ARCHIVE: SDCC JoyRide Halo 2 ODST & Toyrocket White Elite

Article originally published 08/16/2006 at figures.com

JoyRide Studios is riding high on the success of their Halo 2 figures. The line, based on the immensely popular Bungie / Microsoft game, is now entering its eighth series and shows no sign of slowing down. Building on this success, JoyRide offered two different exclusive Halo 2 figures at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. In this review, I take a look at the toyrocket.com exclusive Multiplayer White Elite and both versions (regular and ‘bloody’ variant) of the SDCC exclusive Orbital Drop Shock Tooper (ODST).

PACKAGING:
JoyRide continues to package their Halo 2 figures in a large plastic bubble with a cardboard backing. This provides a clear view of both the figures and their accessories but increases the risk of package damage. Both figures include a full description of their character’s history on the back of the card, as well as full color images of their in-game counterparts. The card on the ODST appears to be twice the size of the normal Series 4 version, which makes the figure look slightly out of proportion. The Elite is a much larger scale figure than the ODST and therefore quite a bit heavier. This puts a little more stress on his packaging and could cause some damage to the card if displayed hanging on a wall.

SCULPT AND CHARACTER LIKENESS:
The world of Halo is one of fierce battles and deadly warriors. Naturally, its characters are featured in a wide array of armor and combat uniforms. The Elite features an impressive collection of armor plating, most of which appear grafted to his textured skin. The ODST is also combat-ready and includes a sculpted utility vest, belt, boots and even a mirrored visor for his helmet. This version of the ODST is designed after the upcoming Halo graphic novel Armor Testing.

PAINT AND COLOR:
JoyRide has released versions of both of these figures in previous waves, so these SDCC exclusives were a chance to bring something different to the characters. The Elite is featured in his white multiplayer color. The only issue I found with this version of the Elite was that the paint applications around his face and mouth appeared to be somewhat sloppy. The orange highlighting the inside of the Elite’s mouth was blurred in with his white teeth and armor plating. This is of little consequence though, especially considering how crisp the details on the rest of the his armor.

The ODST includes two different paint styles. The regular version is almost an exact duplicate of JoyRide’s original Series 4 release. Grey and black camouflage covers the ODST’s arms and legs. The variant version of the figure features blood splattering across the his vest, helmet and legs. I really dig the contrast between the pink blood and the Trooper’s black combat gear. The variant ODST is the most difficult of the three to find, but is well worth the search.

ARTICULATION:
The Elite sports a stunning 18 points of articulation. This includes movable ankles, knees writst, elbows, waist and more. The only point of the Elite’s body that I wish would have included articulation is his jaw. In the game, the character's mandibles move in and out. This would have been a nice addition to an already well-articulated figure. The ODST is also nicely articulated and features joints in his knees, shoulders, cut joints in the thighs and a movable helmet. Neither figure includes articulated hands, though this wasn’t an issue when I displayed them holding their weapons.

ACCESSORIES:
The ODST’s both include a stationary turret gun, which features two points of articulation. Posing the ODST with the turret was a bit difficult, as the figure’s size prevents him from pointing the gun in any direction but straight at the ground. The ODST also includes a removable dagger and a SMG with expandable stock. The Elite comes with three separate guns; plasma sword, energy beam sniper rifle and Covenant Carbine. The Elite displays the best with his plasma sword, but I didn’t encounter any problems getting him to hold his other weapons.

VALUE AND OVERALL IMPRESSION:
Most Halo fans likely already own the regular versions of these two figures. However, the paint variants (especially the ‘bloody’ ODST) are worth tracking down for those looking to expand their diorama displays. Considering these were SDCC exclusives, locating them may be a bit of a challenge. The good news is that toyrocket.com currently has a few of the White Multiplayer Elite figures in stock on their site. The ODST’s retailed for $20 each at SDCC, though current secondary market prices for the figures (especially the variant) are much higher. I really liked the ODST’s and could see myself assembling an army of these guys. JoyRide Studios continues to do an excellent job of recreating the world of Halo with these figures. Check out our collection of images of these three figures by clicking on the photo gallery link below.