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Machinima's Transformers Combiner Wars Episode 8 FINALE REVIEW

Date: Friday, September 23rd 2016 12:45am CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Machinima, Go90

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Seibertronians, it is time. It certainly has been a journey full of ups and downs, curves, and many, many problems. But like all other journeys this one must come to an end. The curtains are starting to close. It is time. Time to review the final episode of Machinima's Combiner Wars series.


We start with Windblade. She is floating in a Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-style afterlife dream sequence. A voice wakes her. She realizes it belongs to metroplex. He tells her that the titans have been listening to her thoughts, and don't like the anger they've seen within them.

Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

She apologizes for what she's done, but the titans remind her of who she truely is. She wakes up again on cybertron, because death means nothing.


And then, and then!!As if being able to take down a Combiner with a swipe of her sword or stop a friggin' BLACK HOLE WITH HER TURBINES wasn't enough for her, Windblade gets to take complete control of Metroplex! Awesome potential there for a entertaining story, right? Well...

It's just his arm...That's it.

Yes, that's right. Metroplex's arm makes a surprise appearance for some reason.


Friggin' called it! Well, sorta

A quick note: Starscream's...well...screams are absolutely horrendous. Nearly unwatchable. They sound like some tormented demon baby. 

Windblade smashes the titan's limb onto starscream, grabbing hold of him so Prime and Megatron can have a clear shot.

Now comes one of the top five moments in the series: Megatron turns into a gun. Yes, not only does this Megatron have a gun mode, but he's a triple changer. There's something for everyone to enjoy. I seriously, SERIOUSLY, love this Megatron.

Awesome!

Prime arms himself with Megatron, taking that one final shot at Starscream, destroying him.

Optimus checks on Windblade, and is surprised to learn she's still alive. Megatron approaches with the (somehow still intact) enigma of Combination. Seriously though, if an explosion of that caliber couldn't destroy it, I find it unlikely that anything Optimus or Megatron could do would. But then again, maybe Windblade can pull out another Dues Ex Machina magic power and destroy it single-handedly.

Megatron, Prime and Windblade have a quick conversation about what to do with the Enigma, and Megatron literally mentions how he's "more than meets the eye", as the entire audience participates in a collective eye roll.


Har har har

It's decided (by pretty much just Windblade) that the Enigma belongs to the combiners, and it's presented to Victorion. She does this weird chest-merge thing with it, sort of like the Matrix of Leadership, but more gross.

The council finally reappears for one last time, just long enough for Windblade to tell them that the Titan's have returned.

But then! Just when you thought it was over, we're teased with a shot of what is presumably Fort Max's head. Yep. Seriously.


Pfft. As if.

Well, I'm sure we'll be seeing that half a year after the Titan's Return toy line ends.

And that's it. That's the end. Of the whole thing. Some final, final thoughts:

I'd like to look at pros first before I get to my usual thoughts, because I feel that the good things about this series have been kind of trampled by the band wagon hate. I'd like to bring some of those good things to a greater light.

Pros:

The art style:
Although it does occasionally have its problems, the animation and art style are very visually pleasing, and have a great feel to them. The character models are new, but inspired, and suit each character well. I know it's very attractive to many fans to have toys that look like they just came off the screen, and vice versa. This delivers tenfold in that front. You almost couldn't get closer in some cases.
The color pallets used are very attractive, rich, and occasionally stunning.

Like this! I want this framed!

It's very beautiful sometimes, and is a highlight of the series. I wish it would have given us some more landscape shots, where this could have really shined.

Another positive would be most of the voice acting. Megatron, Starscream and Prime are done extreme justice here, and Rodimus and The Mistress of Flame are good most of the time, save for one or two lines here and there. I also don't mind the voice of Metroplex, Devastator, or Victorion. These are all well done, and, as I've said, did great with what they were given to work with.

Speaking of Megatron, I'm not exaggerating when I say that if this isn't one of my favorite incarnations of the character, it's by far the most interesting. I love every aspect of him. He's voiced perfectly, his personality is spot on, and his triple-changer ability satisfies the TankknotGuun camp and the GuunnotTankk camp, which, in my experience, is pretty damn near impossible. Boy, Machinima, you got a lot of things wrong but when you get something right you get it right!
Outstanding job. A+.

And that brings me to my thoughts. I don't hate this series. I don't. I just don't like it, either. The middle of the series was enjoyable, good, above par, even by standards set outside of the series. But the beginning was an absolute train wreck, and the ending was a textbook Dues Ex Machina situation. I feel that if it had just done a handful of things differently, it could have been unprecedentedly good. And hey, maybe if a Titan's Return series does happen, they'll take some of the criticism in stride and make it what I know it has the potential to be.


And that is it. All eight episodes, all eight weeks. I have to say that while the programme wasn't always enjoyable, these reviews were. I hope that you all had as much fun reading them as I had writing them. And while the Combiner Wars have indeed ended, who knows, maybe I'll review Another series some day. Thanks for reading my rants and rambles, it's been a ride, for sure, and a pleasure!

Wanna relive the journey? All of the episodes are available now for free on Go90 and Machinima's YouTube channel.

And, as always, thank you for keeping it tuned to seibertron.com, your best source for Transformers news (and reviews!) on the net!

Machinima's Transformers: Combiner Wars Episode 7 REVIEW

Date: Wednesday, September 21st 2016 5:44pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Machinima, Go90

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Views: 58,658

Welcome, Seibrtronians, to the Combiner Wars Review Extravaganza! In a celebration of the Machinima Combiner Wars series and it's conclusion, I'll be posting episode 7's reivew and then, later today (or potentially tomorrow), I'll share my review of the finale (along with some final final thoughts) as well! It'll be one big day of celebration and thanking primus it's over. Let's look at Episode 7.


We open on Cybertron once again, and see Starscream has finally formed into his "Combiner Combiner" mode. Megatron takes a shot at him, but is thrown across the city, smashing into a building.

