It’s hard to believe, but Fortnite isn’t Epic Games’ first round at the rodeo. They’ve been knocking out genre-defining releases since Tim Sweeney started the company in his parents’ house in 1991. Their last huge hit was, of course, the Gears of War series which started on the Xbox 360 in 2006. Although Epic no longer makes the games — Microsoft owns them — they’re still chugging along, with a fifth installment set to drop this month. The gritty, violent action of humans vs. Locust is always a thrill, and you can take it offline with these killer Gears of War toys.
NECA Dominic Santiago Action Figure
One of the things that made the Gears games so successful was the feeling of connection you have with the supporting cast. These aren’t just AI grunts there to soak up bullets for you — they’re three-dimensional characters with their own stories and needs. The bond with Dom Santiago was the juice at the core of the first games, starting with his bold breakout of Marcus from the Jacinto Maximum Security Prison and through his sacrifice in the third game to blow up a fuel tank and take out the Locust and Lambent that had Delta-One pinned down.
Old Man Marcus Fenix Funko Pop
The lifespan of most of the characters in the Gears franchise isn’t terribly long, but it’s nice to know that protagonist Markus Fenix sticks around long enough to go gray. In the fourth game, Markus stepped out of the lead role to let his son JD handle the rough stuff, and the grizzled, aged version of Fenix quickly became our headcanon. Apparently the fifth game will also have the creaky bugger in a supporting role, and we’re here for it. Funko nails the look in their classic style with this Pop! that’s ready to fend off the Locust hordes.
Augustus Cole Figure
Hey, it’s the Cole Train! We couldn’t do a roundup of Gears of War figures without representing former Thrashball star turned bad-ass Locust fighter Augustus Cole. After Cole joined the military, it’s canon that his popularity led to a spike in enlistments because he’s just that damned cool. This NECA figure from their first series of Gears toys stands a little under four inches tall, so he can fight alongside your G.I. Joes if you want him to. Cole comes with a sweet Lancer and super-detailed armor and accessories.
Replica Lancer
When the list of all-time iconic shooter weapons is created, the Lancer would have to land on there somewhere. The massive rifle with a chainsaw bolted to the front is just so deeply satisfying to use at any range, and if you have some spare cash sitting around and want to own a replica of it sculpted from the original 3D models used in the game, here it is. This beast weighs nearly 13 pounds and boasts a number of cool features like removable clips and sliding handles, and if you put in some C batteries you get vibration and chainsaw noises to boot.
Gears of War Construction Set
Lego obviously isn’t going to go anywhere near a franchise as gory as Gears of War, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your build on with officially licensed products. This 100-piece kit is based on the classic metal-frame Erector sets from Meccano, and it depicts a wild chase across the rooftops of Halvo Bay as Garron Parduk pursues a Locust grenadier. The detailed little figures come with their own weapons and you can create lots of different layouts with the materials and stickers provided. Cool stuff in a style we don’t see very often.
Ticker Figure
The Locust have all sorts of nasty gimmicks they use to wage war, and one of the most memorable are the Tickers. These creatures were discovered in the Hollow and weaponized by strapping tanks of Imulsion to their backs. They’re used both as mobile land mines, being sent out on suicide missions to take out vehicles, as well as against infantry. NECA has produced a bunch of cool figures from both sides of the war, and this is a fun one. It even has hidden wheels so you can slide it along the floor more realistically.
Storm Collectibles Marcus Fenix Figure
Storm Collectibles is notorious for their super detailed and weighty 1/12 scale figures, standing about half a foot high with lots of cool stuff. Their take on Marcus Fenix comes with two head sculpts — one from the classic trilogy and another with his aged-up visage from the newer ones. You also get a passel of weapons — two different kinds of Lancers, plus a Gnasher shotgun and a snub-nosed pistol. Lots of poseability on display here as well, so Fenix can hide behind cover and get the drop on his foes just like you do in the game.
NECA Locust Drone Exploding Head Figure
One of the most satisfying things that can happen in a shooter is landing that perfect headshot, and now there’s an action figure that captures that magical moment. This NECA take on the Locust drones that you mow down in bulk has an insanely weird explosion of gibs coming from his neckhole to capture the moment that you put a round through its skull. If you want, you can swap it out for a normal non-exploded head, but why would you ever do that? This is one of the goriest action figures we’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot because we’ve seen a lot of action figures.
McFarlane Toys Kait Diaz Figure
We first met Kait Diaz in Gears of War 4 but she’s going to be stepping into the lead role for the upcoming fifth installment, so start stocking your shelves in anticipation. From the masterminds at McFarlane, this take on the former Outsider turned Gear is brilliantly sculpted with lots of articulations and a custom display base for cool poses. She’s also loaded for bear with a customized Gnasher shotgun and pistol. We’re very curious to see how her story plays out in the new game and how she’s connected with the Locust leadership.
Funko Brumak Figure
Standing 6 inches tall, this take on the lumbering Brumak will tower over all of your other Funko Pops, which is as it should be. When you first meet the massive predator, which is believed to have been bred from modified apes by Locust scientists, it looms nearly 40 feet above you as its massive arm cannons chew up the terrain. Dom and Marcus have to take one out during the Lightmass Offensive and it’s one of the series’ most overwhelming boss battles. Now you can replicate all of that terror and triumph at home with this stompy little buddy.
Play Arts Kai Marcus Fenix Figure
We know there’s a lot of Marcus on this list, but what are you gonna do? That’s who gets the toys. This is the biggest one of the lot, and it pulls no punches. Square Enix’s Play Arts Kai line brings to life characters from some of the greatest geek culture franchises around the world, and their take on the Gears of War hero is beefy and thick while not sacrificing movement. Clad in deep, weathered black, the texture of this one is out of this world. It comes with alternate hands, a Lancer MK2 and, coolest of all, a knife that fits in his boot sheath.
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