Although I've never played either BioShock title (what little knowledge I have of the game comes from the figure packaging and the BioShock Wiki entries I read while writing this article), I knew I had to have NECA's Big and Little Sister figures from the moment I saw them online. With those ultra-long legs, plentiful straps and buckles, and comely metal braces, the Big Sister sports one of the sexiest designs I've ever seen -- all she needs is a few more curves and some cleavage peeking out from the top of her lovely corset. And the Little Sister? Well, she has the look of a zombie girl! I've wanted a figure of one of those ever since I viewed Night of the Living Dead through the eyes of a nostalgic toy collector, especially given my fond memories of the possessed, axe-wielding little lasses in MediEvil.

TAO's already reviewed the solo Big Sister release -- and the version in the 2-pack doesn't differ from it to my knowledge -- so this review will focus on the Little Sister. Keep reading for my abbreviated thoughts on the best zombie girl figure ever... even though it's not as if she has much competition in that pageant.

Name: Little Sister
Line: Player Select, BioShock 2
Manufacturer: NECA
Released: 1st Quarter 2010
Price: $19.99 (in 2-pack with Big Sister)
Scale: 6 in. (figure is about 4 in. tall)
Accessories: ADAM syringe

The sculpt is more than just good -- it's arguably the best possible little dead girl sculpt. The Little Sister's dress and bows are rich with creases and texturing; her face has an eerie, vacant stare that yet suggests menace and sinister intentions; and, among other details, there are even small touches like the buttons on her dress, the arches of her feet, and tiny sculpted goosebumps or warts on her arms. Heck, she's even got tiny little toes and toenails! My Little Sister seems to have lost the leftmost head of her ab crunch pin -- or it's just set really deep -- which makes her look a bit like she's got a gaping hole in her side (see the pics towards the end of the review). Other than that, though, this figure's sculpt is absolutely perfect.

Sculpt Score: 10 / 10

There are two and only two tiny flaws with the paint, and I don't think they're sufficient to dock the score a full point. On the left side of the Little Sister's face, the paint doesn't quite go to the end of the sculpted lock, and on both sides the paint doesn't precisely follow the sculpt behind the ears to the neckline. Other than those issues, the paint is perfect. The Little Sister's skin is a livid, corpselike greyish-green; she's got airbrushed and speckled highlights that look like dirt and scars and bruising; her dress is painted in dark shades of purple and a green-tinged white to adorably eerie effect... and those dark green circles around bright yellow haunting eyes really punctuate the dead zombie girl look. The sculpt was amazing too, but the paint really makes the Little Sister one of the creepiest collectibles I've ever seen.

Paint Score: 10 / 10

For such a tiny figure, the Little Sister's articulation is pretty impressive. The range of the ball-jointed neck is great -- and since it's connected at the base of the neck, the Little Sister can cock her head and look down no matter which direction she's facing. The ab hinge is a welcome surprise, allowing the Little Sister to arch her back (very effective for crawling poses) and bend over completely, though admittedly the former configuration looks better than the latter owing to the location of the joint in relation to the sculpt. The arms offer quite a lot of posing variety as well, and the legs -- while limited in their range -- still allow the Little Sister to take a few different standing poses despite the small footprint and work well for sitting poses in the Big Sister's cage. The leg articulation could be better, though, and a waist swivel would have been nice.

Articulation Score: 8 / 10

Familiarity with the BioShock games is completely unnecessary -- if you're into zombie or horror figures at all, the Little Sister will be an utterly delightful addition to your collection. She poses quite well for her tiny size, and, while the included ADAM syringe is a cool accessory in its own right, the Little Sister's tiny gripping hands mean that she can hold a variety of accessories you might have lying around! (I didn't think of this during the photo shoot, but right now I've got her holding a pair of bloodstained pliers from a Hellraiser figure -- very cool.) Of course, if you're a BioShock fan (or have read enough of the BioShock Wiki to become somewhat familiar with these characters), you'll have a great deal of fun looking at and posing this fantastic representation of an important character/element in the games -- especially given how well the Little Sister works with the Big Sister. They're both immensely figures, and together... well, they're pure plastic sex.

Also, while I generally don't like to alter review photos in order to present the toy as accurately as possible, my love of horror films and the Little Sister's zombie appeal compelled me to play with some of these images -- and I had a great deal of fun doing so. So if you derive enjoyment from photographing figures and digitally altering the results, the Little Sister will be that much more enjoyable for you.

Fun Score: 10 / 10

As of this writing (and not counting secondary sources like eBay), the Little Sister is only available in a Toys "R" Us exclusive 2-pack with the Big Sister for $19.99. Since the Big Sister retails at $13.99 alone, that puts the individual cost of the Little Sister at $6. It's a pretty fair value when one considers that she's about the same size as Hasbro's 4" offerings, but the sculpt and paint on this creepy little dead girl just blow away her competition. Even without the ADAM syringe (which I suppose adds to her value, but I could take it or leave it), I'd probably pay twice as much for a dead girl figure this brilliant.

Value Score: 10 / 10

98 / 100 - This is a Wonderful Toy

While her articulation could be a teensy bit better, the delightfully creepy Little Sister is perfect in every other respect. If you're a fan of the BioShock games, classic zombie movies, or even horror films in general, you need to own this figure. You could buy it in the current 2-pack with the Big Sister, or you could wait for the upcoming 2-pack featuring the Little Sister and Eleanor Lamb as a Little Sister... or you could buy this 2-pack now and get that one later. One Little Sister (and her Big Sis) is fantastic, but three (or more!) Little Sisters will make for the greatest action figure army ever.

I love the Little Sister so much, I'd let her eat my brains.

-Wes

This could be the figure given away in this month's Review Commentator Contest. Join the discussion by leaving a comment for a chance to win!

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