While Optimus runs to Megatron, Starscream deals with the amount of power he posses. He envelops him, and he explodes. Bits of the various combiners are thrown across the landscape, and a piece of Computron tries to take out Prime.

Ah, Geez, Rick, what are we gonna do now?

Starscream emerges from the rubble, now only a ball of Galactic Glitter Glue with a head, and launches some missiles(?) from his shoulders(?) at the city below. Optimus and Co. dodge the incoming debris, as Starscream starts making a black hole, sucking all of his loose parts in.

Pictured: Starscream

He "throws" the black hole at Optimus and Megatron, but here comes Windblade, saving the day again with her Turbine Attack, which can apparently stop the force of an inverted star.

Huh.

Never knew.

I...I hate this episode

Windblade follows this up by rushing the literal Screaming Star, while he shoots what sounds to be lasers trying to connect to dial-up internet out of his mouth.


If they lasted any longer, you would have started to hear the Windows XP boot-up noise, too

Windblade is somehow able to block the large, continuous beams of pure energy with her thin sword, but is finally taken down by a lightning blast from Starscream. She falls, many stories, and lands on the ground. Optimus and Megatron have a moment to mourn her before Starscream jumps at them, Screaming and laughing.

I...I really hate this episode

Okay, Final thought time:

Why? Why? You had potential here, those couple of episodes in the middle of the series were great, compared to what has come before and after them. Why make Starscream's plot a cliche Starscream plot? You already had one of the most interesting Megatrons we've ever gotten, why couldn't you have left Starscream be and have one of the most interesting Starscreams we've ever gotten? I want you to challenge my perception of what I already know about these characters, or I want to be pleasantly surprised with a interesting continuation of what I know and love. This series can't decide which of those it wants to be, so it fails miserably at both. It's not a good new idea, or perhaps just poorly executed, and it's not a good continuation of the same old same old. What is it trying to be?

-gasp- Father! Please! Help!

I think this series could have been good, (heck, it could have been great) if it would have picked a lane. As it sits, it comes across as a slapped together mess, with 0 pacing and no cohesive, understandable plot until halfway through act 4. And even then it makes no sense.

If your going to go back on your set idea of different, more civil, changed Starscream, give him a viable motive. He is literally already one of the rulers of Cybertron. He couldn't climb the latter more if he tried. He even said how he convinced the public to trust him. He's where he wants to be! Where he's always wanted to be. Why would he ruin that? Why?

To be continued

Tune in later today/tomorrow when we continue our celebration and conclude the series with the review of episode eight!

And, as always, I'm the Nostalgia Critic, I remember it so you don-wait, wait, no. Wrong thing.

Ahem

And, as always, keep it right here, on seibertron.com for all your latest Transformers news (and reviews!).

Top 5 Best Retools Amongst Transformers Toys

Date: Saturday, September 17th 2016 9:25am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 87,645

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Retools Amongst Transformers Toys

We now live in a world of heavy mold reuse where at the very planning of an entire line, designers look at how they can make the most of a design and reuse elements to the point where we now even Hasbro has switched from using the word "retool" to "pretool". It sometimes brings about a negative connotation since toys may not feel as unique, even though the output of new molds remains constant. So in light of this, I would like to look back at some amazing retools we have gotten in the past showing how amazing toys have been the product of retools.


5. Transformers Adventure TAV30 Battle Grimlock

This is a perfect example of a well realized extensive retool that I would be more than happy to drop money on (and even import, in this case). Let's get one thing straight first, that initial Fall of Cybertron Grimlock mold was not great. This retool ameliorates it by reapropriating it as the definitive Grimlock for one's Robots in Disguise collection. While the paint scheme is definitely different, the mold itself is mostly completely new, changing the initial mold while keeping all the tabbing and transformation intact. Just look at the tail in this shot below:



There are of course totally new parts like the Dinosaur head, which really make him different looking in dino mode, but that is impressive is how they retooled the original mold to have spikes all throughout to merge the completely new parts with those that were retooled, making him seem like a totally different toy. Not only a different toy, but a toy that was made for this line, and that is the biggest credit I could give to this toy. It doesn't look out of place, and is instead more than welcome in the line up even though the base toy has nothing to do with this line or aesthetic.






4. Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus and the Cyberverse version

This one is best explained through pictures. These toys will always amaze me for the simple reason that there were two main Ultra Magnus designs in the Prime toyline at two different scales (Voyager and Commander). In each scale, one mold was an original mold (YAY!) and one was an Optimus retool (Boo!). And yet, in both cases, the Optimus retool surpassed the original mold, both in complexity, G1 homage, toon accuracy and poseability. It was this toy that made me rethink my entire philosophy on retools and where they have a place. Below you will find Ultra Magnus next to the original mold in both alt mode and robot mode as well as the retool next to the original mold just to show you how significant it was.














3. Classics Conehead Seekers

These are by far the best rendition of the coneheads in terms of show accuracy, both in looks and when it comes to replicating how they transformed on the show, and it's handled in such a smart way as a retool of the classics seeker mold. The original mold was very good but it had that extra nosecone kibble in the back of the head which looked off. The conehead retool reworks that entire nosecone area to make the nosecone actually be the top of the robot's head ala G1 but with way better proportions. This is a feat even the MP couldn't pull off, relying on the illusion of a nosecone head leaving the actual nosecone in the back. What is awesome about this retool is that by reworking that nosecone area, there is no more extraneous kibble. It ends up being a perfect robot mode and a perfect rendition of the G1 chracters with no fake parts.


Transformers Henkei Dirge Gallery


Transformers Classics Ramjet Gallery


Transformers Henkei Thrust Gallery


2. Killer Punch

The original mold was pretty cool in an odd kind of way with the very kibble heavy bot mode and third mode which consisted of a dead Triceratops. Killer punch takes it up an extra step. A triceratops head for a hand is pretty cool, but you know what's cooler? Being able to fire it into a bot's face! Yeah, Takara retooled the mold so that the triceratops head could actually be spring launched from the robot's arm. They also took the opportunity of this remold to change the Dinosaur's head to give us a Styracosaurus instead, making the mold even more original, along with giving us a better hand weapon in the form of a big curved blade hidden as his tail.




