Blitz - Decker

While Glory and Eiger were along for almost every run, Blitz was kind of my spare. Normally I took Dietrich (who's mini is still in progress), but when I needed some cyber-backup, I took Blitz.

As the late addition to the team, Blitz was a bit more of an unknown variable, but he was fun to have around. Besides, there's something kind of amusing about the way you meet him...basically rescuing him from what he got himself into.

For Blitz, I started with the Star Wars Antarian Ranger and trimmed his hat off and used green stuff to make his hair and cyber deck.

I see now that I should have made his hair a little redder. Oh well...

-c

Eiger - Weapons Specialist

I didn't like Eiger when I first started playing Shadowrun Dragonfall. And I think that was the idea. She's not supposed to be friendly and likable. She's a troll, a soldier, and someone who has seen first hand what can go wrong when you place your trust in someone that can't be trusted.

I normally don't re-play part of an RPG is things don't go my way. I choose what feels right for my character and take the consequences. Dealing with Eiger is one place where I did go back though. My initial conversations with her didn't go well because I didn't stand my ground. I replayed them, being a bit more assertive, and got better results.

She never really becomes your friend (and that would probably be out of character if she did) but she becomes a trusted ally and she learns to trust you, and that's enough.

I know Eiger is a troll and should therefore be much larger than the miniature I picked, but I just really liked this look (and the giant rifle). I started with a Reaper Miniatures Sarah Blitzer and used green stuff to add her horns and a little extra armor around her neck. I tried to add her tusks, but it never looked right so I skipped it.

Next to Glory, this version of Eiger is a little smaller than she should be, so maybe this is young Eiger?

-c

Glory - Street Samurai

I've always loved the Shadowrun setting, that mix of fantasy and post-apocalyptic Sci-fi, and the "Secrets of Power" novels by Robert N. Charrette are an old favorite. So, when I found out about the PC Games Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun: Dragonfall, I had to get them.

Shadowrun Returns is good, but Dragonfall is great and has some wonderful characters to team up with, like Glory.

Glory is the Street Samurai and Combat Medic for your team in Dragonfall and she's a bad-ass. She wades through bad guys like Wolverine, but unlike him, she can heal *other* people. She has a pretty tragic back story that leads to one of the most messed up missions in the game, but once you finish, it's actually kind of cathartic.

For Glory, I started with a Lady Deathstrike Heroclix and used green stuff to build up her cybernetic arms and touch up her hair and clothes.

-c

Chell - Test Subject

You don't need me to tell you how good Portal was.

But I didn't plan to make a mini for Chell. Then they came out with the Days of Future Past Ariel, wearing a jumpsuit and holding a box that, from the right angle, looked like a cube.

I knew what I had to do.

For Chell, I used green stuff and a little plastic to make her Long Fall boots. The box she's holding is longer than a cube, but close enough.

Her jumpsuit and boots are kind of a mix and match from Portal and Portal 2. Since her jumpsuit is already orange, I painted the base blue. It would be kind of fun to have two, one with a blue base and one with an orange base though...

Will I be doing minis of GlaDOS or Wheatley?

Never say never...

-c

Miranda Lawson - Cerberus Officer

Mass Effect is full of dynamic, interesting characters.

And also Miranda Lawson.

I'm kidding, but Miranda was kind of dull to me, compared to the other characters. I almost always sided with Jack against Miranda, and rarely listened to her advice (for better or worse.)

But, I'll admit she has a cool uniform.

For Miranda, I used the Gamora Heroclix. I trimmed Gamora's sword a little to try and make it look like an Omni-tool or something.

Or maybe Miranda is secretly a Jedi?

-c

Samara - Asari Justicar

If they ever make a Mass Effect game where you can choose races other than Human, I bet there's going to be a million Asari.

Trust me on this one.

Anyway...

Samara fills the role that you have to have in any RPG-type game of being the stuck up Paladin type. She also kind of fills the role of the stuck up Wizard too though with her biotics, so she's kind of a two-for-one deal.

I thought she was kind of creepy at first, but as you get into her back story,  a lot of things make sense. She was my go-to Biotic troop...at least until I got Jack.

For Samara, I used a Heroclix Livewire and added her head tentacle things with green stuff.

For some reason, she looks a little like she's smiling which I don't think Samara ever did.

It's kind of worrying...

-c

Jack - Subject Zero

I didn't get into the Mass Effect games until pretty late; far after ME3 came out. There are a lot of great characters in the series (which I plan to get to eventually) but one of the first ones I wanted to do was Jack.

Jack is bad-ass.

If you know the Mass Effect series, you know why Jack is cool. If not, you just need to play the games to find out.

Anyway, for Jack I started with the Jinx Heroclix. She's bald and doing something that looks kind of biotic-y, so a good start. Then I trimmed the skirt and tried to make Jack's pants which...kind of worked.

Then came the tattoos.

I almost gave up trying to do the tattoos, but I persevered.

As a side note, this is not the default outfit for Jack. It's her loyalty outfit. The original outfit is still a bit iffy for me.

(Don't tell Jack I said that.)

-c

Kate Wilson - Systems Engineer

Hydrophobia Prophecy (aka Hydrophobia) was not a great game. It was half game and half tech demo, with a really nonsensical boss fight at the end, but it was OK.

It at least had an interesting enough story to make me care about the protagonist, Kate Wilson.

Kate was systems engineer for the floating city Queen of the World where the game Hydrophobia takes place. As terrorists attack the city, she deals with flooding, fighting, and getting infected with a virus that lets her controls the water (sort of).

It's a weird game.

For Kate, I used the Shimmer Heroclix and tried to add her headband thing with green stuff.

You know, if you have a couple of bucks to spare, you can usually pick up Hydrophobia for under $5 on Steam. It goes on sale pretty often for half that. It's worth at least $2.50.

-c

Regina - S.O.R.T. Agent

The Dino Crisis games are kind of the little brother series to Resident Evil, I guess. Similar game play, but substituting dinosaurs for zombies.

You wouldn't think it would work, but it kind of does.

Regina, heroine of the first two Dino Crisis games, is a good example of a female video game protagonist with an outfit that just doesn't make sense. While everyone else is wearing military gear, she's dressed like she's making a workout video.

But at least it's not as stripperific as it could have been...

I picked the Sin Heroclix for Regina, which works pretty well, except for the face which is strangely lacking detail. Maybe it's just the one I have, but her face is a little too round, like a doll's.

Very odd...

-c

Samus Aran - Bounty Hunter

In the original Metroid ending, Samus Aran removes her Power Suit and reveals that she is female and, for some reason, this is supposed to be considered a "surprise twist". I never really understood why though.

After all, I'd been reading and watching G.I.Joe for years and, thanks to characters like Scarlett, Lady Jaye, and the Baroness, I knew female characters could be tough, resourceful, and get the job done. The reveal that she was female was about as much of a shock as if the "twist" was that she had blue hair. I just thought it was cool and went on with my business.

Anyway, for Samus Aran, I used the Heroclix Omega Prime Sentinel figure and let me say: I think it's highly likely that Omega Prime Sentinel was directly influence by Samus Aran.

Which is weird because the name "Omega Prime Sentinel" sounds like an obvious Transformers riff.

Anyway, I opted to paint Samus Aran in a kind of hybrid look: part Power Suit, part Zero Suit.

Now, I just need to get some resin so I can make a Metroid...

-c