Not too long ago, we reviewed both the G.I. Joe Classified and Action Force versions of Sgt. Slaughter. Spoilers, the Valaverse one was better. It was clear that Bobby Vala’s company was trying to give customers the most bang for their buck both in figure quality and the abundant accessories.
I had contemplated buying more Action Force figures due to collecting 99% of the Joes and Cobras I wanted, and Hasbro’s lack of quality control had turned me off of the toy line.
Thankfully, Bobby Vala dropped off a huge box of Action Force swag at my door this week. Here’s what we’re going to look at:
- Eclipse
- Covert Ops Condor
- SWARM Sentry
- SWARM Horde (Power-Con Exclusive)
- Weapons Pack Delta
- Crimson Shadow Arsenal Tin
- Security Enforcement Gear Pack
- Steel Brigade Gear Pack
The accessories packs are where we’ll start. Delta’s arsenal delivers a wide variety of guns and effects pieces. The dual gold 1911s are a nice touch. As expected, the paint, although minimal, is far better than what we’ve seen with most of the G.I. Joe Classified line. More than one color of paint is applied, which already puts it above the competition.
Security Enforcement Gear Pack and Steel Brigade Gear Pack offer more than firepower; they can turn an Action Force figure into a new character. The modular helmet found in the Security Enforcement deployment allows for loads of variation, including night vision goggles and headphones. A tactical vest, belt, and hip magazine holster are also included. Thanks to this being molded in gray, these parts can be easily primed and repainted to match whatever color scheme you want.
The Steel Brigade Gear Pack achieves the same thing as far as creating a new character, but with slightly fewer options. Rather than a helmet, this pack contains a whole new helmeted head. The vest is also more heavily armored, which could limit articulation. However, this is your ticket to creating that figure if you wanted a heavy gunner or explosives expert.
Eclipse is one of the four females who were part of Action Force’s third wave. Like all the other figures from Valaverse, the ranger is packed with several accessories, including multiple portraits, hands, and firearms. The face sculpt is lovely, but her desert camo portrait makes the figure pop when posed next to the rest of my 6″ army figures. The only thing I’d change would be putting her magazine holsters around the back of her vest, if not remove them.
In proper 1980s form, Valaverse offers a mail-away figure, kind of. Covert Ops Condor can be picked up if you send in 20 action points, which are found on the packaging of most figures and accessories. The points must be mailed in, and you’ll get the Alcopoco shirt-wearing Condor for only $14.99. If you missed out on the Chuckles figure from Hasbro, this guy makes a good stand-in.
The final two figures are part of the SWARM unit. The Sentry and the Power-Con exclusive SWARM Horde contain most of the same parts, with the exception of the helmets and larger accessories. Both make for excellent army builder troops, but the Horde figure is the real winner with the winged flight pack and honeycomb shield. He’s so cool-looking that I invested in some figure stands so he could fly above the rest of the army.
The final item on our list is the Crimson Shadow Arsenal Tin. This 11″x6″ case is loaded with 98 weapons, 48 magazines, and 30 muzzle flash effects. If you need a sidearm, rifle, SMG, knife, dagger, or shotgun, it’s in here. I was absolutely blown away with just how much was in here. There were even axes and gold-colored firearms! I literally could not ask for more options to display my figures. I even thought about decking out my NECA Phantom figure with dual grenade launchers.
When it comes to trying to please the military figure market, Valaverse really goes above and beyond in a way that the big names refuse to. For more about the Valaverse and Action Force, check out our interview with Bobby Vala below!
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