The Energon Pub

Packaging

Pros:

Nice design, simple, straightforward bios and story. You get both figures, and they didn't change it from the regular Real Gear packaging (other than size of course), and no stupid banners or stickers slapped across the card or bubble, etc.

Cons:

Those stupid, stupid, stupid plastic retaining bands. They're easy to cut, no doubt, I mean we're not dealing with ties anymore (it'd be nice if they mandated that the entire line should be packaged like this....) but they're difficult to work with if you're keeping the package and all materials. They're taped in like they were trying to water seal the back of the bubble or something.

Overall:

:BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: (would've been a solid five out of five, if not for those dumb bands and excess tapings. Ugh.)

Spyshot 6

Camera mode

Pros:

Nice detailing. Looks quite realistic on display (it's only after you actually pick him up that you can tell he's not the real deal) and according to engadget, he's based on an actual camera. (Panasonic Lumix FX Series)

The shutter button actually clicks! Not the greatest gimmick, but seriously, how neat is that? Yet one more little thing that goes the extra mile. (Kudos Hasbro!)

The viewfinder is kinda iffy. You *can* see through it, you just can't make out anything on the other side. Though, I have to give Hasbro more kudos, yet again. (Alanis is right, where is that ever elusive kudo?) Because it's functional, even if the results are craptastic.

He has buttons (non functional) for Wide/Telephoto, etc. I mean he really sells the Real Gear thing quite well. You'd swear he was a real camera.

Cons:

That ridiculous sticker of Cybertron Ransack ("LCD screen") which really throws the whole "I look real!" thing right out the window. Plus, it's confusing...this is for the movie line, not a failed Cybertron subline* I mean why put the last series anywhere near this one? I mean the movie line is a reboot...what were they thinking??

Overall:

The camera mode is well..fantastic. I am thoroughly impressed by this alternate mode and it's high level of detail. The sticker is a bit of a downer, but that's not the figure's fault, so I won't use that against him.

A solid :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT:

*= I was incorrect. I thought Real Gear were their own line just carrying the TF moniker, or a failed Cybertron subset. I was incorrect on that, they are actually part of the movie line. I was wrong, and I apologize to anyone who might've been confused by previous posts about the figures.

Transformation:

This is where it gets a little iffy...

1.) Have camera front face you, pull to your right (the camera's left) and the left arm will pullout along with the claw/hand. (This will also expose the head)

2.) Pull up on the top of camera to form right arm/claw/hand, leave it stay up and away from the body.

3.) Pull right side of camera (on your left) away from the body, forming the thighs/knees.

4.) Rotate both legs down around the lens assembly until you hear the click. (This will form the waist as well)

5.) Rotate shin/calf/lower legs around to face the front, pull black tab out of left leg to create the foot.

6.) Push right arm down until it clicks, push left arm up until it clicks, push head up towards the center until it clicks. (The clicks will set where the shoulders form, once clicked, you'll be able to pose the arms as you wish.)

Overall:

Simple, yet not what you'd expect. Imperfect, but neat nonetheless.

:BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: (Would've been a solid five out of five, except mine is really tight in the joints, which makes it absolutely difficult to wrangle with at first. Normally I'd not hold that against the figure overall, because it's not a design flaw, but a manufacturing flaw. Beyond that, his transformation, while neat...could use a little more oomph.)

Robot mode

Pros:

Flexible (quite, thanks to ball joints). Head pivots left and right, up and down. Arms have a full range as well (Up, down, left, right) elbow bends, and the claws move). Legs, not quite as much as the arms. Feet have no movement, but a full range in the pelvis/hips and knees.

Looks give a robotic vibe along with retaining much of the alt mode mixed in. A nice balance between the two. (Looks kinda like someone took G1 Reflector and made them mate...this would be the result.)

Tall, not quite as tall as Meantime (I don't think, but then again...MT's a tall feller...)

Cons:

His face is CREEPY. *shudders* He's got that Chucky "Wanna play?!" look. (although if they had been animated, I'm sure he would've been adorable, or made to look cool.)

His joints are too tight in some spots, too loose in others. (which can be a hindrance during transformation. Ugh.)

The ratchets (where his shoulders, head, and legs lock in place are off kilter on mine so they don't always work. I'm guessing it could be fixed though.)

Overall:

:BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :CON: (Great alt mode, but the Ransack sticker is just "WHY?!". The creepy face really bothers me. He looks more Decepticon than Autobot. That, plus the overly tight joints are a kind of downer, really.)

I recommend him for the completists, for the kids, and the positives do outweigh the negatives.

Longarm

Digital Binoculars mode

Pros:

Looks like something out of Star Wars/James Bond (and this is not a bad thing.) Has a flip up "monitor" and control pad. (Ugh...again, another Cybertron pictures. This time, Jetfire. Whoopity doo.)

While the magnification doesn't work, the ability to see through him does actually work. Everything looks weird, but it's neat that they made it somewhat usable.

If he were a real thing, I'd imagine he'd easily go for a $1,000.00 or more. (I know they have Binoculars with Digital Cameras built in (mainly for hunting from what I saw) but none that look like Longview.)

Coms: That stupid sticker. That's literally the only con.

Overall: Conveys the Digital Binocular look quite well, albeit a tad small, but he does the job.
A solid :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT:

Transformation:

1.) Pull front lenses away from main binocular body, leave standing straight. Pull black sides off to form arms. Pull fists out.

2.) Pull yellow sides away, straighten out into legs. Pull black tabs down at bottom of legs to create feet. Rotate at the hip so the legs face forward. (the thigh will be silver on this side)

3.) Pull up the screen and button flaps to expose head. Rotate the entire assembly around so the head pops up and into place. Close both flaps to lock down the assembly.

Overall: Simple, straightforward, and it's a refreshing change from "Move panel here, insert tab". How quickly we forget that some of the simple transformations can be just as satisfying as the overly complex masterpiece transformations.

A solid :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT:

Robot mode

Pros:

Posability, yet again wins out on this line. Full range of motion in his head, shoulders, hips and knees. (hands, feet, and elbows suffer slightly, with only limited range. Head is slightly hindered from moving up and down because of a piece of plastic behind it. Still can look upward though.)

Details, all of what you saw in the alt mode is pretty much gone here. You can't even tell what his alt mode would be just by looking at him. You just have to wonder why his shoulders have panes of glass sticking out of them. Where this would've been a negative for Spyshot (because I liked the mix between the two modes) it's definitely a positive here. I can't quite explain it, but it just *works* for Longview. He looks like he can do some buttwhuppin'.

Cons:

The gray parts of him hold a lot of detail, but there's nothing to bring it out. I had to panel line him to get that effect. A tiny bit of paint would've gone a long way to bring out such nice details, given his size.

No articulation for the feet, so posing is a tad hindered in just that spot.

Overall:
He's fantastic. I just can't find another word, except fantastic. I'm so impressed with this little guy. I can't tell which one's better...him, Meantime or High Score 100...it's a toughie.

I highly recommend him to all ages, all types of TF collectors and just have some fun. That's what he's made for.
A super solid :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: :BOT: