Alistair ThreeZero Figure Review – Dragon Age Inquisition Edition
*Intro paragraph contains MINOR spoilers for Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age Inquisition. If you have not played the game, feel free to skip the first paragraph*
Before I say anything, the common misconception and the reason for a lot of negative feedback is that the fans were expecting, and wanting, the Alistair face mold from when he was first introduced to Thedas in BioWare’s Dragon Age Origins.
This particular figure in the series is based off of his appearance in the third installment of the series: Dragon Age Inquisition. His appearance in Inquisition varied greatly depending on the player’s game import. He was either the Grey Warden contact paired with another character, Hawke, to save the Wardens. Another option was that he appears as the King of Fereldan if that was the player’s choice in the first installment. The last option for this character is that Alistair does not make a single appearance at all – this is the case if the player sacrificed him at the end of Origins to end the Blight. The varying degrees of involvement in the latest title had fans a little thrown off.
Alistair Theirin is one of my favourite characters in any video game across the ages. I often joke that he is one of my many husbands in my harem of fictional men, so imagine how painful for me it is to say this: I was really, really disappointed in this figure. Extremely so. Don’t get me wrong, there were some excellent qualities to the craftsmanship, but overall – the let down was fierce.
ThreeZero’s latest piece for BioWare brings a fan favourite to life with this 1:6 scale figure at approximately 12.5 inches tall. Let’s talk about the things that I did like so I don’t cry.
One thing I did enjoy about it was that this piece was incredibly dynamic. The figure was extremely mobile making it easy to position him in a wide range of poses. The accessories for this figure includes exchangeable hands, a fully game-accurate shield, and his detailed longsword.
The mixed mediums for the materials used added a touch of authenticity that I appreciated. The faux fur for the boots and tunic, the varying cloth used for the clothes, and the plastic of the figure itself all added that special something that lets you appreciate the facets of a figure. The detailing of the shield and sword were fantastically done with expertly applied paint as the character was embedded with fine-tuned shading applied with differing brush strokes. Even the cloth of the boots are scuffed with wear and tear, which was a small detail that could have easily been passed over.
As a nameless male NPC, the figure would have been absolutely outstanding but given the nature of the character, what he himself looks like, and the dynamics of movement – that is where my praise ends.
Whether it be Inquisition or Origins, the face looks almost nothing like Alistair. The bone structure is wrong, the lips are too thin, the eyes too lidded, the hair colour is off, the eyebrows too trimmed – the list goes on and on. I can appreciate what they were trying to do but it was almost as though ThreeZero was going off of BioWare describing the character versus actually bothering to see what he looks like.
Another aspect that fell flat was with all that dynamism and his battle ready accessories, it was an amateur move to give this figure virtually no expression in the face. “I’m going to block you with my shield and arm my sword but also look completely dead in the face while doing so” … yeah, no. Not only does that not make any sense figure-wise, it also goes against everything that this character is.
Alistair is known for his sarcastic one-liners, inappropriately timed jokes, and blushing innocence. I’m sorry, but the character that had his tongue get stuck to a pole because he decided to lick it in the dead of winter would not have an expression completely void of any humanity.
The figure is available on online wholesales such as Amazon or you can buy it directly from the BioWare Store. This figure’s price point is set at $150.
BOTTOM LINE – it was worth adding to my collection out of sheer loyalty to the series, to the character, and to BioWare. However, if you were looking for a true-to-character figure, this is not the one you are looking for.
Liana Ruppert578 Posts
With an arguably unhealthy obsession with Mass Effect, Liana has been an avid collector of gaming and comic memorabilia for well over two decades. With a passion for writing, gaming, and comics - she is currently working as Editor-in-Chief for the revival of Prima Games, with previous managing editor experience with several gaming publications including ComicBook.com, The Hollywood Reporter, TwinGalaxies, and other outlets. She is also the Co-Owner and Managing Editor for DFTG. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, as well as several Facebook communities online.
7 Comments
BioWare Dropped a New Trailer for the Latest SWTOR Expansion
October 14, 2016 at 11:51 AM[…] Wars, and more specifically Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’ve got good news! On October 7th BioWare dropped an exciting new trailer for their upcoming expansion ‘Knights of the Eternal […]
Mass Effect's Legion 1:6 Scale Figure by ThreeZero REVIEW
December 24, 2016 at 12:37 AM[…] that of the Mass Effect Trilogy, which made its debut in 2007. BioWare has teamed up with ThreeZero once more to bring yet another intricate character to life in a whole new way. Meet Legion, the Geth that […]
Dragon Age Inquisition 19.5 Inch Morrigan Statue Full Review - A Cut Above the Rest
April 24, 2017 at 12:01 AM[…] Heads’ Morrigan collectible piece is a must-have for any die-hard Dragon Age fan. Unlike ThreeZero’s Alistair piece, the craftsman behind this knew the character and were able to translate her beautifully using this […]
Mike Laidlaw Teases BioWare Fans - "Something is Happening With Dragon Age"
June 28, 2017 at 3:09 AM[…] work on Dragon Age, though the progress and state of production is currently unknown to the masses. After Inquisition, there was a major twist to the end of the game that was a definite game changer for what fans know […]
DFTG Favourite Collectibles Seen at San Diego Comic Con 2017 (GALLERY)
July 28, 2017 at 8:23 PM[…] Diego Comic Con has always been THE place to nerd out and let your fandom flag fly. I myself have been a collectibles reviewer for years so you can always count on me to nerd out and bring you the coolest of the cool when it […]
DFTG Reviews Horizon Zero Dawn - "This Game Was Special - A Well-Rounded Masterpiece"
August 12, 2017 at 11:18 PM[…] you like titles like Tomb Raider, Uncharted, Dragon Age Inquisition, and Far Cry – then the mechanics of this game will be right up your alley. Aloy is a very […]
Exclusive One-Punch Man Saitama Figure On Sale for 35% Off, Comes With Two Versions
July 28, 2018 at 10:51 PM[…] an average action figure who serves as an average here,” boasts this awesome new collectible from ThreeZero and the best part? It’s on […]