Earlier this year, NECA released the BioShock 2 Big Sister and Little Sister 2-pack. Both figures in that set were pretty stellar, but the Little Sister ended up being one of my favorite action figures ever. As such, now that NECA's released that figure again -- alongside the young version of Eleanor Lamb -- I couldn't help but snag the new 2-pack without a moment's hesitation. Does this Little Sister duo exhibit the creepy wonder of the original? Keep reading to find out!
Name: Young Eleanor & Little Sister
Line: BioShock 2
Manufacturer: NECA
Released: 2nd Quarter 2010
Price: Retail: $13.99, Online: $15-$20
Scale: 6 inch (figures are roughly 4 inches tall)
Accessories: Two ADAM syringes, one tiny Big Daddy doll
Sponsor Listings: Past Generation Toys-$17.95
The sculpt on the "generic" Little Sister is identical to that of the one released alongside the Big Sister -- so it's equally excellent, with all of the gritty detail you'd expect from a NECA offering. Young Eleanor shares the bulk of the sculpt as well, though she gets a few new parts. In addition to a more clever-looking head with narrowed eyes, a different hairstyle (her hair is swept in the opposite direction; she also gets pigtails!), and a different facial structure, little Miss Lamb sports smooth, non-scabby forearms and hands and clean lower legs with pristine Sunday school shoes. These new parts all work well with the extant pieces and really help to make Eleanor seem like a second character rather than a simple repaint.
But I gave the original 10/10, so why the lower point here? Well, I'm not sure if it's mold degradation or just a QC slip with mine, but whereas the original figure's biceps apparently bulged a bit unnaturally due to the connecting peg (which I didn't notice at the time; perhaps it just blended in with the intentional deformities on the arms?), the problem is more pronounced on this new Little Sister because there's a noticeable gap between the shoulder and bicep pieces. Those parts also turn much less smoothly on this toy, making it seem as if they just don't fit properly here for whatever reason. The fit is better with Young Eleanor, however, so perhaps I just got unlucky with Little Sister II.
Sculpt Score: 9 / 10
Like most NECA releases, the paint is mostly fantastic, and it's amazing how the different paint jobs help to make these seem like two different toys -- one featuring a clean, relatively new dress; the other clad in a worn-out and stained ensemble -- despite their apparent sculpt similarities. But for a couple of small blemishes on her face (you can't really see it in these photos, but there's a dark smudge on her jawline) and dress, Young Eleanor's paint job is flawless. Combined with the smoother pieces, the paint on her arms and legs really makes them seem incredibly smooth, and the off-white dress with dingy yellow and brownish highlights suggests the drab and unsavory environment in which this pampered little girl was raised.
While the generic Little Sister's paint job seems a touch less impressive than the original release's, the more imprecise and gritty nature of it makes any apparent missteps much easier to overlook and/or forgive. However, be warned, as most of the 2-pack Little Sisters I saw at Toys "R" Us had missing patches of paint on their noses.
Paint Score: 9 / 10
As detailed above, both figures have the same articulation seen on the previous Little Sister release. However, given the stickier bicep swivels on Little Sister II -- and the inability of Eleanor to balance as well on her shod feet as the Little Sisters with their bare toes -- the poseability isn't quite as impressive as I found it to be for the original figure. It's still good enough to get the figures into a number of fun poses, and the lack of range in the legs isn't especially disappointing (especially if you display the girls clinging to larger figures in the line).
Articulation Score: 7 / 10
As with the solo release, Little Miss Lamb and her nameless twin are a great deal of fun. BioShock fans will appreciate the included accessories, as the ADAM syringes augment the figures' pose 'n' play potential and the Big Daddy doll is just plain adorable. I don't find them to be quite as fun as the first Little Sister, however -- largely because that figure came with the Big Sister and the two of them interact so well together. Of course, if you have any of the larger solo releases (or the solo Big Sister), you'll already have a number of other figures that can appropriately team with one of the youngsters in this set! And even without larger partners, these creepy little girl figures are quite delightful in their own right. If you amass three or more Little Sisters to form a cuckoo clique, Eleanor makes a natural leader with her white uniform and clever, sinister eyes.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
For $13.99, you're getting two action figures with excellent sculpts and paint, decent articulation, and a few accessories -- yet because the girls are so tiny, they don't seem like a stellar value when compared to other figures at this price point. For instance, you can get one Big Sister for the same price, but the Big Sister contains as much plastic as three Little Sisters (at least). And while a DC Universe Classics figure lacks the Sisters' detailed sculpting and paint job and will cost you a buck more (at least), those are also bigger than these two figures and have BAF pieces and/or accessories to sweeten the deal. Still, considering that two 3.75" figures cost about the same (or slightly more, if we're talking about Marvel Universe offerings), the Young Eleanor and Little Sister 2-pack is hardly a poor value.
Value Score: 8 / 10
90 / 100 - This is a WONDERFUL Toy
Owing to their less-than-super articulation, diminutive stature, and slightly diminished value, Young Eleanor and Little Sister II don't work quite as well in this 2-pack as the solo Little Sister worked as a glorified accessory for the Big Sister. Even so, they're still wonderfully creepy figures that should delight BioShock 2 fans and toy-loving horror enthusiasts alike -- so if you fall into either category, don't hesitate to pick them up!
-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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