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Background

While I’ve never played Elder Scrolls, I remember waiting hours (or maybe it just felt that way) to install the four 3.5” floppy disks it took to play DOOM on my old Gateway 2000 computer. Both videogame franchises have spawned plenty of sequels to their initial release. But for being so successful in the gaming realm, there hasn’t been an onslaught of collectible toys.

Symbiote Studios hopes to change that. They’ve released a pair of their Symbiote platform figures from The Elder Scrolls V (Astrid and Dark Elf) as well as one from DOOM (Space Marine), celebrating its 20th anniversary.

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The Facts



The Elder Scrolls V and DOOM Symbiotes
Series: Symbiotes
Manufacturer: Symbiote Studios
Lead Artist: Curt Rapala
Material: Rotocast vinyl
Dimensions: 3.5” tall
Points of Articulation: 3 points (arms and head)
Designs: The Elder Scrolls V – Astrid; The Elder Scrolls V - Dark Elf; DOOM 20th Anniversary - Space Marine
Accessories: Astrid - Blade of Woe; Dark Elf - Daedric Armor (Helmet, Sword, and Shield); Space Marine - BFG 9000 and Helmet
Pricing: $19.99 each

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Packaging

Each box front is decorated with an illustrated image of the enclosed character. It looks extremely close to the actual design printed on the vinyl figure. On the rear of the box, there’s the videogame’s logo as well as a short write-up about the character. Inside, the figure is sealed in a metallic bag.

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Our Opinion

Several years back, Symbiote Studios released their initial 6-inch version of the Symbiotes platform toy. Then, they changed some things (mainly the large, flat feet) and shrunk it down to the 3.5-inch tall version we see today.

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The Symbiotes resemble most of the vinyl platform figures we have seen from other companies: a simple human shape with a large head and some articulation. These include some extras though.

For instance, Astrid includes the Blade of Woe and the Space Marine sports a helmet and gun. The accessories are made of a rubbery plastic. While it works well for the helmets, it’s probably not the best material for the swords and knives.

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The graphics on the figures are well done. It appears Symbiote Studios uses pad printing (tampography) to transfer the illustrations to vinyl. I think it’s funny that the DOOM Space Marine features a little trickle of blood under his nose. What…is that around 75% Health?

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Obviously, the most complex figure is the Dark Elf from The Elder Scrolls V series. The helmet is fairly massive and the shield and sword are large as well. This one might be the only that warrants the $19.99 price tag. Although, by ordering them through the link below, you can get $5.00 off…which makes them much more appealing.

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I understand why they’re all priced alike, but I don’t feel that Astrid, with only a knife accessory, is worth the same as the fully loaded Dark Elf. Actually, I would compare the Symbiotes figures to Kidrobot’s South Park, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and Dunny lines. They’re priced between $9.99 and $14.99 each.

To pick one up, check out the following:

Symbiote Studios: $19.99 each (minus $5.00 promo code)

Symbiotes Grades
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