Got everything sorted, ready to get started Swerve?
Wanna check the instructions first?
What cha got there buddy? A Torso?
Looks like he is going be about the same size as you.
Oh, that was just a waist, well I guess a little bigger then.
What cha got there, bud?
Ah, a leg. Tall feller, huh?
Yup!
Give the bot a hand...
Or two.
Kids and their cosplay.
I believe you have something of his.
That's probably a good idea?
Good job Swerve! Buildatron is complete!
Transformation is surprisingly a little on the complex side.
Alrighty then. So this was a fun build. I think it took a little over two hours to finish. The instructions were very clear except for one thing. They forgot to tell you to put screws in some spots. It's pretty obvious that screws go in those spots because of the screw holes and the parts will not stay together without them, but still a little confusing. There is also two different types of screws, but the odd ones are clearly illustrated in the instructions and make perfect sense. The only written instructions are about screws actually and in Chinese. Good thing I have google translate.
Um, wot?
Oh, well that clears that up
The read characters actually says "NOTE:", but I was having a bitch of a time grabbing a screen cap. Now I was using live translation for the lulz, but if I took a pic and manually selected the characters, it translated the text very well. Basically it said "Don't over tighten the screws."
The arms have a lot of screws in them, but they are also doing a lot of stuff, but not nearly as much as the torso. Some of the transformation joints are just like the c-clips of other transformers and with force can be removed. The barrel and the scope parts-form of course.
As far as build quality, it feels like a $15 model kit. The plastic is nice and a few of the clip on parts gave me cause for concern, but no breakage or stress marks. The grey is very dark in person, just like in the pics. Could definitely use a lick of silver paint. The scope has clear purple lens, but it's hard to see in the pics. I may apply some silver paint to the inside of them.
Like I said, transformation is very complex for a scout class sized figure and give me a real MP wannabe vibe. The legs are very combiner wars legs dial up a notch or three. The torso serious does some flip flop spin around reversey magic. The bummer is that during transformation and play the figure does feel a little fragile or floppy, nature of a model kit I guess. The nice thing is that some joints are held together by screws, so you can control just how tight they are. The arms are completely asymmetrical, but damn if you can tell that from just looking at him. Overall a very clever design.
Articulation is a little limited due to the joint designs. Even though he has ball jointed hips and ankles, the surrounding plastic gets in the way. The shoulders don't move as much as I'd like either and that surprised me considering how much is going on there for the actual joint. Again, it's just plastic limiting movement.
Overall I'd say this kit is a win, even if considering the price of the official toy at $30. It was a fun build that makes a damn fine and fun Scout/legends class Megatron with way more going on then Hasbro or Takara would ever pull off in this size class. I'd dare to say you wouldn't be off base calling this a mini masterpiece model kit
