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TransFormers Revenge Of The Fallen Voyager Class Starscream

Packaging...
Pros:
SIMPLE BOXES MAKE THEIR TRIUMPHANT RETURN! (YAY!)
No more silly excess flaps and tabs such as Animated and Universe packaging had. (Or even TF07 for that matter.)

The new windows design shows off the figure nicely and makes sure the figure inside will be well lit while on display on store shelves, or in your own home.

Cons:
The windows on the side flaps of the box are the only downside. They *will* (not a maybe) wear out in time, so if you're a MIB collector (NOTE: Not MISB, MIB.) you'll have to decide whether or not you want to display them in the package, or outside of it. (Some of us like to return them to their packaging when we're done, but like a Lays Potato Chip, you just can't stop with figures like these.)

All in all, an excellent piece of work, and I love the hieroglyphs on the cardboard insert holding the figure. Hasbro really went the extra mile to make these packages stand out and do so with flair.

A solid (even with the window flap problem.)

Starscream (F-22 Raptor mode)...
Pros:
Nicely detailed. (Panels out the wazoo, authentic landing gear.)

Solid. (Once this thing is locked up, none of his bits come loose.)

Cons:
Hands do not hide in vehicle mode. (You're up crap creek without a paddle on this one. You can see in the instructions that his hands were apparently able to fold in more (from what I can tell) but they dropped it.)

The Cybertronian tattoos are a bit hard to swallow at first. (Considering the level of detail in them, it kinda distracts from the figure underneath it all.)

All in all, the vehicle mode is just fantastic, even with the tattoos, you cannot mistake the awesome emanating from this TF. He looks incredible, and puts the TF07 'Screamer to shame. Absolute shame.

A solid (The tattoos can be dealt with. The hands are just a terrible design, really.)

Transformation...
Pros:
Intricate. (He has a really involving transformation, it's not just pull here, snap there, no. Panels, pieces of the fuselage, things you wouldn't even expect to fit in...do. Amazing.)

Cons:
A bit fiddly. (You have to clear this piece and that piece to make sure another piece can fit into place (this goes for tfing to and from robot and vice versa) and it can be a tad confusing at first, and then irritating once mastered.

All in all, an excellent transformation and one you just wouldn't expect when you consider the original. Their transformations are so different, it's like night and day. And it's good.

A solid (Due to the fiddly bits.)

Starscream (Robot mode)...
Pros:
He looks MENACING. (One of the best selling points for this figure, he looks like a robotic flying angel of death coming to crush your world, and surprise! That's exactly what he is!)

His Mech Alive feature is simple, but works well and conveys the whole "moving, living robot" thing without a hitch. (I'll miss Automorph to a degree, but Mech Alive...oh man, this is a terrificly neat idea.) It's activated by turning his head left or right, and gears will spin in his chest (quite visibly too.)

Has a nice range of motion. (Arms move up and down, side to side, elbow swivel. Head moves side to side, but not up and down..no ball joint. No waist, but once you see how he forms his robot mode, you'll see why and forgive it. Legs have articulation in the hips (forward, backward, side to side) Knees bend, ankle moves up and down, but not side to side for really dynamic poses.)

Cons:
His arm design in terms of elbow and hand design are kinda crappy. (His cannons sit there, permanently. (The whole pop out launcher thing was dropped. A terrible shame. It would've helped the figure immensely.) And instead of being on the side or bottom of the arm, they rest right on top so when you go to bend his elbow, you're stuck with that ridiculous cannon being in the way. His hand just dangles there like the skeletal structure's been broken without repair. NOTE: If you don't use the elbow, you can make some neat arm poses and use the hands as a normal robot would...within reason.)

His legs are skinny, and the whole chicken leg design is a bit hard to work with this time around. (If you straighten the leg too much, he doesn't look like his CGI counterpart, if you collapse it down for the full effect, he's too short and looks disproportional..or more so than he already does. The TF07 'Screamer might actually have a bit of win in this department.)

All in all, Starscream's robot mode does a capable job of capturing the CGI model in plastic, and the negatives are far outweighed by his looks, his overall posability, and his massive chest with gorilla arms (which happen to work quite nicely this time around.) The tattoos are again excessive in this mode as well, because there's a heckuva lot of detail in there and you might not see it because it's got a coating of paint slapped all over it.

A solid

Final Verdict...
ROTF Starscream is a must buy. He looks good in both modes, his transformation is just awesome, and he's definitely a lot more fun than the original. He's sleek, lean and mean, unlike the FAT behemoth we received the last time.

This is one excellent figure, even with all of the criticisms (which I admit, some seem petty, such as the tattoo issue, but I like to cover as many bases as possible.) and I highly recommend him to all. Even those sitting on the fence.

Oh and if 'Screamer is any indication for what's to come, Leader Class Optimus Prime (from what we've seen of him) should be absolutely friggin' insane. If the other figures are half as good as 'Screamer (or better, such as the case of Optimus) then ROTF is going to beat your wallet like Tyson, and you'll love it.

Daaang. To ROTF... *raises glass*

Henkei Minibots

Content per pack

#3 'bots
#3 biocards
#1 instruction sheet

Just picked up all #6. So what's the complaint? Well some mix up between the Spy team and Attack team. In their bios, Beachcomber is more of a pacifist as portrayed in the "Golden Lagoon" G1 show while Warpath is more like Gong personality.

Well the teams are divided into:

Spy-team:

Wheelie,Adams,Warpath

Attack team:

Gong, Cliffjumper, Beachcomber

I'll begin with the Spy Team:

1. Wheelie has been upgraded into another concept car that transforms into a"near"accurate G1 robot representation of himself. For his size he has 8 points of articulation and goes well with MP Grimlock.
He is highly detailed from his blue optics down to his energon "slingshot". But Takara kind off dropped the ball by going for the lighter yellow color instead of the G1 orange.

I give him a 4 out 5 (for loosing the color)

2. Adams (Cosmos) another great upgrade.......sort of. He still transform into a UFO disc like vehicle but this time he's got a rear fin. Colorwise, almost like the Universe version except instead of blue markings along his circumference, it is silver. He has this cybertronian markings around his arm, which also looks more buff than the original.

Positives, the original's head tend to collapse on himself while this one, it stays up. Very detailed down to the blue optics and his colors is a darker green than the original. He tends to be back heavy. Points of articulation 6.

I give him a 4.9 out of 5

3. Warpath: my personnal favorite. The tiny titan with tourrettes syndrome. An excellent representation of the character. If you can get a hold of the old Marvel comic # 16 - #17, Don Perlin drew him this way so for all sense and purposes this is his true cybertron mode.

Does he have gimmicks? Takara added a feature where you can retrack his gun barrel, which is very nice but he lost the 360 ability to point the weapon as opposed to his G1 counterpart.

I also like the red/maroon shiny plastic used on him, nicer than the G1 color. Points of articulation? 8 if you adjust his rear threads, he can also bend his arms at his elbows.

I give him a 5 out of 5

Now the attack team:

1. Beachcomber: an upgraded dune buggy with a machine gun on his back. Simple in transformation with an anime accurate face/mouth plate. He is a much lighter hue of blue when compared to the Universe version whose color is more G1 toyish. I noticed that my universe version is somewhat misshappened on the front so it transform a bit misaligned.

Details? same as the other two (for its size) and has 6 points of articulation

I give him a 4.8 out of 5

2. Gong/Brawn: a change in vehicle mode but still an SUV. Color is more of a military drab green as opposed to the Universe version. And his chest module is more yellow than orange. Fore arms too have been repainted into a more silverish color. Details? One complaint is like the Universe version, the face shouldn't have been black because it tends to obscure his face details. POA around 6. I give him a 4 out of 5.

3. Last but not the least, the paranoid 'bot with the big gun fetish who is probably overcompensating because of the shortness of his stature (a lot of short things do that I suppose)..................Cliff/Cliffjumper. Basically a mini me of henkei/universe Bumble B. A very simple transformation of the former and can stand side by side with the G1 original. POA is 6 and I noticed his back pack doesn't snap tight to the back groove making it a bit loose.
Of course, monetary considerations aside for Takara, re-using the Bumble B mold and then slapping the name Cliff on him, I'd have given him a 5 out of 5 if he had his own original head molding............so instead 4 out of 5.

A great effort by Takara/Hasbro though the henkei version wins hands down (with the exception of Wheelie) for the packaging.

Here are the comparison shots..........Henkei and G1:

Wheelie:


G1 and well............


With old Grimlock himself.....


Old short stuff himself with the gun fetish


Gong.........


Hippie boy Beachcomber


Cosmos



And loudmouth himself.........Baam, boom and zowie!Warpath!

Awesome, aren't they. Beachcomber's gotta be my favourite.

Eh...gotta move this to the review thread.

Sorry.

The Ironhide/Ratchet one I didn't mind because of all the recent discussion on them.

away...we go.

Transformers Universe Vector Prime Review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd1bpFA7k9Y

Video review of Classics Voyager Megatron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFBQhXpK2Rg

TF: Animated Swindle Video Review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV63okR8nCs&feature=channel_page

I dunno how "official" this is, but here's what I know...
I recently purchased the following...

The Fallen - Great figure...he's nice and tall, and pretty scary looking. His hands are crap, but there is potential there for something modded. I like is AT-ST feet. 8/10

Sideswipe - Probably my personal favorite thus far. He is well proportioned, and he looks tough. Great head sculpt, but obviously there are some issues with is roller feet. Other than the poorly designed feet, this should be a must have. 8/10

Sideways - Fell in love with this guy's pic on the packaging. Barricade style head with some long scary lookin arms. This figure is pretty cool, except for the overly large crotch area that is dominated by a single shade of red. It makes him look like he's wearing a big pair of red underwear. He has teeny tiny little girl feet. The spindly legs and side window wings gives him an almost insect like appearance. 6/10

Rampage - Again, loved the look of this guy based on the box art. After taking him out and transforming him though I quickly realized that the pic on the package was a lie. absolutely NO detailing on any of the pistons and what not...no cool faction symbol on the chest below the head, and the figure is dominated with a "knockoff" looking yellow color. The robot itself is a mess. He stands on 2 pogo sticks supported by his back kibble. The tread/whips look like junk falling off. I personally regret this purchase. 3/10

Skids - Skids was perfect unitl I got to the head. I realize that there are going to be some TF's in the movie that are there for comic relief, but man..this guy looks like what you would get if you crossed Quazi Moto with the Swamp Thing. I'm not much in the habit of collecting um challenged 'bots, but it will be a good excuse to re-head him at a later date. Also, I feel that there aren't enough green transformers. 6/10

Breakaway - I loved how after I transformed this figure, I discovered that he is a dream to stand up and pose. He is a very stable fig even though his head is mashed down into his chest. As it turns out his head is on a ball joint, and it has the ability to move foward out of the cockpit area to look more like a normal figure, but to accomplish this, I had to remove the 2 screws that hold the forward nose halves together. Then I removed the forward piece of the canopy and dremeled it down a bit right in the area where his chin would set. I pushed the head assembly forward and then screwed it back together. There are videos on Youtube that show how to do this. He looks fine now, but this is one figure that is just SCREAMING for a re-paint...something other than that awful tan/gray/hippie green scheme that's going on. One should not have to Dremel a toy just to make it look right. 6/10

Depthcharge - This guy is a no brainer. He's too simple to screw up. His paint apps are nice, he's poseable, all appendages are where they are supposed to be, and he looks tough. Too bad he isn't bigger. 7/10

I've just put up my first review: ROTF Ransack

http://longbridge1.blogspot.com/2009/06/rotf-scout-ransack-review.html

Let me know what you think, I might try some more...

