Power Loader
Review by Gazbot
I am a fan of Aliens, The original 4 movies some 90's comics, and come 90's toys. So, I of course always thought the Power loader was an awesome part of that world. I was excited to review and play with this version of it. Full disclosure however, I have not played the Aliens: Colonial Marines game, or kept up on the more recent mythology. Regardless, this Power loader seems to be identical to the movie version I know.
Sample provided by Hiya Toys, Pre-order available though Big Bad Toy Store.
Let's check out the packaging:
My sample came shipped with a plastic bag over it to keep the box extra protected for those collectors who like to keep their packaging mint, which was thoughtful.
It has photos of the figure and the Game/movie logo laid over subtle xenomorph designs, there is a windowed front and top so you can view the actual figure without opening the box.
There is a buttoned clamshell holding the Loader in place and it can all be repackaged after opening with out any damage to the plastic or box.
Out of the Box, . It looks good from all angles and is evenly painted and detailed over all of it even the bottom of the feet!
Right away when I opened it I noticed the paint detail was much better than it looked through the plastic. There are tons of little details and the grimy weathered look works really well and doesn't have the "sloppy paint=dirt" aesthetic than many collectibles do. The hydraulic hoses are made of a softer flexible plastic that moves well, and they are all connected in a realistic and believable way starting on the back and flowing out to the limbs.
The hydraulic on the back of the leg even "works"
The top has antennas I have no fear of accidentally breaking, and a clear light dome. I wish there was a light or reflective paper in though. It's just so obviously hollow on a figure that took such pains to look "real" It sticks out as unfinished to me.
The articulation is good but not amazing. However, I think it is actually pretty accurate to the way the machine would move, and so, while somewhat limited, it's doesn't need much more. Maybe an ankle joint would have been nice, but that might have effected stability. The joints are WELL HIDDEN! there are no obvious screws or pin holes or other big noticeable giveaways, and the few places you can see the joints, it makes sense for the Loader to have a joint there. The rotating shoulder joints are SUPER tight at first, (maybe due to paint?) once there are loosened they work fine, but that first twist and snap had me worried I would break them. Overall the joints were tight (in a good way). Except for the elbow and the secondary shoulder (rocker?) joint. which very quickly became loose.
While the articulation is a bit limited you can still get some decent poses.
I very much enjoyed the base(s) it came with. Well painted interchangeable deck plates with pegs for figures and the ability to rearrange and combine with stands from other figures in the line. awesome! Many lines do not bother with stands at all, so well job Hiya!
To get the figure in you pull off the cage in front. 6 pegs into six holes, simple but effective, not too hard to get off, not so loose as to fall off, very functional. Though like the light on top, it makes it feel like a toy instead of a real machine and I would have preferred a hinge of some sort.
OK time to get a pilot in. First up: Guillermo Quintaro from the same line.
Both the loader and Quintaro are 1:18 scale which I thought was the same as 3 3/4 Star Wars or GI-Joe, but it seems a hair bigger closer to 4 inches. He fit in the best size -wise, though I must say, he is very hard to pose in the loader. The way he is built his legs and arms kept popping off, not breaking, as they can be popped back in, but it was frustrating. It was also difficult to get and keep his hands on the controls. He looks good in it when you can get it set up just right , but it will take a while, and don't move it much once you do. I suggest removing his shoulder gear as that did help a bit.
I next tried and anniversary line GI-Joe figure and a Black Series star Wars figure, both were easier to get in and play with , but neither's feet reached the correct foot holds.
It was a lot of fun to mix genres and toy lines with the power loader. It was however disappointing that it's weak/loose elbow and shoulder rocker joints made posing while holding enemies in it's claws challenging. Down low was no problem, and the claws themselves were quite good at gripping/holding. But, the arms need to be strait armed and either leaning against the cockpit, or strait out to the side, anything else is very difficult to accomplish.
Despite this I got some fun poses, and was excited to have Luke Skywalker return to Hoth and show his Alien foe the Wampa what for!
Overall I enjoyed playing around with the Power Loader and think it would display well on a shelf. It has pros and cons, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. It is a bit pricey for the size and materials, but, it is nicely detailed. If you are collecting this line, I think it is a must get. But, as a toy in general, I think its just a little above average in terms of quality and playability.
Oddly enough, the biggest drawback for me is that I like it much better than the figure I have that is intended to go with it.