Halo Toy Review: Mattel Halo 6 inch figure Series 2 Spartan Buck

Technical Specifications:
Articulation:
• Ball Joint Head
• Ball Joint Shoulders
• Pivot Joint Elbows
• Ball Joint Wrists
• Ball Joint Torso
• Ball Joint Hips
• Swivel Joint Thighs
• Double Jointed Knees
• Pivot Joint Ankles
Accessories: Assault Rifle, Knife, X2 plastic pins, Imperial Grunt Build-A-Figure Torso
Additional Contents: Instruction Manual
Cost: $20 (US)
Availability: Mass Retail (I got mine from Amazon.com)

And on with the pics! (Click pics to make BIGGER)

The box displays Buck nicely through a window on the front of the box. The back shows all of the contents as well as the other figures in Series 2. As well it shows the corresponding parts for the Imperial Build-A-Figure Imperial Grunt.Here we see the full plastic tray with the figure, armor parts and accessories along with the instruction manual.

Here all of the removable armor parts for Buck. The paint application to this figure, while subtle, is fantastic. Just enough shading difference in parts of the armor to add a sense of depth to it.

The articulation of the figure is awesome. I only barely scratch the surface here in this review, by showing it’s articulation.

Below are the accessories you get with Buck. Each figure from series 2 includes different parts for the Grunt. Purchasing Buck will net you the torso from the Imperial Grunt. If you buy each figure from the series, you will be able to build the complete grunt. I’ll have the review of that figure after I’ve reviewed all the other figures from this series.
Strangely, Mattel elected to include an Assault Rifle, instead of Buck’s in-game shotgun. Hopefully in the future, we get a figure that has a shotgun, that I can swap out to give to Buck. Also included is a hunting knife. What’s cool about this is the knife can be sheathed to one of Buck’s pieces of shoulder armor
Lastly for accessories are the two plastic pins (as seen in the small plastic bag here). These can be used to secure the assault rifle to the back of Buck and a smaller weapon to his thigh armor. Each figure has these pins for similar usage.

Buck in orthographic views. Be sure to click on this pic to see a larger size of it to see the detail. He looks a LOT better in armor than just the undersuit from above, huh? LOL

What I really enjoy about this figure is form the get-go, we get Buck’s head and don’t have to wait for a rerelease in the future.

A close up of Buck’s upper half to show the face more as well as the sheathed knife. The logo and text appliqués are VERY well done. “BUCK” on the torso is tiny. Just a couple of millimeters across. Yet, it’s a detail Mattel kept in and makes the figure all the better for it. The head sculpt is awesome! Definitely looks like Nathan Fillion (the actor who plays Buck in the game). Added shading, subtle color shifts in the hair and the inclusion of stubble make the head almost look alive!

Evaluation
Sculpt: Excellent 10 of 10 medals!
Articulation: This figure has articulation that now fairly standard for Mattel Halo figures. 10 out of 10 medals
Paint Application: The paint is fantastic! There is a marked improvement from series 1 to series 2 Mattel Halo action figures. Series 2 looks more realistic than toy, which I find to be a GREAT thing! 10 of 10 medals
Accessories: The only minor issue I have with the figure is the inclusion of an Assault Rifle instead of the game accurate shotgun. The knife is small folks, so I HIGHLY suggest sheathing it in the shoulder armor and leaving it there for good, less you lose it. 8 out of 10 medals
Playability: Lots of posing possibilities allow for great play and display options. 10 of 10 medals
Overall: 48 medals out of a total 50 medals.

Do I recommend this product? ABSOLUTELY! Buck has never looked better! Play and displayability are HIGH. Plus, who doesn’t want a Nathan Fillion action figure?

If you have any questions about this figure that I didn’t cover in the review, please do not hesitate to ask me. Either reply below or e-mail me at [email protected]

If this review gives you an informed decision on whether to purchase the toy or not, please consider a small donation (50 cents) to the blog.You can donate via PayPal to [email protected]. Or just click the paypal link at the right on the main page of the site.  It’s much appreciated and helps ensure that HFFL stays registered/active on the internet. Thank You.

-Sal

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About Sal

I’ve got tons of experience with Halo gaming and collecting. I feel I have something to offer to the greater Halo fan community. Posts along the way will be about tips and tricks in the games as well as collecting and many more Halo related things. I’ll also repost interesting articles from the official site, Halowaypoint.com, or from fellow Halo fan sites. As I continue this blog, I hope to help gamers who want advice on the games, as well as any collectors with regards to where to find collectibles as well as deals, coupons and so on. You can also follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/HaloFanForLife or Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/halofanforlife11. Welcome to my blog and I hope you’ll come back again and again. -Sal