Just added one for ROTF Deluxe Sideswipe:

http://longbridge1.blogspot.com/2009/06/rotf-deluxe-sideswipe-review.html

I should also add that if you do click on the images for the huge versions, please accept my apologies if they appear a little blurry on the parts further back; the camera on my phone isn't super advanced.

I just got ROTF Megatron today.

On the pluse side he's easier to transform than the first movie Megatron despite the fact his cannon arm fell off 3 times while I was transforming him.

Vehicle mode: His robot head is completly visable in vehicle mode but it doesn't have to be. There appears to be extra steps in the instructions that cause this and I'm not sure why.



The offical transformation to vehicle mode tells you to flip up his head makeing him face forward in vehicle mode then to bring out these pannels that I think are ment to cover his face but they don't. However there would be no need for the face cover at all if you skip the step to flip his face up entirely.



Robot Mode: He has a verry bulky robot mode with a verry disproportionate left arm. His entire cannon forms the right arm but the left arm is tiny as hell. He's a leader class figure with a delux sized arm. His arm is more disproportionate than the Animated figures.




The molding on his hand reminds me of BM Blackarachnia. It has only 3 fingers but this time only his middle finger is posable. However with the positioning of the other 2 fingers and the offical transformation of the toy it looks like he's flipping you off. (just like BM Blackarachnia) So apperently parrents don't care that their kids toys are intentially built to flip people off.



There's a trigger on his chest simular to the first one and to Movie Optimus but he only has one fraise. "I am... MEGATRON!"

I'm really just glad that he's so much easier to transform than the last movie Megatron.

Some folks have been asking me about his features so I made this video. Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCPF6LgROk

Ok so I just picked up Sideways from my local toy store for AU$24.99 and it is the first ROTF deluxe class figure that I've purchased. I think its usually around AU$29.95 not a massive saving but a saving non the less.

First impressions were unfortunately pretty disappointing, in vehicle mode the wheels don't fit flush to the ground so it wobbles instead of rolls. Something they could have fixed if they had spent a bit more time on how the pieces fold into each other. Other then it not sitting correctly it does look quite cool, the silver and black is a nice combo which works for the vehicle mode (i have no idea however why the went for purple windows...) and the lines of the vehicle resemble the Audi R8 which isn't stated on the packaging though I would imagine thats for licensing reasons.

In Robot mode it very much matches the look of the movie, very alien like and far removed from he G1 models. The black and silver is carried through however there are random joints in a bright red which doesn't go with anything and ruins the overall appearance. It also has something called a spinning saw blade which is basically a saw blade you can spin on its arm which I guess was put there as a marketing tool, not really a stand out feature but something to keep you amused. The legs are reverse knee joints and are very spindly while the arms hang down quite a bit and are rather bulky giving off this illusions of speedy feet and rather strong upper body strength. The feet are very small on this figure and at first I tried to use the wheels to help balance it, however after some practice I was able to stand it using only the tiny feet provided.

The transformation process I found to be average in terms of difficulty and the pieces do find there places nicely when going to robot mode. Im quite a fan of how the doors launch off the shoulders and ankles, one thing I don't really like is the kibble on the back. This is an extremely top heavy figure and can take some getting used to in order to pose correctly. One thing when you transform it back to vehicle mode is that unless you pay attention the side panels don't line up exactly, this is due to the size of the arms, the side panels can also be stubborn to clip and unclip. The face is evil which I like and it has satisfyingly menacing presence. The plastic does feel quite flimsy however so I found myself trying to be really ginger with it, on some of the clips and joints you have to be quite forceful so their is a fear in the back of your head that you may break it when transforming.

This is by no means and excellent model but as I've lived with it the last couple of days I've found myself liking it more and more. Mainly because of the figures unusual robot mode, the reverse knee legs and gorilla length arms are so weird it makes me want to keep playing with it.

If you want an unusual transformer from the ROTF line get this figure. Its by no means brilliant but it slowly grows on you. I'm keeping an eye out for Sideswipe as well, from images I've seen on the internet these two models deserve to be next to each other.

I will get him if his vehicle mode really an Audi R8. But he is not, maybe due to licencing issue. So until now i still not getting him

I know this isn't a TF, but I've done a video review on the Megahouse Palm Action Orguss toy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvnDGaW0TMM

For the first time sence G1 I own a Bumblebee toy. It's not the 3 pack I wanted (still want) but it'll do for now.

I bought the Human Alliance Bumblebee from Wal-Mart today. The box was slightly torn but it was the last one avalible and the two main reasons I desided to buy this version of Movie Bumblebee when I've passed on so many others is because I noticed, this Bumblebee actully had an interior.

Being a human aliance toy, they made him so that Sam Witwicky can ride inside his vehicle mode. There are allso pegs so that he can be an accessory in robot mode as well.

There are some things I've found I can do with this toy that aren't even on his instructions. For example the instructions tell you that Sam can ride on either arm or his shoulder. (he's really standing on a hidden platform in Bumblebee's back) But it's not shown in the instructions that Bumblebee's hand has a peg you can hook Sam onto to either have him lie or stand in Bumblebee's hand.

If his hand were more posable you could even get him to hold Sam. But the lack of thumb posability and placement of the peg and hole makes that look rather awkward.

Despite his small size Sam himself actully has a great deal of posibility I'm not use to seeing in toys this small. His head moves side to side. Shoulders can move up and down and rotate. Rather than haveing a waist he has a joint between his chest and stomach that moves side to side and up and down slightly. Hips move up and down and rotate. Knees can bend but elbows can't.

There are peg holes on the bottom of each foot and on his back to hook him onto Bumblebee.

Bumblebee himself allthough my original thought about the interior was positive after transforming him I relized it wasn't so great and his robot mode actully suffers from haveing the "Sam Gimics". Before I get into that though, earlier I said there were two main reasons I got this toy but I haven't said what the second reason was yet.

The second reason is that other Bumblebee toys are molded with either his normal face or his battle mask. This version actully has a WORKING Battle Mask that was shown on the back of the box that can fold down over his normal face. This too seemed cool at first but after working it for the first time the mask snaped right off. I got it back on but it still isn't as cool as I thought it would be.

For one thing the reason it came off is because it locks into place in it's up position but not the down position. I had a little trouble unlocking it from the up position and then pulled it down exspecting it to lock into place for the down position. I was wrong about there being a second lock and pulled it right off it's slider. So for the down position it just hangs there and looks rather odd allthough I still like it better than his lack of haveing a face.

Back to his "Sam Gimmic" Suffering. The box said that Sam can ride on Bumblebee's arms. What it didn't say is that it's because the car seats are on Bumbelebee's arms. So forget about back kibble, this toy has ARM kibble.

Speaking of arms, Bumblebee has no right hand. He's stuck with his cannon arm.

Aside from the problems with the general design I'm allso haveing issues with his chest pieces. He actully looks fine with the front of his car mode left in tact but that's not how he looks in the movie and his chest on the left side won't stay in robot mode position. The first step in his transformation to robot mode is for his chest but sence it never wants to stay transformed it's actully better to do that last and then never touch it. The slightest little touch puts his chest back into vehicle mode. Allthough only on the left side for some reason. This could be a problem that only exsists in mine.

Anyway, this guy was verry difficult to transform, I actully had to use the instructions for most of it.

As a vehicle, he looks like a modified Camero but for robot mode, he just looks like a toy that suffered from the Sam gimics. I think includeing him should of been restricted to the interior in vehicle mode and not put car seats on his arms.

Removed for editing.