1. Transformers Generations Sandstorm



I feel this is the last great hurrah for what we knew as retools, meaning a mold based on another one with modifications, and the start of something new with toys toys based on another coming out quickly showing a certain amount of planning. I say this because after this toy, the idea of a retool, as we know it changed. Hasbro brought in pretools like the Combiner Wars line which was all designed at the same time, regardless of when toys got released, and that was followed by trend of reusing parts or egineering amongst different toys. In this case though, I feel confident calling this a retool, and a beautiful one at that, since it is clear what the basis for Springer was as opposed to Sandstorm. Springer's look comes right from Nick Roche's last stand of the Wreckers and both his alt modes are modernized versions of what they were in G1. Sandstorm though feels more in line with the Neo G1 look of the Universe line with his alt modes being more homages to the ones he had in the past, springboarding off the Springer design and making the most of it. What is fascinating is that amongst the differently shaped parts are totally new parts that change the transformation. As with TAV Battle Grimlock above, it is such a miraculous moment when you transform a toy that is said to be a retool and you discover something new. The reason this guy gets the top spot is because not only is the retooling extensive, but it brings in fixes to the mold. It tabs in together better and I am really impressed at how he can still stand with all that back kibble, which adds to his striking and dynamic look. It's just amazing to have a retool that feels like having a new toy that kicks ass all on his own.











Honourable Mentions: I am using this spot for something that we wouldnt think of right away but that really needs to be mentioned: Masterpiece Starscream. The reason he wasn't obvious to me is because usually a retool means a different version of the character or more likely a different character all together. In Starscream's case, the retool doesnt change anything about his identity or personality, it just makes the toy more G1 accurate and overall better (at least in theory). At first it might seem like the big difference is how the long pieces of jet kibble are integrated into his legs rather than be left hanging there, or that he now has heels that pop out of flaps, but there is more. In truth there are more changed parts than unchanged parts in this figure and the retool becomes one of the more extensive retools in Transformers history. But since the situation is different from the rest of the characters on this list, I preffered mentionning him here (I wouldn't have known where to place him, how about you?). Just look at the undercarriage a bit to see that almost every facet is different. And in robot mode, it is literally from head to toe.


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream Gallery


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream (MP-11) Gallery


Transformers Masterpiece Starscream (MP-11) Gallery

Transformers: AR Guide Mobile Game REVIEW

Date: Friday, September 9th 2016 4:44pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Game News, Digital Media News, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Red Frog LTD

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Views: 73,569

Seibertronians, thanks to user Collectotron, we've been alerted to a brand new Transformer Augmented Reality mobile game that has seemingly slipped under our radar, called Transformers AR Guide. It's based on the new Robots in Disguise animated show, and is developed by Red Frog Limited LTD. I've decided to look a little deeper and try it out for you!

NOTE: What I will be reviewing is the trial version of the game, meaning some features will not/can not be covered in this article. I will address this more in a bit.

First, some technical info about the game: It's Augmented Reality based, meaning it features the ability to superimpose a digital character into the real world through your mobile device. The AR is triggered by a physical book that you have to buy separately for around $10. The app, however, allows you to demo it with a printable image that will allow Bumblebee to appear on your desk, living room, or anywhere else you want him to.

Initially, I was skeptical of the game, and the somewhat convoluted process of getting it to work (I had to download the page, change the file type, email it to myself, and print it out) was kind of off-putting, but I kept positive, and saw it through.

Let's look at the game's features.

The main attraction is the AR gimmick, so let's look at that. The book allows you to cue up quite a few autobots and Decepticons into the real world, but the printable only gives you Bumblebee, as mentioned above.

I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of controls you can use on Bumblebee. You can make him walk around, pose, transform into his car mode (you can even turn his headlights on and off), almost like a digital RC car. Frankly the coolest feature is that you can even make him life-sized, if you have a big enough space. You still have complete control over him even in Life-sized mode, so if you want to have Bumblebee walk down your street, you can!

Bumblebee's on my driveway!!

It's also pretty cool to have Bumblebee on while playing with real toys at the same time. It adds a whole new layer of animation (quite literally) to your stories.


Another feature allows you to create your own custom charcter, that you can then superimpose into the real world as well. I made my own character, but wasn't able to "bring him to life" because I, obviously, didn't have the book.

Hey! RID Windcharger!
My one critisim here would be that I wish you could get into more detail in the customization process, not just solid colors on various body parts.

The third feature is Battlemode, but I wasn't able to demo this at all. It looks very interesting, however, being a two-player AR fighting game.

So some final thoughts: I didn't expect much from this game going in, and I was very pleased and impressed with what it turned out to be. It's a lot of fun, and a great implementation of this tech, and I'm almost postive I'll be getting that book very soon.

Wanna try it for yourself? It's available now on the App Store and Google play for most devices for free!

And, as always, keep it here on seibertron.com for all your latest Transformers news and reviews!

Machinima's Transformers Combiner Wars Episode 6 REVIEW

Date: Wednesday, September 7th 2016 5:18pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Machinima, Go90

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Views: 50,105

Hey, Seibertronians! It's Tuesday again, and that means- wait, what? Why- What do you mean it's not Tuesday?! No, there's no way...It's...Wednesday?! What?! How did...? Wow, Labor Day really messed me up.

Well, I guess we should just jump in to the breakdown, then. I don't want you to have to wait any longer.


