" Go buy a set and have fun. "

      Title: Mage Knight Unlimited Minis by Wizkids

      Format: Fantasy tabletop miniatures

      Reviewing Monkey: Mojo Jojo

      The Hype: The system is pretty solid and the Combat Dial is a phenomenon…but what about the figs? Read on, my Monkeys. Read on.

      What This Monkey Thought...

      Sculpting and Paintability: Let me get this out of the way first- since it's what I hear the most about as far as Mage Knight minis go: The paint jobs ain't great. As a matter of fact, many of them border on two-tone silly- being little more than one color for clothing and another for flesh. But, now that we have that out of the way, let me ask you a simple question: Who cares?
          First off, you have to take a second to think about how few gaming miniatures bother to come painted at all (the vast majority don't). Second, you have to realize that any paint job is better than no paint job- especially for the casual gamer (I can't remember the last time I painted a mini). Third, and most importantly, you have to take the time to notice the relatively quality of the sculpting to realize that if you care that much about the paint- you'll have a pretty good base to repaint them on.
          And that's really what it's all about. Sure, if you're one of those hard core Warhammer geeks who have hours and days to spend painting your figs you'll be disappointed in what you get stock…But not only will you still be able to repaint them, it also means that those of us who are either to lazy or to busy playing in the real world to do it in the first place will still be fielding painted armies! And do I have to bother telling you how much cooler it is to have a table full of colorful figs than to have nothing but dull lead showing? I didn't think so…4.25 out of 5

      Usefulness: Mage Knight plays sides based on army costs in 100-point increments, so I have to acknowledge right off the top the advantage of low point characters- they fill holes left by your studs. That being said, however, I'm bereft to inform you that those holes will immediately open back up as your pug-jugs get stomped by the macho high point characters your opponent fields. This means that, in no uncertain terms, play revolves around the high-ranking uber-character, which I have to admit, has always been a pet peeve of mine. And though there are plenty of uber-characters in the game to keep things interesting, you will quickly be annoyed at how many Joe Blows you have just taking up space in your miniatures cabinet…especially when you realize that those pugs cost you over a buck a pop (it is a random collectable game, after all).
           Still, all that being said, I liked most of the figs the game had to offer. In general they're incredible diverse (thus supporting a wide range of play styles), cool to look at, and fun to use. 3.75 out of 5

      Value vs. Cost: Mage Knight minis are sculpted plastic and will cost you about a buck thirty a piece. I say that straight out because that deal, in and of itself, is fantastic. Granted, the quality and longevity on the pieces isn't the same as you'll get with some of the ultra high-end pewter fig games- but then they don't have the $7+ price tag either! Plus, as if that weren't enough, remember that with each piece you're not only getting the fig but also the rules and stats to play the fig built in. That's a kick ass deal. 5 out of 5

      The Verdict:

All in all, it's hard to beat the setup you get with Mage Knight Unlimited. Cool looking and pre-painted miniatures work well with the fantastic Combat Dial system all make for good play at a killer price. I just wish the balance was a little more even.

      The Good: Great pre-painted stat inclusive figs.

      The Bad: That unfortunately favors the uber-character syndrome.

      The Overall Ugly: Go buy a set and have fun.

      What it's Worth: Market