S.H. Figuarts: Injustice Harley Quinn (Insurgency)

Harley Quinn is getting some more popularity the last few months; a new movie and all. Her appearance in the action figure world is far from over as well and here we have an import figure of her in a rather unorthodox choice of version: her Injustice costume! And not only is it her video game adaptation, it's also the first variant of her! Well, they picked a good one to use since her Insurgency costume is far better than her 'default' attire, suffice to say.

The box is still cool; definitely fits the vibe of the imports' design. Though I didn't want to spend too much time on it since it's a pretty familiar thing.

Harley is equipped with her signature oversized mallet, two guns(that she canonically have in the game), and a sheathed knife(on her left leg) that can be taken out; she has two on the same leg that are just for decoration. She also has a joker card that is so tiny that one can lose it easily. She has two variant faces that we will explore in a little bit, and nine alternate hands (the card holding hand is the only one that doesn't have a matching pair).

Over the years, Harley Quinn changed her costume; some are more iconic than others obviously. Her default costume was a 'tribute' to her New 52 costume I believe, the insurgency seems like to pay tribute to her Arkham City outfit(m personal favorite out of all her costume, though this one and the Cinematic-verse costume isn't too far behind). I liked it in game and as a figure, Bandai replicated it quite well. This costume has so much going on that being able to replicate it was an amazing feat to begin with. Just like her original costume, left and right are contrasting in color(red and black), and with the addition of the different boots, straps, spikes, and the different designs on her 'pigtails', I must say it's a pretty amazing duplication. Even the 'thong' look, the tramp stamp, the 'joker' face on her cut off.... well done. The mold is most definitely perfect. Can't say too much more on that sense. The 'kiss this' on the back of her jacket is also sexually sassy, and I like it for the attitude they have given Harley over the years.

We are given three faces to help the fun facto of this figure climb to go up. She has her psycho smile, the 'serious' face, and then the angry face. All great on their own account. If I was to have one complaint, maybe a 'sensual' expression would've helped, but that's just me asking for more than necessary.

The first of her weapon to look at is her mallet. Comic book accurate in terms of size; Harley likes to use oversized mallets such as this and one could ponder on the idea that she has some kind of super human strength to be able to carry and wield this like she does in the comic book/animate series. She holds it well with one or two hands, so it's a good little addition. It also matches her 'jester' look quite well with the paint designs and such.

Then her dual guns(which I think she'll also sport in the Suicide Squad movie) which she has hands made just for the pair. Again, another oversized pair of weapons that only comic book characters who has Harley's stature can wield with (some)proficiency. The design if simple but detailed and well painted.

Quite intimidating isn't she with two guns?

I decided to just combine her card and knife section since it's two small accessories. One thing I really like about the knife is that it can be sheathed on her left leg. Wish her guns could have the same function, but it is what it is. The card is a nice little addition to pay homage to her undying love for the Joker.  the one thing about the the card is that it's so small that even the one hand meant to hold the card is some times a bit finicky; though it worked during the photoshoot.

The knife handle also pays homage to what she is: a jester. It's hard to really see the details of it, but it does have the jester head with the hat involved.

Now is the time to talk about her articulation and I'll try to jot down everything that made this figure worth the price. First and foremost, she has the standard articulation for an import. If any of you have been following my reviews and is familiar with import ways then you are familiar with this. The joints are hidden well enough, except her shoulder one seem to not be as seamless, but it's not that noticeable. The pigtails have great range of movement and can truly coincide with some dynamic poses. Everything else seems standard from her top side. Going down her lower half is where things become a (very)minor let down. She doesn't have as much range with her legs; she can't do the splits or any of that Harley known kicks. Maybe it's my figure but I can't seem to get her to have ankle-pivots. Aside from those, I believe this figure delivers in the articulation department.

I don't have a ton of Harley figures, but I must say this one is my favorite one. Speaking of, let's take a look at some of the ones I do have:

Her âme-comi version. I don't think I did a review for this one. Oh in terms of size reference, the ame-comi figure is a miniature one; suffice to say, the figuarts version of Harley is small and no 6inch standard.

DC collectibles: New 52 Harley

Well, Insurgency Harley as a figure beats the New 52 by a long shot.

Another figure I did not do a review on; this particular Arkham City Harley is my favorite outfit of hers; though the figure isn't exactly the best. She does have a bat; one that Suicide Harley will be using in the movie it seems. The only other one I did not include here is my Bishoujo Harley.