Episode 6 starts off immediately where 5 ended, with Rodimus in the hands (quite literally) of Devastator. His voice oddly sounds like an Autotuned mess here, but I don't know why. He doesn't speak normally with Autotune, so I find it weird that they would use it here. Anyway, the decepticon combiner throws Rodimus back to the council, demanding that he be given the Enigma of Combination. Megatron tells him to stand down, but Devastator refuses, saying Megatron isn't his leader anymore. On the close-ups during this scene, again, the mouth sync is as bad as a terribly-dubbed anime, (Odd, because it was animated to sync to English, not Japanese, so at least the Anime have an excuse.) but I've said that a thousand times, so I'll move past it.

Another issue I haven't really touched on in these reviews is the sound level. I know a lot of people won't care at all, as this is a very technical detail, but it does effect everyone who watches it. The sounds level is completely random, and ear-splittingly loud sometimes. One moment, I have to turn my volume up to hear all the dialogue, but then during mainly the action-driven parts, the audio peaks and sounds like it's coming through a blown-out subwoofer. It's not equalized at all, and just...loud. It was very prominent in this episode, so I thought I'd touch on it.

Prime, Windblade, and Megatron all try to fight off Devastator, but it doesn't look like Devvy was the only one who heard about the Council's new toy. Victorion arrives, and demands to have the enigma. Devastator claims it as his, and they battle over ownership.


The party don't start till I walk in...

The council comes to the unanimous decision that it's best to use the Enigma against the Combiners. They activate the relic, which turns into a Matrix of Leadership-style orb with handles. Rodimus discovers that (for some reason) he can't posses the Enigma. They never explain why, it just happens. He basically reaches out, touches it, gets zapped, and says "Welp, that's it for me. Good luck!". They at least give an explanation as to why the Mistress can't use it, (it might be a terrible one, but it's still a reason) but they don't say anything about why Rodimus can't. Tell me in the comments if it's more obvious to you why, because it makes no sense to me.


Victorion and Devastator face off

So, because neither other member of the council can harness it's power, the Enigma is given to Starscream. He must take control and tell the combiners to stop. Rodimus tells him he trusts him, and that the former decepticon should do the right thing and end the war.

Oh, he will.

He uses the Enigma to take control of all the combiners, reviving Computron and Menasor, and debilitating Devastator and Victorion. He starts to use them as his own limbs, literally making a combiner combiner, and betrays the council.


We interrupt Transformers to bring you Voltron

Megatron is the first to realise what's happening, and laughs at what Starscream has orchestrated, saying it's exactly what he would have done.

Starscream finishes his evolution, becoming one of the most powerful beings ever created. We see a glimpse of him before the episode ends.


-Evil version of "You've got the Touch" plays-


So, some final thoughts. I enjoyed this episode. Not as much as the previous couple admittedly, but I enjoyed it. I agree with some of the commenters on the boards, it's a shame to see an interesting iteration of a character turn out to not be as different or interesting as we thought. Starscream, just like war, never changes. He reminded me of the comics, where he took up the role of politician, except this version to me was more intriguing just because he didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. I also agree that Megatron is the best character in the series. I actually think he's one of the best executed Megatrons in Transformers history. It suits him so well. You got that right, Machinima created one of my favorite iterations of Megatron ever. Never thought you'd hear me say that now, did ya?

There's only a few more episodes left...how will it all tie together? What other characters will we see? Doesn't that song that plays in the background while Starscream starts forming the combiners sound like Blue Monday by New Order? Speculate in the comments below! But before you do, watch the episode now on Go90 and if you're outside the U.S., check out our announcement article for alternate viewing options. See you next week! Same bot-time, same bot-channel!

Top 5 Best Transformers Movie Toys of Off Screen Characters (first trilogy)

Date: Saturday, September 3rd 2016 9:26am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 87,347

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.


Top 5 Best Movie Toys for Off Screen Characters (first trilogy)


Last time, we looked at the top 5 best Transformers movie toys of on screen characters, so this week we are looking at the toys of characters who didn't show up. My only rule is that the molds must be original for the movies. While Big Daddy is an awesome looking TF (dont have him, but wish I did), I can't count him since he is just a redeco of a pre-existing mold. I also won't count the toys that fell in the cracks of the 2010 Transformers line and werent clearly identified as being linked to the movie line. In the end, the lines that were looked at for this list are: Dark of the Moon (DOTM), Revenge of the Fallen (ROTF), Hunt for the Decepticons (HFTD), Human Alliance, and the initial 2007 movie line.


5. Hunt For The Decepticons Breacher

One of the best Scout class toys of all time. He is beautifully sculpted and more complex than any deluxe that has come out in the past two years. I love that meaty satisfying transformation that is intuitive and not annoying. The articulation is superb and he can even interact with others, like Seaspray, or use other toys' c-clip weapons. What really seals the deal though is the look. You will see this theme repeated often in this list but he feels like the perfect marriage between the clean and traditional autobot aesthetic and the more detailed movie designs. He still has the pistons and layered armour, but there are also smooth panels and alt mode integrations and a beutiful little autobot headsculpt. Just writing about him, I feel like replacing my number one entry with this guy.



4. Hunt For The Decepticons Terradive

Sometimes, Hasbro and Takara will just decide to revolutionize the way to transform a typical alt mode. Jets usually go with the seeker design where the nosecone folds down and he wings are in the back. Even weird movie designs like Breawakay still go with that outline. Then you get Terradive, who just changes it all. Firstly, the nosecone chest is totally inverted and made as a more protruding design rearranging the jet pannels. Then the wings are brought down to the legs, making him look far more sleek than most other jet Transformers out there. And unlike other attempts at revolutionizing the jet transformer, Teradive keeps a nice traditional symmetric robot mode with alt mode integration all throughout. Plus he has a trident making him a sea and air double threat!



3. Dark of the Moon Skyhammer

This is the greatest helicopter Transformers toy of all time, no contest. The detail in both modes is asgood as it gets with two gorgeous molds that have little to no extraneous kibble of the other mode showing thanks to lovely alt mode integrationg in robot mode. That gives you a sleek yet powerful looking robot which merges both the detailed multiarmoured theme of the films with some sleek and smooth surfaces of more traditional designs, including a nice modernized G1 style headsculpt.



