When the cinematic trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 dropped at last year’s E3, there was a surprise reveal waiting for the loyal fans who watched to the end: a fully animated Keanu Reeves, long hair and tasteful stubble fully intact, reaching out a bionic arm to pull the player up off the ground. The gaming world, understandably, lost its mind: Keanu fever, coupled with the excitement over CD Projekt Red’s epic new game, combined for a full system meltdown. It’s only natural, then, that some of the first action figures released in tandem with the game feature Reeves doing what he does best: being Reeves.
The collectibles set from McFarlane Toys features three figures: two, 7-inch figures of Reeves’ character — Johnny Silverhand — and main playable character “V,” as well as a special, 12-inch Johnny Silverhand figure. While this is just the opening salvo of what will be a three-year collab between McFarlane and Cyberpunk, this first set has a curious omission: the female version of the main character, who will be playable in game from the outset. Is it unfortunate that there wasn’t room for her in the opening release? Yes! Am I going to let that distract me from the fact that I currently have a foot-tall Reeves playing electric guitar with a bionic arm sitting in front of me? Honestly yes, a little, but we soldier on!
The figures themselves live up to the McFarlane standard for high-quality attention to detail and character architecture. The smaller figures each feature impressive, small-scale realism, from the tactile, movable (but not REmovable) clothing on V and Johnny to the internal mechanics of Silverhand’s silver hand and the patterning of V’s hair. The series of detachable accessories and weapons also share the same attention to detail. The figures feature 22 moving parts, which makes them extremely expressive and posable; although, some of the articulation points, such as the fully bendable front half of each foot, are somewhat questionable in their practicality.
The 12-inch Johnny Silverhand figure is not as flexible as the smaller options, but what it lacks in customizability, it more than makes up for in style and quality. Unlike the other two figures, which come standard and can be posed, the 12-inch figure comes in a full, power pose: thrusting forward, guitar in his hands, mouth open in a yell that one can only assume is more powerful than any noise that has ever emanated from Reeves’ generally measured vocal cords. The detail is top-notch: Everything is crystal clear and beautifully painted.
While the size isn’t that different from the 7-inch version, the specifics — including the open mouth, the eyes behind the glasses, and the exposed wiring of the bionic arm — all make the character pop. There’s only one part of it that moves, but even that is a clever touch: You can move his guitar-strumming arm up and down to really get that power-chord action you desire. The price point isn’t small — $39.99 for the 12-inch, compared to $24.99 for the 7-inch — but for any collector or any Reeves fan, the 12-inch figure is an excellent addition to a collection.
The packaging of the set is inspired, too. The inside of the box features a gritty, gray background complete with band posters. Unfortunately, the plastic used to hold the figure pedestals is glued to the background and strips the artwork off when you remove it.
Since Reeves himself strolled out on stage to announce the game, Cyberpunk 2077 has captivated its eager audience with the promise of the deep attention to detail, high quality, and flashy visuals that have accompanied many past CD Projekt Red games. This toy collaboration with McFarlane is no different: The three figurines are a stylish, sophisticated, and worthwhile addition to any collection.
All three figures are available to order now on Amazon.
Photos: the Pop Insider
