Mass Effect is ripe for art projects, and the varied weaponry in particular is appealing to gun buffs, sci-fi geeks, and simply many gamers in general. That’s why projects like this M-29 Incisor Rifle prop also appeal to a wide group of people. Commander Shepard’s adventures throughout the galaxy have led to countless works of art, be they video edits, drawings, costumes, or props. This prop in particular was made with a beautiful amount of detail and looks as if it were what the video game’s rifle were modeled after rather than the other way around. Made by Zander Brandt of ZPROPS, this gun was created for a client who apparently needed it for his own creation, a costume. I can only imagine said costume was one of Garrus Vakarian, everyone’s favorite Turian, but it could just as easily be for a Shepard costume.
The gun itself is the M-29 Incisor Rifle, one of the sniper rifles used in Mass Effect 2. In-game, the gun can be stored as a compact piece of gear strapped to a soldier’s back and extended into full length quickly for combat. This prop, as you’d probably guess, doesn’t have that last bit of fanciness, but that hardly takes away from its polish. Sure, it might be a bit cumbersome to carry around without the magical sci-fi capability of collapsing into a compact package, but it will sure draw attention. Those familiar enough with the game should have no problem identifying the blue and orange sniper rifle from a distance, a testament to the unique design created by the people at Bioware as well as the faithfulness this prop has to said original. As far as I can tell, this is made pretty much entirely out of MDF and styrene, but the paint job is so fantastic that it could easily pass for high quality plastic or possibly even metal. Not only did Mr. Brandt paint the gun so it looks true to the original, he even gave it some artificial wear and tear so it looks as if it’s seen many a battle. That simple addition alone is underrated and often overlooked by cosplayers, important because it makes the final product look less like a toy and more like something “real”. If you’d like to see some more expertly-made props by other creators, check out these Soul Calibur Cassandra Props or a beautiful Homemade Daft Punk Helmet.