2. Revenge of the Fallen Bludgeon

What could beat the greatest Helicopter mold of all time? The greatest tank mold of all time, that's what! I will never stop marvelling at the beauty that is ROTF Bludgeon. Hasbro and Takara really went all out here, making this an amazing G1 homage in a movie line, of all places. They finally give us a robot samurai that transforms, and use the alt mode of a tank to make it work perfectly. The tank treads becoming the leather samurai armour is genius, and so is the tank roof and cannon providing weapon storage for his two swords. This is one of the most innovative designs ever done and easily the best Bludgeon toy out there.

As an aside, the other Bludgeon using a movie mold is also pretty great.




1. Revenge of the Fallen Mindwipe and Skystalker

This duo is the cream of the crop. Firstly, the alt modes are perfect. It is amazing how unintrusive their combining gimmick is. More of a fun option than something crammed down our throats. Both are phenominal toys with both of them being stellar examples of the most recent golden age of Transformers and kings in their size classes. I love how these toys use the best aspect of the movie lines to give us new designs that can be appreciated independently of the movie line. They merge the complexity and intricate panelling of the movie lines but make it more streamlined, making the transformation pleasant rather than frustrating. Mindwipe especially. He feels great with nice big chuncks that fit perfectly together, like a refined version of a Cybertron toy made using all that was learnt since. And there is even a slight G1 homage with his winged robot mode along with the theme of stealth, radars, blindness and bats all coming together. He is also just striking as a figure with a sleek and kibble free robot mode filled with personality and unique features, like those folded automorph wings and energon daggers he is holding ala X-men's Warpath. To me, a perfect Transformer is very hard to do since it must have a striking robot mode with new robot mode detail and no extraneous vehicle kibble, and a clean vehicle mode, all while haiving a fun transformation. To achieve this, they usually have to repurpose parts from one mode to the next and this toy does it like no other with having his cockpit/nosecone seperate into his two feet and daggers. Him being turned into "classics" Strafe is a testament to how his design crosses that gap in easthetics which would be futher expanded upon in the Prime line. All these toys in this list do that in a way, but I really feel Midwipe does it best.








Honourable Mentions: Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Sea Spray and Revenge of the Fallen Lockdown. Both of these are awesome, I just thought the others were a tad bit better and more linked to the movies while these two seem to be more in line with the "classics" theme, especially Lockdown which works more as a companion to Reveal the Shield Lugnut as a classics reinterpretation of the animated aesthetic (and plus there is a new movie Lockdown which is far more linked to the movie-verse).

Review of Machinima's Transformers Combiner Wars Episode 5 "Homecoming"

Date: Tuesday, August 30th 2016 6:01pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Machinima, Go90

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Views: 55,484

Guess what day it is! It's Tuesday, and that means one more installment of the new Machinima Combiner Wars Series. Spoiler Alert: It's good, again. I know, I know, two good episodes in a row? What is this? Have the pigs finally taken flight? I'm serious. I actually enjoyed this one. I really liked it. It worked with the 5 minute time slot perfectly.

But we're jumping the Ion cannon here, let's take a few steps back, start looking to the skies for aerial swine, and break the new episode down.

We open with Starscream reflecting on the death of Menasor and Computron, as the remains of both combiners have been delivered to the Council's tower from Caminus. The former decepticon feels directly responsible for the death of Computron, as he was the one who sent the combiner to take Menasor down, when he should have just done it himself. This is the kind of exposition I want. Something that challenges our previous perceptions of these familiar characters. By doing this, we subconsciously realize how different this world or continuity is, and how much those characters have changed. The Starscream we know would never mourn or regret the loss of an Autobot. This is not to say that some of the more random mood swings of other characters (ahem, Windblade) fall into the same category. Challenge our perception, but have it make sense in context.

Rodimus argues it wasn't Starscream's fault, and that he did the right thing.


Meanwhile, we see Optimus sneaking around the council's building, and Windblade is jumping from the rooftops. Megatron seems to just waltz in, which is kind of one of my favorite moments from the episode. I love the "Don't Care" attitude that Megatron has in the series. It seems he, Windblade and Optimus are all ready to mobilize. He suggests that they just go in and kill the entire concil, destroy the enigma. Windblade's on board, but Optimus naturally won't allow that to happen.


You just know he's humming the Mission Impossible theme
The council watches them approach through security cameras. The Mistress is afraid they've come to finish the job and kill them all, and it seems Starscream agrees. Rodimus knows Prime wouldn't do that, but Starscream argues Megatron would. Here's one of two main problems I have with this episode (I know, I know, "Only two?" Hold on, we'll get there): Rodimus says that they "have no forces that can stand in their way". What? Why? Why does the council, the leaders of all of Cybertron and Caminus have no security force? At a time of war, no less!!! They're the leaders of multiple planets! There should be tons of guards there normally, but in a time of civil unrest, you shouldn't even be able to sneeze without a dozen guns being pointed at you.

Aaaaaanyway, they again consider using the Enigma to control all combiners, this time to stop Optimus and co. The enigma sure has a lot of different powers... I'm bugged that it's sort of becoming a Dues Ex Machina (heh, more like Dues Ex Machinima, amirite? -badumtiss-) device for the series. Got a problem? Any problem at all? Use the enigma! Next comes this week's clunkiest line, delivered by Rodimus. The combiners wouldn't stop "Prime. Nothing stops him once he's set on a course. And that's doubly true for Megatron." This line just suffers from bad writing, plain and simple. There's about 15 better ways that line could have been written, 13 of which excluding the word "Doubly", which just sounds odd anywhere, in any setting.


