Making your way toward an odd lighthouse looking structure you can see the tail of the plane sink slowly into the abyss. Nice touch.
Inside, you locate a pod/submarine which whisks you down into a mysterious (mostly) deserted underwater metropolis decked in art deco Americana– think New York or Chicago in the 20’s, under the ocean. As you quite literally spend the rest of the beautifully art directed game trying to figure out what the hell is going on, you’ll encounter crazed are-they-zombie-or-human inhabitants, little girls who siphon blood out of dead bodies, and the creature(s) that protect them: The Big Daddy.
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That’s what you get with the Collector’s Edition, available only through Gamestop. Six inches tall and made of resin (whether this is just their fancy way of saying “plastic”, or actually something more substantial like polystone remains to be seen). Pretty good for $10 extra dollars- considering you also get the usual “behind the scenes” DVD and soundtrack LE fluff. |
The demo was really quite something. Not that it’s a secret or anything, but Bioshock (Xbox 360 and PC) is going to be a hit. The hype train peaked just in time (thanks to the demo) for its release August 21. If I buy this and the Halo set, that’d be $200 in 2 months for a whopping total of 2 games. Scary thought.
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