I really like this figure. That's my verdict. If they go this route for the Cinematic version of Harley, I'd say we have ourselves a good figure. Again, a real unorthodox way to go about giving her a figure, but definitely a better choice than her default. Harley has a lot of costumes in the past and I think some deserve this kind of treatment figure-wise, but hey! Not complaining that her Insurgency version got some love! If you are a Harley collector and can tolerate this costume, this one is a must!

Mattel: Injustice & New 52 Batman

So I didn't plan on letting my collection grow as much anymore(and truthfully, the expansion had decreased in speed by a LOT ever since my life changing event). However someone came home with this certain version of the Dark Knight! It's his Injustice(default) armor! Probably not going out of the box but just from the look of it, the intricate details and almost the mirror image of the video game version is quite enamoring! He is a bit smaller in contrast to the other one I have, but hey, no complaints!

 

I am a huge fan of the New 52 attires. Almost all DC characters got a do over with such fine and modern details(Even allowed Wonder Woman to show off as much skin as before but updating the looks of her costume!). While to the untrained eyes the looks might just be mere lines drawn into the used to be 'tights', I would surmise it's merely announcing the notion that it's no longer tights for most of them; they are 'armor'. That's how I perceive Batman's new look in the new 52! And while this toy has been in my possession for months now, I think it's the first time I really posted about it.

So the DC wall is expanding and running out of room. Surprise surprise!!! Well, suffice to say that these Batmen are NOT as exhilarating as the Playarts Kai version(Playarts: Batman Arkham Asylum), they do some justice. Again, not complaining.

Injustice: Bad Girls!

Injustice: Gods Among Us Review

So here is my first update on the game Injustice! And it's about the new skins available call the "Bad Girls". Basically, it's an update for Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Wonder Woman! Harley's original skin probably enamors more than enough fans since it is her apparel that she entered the Animated series in that made her canon in the Batman universe. Catwoman's I believe could be discerned as her New 52 costume without the mask while Wonder Woman's "#600" attire is the one that gets the most aspersions from fanboys who adore Diana showing off more skin and shy away from modesty.

There is a lot of fun seeing some of the fan favorite femme fatales in their new threads. Familiar aberrations make a great alluring sight especially when we are talking about the Catwoman and Harley Quinn insinuated rivalry(February Damsel of The Month). Wouldn't it be fun though if we get a bit of that episode in this game? Now I know, that is being overzealous with the wishes.

Speaking aesthetics with all three, I personally like Harley Quinn the best and despite me not being a big fan of Wonder Woman's revamped attire way back when, I do think it does some good in this game. Sure does a whole hell of a lot better than "Selina Kyle" alternate since that one seems a bit too insipid.

 

 

I am hoping for animated Catwoman or Arkham Catwoman sometime in the future! That would be a real awesome fan service! Speaking of Fan Service!

It's a rhetoric question if you ask. Trust me.

So to answer the subliminal, YES. I HAD TO.

So back to the topic at hand. The new threads does make an enticing show of beat downs and exuberant super moves or what not against each other and other DC characters in the roster(Lobo was added in, by the way; probably won't get him. Could care less about him).

 

But despite all of this I am do have my prowess to a certain winged warrior who happens to have the voice of a prominent voice actor as well! 

Now Hawkgirl would be the person I am eager to see what her alternate outfit would be. Black Lantern perhaps? Or her not so enamoring animated series version? Oddly enough, I know very little about this character aside from the fact that she is a female version of Hawkman(duh). Perhaps I will do my research sometime soon but she does make a very good playable character for my taste. Until the time she does get her own alternate outfit...

Face...

...To...

...MACE!!!

Satisfaction Level: 7/10!

My Words On:

Story/Plot: Fighting games aren't popular for their story. The usual flow is terse, incoherent, and usually have a potent feel of it being rushed. The casual tactic when it comes to fighting games is the gameplay and the multiplayer capability it has to offer; the longevity of pitting one's mettle against others online and locally. Some of the most popular and long lived fighting games care not to change the idea of this stigmata because it's all about the fun factor of the gameplay. Injustice makes a stand for this genre and steers away from that more than norm idea; and with the substantial amount of lore that DC comics can delve into, it's only right that Injustice has something more than decent to deliver!

There would be a usual formula to a DC comic book based game/movie of course that involves Superman(and I'm not DC hating, Marvel seems to have the same redundant formula going about especially with how much The Avengers sky rocketed) which involves the ever so evil genius Lex Luthor, some Kryptonite, Superman and Lois, then of course the Justice League. So there is no way around the notion that there will be some of those of course; Superman being the heavy hitter of the JLA, how can he NOT be there? Lois, Luthor, Kryptonite, all of these are for sure involved but the great thing is that Injustice swerved away from the usual tandems of the expected and the created story and its twist is actually enamoring! They really concocted something that is comic book friendly, zestful in character fan service, and the sparse 'solo' of each characters involved really had some good homage to them.