The Council

Starscream and Rodimus want to try for a peaceful resolution first, given how they don't know if it would actually control the combiners well enough. They don't have enough time do make a decision, however, as the attackers rush the main building. The Council goes to a ledge to greet them, as Prime explains they're not here to fight, just to destroy the Enigma. The Mistress tells them no, and also gives us problem #2. It's an issue with the sound effects again, as The Mistress tries to be menacing and intimidating by smacking her staff on the ground, but the sound given is so small and quiet, the attackers probably didn't even hear it. It's laughable. It's like a toddler getting all huffy and upset, crossing their arms and saying "It's not funny!" You can't take it seriously! So, just like with the gun in Episode 2, the sound effects fail again.


KNOW YOUR PLACE, CITY SPEAKER! *tink* *tink*

Megatron tries to pander to Starscream, but doesn't do a very good job of it, telling him he's too stupid to handle the power of the enigma. Starscream accuses Megatron of only helping because he wants the Enigma for himself. Megatron jumps and takes a shot at Starscream. The council runs inside, and Optimus, Windblade, and Megs start taking out the castle's defense cannons. Windblade gets a creepy, ominous warning from a disembodied voice. "Don't let this happen" it says. Who is this? We don't know, but it'll be interesting to find out.


Use the Force, Luke

Starscream survives the shot from Megatron, and is concerned about the attackers. Rodimus says no one is going to die, but then it's revealed the constructions have made their way to Cybertron, too. They combine to form Devastator and break through the Council room's floor, taking Rodimus with them, tearing his arm off triumphantly.

This moment actually made me gasp. It was so unexpected, and with a character I absolutely didn't expect to die, that it actually evoked some emotion. For once this series achieved not only a satisfying cliffhanger, but it achieved a near-perfect mix of talk and action for it's 5 minute run-time. The characters were good, the writing was a lot better than what we've seen in the past, and the animation seemed to be more accurate and smoother than normal. It had a great, unexpected twist, and it actually has me looking forward to the next episode for once. This is by far the best episode yet, and the template I hope they follow to a T for the rest of the series. I can really sum it up in three words: I enjoyed it. The previous episodes haven't really been "Enjoyable" per se, and I'm not the first person to point that out by any means, but this one was. They struck such a good mixture of all the good things from past episodes, and got rid of almost all the bad things. I wish it had been this good from day one. I think we all would have enjoyed it a lot more.


The Jolly Green Giant, after tearing another life form in half

Haven't seen the episode yet? Well, then, what da heck are you doin' here, lettin' me spoil the whole thing for ya'? Getchaself over to GO90 to watch it in the U.S., or check out our announcement article here for possible alternate viewing options. And, as always, keep your optics and audio sensors tuned to Seibertron.com for all the latest news and reviews!

Top 5 Best Transformers Movie Toys of Onscreen Characters (first trilogy)

Date: Saturday, August 20th 2016 1:41pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Transformers Movie Toys of Onscreen Characters (first trilogy)


Regardless of your thoughts on the Transformers films themselves, no one can deny that the movie era pushed the engineering of Transformers toys to new heights. The quest to reverse engineer CG! models that cheated in their transformation resulted in the most detailed and complex toys we have ever seen. This list is very simple, it simply lists the best toys of characters that were seen in the movies. To show the result of the sometimes impossible task of having these CGI models become toys, I have included these models, or shots from the films. The parallel is what will really sell my point of view on each toy and I encourage anyone who doesn't have these toys to click on their image and see the gallery in full. These toys are all perfect or near perfect in terms of accuracy and they are all feats in their own way

5. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Long Haul

We don't see him much in Revenge of the Fallen, but the toy captures his likeness well. I like how unique the transformation is and how impressive it is to see that both modes are quite tight while neither share many of the same parts and details (something very common in the movie line). He also has a bunch of fun features like flip out swords, a working open box bed that can be lifted, and working gears and pistons in robot mode. Gorgeous detailing all around and a unique transformation. He also has a stellar redeco as Payload who has a paint job that would make any of today's toys jealous.










4. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Leader Optimus Prime

This toy is insane. There is a reason this mold is still used years after the film and it is the ultimate mold for the movie rendition of the Optimus Prime character (even more so than the actual movie Ultimate Optimus). Simply said, this is the best movie Optimus toy from the initial movie trilogy, every fan should experience it.






3. Transformers Dark of the Moon Leader Sentinel Prime

While Optimus Prime is great, I am more impressed by this mold and how the chest transforms. It is probably the most intricate version of the now typical windshield on chest transformation. Everything contorts and reshapes itself to become new robot mode detail. He is also the best shellformer from the movie line (a line which saw a resurgence of shellformers, which laid dormant since the end of beast wars), turning his shell into a cape, an effect that painstakingly translates well from the silver screen to the toy. Its success is proven through the failure of the voyager release which shows us how tricky this design can be.






2. Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Human Alliance Jazz

This is a perfect movie toy in every sense. The transformation is smart, satisfying and never annoying. Plus, the details are excellent, just look at how close they got to the CG model. They even give us the flip down visor which is the icing on the cake.














1. Transformers Hunt For The Decepticons Leader Starscream

Any fan of this brand cannot ever truly hate everything about the movies with this toy being a part of it. With no hyperbole, this toy is absolutely perfect. It was tough getting there though. Firstly, the revamped Starscream design was so far from the original character design that he would be unrecognizable if not named. Also, every toy of his had major issues. He ether had no hands or hands which were far too apparent, making me wonder if there was even a point to this more realistic take on Starscream if they weren't going to give us a realistic jet with no robot kibble. We eventually did get this toy though and, at least for me, all was forgiven. Finally, the arms (who have hands, a gatling gun and missiles) are were well disguised to the point of completely disappearing in jet mode. Speaking of the jet mode, it didn't have any protruding robot kibble, everything was nice and smooth and it had a nice uniform undercarriage filling out the plane and not really giving a hint at robot parts (but rather mechanical detail). Also, and this point is more important than you might realize, this is the best example of cockpit integration with 0 left over kibble, ever found on a fighter jet. If you look at the generic seeker design all through Transformers history, you will see that the key is to have the cockpit run vertically along the chest but not show the nosecone. The G1 toys had to push the nosecone to the back behind the head and so did the classics version. Even the Masterpiece seeker mold is left with a massive amount of protruding jet kibble on the back to store the nosecone. However this toy hides it away elegantly and effortlessly.

