The Energon Pub

[MaverickPrime]

I fully understand the concern of some people if this doesn't sell well, that said, I'm sorry, but I hope it doesn't, this set is ATROCIOUS, the beast modes somehow manage to look brickier than the G1 set, the leg bots have kiblle that will most likely make them hard to pose as they will be super back heavy, Divebomb looks like a cube with wings, that bird mode is worse than G1 Wingspan! And poor old Razorclaw has a terrible lion mode, a super weakling-looking robot mode with hollow legs.

Rampage is the only one that looks decent, but barely. Also, not a single melee weapon! Why? Their signature weapons were swords! And before anyone argues that the combined mode should be the priority, please don't, if you really care so little about their individual modes, then buy a not transforming figure, the Predacons are a TEAM not a combiner only! That mindset is only gonna give us mediocre sets like this one, that's why I hope Hasbro doesn't get "rewarded" by giving us a subpar set.

The worst part is that Predaking is such an epic design that had so much potential without needing to reinvent the wheel, all they had to do WAS MAKE RAZORCLAW BIGGER. All the problems stem from having to distribute the mass between all the members, which doesn't even work! Razorclaw has such a lanky design that he actually looks smaller than his teammates!

And even though they all make sacrifices, Predaking is nowhere near as good as it should be, his waist looks really thin for a bot that should be a powerhouse, the lion head looks too small, he doesn't have his trademark spiked knuckles and he. Does. NOT. HAVE. A. SWORD.

I had such high hopes for this, the Predacons are among my favorite designs...not having had any original G1 toys growing up, they were my favorite team by looks alone, but they actually lost the first place to Bruticus precisely because of their great toys, sadly, this had the opposite effect. I am deeply sorry, but that price for what should really be called Cyber Batallion Predaking is just not worth it. For that price I can get the infinitely superior OS Feral Rex.

[chuckdawg1999]

Not for nothing, I can only remember Predaking using a sword in the cartoon, which this design heavily draws from, once.

[joevill]

This looks AMAZING!!!!

[Wolfman Jake]

I fully understand the concern of some people if this doesn't sell well, that said, I'm sorry, but I hope it doesn't, this set is ATROCIOUS, the beast modes somehow manage to look brickier than the G1 set, the leg bots have kiblle that will most likely make them hard to pose as they will be super back heavy, Divebomb looks like a cube with wings, that bird mode is worse than G1 Wingspan! And poor old Razorclaw has a terrible lion mode, a super weakling-looking robot mode with hollow legs.

Rampage is the only one that looks decent, but barely. Also, not a single melee weapon! Why? Their signature weapons were swords! And before anyone argues that the combined mode should be the priority, please don't, if you really care so little about their individual modes, then buy a not transforming figure, the Predacons are a TEAM not a combiner only! That mindset is only gonna give us mediocre sets like this one, that's why I hope Hasbro doesn't get "rewarded" by giving us a subpar set.

The worst part is that Predaking is such an epic design that had so much potential without needing to reinvent the wheel, all they had to do WAS MAKE RAZORCLAW BIGGER. All the problems stem from having to distribute the mass between all the members, which doesn't even work! Razorclaw has such a lanky design that he actually looks smaller than his teammates!

And even though they all make sacrifices, Predaking is nowhere near as good as it should be, his waist looks really thin for a bot that should be a powerhouse, the lion head looks too small, he doesn't have his trademark spiked knuckles and he. Does. NOT. HAVE. A. SWORD.

I had such high hopes for this, the Predacons are among my favorite designs...not having had any original G1 toys growing up, they were my favorite team by looks alone, but they actually lost the first place to Bruticus precisely because of their great toys, sadly, this had the opposite effect. I am deeply sorry, but that price for what should really be called Cyber Batallion Predaking is just not worth it. For that price I can get the infinitely superior OS Feral Rex.