Finally o finally, Takara has decided to release the official Eject and Rewind in their original colors.........End of Review

Contents:

Box
Blister case
4 bio cards
4 clear cassette cases
4 Cybertron chromed weapons
4 Destron chromed weapons
4 transformer cassettes
1 instruction manual

Eject/Rewind:

Basically the same (like Rosanna/Flipsides). very simple transformations with nary a label sheet complementing its robot mode (Rumble/Frenzy has simulated shin guards FYI)

Unlike the classic 80's versions (which came with both tampo grammed labels and adhesive labels) this version comes with adhesive pseudo labels plus a tiny Cybertron symbol on the groin

The faces are painted red orange (the original was bright orange) plus noticed that the chrome gold markings on their chest is drab not glossy like their weapons or the originals. Also, the chromed weapons are silver without nary a tinge of gold like that of Steeljaw.

Just like the casseticons, they are a pain to stand (with the exception of Laserbeak/Buzzsaw) so prepare to pose them at your peril. Unlike the casseticons though, Eject and Rewind "can" bend on their knees.......all in all. I count 8 POA.

One thing that sticks out like a sore thumb, mold degradation. it release is quite noticeable especially on Rewind/Ejects thigh section. Looks almost like a knock off, heck the whole plastic structure looks like a knock off.


Seriously......Encore #15 for a completist it comes out as a mixed bag (the Jaguar and Buzzsaw component anyway)..........just how much can you milk a mold for Primus' sake?!. IIRC since year 2000, Takara has released like TFC Soundblaster, Soundwave, E-hobby Cobalt sentry, Kiss players and Encore..............so I'm skipping my review on those two Destrons.

Eject



Rewind (note his Left Arm)


Duo shot


Comparative shots of mold degradation:

Rewind's back:


Flipside's back:



Eject's thighs:



Rosanna and Flipside's thighs:

(R)


(F)


Family(?) shot


If you never own one or wish to complete it then go for it.........if not well you can wait until the prices drop, if ever.:laugh:

This review was done quite a while ago (forgot to post it here but in relation to the complaints on Bruticus, I wasn't quite surprised that there were major problems here too.

Do any of you folks go to toy reviews or follow reviewers for Transformers or other toys/collectibles?

I've only recently started collecting, though I've had Transformers when I was a kid. So I've started reading reviews and watching video reviews to get caught up and to see other views on particular figures and lines of toys.

I personally like reviews/reviewers who speak about the aesthetic qualities of the alt and robot modes. I also like examination of transformation qualities, noting of kibble, and other technical, I suppose, concerns. One other thing I enjoy is when a reviewer discusses the character background, however briefly, of the toy.

I'm a fan of one particular reviewer on Youtube who always shows knowledge of the character background as well as passion for Transformers. He really seems to be a fan of the Transformers.

Two common traits I notice in video reviewers are:

1) Jumbled thoughts, awkward presentation of a review.

2) Monotone/unenthusiastic voice.

These are big nitpicks for me because I assume that if someone is going to post a video review, they would have some of their thoughts composed before recording. I also find that some reviewers are consistently unenthusiastic, or sound that way, during reviews. Maybe it's how they speak but it just sound like they're doing a job rather than sharing their enjoyment of a Transformer with their viewers.

Sean Long (NOT ME!!) has reveiwed ROTF Swerve

I like reviewers who really know their stuff. They mention/talk about the original namesake and point out the differences and similarities in the mold/colors. I'm not a fan of reviewers who love every toy, I'd like to have an honest review that isn't afraid to tell me that a toy sucks.

I like toy reviews. I usually read or watch a review or two if there's an expensive figure I plan on buying. Oddly enough, I ALWAYS watch/read as many reviews as possible AFTER I buy an expensive figure on Ebay.

The guy you mentioned is a good reviewer, but other good reviews include Peaugh, Dyanisis, and JTMitchell. These reviews usually help me decide if I want to buy a toy or not. I've actually seen some reviews that I just watch out of boredom and then get inspired to search out the figure on Ebay.

JTMitchell is an entertaining reviewer.

Peaugh is good, he has such an extensive list of reviews!

I too like reviewers who have subjectivity. I'd like to know the good points and bad points of a particular figure.

My fave reviewer is Vangelus.