I want to learn more about the Halo franchise. Like I know who Master Chief John-117 is, I know terms like Spartan, Arbiter, Grunt, Warthog, and Cortana, and I am aware that fans didn't like how the Chief was treated in the 2010s, but I'm not as experienced about the series as I am with Mario or Sonic. I'll be sure to fix that, especially when I get around to playing the older games and wait to see how Halo Infinite turns out. In the meantime, I've got a Master Chief review that I want to make because this guy's pretty cool. Let's see how the Spartan Collection does him justice...which is a weird thing to say because I never owned any Master Chief figures before.
Here is Master Chief in hand, looking as he will appear in Halo: Infinite. As far as the armor is concerned, it's nicely done when it comes to replicating how it is in the series, with battle damage and scuffs to present him with a war-torn look that still makes the guy look weirdly pristine. The use of silver and black on the green armor helps accentuate those details, and the shade of green toes the line of popping on a shelf while still looking militaristic. It also goes well with the black mesh underneath the green armor, which is always a plus. The proportions are great, though I have a feeling the arms should either be closer to the neck or have some beef to them. That and they need some bulk around them, too. The side and back look great, too, and I like how the hinges for the knees look like proper detailing.
Helmet looks outstanding! It's got the proportions, the paint app, the chrome visor, and the proper sculpted details to make this guy feel distinct from other helmeted heroes in pop culture. It's everything he has to make him distinctly Master Chief. As for his articulation, his head can look left and right and slightly wiggle side to side; his head can look up and down on the neck hinge. The shoulders move front and back, in and out, the biceps swivel, though most of that range is limited due to the flexible shoulder pad. The elbows bend at two points, and the wrists can swivel as well as hinge in and out. There are butterfly joints though the movement is a little limited due to them moving forwards rather than backwards. The diaphragm moves around somewhat as well as the lower torso, but the range is limited due to the sculpting of the armor. The hips move front and back, in and out, thighs swivel (though the armor could scuff with the pelvis due to the lack of space between the hinges. The thighs swivel, the knees bend at two stiff points, and the feet can hinge, pivot, and even provide toe articulation!
You have a handful of display options. Some include the alternate hands that let you either have relaxed hands when punching is not on the top of the Chief's head, him holding his MK50 Sidekick pistol, and him with his iconic MA40 Assault Rifle either single or dual-held. These pics made me think of the promo shots for Halo Infinite, and it made me excited to play it later in the year!
The rifle can also be stored on the back of the figure as one would expect, while the pistol can be on the thigh via a panel that can come off and be flipped around so the peg can be repurposed for the gun.
For a comparison with other versions of the versions of Master Chief, I want to mention that some are different either in terms of suit designs or aesthetic choices. The Jayzwares version of Master Chief is the Infinite version while the second Chief picture is the Joyride version from Halo 2, the third is from McFarlane and is from Halo 4, and the fourth pic is the Halo 5 version from Mattel with removable armor. I don't know how the others work apart from the Mattel one's armor, but I don't think they'll be good enough to replace this version. Apart from the very slightly limited articulation, the kind of weak grip on the guns, and the sort of frail shoulder pads, this is the best Master Chief figure that is out there. While my love for the character might be bigger than my knowledge of the entire franchise, he is a piece of encouragement to dip my toes into the Halo franchise before making a big dive. And now, it's time for John-117 to finish the fight.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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