Sculpt--4.5/5
Shadow stormtroopers are basically stormtroopers in black armor, so it's no surprise that this is just a VOTC stormtrooper in black instead of white. That said, I'm glad Hasbro didn't cheap-out and use an older stormtrooper mold like they did with the VTSC George Lucas in Stormtrooper Disguise figure. Anyway, the VOTC stormtrooper is still a great-looking toy, and in terms of sculpt, there's not much wrong with it. My only nitpick is that the helmet could be a bit more accurate in shape, but it is still the best stormtrooper helmet Hasbro has made.

Articulation--5/5
The shadow stormtrooper has 14 points of articulation: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed elbows, wrists, ball-jointed mid-section, hips, ball-jointed knees, and ball-jointed ankles. As with the VOTC stormtrooper and the latest sandtrooper, this is an excellent set of articulation points and help make a variety of poses possible. This is pretty much the best articulation Hasbro has offered us and I think it could only be better by adding ball-jointed hips.

Accessories--2/5
Accessories? What accessories? Okay, so we get a standard Imperial blaster and figure stand, but that's it. The blaster is same one we've been getting for a while now, and it's the most accurate Imperial blaster Hasbro has made in terms of size and detail. Some people think it should be bigger, but I think it's fine the way it is. The blaster should be about the length of a stormtrooper's forearm from elbow to fingers, and that's exactly what the toy's length is. It would have been nice if Hasbro included the long blaster rifles as well since the shadow stormtroopers used them in the comic. The figure stand is similar to those found in the Ultimate Galactic Hunt chase figures which means that it is chromed instead of the dark gray plastic found with normal figures. It's pretty nice-looking and it contrasts well with the shadow stormtrooper's black armor.

Paint--4.5/5
Not much to paint on these guys, but it's still a great job. The light blue accents on the helmet look great and they've even painted the teeth in the "frown". A nice touch is that they painted the body glove a dark gray instead of black to differentiate it from the armor. It's not as noticeable as it is in the photo on the back of the package though so it can be hard to miss.

Packaging--4/5
Being a Saga Collection exclusive, this figure comes in a package similar to the regular Saga Collection packaging with slight differences. Since there is no hologram figure included, there is no hole in the card. The card back also has a unique design, showing actual panels from the comic, Crimson Empire, from which this figure is based. The shadow stormtroopers had a pretty small role in the comic, but Hasbro chose some good panels to show how they were portrayed. A small blurb about the shadow stormtroopers appears in the upper-left, and I kind of wish they went into slightly more detail in terms of the basic premise of Crimson Empire. As is, it's a little too vague for my tastes, but perhaps they are saving a better description for the upcoming Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax 2-pack. The front of the card also shows a scene taken straight from the comic of Carnor Jax's throne room on the Emperor's Revenge, Jax's Star Destroyer.

The whole package comes in Hasbro's new protective cases which they are now selling at their store (Hasbrotoyshop.com) and is made so that you can fit practically any carded Star Wars figure inside. I can't say I'd recommend buying these cases though, as the top is slightly curved and it can cause some of the top corners of Saga Collection cards to bend slightly (other cards seem to fit better though). They also don't support or sandwich the card as much as other cases do, and really only hold down the very top of the card. The cases are taped shut and not heat-sealed like most VTSC cases were.

Overall--4/5
If you're a fan of Expanded Universe stuff or just like cool-looking figures, then this figure is right up your alley. It's based on the best stormtrooper figure in this scale and thus, has some of the best articulation found on a Star Wars figure. The price is a bit steep at $14.99 each. You don't exactly get the most bang for the buck with this figure, but it's an exclusive and it may sell out, so you may not have the luxury of waiting to see if the price will go down. In the end however, it is a fun figure that will go great with the Kir Kanos & Carnor Jax 2-pack.

--Photos and review by Garett Yoshimura
garett@carrotnetwork.com

Where to Buy:
StarWarsShop.com is the place to buy them. They are $14.99 each. Follow this link to order:
Shadow Stormtrooper Worldwide Exclusive Action Figure (with exclusive collector star case)

If you're interested in the Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax 2-pack, you can order it from StarWarsShop.com or Entertainment Earth for $19.99.