Hero Review: [Play Arts Kai] Lara Croft - Tomb Raider

The mention of the Action-Adventure genre for games will almost always bring the title Tomb Raider into mind. Sure, there are a lot of games that fall under this type but Tomb Raider may be considered as one of the pioneers, and Lara Croft as an icon for this genre.

Being a sucker for action-adventure-slash-treasure-hunting (not only in games, but also in movies!), this figure, along with the new Tomb Raider game was definitely hard to pass up. As soon as the pre-order for the Play Arts Kai of Lara was up, I rushed to the gaming store to reserve this piece of art. Anyway, say hi to the latest hi-def action figure-version of Lara Croft in her latest game installment, Tomb Raider.

The latest game is a reimagining of the history of Lara Croft before she became a tough treasure hunter in-game and a gun-flipping Angelina Jolie on-screen. Here, the Lara Croft we all knew was more human, more naïve, and she had a totally rough time surviving throughout the game.

Packaging and Included Accessories

The box sports the cover flap showing an image of the figure on the outside, and a short write-up about the figure/weapons at the back cover which is typical of the new Play Arts Kai packaging. The windowed box showcases Lara and her weapons (labeled by paint on the plastic window). Inside is a black plastic mold holding Lara and a lot of her accessories covered by a clear plastic. Typical features – rear: images in action stances with Japanese text and of course the serial number embedded at the bottom of the box.

One thing I didn’t particularly like was how the stand and its fixtures were packed. Their plastic casing was glued to the cardboard frame inside the box (like Arkham Asylum Batman’s extra cape) so it’s mandatory to tear/damage the inside cardboard if you want to make use of the stand - minor, but not so to OC collectors. 

You can never go wrong about getting this figure when it comes to the included accessories. Maybe the quantity of the accessories was meant to compensate for the figure’s size, but it’s still a welcome move. Lara comes with (1) three extra hands, (2) a climbing axe, (3) a handgun, (4) a shotgun, and lastly (5) a bow and arrow to ensure her survivability in that strange and hostile island. The complimentary Play Arts Kai manual is also included.

Sculpt, Paint, and Articulation

Exquisite might be the proper term to describe how the figure looks. No worries about the sculpt – the figure is really pretty and badass at the same time. The exposed ball-joint on her arm might be a little upsetting to some but you can’t really hide that for sleeveless figures such as this one.

I can’t say that the figure is 100%-accurate in terms of rendition because it looks like she’s a cross between the game’s Lara Croft and Angelina Jolie (yes, I’m talking about the lips). Still pretty and still badass-looking though. The paint is done very well with a minor exception (read on), and I like the way the smudges were painted on her to give her that dirty, I’ve-gone-to-hell-and-back survivor-look.

I would also like to note that some of the figures circulating may have minor issues on the face (bad nose, over-painted lips) so it’s probably best to scan the items first before purchasing. 

Still boasting the “over xx points of articulation,” I believe Square Enix holds the right to that. The figure is well designed in terms of articulation. Very few limited movements mean hours of playtime posing the figure into different action stances. There are a few minor (and possibly isolated) issues I’ve encountered with the figure so far:

     - Locked shoulder hinge

     - Loose shoulder joint

     - Torso pops off

     - Difficulty in posing with the bow and arrow because of open hands and loose shoulders.

Scale and Playability

In terms of scale, the figure is small compared to the new releases (hello MGRR Raiden) but still compatible with some of the Play Arts Kai figures. Lara Croft best compares with the Play Arts Kai Dissidia Final Fantasy line.

And of course…

I believe this is where Uncharted’s Nathan Drake comes in. One of the reasons I was really hyped for Lara Croft is because the two adventurers go perfectly together. Gun-wielding, ass-kicking adventurers-slash-treasure-hunters need each other’s company. And what could very well go with Nathan Drake’s dirty pistol-in-hand survivor look other than Lara Croft’s dirty pistol-in-hand survivor look? Not convinced?

More Lara Croft:

Summary

A must-get, if you ask me. Especially if you want to complete the Adventurers’ Tandem (Lara/Nathan). But Lara Croft alone is kickass. Plus the number of accessories she comes with is a big plus. To sum up, get her if:

     (1) you’re a fan of the series,

     (2) you want a badass beauty in your roster of figures,

     (3) you want some good accessories for your inventory

Packaging: 5/5

Accessories: 5/5

Sculpt and Paint: 4/5

Articulation: 4/5

Playability: 4/5