[From The Game is a regular department on Aggrogate, featuring replica items from video games. FTGs can feature merchandise, convention swag, special edition pack-ins, or personal replica projects from across the Internet. If you have something you want featured in From The Game, drop me a line.]
Bioshock 2 may have felt like a competently-made but unnecessary expansion of the original game, but at least it spawned some awesome merchandise. NECA got the rights to the Bioshock license and produced a full line of Bioshock 2 action figures, a replica Little Sister plush toy, and… a light-up EVE hypo.
Oh, yeah. A replica, life-sized, light-up EVE hypo. And it’s pretty damn cool.
The hypo is a relatively simple plastic affair that measures just over 8 inches long. The body says “EVE” and shows a picture of a blue apple, just like in the game. It has some nice feaux-metal (painted plastic) details, like the needle, the non-functioning lever on the side, and the thin little handle on the top. The plunger button works, and activates the hypo’s light-up features.
The light effect comes from a downward-facing LED cluster built into the hypo. On one hand, it’s surprisingly bright. On the other hand, the brightness stays on the bottom half of the hypo, because of how the LEDs are facing. It’s a pretty nice effect, but it doesn’t quite match the ethereal blue glow of the in-game hypos.
The needle comes off of the hypo easily, and it offers two surprising benefits. First, it makes transporting the hypo a lot easier; since the needle’s one of the flimsiest parts of the toy, it’s better to take it off and tape it to the body of the hypo instead of leaving it mounted. Second, it lets you use the hypo as a makeshift flashlight. Without the needle in the way of the LEDs, it shines a fairly bright circle of blue light.
Unlike many of the past FtG’s, the EVE hypo is still available at retail. You can pick it up from Big Bad Toy Store for $14.99 and from Amazon