This toy is relentlessly detailed and screen accurate. There are many separate pieces which shift in perspective by being moving from the background to foreground while transforming him. It really feels like there is a robot inside the jet made up of all the jet parts and you uncover him through the transformation leaving no extra pieces behind. Unlike other intricate toys, what amazes me about this one is how sturdy it is. It welcomes your desire to transform it and play with it while also being a perfect display piece. While it is complex, the transformation is intuitive. Think of the satisfaction you get when transforming MP 10 (Masterpiece Optimus Prime) only this lasts longer. Speaking of Masterpiece toys, I consider this the accomplishment of the concept started by Shōji Kawamori (the man who designed G1 Optimus and YF 1 Valkyrie), who wanted to create the perfect Transformers jet toy with minimal robot kibble. His attempt was Masterpiece Starscream, which didn't work out since the underside was still very visibly a robot. He had found that he would be unable to have it transform into a robot with the likeness of the character. This toy however achieves that great looking jet mode with a less obvious undercarriage and plus, it looks exactly like the character it is portraying.

Speaking of Masterpiece Transformers, this toy shares far more with the post MP 10 (Optimus) line with it's strive for screen accuracy, licensed alt mode (like with the MP cars), attention to detail, clever transformation and overall sturdiness. Well, that would only make sense since it was designed and engineered by none other than the very same guy at Takara who made the following masterpiece molds: MP 10 (Optimus), MP 12 (Sideswipe), MP 13 (Soundwave), MP 17 (Prowl), MP 20 (Wheeljack), and MP 21 (Bumblebee) among others. He even contributed to our dear Human Alliance Jazz right above. In short, this toy only lacks the name Masterpiece on the box to say that this is what it truly is. Oh wait, the Takara version does have that written on the box, I guess that settles it then.
















Transformers Masterpiece Movie Series Starscream Gallery

Honourable Mentions: While there are other great toys out there, there are two that need to be mentioned because if not it would be a glaring omission. I do not own HA Barricade due to how hard he is to find and his price (hence why he isn't an easy recommendation), but the Seibertron Staff wanted me to point him out as also being a true Masterpiece level achievement in execution.
Also, I wanted to add DOTM Megatron to this list but I just couldn't think of anyone that should be kicked off to include him. I really love how this is a very original design for Megatron and a breath of fresh air to his usual movie aesthetic with a nice sold earth alt mode. His Transformation is perfect, and so is his weapon integration in vehicle mode. While the scarf hiding his face makes for a really nice effect when you get it right, it isn't the easiest thing to keep in place and it makes his head really small if you take it off. I would have also much preferred him to be leader size so that we could have a beautiful display alongside the three leader figures mentioned above.


Transformers Chronicles Megatron (DOTM) Gallery


Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Barricade Gallery

Machinima's Transformers: Combiner Wars Episode 3 "The Duel" Review

Date: Tuesday, August 16th 2016 2:38pm CDT
Categories: Site News, Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Digital Media News, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Machinima, Go90

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Views: 75,102

Seibertronians, it's Tuesday. That means that Machinima has released the next episode of their Combiner Wars series. It also means that it's review time! So sit back, relax, grab a mug of Hot Energon, and let old Bronzey tell you a story.

We open with Optimus Prime this time(bit of a change of pace there), and he's standing in an old hangar with Windblade. The hangar appears to be on an Asteroid or moon, as it's overlooking the entire planet of Cybertron. Windblade and Optimus are standing off. Windblade reaches for her sword, and Optimus takes her sniper rifle and breaks it.


Our first good look at Optimus

A minor thing here, I wish a louder sound effect would have been given to the gun breaking. As it sits now, it sound less like it's breaking and more like it's supposed to fold in half or transform. (Ala Masterpiece Optimus Prime's gun) The first time I watched this episode, I didn't realize it was the sniper rifle from last episode he was holding, and I thought he was turning it in to some kind of sword to fight Windblade.

Anyway, we pick up pretty much where we left off last episode. Windblade takes a few swipes at Prime, and the former Autobot leader dodges all of them, making me wonder how she took down a Combiner no problem.


Optimus avoids Windblade's attacks

Windblade and Prime share some dialogue about how she tried to kill Starscream, how Windblade feels like the universe would be better off if all Autobots, Decepticons, and Combiners ceased to function. This line especially strikes me as odd. She suddenly hates everyone, and wants to commit mass genocide, but in the same breath she literally says she doesn't want the war to continue. Prime says he obviously won't stand by and let her. Windblade then asks him how many 'bots he's killed in the war, and he says anything he did in the war was not done out of spite and was not unprovoked.

While we're on dialogue here, let's look at voice acting. Windblade is still a little stiff, but you can tell the voice actor's getting more comfortable in the role and the character she wants to play. We finally hear OP speak, and he's done wonderfully by our very own Jon3.0 (or Jon Bailey as he's know in the "Real World"). And, I mean this genuinely, he is bar none the best Voice actor in the entire series so far. This is because he's had years of experience not only voicing transformers, but voicing Prime. It's unfair to expect the same result from voice actors who aren't comfortable in their new metal skin.

Again, there's problems with the animation, it's waaay too blocky and completely off-base with the words being spoken, plus there's a lot of close-up mouth shots in this one, so it's near impossible to ignore. I have a feeling this isn't going to change, so we'll have to get used to it.

Windblade then uses a special, what I'm calling a, "Turbine Attack" on Optimus, who pulls out his G1 orange Energon axe. It's cool to see the axe return in this series, and it's a nice tie-in to the older fiction.


The Axe is back, baby!

