Collectible: Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Hot Toys has a reputation -- at least as much as I can put together -- of being the top tier action figure house when it comes to source material accuracy, accessories and the overall quality of construction for figures in the 12" (or 30cm) range). It's something that was pointed out to me when J'Tonello reviewed the The Joker (The Dark Knight).

Maybe a better way to describe Hot Toys overarching mandate is that they produce the Big Mac you see in the print ads. There are no camera tricks or sleight of hand here. What you see is what you get with offerings from Hot Toys. Of course, for a little more than $200 you should be expecting as much. You don't want to be opening that box to a bunch of loose lettuce, patties that have slid sideways from a squashed bun, the cheese congealed on side of the box.

Right from the box that Naked Snake (Sneaking Suite Version) comes in, there's an attention to detail that only Metal Gear Solid fans may notice. The large exclamation point under the top flap, for one, but it's the small details of Snake that really do make this a remarkable figure.

Getting to all that detail -- getting the figure out of the box -- caused me a little anxiety. There are three layers of rigid plastic to keep all the small parts from rattling around and being lost, which I can appreciate, but the layers create this vacuum seal that required much more force than I was comfortable with to separate. I had this vision of the vacuum finally releasing and showering the room in weapons and spare hands, like a bag of chips exploding. It's a wonder why there isn't a couple of small holes in each plastic sheet to make this "disengagement" a little easier.

This is the kind of figure I have nightmares about for the sole reason that there are so many accessories and spare parts. It's fantastic for keeping the figure "fresh" but with young kids in the house... I shudder. A full list of the parts and pieces is listed below but the list includes six different hands, binoculars, machine gun, and pistol with removable suppressor.

Some of these pieces are tiny so there's always the risk, even if you're careful, of losing something, including wrist joints. Even without trying I managed to lose the head band piece that plugs into the back of Snake's head. Two days after noticing it was missing I was certain it was lost to the ages. Fortunately, I found it. Right next to the canister of rations that was also on the floor. Even the large weapons have pieces that could go missing.

The one accessory that is a pure stroke of genius is the cardboard box. Easily assembled with the included strips of tape, I actually said, out loud and to no one in particular, "Oh, that's wicked."  Yes, the figure, really the complete package, is so good that it made me bust out slang from the 1990's.

High marks for the engineering and sculpting that went into ensuring that all the weapons can be fitted into the (various) hands of Snake and posed in ways that look cool. More than 30 points of articulation means there's not much of a limit on what positions can be eked out of Snake.

Well, there is one limit. Though the suit is pretty flexible, the rubber/plastic bits seem susceptible to cracking due to overuse but the real concern is the comm wire that loops around Snakes body from his left ear to a pouch on his belt. I'm constantly terrified that I'll accidentally catch it on something and snap it. In reality I feel the same way about Snake's belt pouches. Real fabric and metal loops should make me feel like those parts are more durable but it makes me feel like somehow I'll bend or tear something and be unable to make a repair.

The level of detail lavished on the figure from the neck down matches the detail of the facial sculpt, which is amazing. Snake has a bit of a dead-eye stare, but that sculpting of hair, ears, and beard is without flaw as far as I can tell. Until Hot Toys patents subcutaneous points of articulation for the face, I'm not sure how else it could be improved upon.

Display is obviously important for a figure like this and Hot Toys covered that as well with a named base plate with a support that, well, supports Snake in an area where support is no stranger. Rather than loop around his middle like a pincer, the metal hooks that keep him in place cup his groin. Think of it as the most uncomfortable kind of chair ever.

With Naked Snake (Sneaking Suit Version), you're getting exactly what the professional glossy pictures present. I'm not sure how playable the figure actually is -- I don't think my heart could take that kind of stress -- but the display options and attention to details means there's always some new aspect of the figure to appreciate. Bravo to Hot Toys for raising the bar and actually living up to the "Video Game Masterpiece" on the box!

Now, has anyone seen Snake's tactical CQC knife?

- Aaron Simmer

Full list of accessories that are packed with Naked Snake:
One (1) pair of fists
One (1) pair for holding gun
One (1) left palm for holding knife
One (1) left palm for holding grenade
One (1) pair of black boots with tapes on right side
One (1) machine gun
One (1) rifle
One (1) EZ gun
One (1) pistol with suppressor
One (1) CQC knife with case
One (1) survival knife with case
Three (3) grenades
One (1) set of binoculars
One (1) ration
One (1) cardboard box
Figure stand with Naked Snake nameplate and video game logo

A handful of additional pictures of Naked Snake:

Articulation points under a latex skin is about the only way to improve on
the facial sculpt.

It's not Snake without a trusty sidearm.

Attention to detail was also lavished on the box, which features a front flap secured by a magnet. Even if you can't bring yourself to free Snake from the box, there's still a display option.

Hard to believe Snake can look so bad-ass and patriotic while the stand support grabs his family jewels.