Some of these characters don't get their justice until one plays through the 'classic' play through; characters that were bland in the main story mode like Hawkgirl will get her attention in the said play through if the player decides to delve into that route. There will be a couple of images and tap a bit into the background of how and what nots in regards to the storyline of the game. Though frankly, much like A LOT of DC main story lines, it's all about Superman and his endeavors; at least that's how I feel like. Rivalries are hardly fathomed, but I suppose for Batman and his conflicts with Joker and Harley Quinn, it gets enough attention in a world so grand and filled with possibilities.

It's for sure a DC fan teaser in regards to the game's plot. But I can only surmise that there will be enough hardcore comic book fans that will shun down on what this game tried to do. But can't please everyone but I will remain vigilant that this is one of the best stories a fighting game has had to offer.

8/10

Gameplay: So this is the bread and butter of fighting games! For those who are familiar with the makers of this game, they are the creators of Mortal Kombat; and of course everyone SHOULD know that Mortal Kombat is one of the hard hitting fighting games for the past few generations of avid fight based gaming. So there is some pretty good background behind this game; it's not the first rodeo the makers rode. With that said, personally, as a Street Fighter Fan, I wasn't TOO enthused with the fighting gameplay at first. My prowess with the SF genre somewhat disdains my skill to adapt fully with the Mortal Kombat based engine. I thought I was going to have problems.

Just like I discerned long before my final decision to purchase this game the gameplay is indeed Mortal Kombat ambiance but placed in the capable hands of DC characters. Twenty four DC characters to be exact! Each different, and each paying some good homage to their comic book selves! The very well known characters like Wonder Woman and Batman would have their trademark weapons; the Amazon and her lasso(and with the New 52 her sword and shield becoming more prominent) while the Dark Knight having his gadgets on the whim. Then the less known characters like Hawk Girl having her mace and then Raven being able to use her dark arts quite exuberantly. Nether Realm did an eloquent job displaying the heroes and villains with their trademarks and at the same time smoothly connecting them to the fighting world.

And while all characters play differently for obvious reasons, there are the basic functions of trademark techniques that can be applied with button combinations. Along with the regular melee of light and hard strikes, techniques can be linked and the player can create a hard hitting combos that can be as detrimental to their opponents while at the same time be aesthetically pleasing. Being able to time the movements are the key to making cohesive combos and the more the player is able to connect move per move, the more damage one will inflict(obviously).

And what is a fighting game without super moves? Nether Realm made sure to have this as part of the player's ammunition! Again, paying homage to each character, the whimsical and somewhat redundant sequence can be accessed by pressing buttons together! Damaging and lengthy, these moves can be a HUGE factor to end the match(to lose or to win). While not particularly hard to execute for a fighting game's standpoint, there is of course the notion of timing correctly in order to inflict such long animated sequence.

A unique essence that this game has is the 'wager' system which of course is all about how much 'super move bar' the player has accumulated and how much s/he is willing to put down against his/her opponent. It's basically rock paper scissors to an extent. Nether Realm of course puts its 'interactive environment' signature but puts a bit more zeal into it! Simply put, walls can be broken and depending on what stage there are different outcomes! Arkham Asylum's walls will have Batman villains Croc or Scarecrow inflict damage on the victim while stages like Metropolis will have flying cars that can be used to hit one's opponents. If not for damage value, the interactive environment does add a jovial sense of victory/loss and some stages offer DC fan service! Again, not too difficult to do, just a matter of knowing one's position and timing!

Oddly enough in the story mode, there is a bit of QTE involved. Very scarce, but enough to kind of smirk at the idea that quick time events are becoming more and more popular. Nothing too great and the game's story mode could've lived without it.

The game on it's own was fun and I will be playing it for a while since it getting old isn't in the near future. I do enjoy just how bold this game is and it tried a few things a lot of fighting game can't really implement in their formula. Great job nether realm! You made my first fighting game purchase this year very well worth it! 

9/10

Graphics:

If only the gameplay art is as good as the mode selection background is then this game would be getting most visually pleasing of the year! But of course, it's only a means of decoration and not actual gameplay. With that said, I'm not going to complain much at all since the game itself looked great! The in-game cut scenes have a bit of an awkward pace to them; again it wasn't abhorrent, but it was just a bit misplaced in certain statures I think. But again, it served its purpose.

