Review – Realm of the Underworld Acromancer (Underworld Edition)

A few days ago I wrote a review of one of the Realm of the Underworld action figures (website) and, unfortunately, didn’t feel comfortable recommending the toy because of issues with the accessories and plastic. The Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) (review here) was a real disappointment to me, but I felt that to give the series a fair shake I had to open and play with the second toy that I bought. And I’m glad that I did! I can now see why the Acromancer review at Doomkick was positive; this figure is dramatically different and doesn’t even feel like it belongs to the same line as the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure.

Accessories that Work

The Acromancer (Underworld Edition) action figure comes with a helmet and an axe, and both items snap neatly onto the toy and stay in place without any fear of them falling off. The helmet is scaled perfectly for the skull head — which is a different sculpt from the skull of the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure — and the axe’s shaft fits the figure’s hand without any problems. After the ill-fitting accessories of the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure the accessories included with this toy were a pleasant surprise.

Better Plastic

Maybe it’s because the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure has such thin limbs, but there’s something different about these two toys and the Acromancer is without question the better of the two. The head and torso of the Acromancer, like the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure’s head and torso — feel hollow, but the limbs on this figure are (I think) solid and overall this toy has more heft to it. Whatever the designers intended with the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure failed and I hope that they make future figures feel a lot more like the Acromancer.

Sculpt

The eighties Masters of the Universe inspiration is even stronger in this toy than it was with the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) action figure, with the bow legged appearance a near-perfect match for those classic toys by Mattel. This toy would fit in great as an enemy of the classic He-Man action figure and the sculpt is fantastic and fun. This is what I was hoping for from the Realm of the Underworld action figures (website) and it’s good to see the manufacturing quality helps the classic design rather than harms it.

Closing Thoughts

I have no real idea what’s going on with the Realm of the Underworld action figures (website). After reviewing the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) figure (review here) I was basically ready to forget about the line, but now that I’ve opened the Acromancer (Underworld Edition) action figure I don’t know what to think. If I had opened this toy first I would have been recommending the toy — and very likely the entire series! — to everyone, but the poor quality of the Archfiend (Ultimate Evil) figure had me entering into this review expecting another bad toy.

I’ve now reviewed the only two toys that I ordered, and I’m torn. Do I take a chance on another figure in the future, hoping it is as cool as this Acromancer, or do I let the poorly executed Archfiend scare me away from the line forever? I don’t have an answer, and I certainly don’t know whether to recommend the series to you or suggest that you avoid it.

Yeah, I’m pretty confused at the moment. Sorry.