After a few more minutes of fighting, Windblade pleads with Optimus to help her because the combiners are getting out of control. I wish the series would actually show us this "Devastation" she's talking about, because save for the initial Computron v. Menasor fight, we've seen nothing about the combiners being "out of control". And even that fight was still between an Autobot and a Decepticon, so it's not to out of the norm for us. I wish she would have some flashback to a combiner tearing through the buildings of Cybertron, killing civilians. Something to give her more of a motive. (More specifically an Autobot combiner, that would really be a stark realization for the audience that they really are out of control.)


Optimus Prime and Windblade battle it out in front of an impressive backdrop

Windblade tells Prime about the council's possession of the Enigma of Combination. Prime didn't know this, and Windblade now has a chance to talk him into joining her in destroying it. Optimus realizes the danger the Enigma poses to Cybertron, but is concerned it can't be destroyed. He considers "the amount of fire-power it would take", and then looks up to the sky, saying that there's only one who can help them now. The episode ends.

This is interesting, because my first thought was Megatron, since he's somewhere in exile, too, but in terms of fire power, Megs doesn't have much more than Optimus. Let's think bigger. So...Devastator? Superion? I can't imagine a combiner helping to destroy a sacred Combiner artifact, although we have been told some are still loyal to the concil...

My theory is: It's been mentioned all-throughout this series that Windblade is a City-Speaker. (Heck, it's even mentioned in this episode), and Optimus is concerned about a lack of firepower, it leads me to believe that either Metroplex or Fort Max is set to make an appearance. I could be completely off-base, but this is what it sounds like to me.



So, in conclusion, Episode 3 is still better than episode 1, but I think 2 still takes it for best episode so far. This was a bit more action-focused like 1, but it had some exposition as well. Unfortunately, most of the exposition is all re-hashed things we've heard before. "End the war" "You're a killer, too" "Combiners must be stopped" "We all have reasons to continue the war" "The enigma threatens the people of Cybertron" It's pretty much the same lines each episode. So again, better than the first, not as good as the second.

Haven't seen the episode yet? You can find it on Go90!

Thanks for tuning in, I'll see you next week when we take a look at Episode 4! So keep it right here on Seibertron.com, your best resource for the latest and greatest Transformers news on the net.

Machinima's Transformers: Combiner Wars Episode 2 Review

Date: Tuesday, August 9th 2016 1:20pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Reviews, Site Articles, Digital Media News, Editorials
Posted by: Bronzewolf | Credit(s): Go90, Bronzewolf

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Views: 72,014

Seibertronians, it's review time! As reported on earlier, Machinima's Combiner Wars series now has a second episode, and it's now online! After a less than satisfactory first episode, this episode will really tell the fate of the series. Yay or Nay? Let's break it down to find out.

We start on Cybertron this time, as apposed to Caminus in the first episode, and we quickly change to a shot from what I'm assuming is Starscream, as it cuts back and we see him flying just a moment later. Starscream is on a reconnaissance mission, to gather information on the state of Cybertron. On his flyover, he witnesses some bombs going off on the surface below.

From this vantage point it almost looks like Starscream was the one that dropped the bombs, but I seriously doubt this is the case.

We pan backwards, as mentioned before, to see the Decepticon fly to a large silver building. Here again we have an issue with the choppy animation. As mentioned previously on the boards, Starscream appears really choppy, while the background moves fluidly with the camera.


Starscream enters the building

Starscream enters the building from a top landing bay, and slowly descends using the thrusters on his feet. He lands and meets with Rodimus and, randomly, the Mistress of Flame. These bots are apart of the "Council" we've been hearing about.

They discuss the state and threat of the combiners, and how word of Computron and Menasor's fight has broken out on Cybertron. This is why there's so much unrest on the planet. Peace has been achieved between the AutoBots and Decepticons - and the council doesn't want to ruin that. They all consider using the "Enigma of Combination" for one reason or another. Rodimus wants to use it to take over an army of combiners, turning a threat into an asset. The Mistress wants to use it to wipe out all the combiners in one felled swoop. Starscream has an objection to this, as the combiners are transformers, too. Wiping them all out would be genocide. Besides, some of the Combiners have been loyal to, even fought for, the council.


Rodimus and the Mistress of Flame are introduced to the series

The Mistress feels it isn't Starscream's place to talk about killing other transformers, given his past. We also learn in this discussion that not only is Optimus Prime in hiding, but Megatron as well.

See, now we're getting somewhere. Now we have a story to work with. One that plays with the original concept that was proposed, and not too terribly I might add. There are still some issues, such as some of the lines delivered are a bit stiff, and the mouth-movement-to-actual-voice-and-words is way off and not ignore-able, but it goes leaps and bounds above episode one. But we're not done yet.

We start to view the council meeting through the scope of a sniper rifle. It targets Rodimus, Starscream, and the Mistress. The council walks over to the Enigma of Combination, and agree they should study all it's powers before making any brash decisions.


A sniper sets up an attack on the council

The sniper is revealed to be Windblade, set on stopping the council one way or another. She decides to fire at the Enigma, and somehow misses. She hits Starscream in the shoulder, and he falls. Another problem I have is right here. There's such a weird, delayed reaction to Starscream being shot by the rest of the council. There's a good two seconds before they really do anything. The Dialogue and sound effects become a little clunky here, as the Mistress raises the alarm and Rodimus checks on the former Decepticon.

The Enigma of Combination

We return to Windblade. She hears a noise behind her and immediately jumps and turns around. It's revealed to be Optimus Prime, now out of exile. He still doesn't say anything, and the episode ends pretty much on the same shot as the previous one.

Overall, episode two is a lot better than episode one. It gives us actual emotions, and actual dilemmas for the characters to face. It still suffers from that 5 minute time constraint, and trying to make people understand a whole new continuity with a new story line in 5 minutes in near-impossible. My only wish is that the past to episodes would have had a bit more of each other in them. Meaning, episode one, the hard-to-follow action-feast that it was, could have definitely used a little more (or, a lot more) story. And, on the flip side, episode two could have used a bit more battles and action. But, all in all, you're starting to win me back Machinima. That Wheeljack name-drop didn't hurt, either.