Combat graphics were amazing. Vibrant and full of life, each sequence does well to adhere to someone like Green Lantern who uses green light to conjure up whatever weapon his will can take him and all the while keeping someone like Solomon Grundy true to his undeadl-y and immortal way to pommel someone to bits(though he is a rip off of Hulk with his lines; then again, Hawk Girl saying "Time to put the hammer down"?). Each character has their alluring qualities to them and Nether Realm made sure to capture the deviously innocent visage of Harley Quinn as well as making sure that Doomsday keeps his  ugly rock like face! The interactive background also did the game Justice; the more the player and his/her opponents duke it out, the more damage and chaotic the said background can be. 

This game deserves a good rating graphically. Again, I have no real complaints. 

9/10

Difficulty: Once can only capsulize the difficulty level of this game in two categories. I'll start with the campaign side of things. First and foremost, getting the hang of the game, the mechanics, the timing, the wager system, etc. takes a decent amount of gaming. Then of course there's getting accustomed to a certain character that is palatable for one's fighting style, then getting to know each level and how to use the interactive environment to his/her advantage. There is a myriad of things one must really get a grip on before actually diving into the campaign mode which, on its own(on normal difficulty) isn't TOO bad. My main qualms is using characters I don't necessarily concur with; then of course certain characters are much more of a nuisance to deal with and so it could raise the level just a bit.

Online gaming is a different beast altogether since there are various range of gaming calibers one would encounter! I for one isn't the best player out there so just like my experience in MvsC3, I will most likely get eviscerated by the plethora of players out there. Skills of other players will probably be the bane of me as well as cheap tactics that other players would conjure up. Then again, winning with no qualms of dignity is usually a norm in the online gaming world so one shouldn't be appalled at that experience.

This game could really push one's mettle or perhaps drive one to the limits depending on the threshold of the gamer. I for one don't have that much patience online so I'll probably play, get beat a few times and then call it quits for a bit. All in all though, it is a game worthy of a challenge.

8/10

Voice Acting/Audio: Kevin Conroy reprises his role as Batman which is always a plus! And surprisingly, Jennifer Hale comes in as Hawkgirl which is also a great addition to the voice acting crew.   Reaffirming her role, Tara Strong comes back as Harley Quinn which of course is also a plus. The rest of the crew aren't that bad, though I would have my preference like Nathan Fillon being Green Lantern and of course Mark Hamill as the Joker would've been scintillating, but again, can't have everything our way now can we?

Dialogue seems fluent and not so asinine so good actors and mediocre ones are put to good use so again in that avenue of the game it takes flight. Music has a bit of presence behind it, though it sometimes abates the feeling of the intense comic book vibe rather than make it more intense. The reverberating sound of fire power, whips slapping, swords slashing, and water running rampant accentuates the chaotic battlefield real nicely so there are no qualms on that end. Again, a solid area as well; me not having Nathan Fillon and Mark Hamill does put a hamper in me being completely enamored by it, though I suppose Joker and Green Lantern did a good enough job to make me somewhat retract my rather harsh judgement. 

Tara Strong; Yup. A winner. 

7/10

Overall: Iconic comic book characters placed in an environment adequate for their destructive battle, diabolical plans of some of the world's most nefarious villains mixing with the morals of super heroes, combat that can pervade in many different paths depending on player's choice character and ability, of course I'm not going to exude the notion that it is also visually appealing! In the grand scheme of things, Injustice did a fine job laying out a comic book fighting game that stuck with the comic's roots as much as it possibly can! And that's one thing I do appreciate, just by the character's techniques and the way they fight, Nether Realm did spend some time making sure it would hit some good notes with Gamers and Comic Book geeks!

The roster on its own has plenty of exploring to do and that's not even counting the idea that there will be DLCs on the way with additional characters! Then if you are anything like me, even the alternate outfit will do some justice since I am a fan of variations when it comes to apparels! Longevity is a potential for this game and since it's a breath of fresh air from my usual Capcom-fighting-genre-yearly-purchase, I would surmise that it would for sure have a bit more life since it is a breath of fresh air. All in all, I'd say if this was the only fighting game I bought this year, I am satisfied.

With that said, I may have a 'final score' for this game, but my ranting is far from over. In the coming months(and in my spare time if I have some) I will be jotting down some notes on this game; if I ever steer away from trying to 'level up' my prowess with Hawkgirl, I'll be trying out other characters and depending on how prominent they are, I will for sure have a bit of words in regards to them. Anyways.

8.5/10