Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Play Arts Kai Venom Snake

It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a year for fans of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, as both series creator Hideo Kojima and publisher Konami have been embroiled in a heated controversy that saw Kojima being barred from receiving any reward related to his latest installment in “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” and his name being removed from the game’s packaging.

The end result of this issue eventually saw Kojima-san tender in his resignation upon completion of work on The Phantom Pain, eventually leading to his departure and subsequent partnership with Sony and Playstation where he will make a new IP that will be developed by his newly formed “Kojima Productions” studio.

All the controversy aside Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was a pretty good game, and gained favorable reviews from critics and fans alike. It comes as no surprise then that Square Enix’s Play Arts Kai series developed a series of action figures based on characters from the game, and there’s plenty that have come out in the months since. For the holiday season, there’s no perfect gift to get for a MGS V fan other than the main protagonist himself “Venom Snake”, and the sculptors made a pretty decent likeness that’s sure to impress those looking for accuracy in their toys.

Those who need a little more convincing, here’s a good old-fashioned toy review. SPOILER WARNING for those who haven’t played the game are littered here, so read at your own risk!

Background:

Those who know the Metal Gear series should be familiar with the codenames “Snake” and “Big Boss”, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain makes no exception in highlighting these two very important titles. However, the game gives a slight twist by introducing a new kind of Snake in “Venom Snake” – the main character who players control and subsequently learn is actually a doppelganger and stand in of the REAL Big Boss. That deception and plot is typical of Kojima and his Metal Gear series, but nonetheless the character remains centered and glued as a true-blue protagonist whom players relatively warm up to through the course of the game.

As the first figure released in the Play Arts Kai MGS V TPP series, Venom Snake’s look is patterned after his primary military “Diamond Dogs” costume used through the majority of the game, with a scarf attached to his upper body that comes straight from the opening mission of the game set in Afghanistan.

Packaging:

Not shy to go all out in the presentation, Play Arts Kai has made their boxes huge and pretty for their Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain figures, with a clear plastic shell in the front displaying the figure and its accessories. Venom Snake is no exception in looking presentable, and the figure comes packed with an extra set of interchangeable accessories for variation. A plastic base is also packed in separately and sealed in a plastic shell along with some screws and assorted plastic stands, all to help collectors who are looking to pose Snake is some dynamic form or fashion.

Toy Overview:

Venom Snake comes packed with a head variant wearing dessert goggles, an alternate scarf, two sets of interchangeable hands for each arm, an AK-47 assault rifle, a handgun, one combat knife, and an iDroid communication device. The interchangeable items are placed in their corresponding pegs and ball joints, and there are 20 points of articulation in the figure that give it enough movement and poseability for those who are particular with action and character stances. The weapons and items add more layers of possibility, and anyone with an eye for photography can play with so many ways to pose Snake as they see fit. If you do own past Play Arts Kai merchandise, take note that this does not actually stand in scale with the older figures.

Value:

As a near faithful recreation of how the character appears in the game, Play Arts Kai outdid themselves again with Venom Snake. The sculpt and appearance of the figure look pretty realistic and well done, especially when it comes to Snake’s Bionic Arm and his facial scars and wounds that include some shrapnel embedded on the left portion of his skull. The military costume, weaponry, and items inspire enough for collectors to want this figure opened and played around with. It’s not supposed to be left inside the box, and anyone who likes collecting Metal Gear stuff will find this toy worth every penny spent on it.

Overall, this is a great toy, and while it certainly is pricey and costs just as much as the game itself if not more, anyone who wants to honor the legacy of Big Boss, Snake, and Hideo Kojima definitely needs to add this to their holiday shopping list! — TJD, GMA News