They all have weapons, just not their swords. Hasbro did the same thing with Devastator. Each Constructicon came with a weapon that doubled as an accessory piece to the gestalt (hands and chest shield). Predaking follows the same idea. The knuckle spikes are "iconic"? I didn't notice they were missing until someone first complained about it, honestly. The beast modes don't look blockier than G1. Check the side-by-side comparisons posted the other week. The new robot modes look way better than G1, even with the gestalt kibble on Tantrum and Headstrong. Divebomb is mistransformed in most stock photography. Razorclaw is the same size as all his teammates in robot mode, as he is supposed to be. Predaking is NOT a "Scramble City" style of combiner. The proportions are fine, and Predaking has far from the skinniest waistline of the modern Combiners. Go ahead and take a look at your Combiner Wars/Unite Warriors collection. I'll wait. The original G1 Predaking was a stocky, mis-proportioned mess, in all honesty. The only thing that's a shame is the lack of a sword for Power of the Primes Predaking. Swords for each of the individual members would be nice too, but as I said, they do all have weapons. Even Predaking himself has his arm cannon, so he's not going completely without armaments.

[chuckdawg1999]

I just watched the old Teletran-1 files bit on Predaking and the knuckle spikes were really blink and you miss them. If the hands are open they're not there but once closed they're really, really small.

[william-james88]

I like your post Wolfman! When it comes to the combined mode, I like what I see for the most part. I have the OS KO Feral Rex and I do not like it. He cant pose, and while he has that amazingly big sword, he cant really hold it or weild it. He is also not fun and the proportions leave a lot to be desired. Plus he always seems hunched.

This guys looks far more poseable due to the more streamlined nature of the design.

I do have issue with him though, and it mostly with the beast modes. I love the G1 baest modes, especially for the bull and rhino (G1 Divebomb has issues in beast mode with that giant head). They look good and while massive, they still seems proportional. No 3p has outdone those G1 alt modes and neither does this official version with legs that are far too small. Plus, the G1 toy has incredible in the way that limbs were not reused for both modes. That G1 toy is super creative. Arms would come from the body or the sides and the legs would slide out of the body, giving your robot a totally different look in both modes. Its not the case here and thas too bad.

So I do find all the criticism more than fair towards this toy. However, what I dont find fair is saying that they did it better with Devastator. The individual components for Devastator Suck. They suck hard. They are very simple, and lack articulation. Scrapper has no elbows, which is still inexcusable now as it was then. These individual robots dont look incredible, but they at least look as good as the individual constructicons if not better. They at least appear to all have elbows.

[ZeroWolf]

Ah the return of elbowgate, and all in the name of saving money...hasbro saving money of course, not the consumer...

It is interesting seeing people's opinions of preddy, as everyone has an image of the perfect predaking in their head that varies greatly depending on who you ask. I wonder what tricks the designers would have to have pulled or how much more it would have to have costed to get everyone to agree, and be willing to put down the money at day one.

[Flashwave]

I like your post Wolfman! When it comes to the combined mode, I like what I see for the most part. I have the OS KO Feral Rex and I do not like it. He cant pose, and while he has that amazingly big sword, he cant really hold it or weild it. He is also not fun and the proportions leave a lot to be desired. Plus he always seems hunched.

This guys looks far more poseable due to the more streamlined nature of the design.

I do have issue with him though, and it mostly with the beast modes. I love the G1 baest modes, especially for the bull and rhino (G1 Divebomb has issues in beast mode with that giant head). They look good and while massive, they still seems proportional. No 3p has outdone those G1 alt modes and neither does this official version with legs that are far too small. Plus, the G1 toy has incredible in the way that limbs were not reused for both modes. That G1 toy is super creative. Arms would come from the body or the sides and the legs would slide out of the body, giving your robot a totally different look in both modes. Its not the case here and thas too bad.

So I do find all the criticism more than fair towards this toy. However, what I dont find fair is saying that they did it better with Devastator. The individual components for Devastator Suck. They suck hard. They are very simple, and lack articulation. Scrapper has no elbows, which is still inexcusable now as it was then. These individual robots dont look incredible, but they at least look as good as the individual constructicons if not better. They at least appear to all have elbows.

The posability issues are a real bummer, I agree. But whst Devvy does is incorporate hos limb parts better. His thigh and calf are an unfurled Long Haul Leg and part of Scrapper and Mixmaster, and the forearms of Bonecrusher and Scavenger are actually part of them, whereas Tantrum and Headstrong have thighs just hanging off their backs like giant ponytails. It doesnt bother ME, but Devy definately hid his parts better. It remains to be seen though how well Predaking holds together.

[-Kanrabat-]

I do own the Platinum G1 Predaking and I like it a lot.

However, even as a hardcore fan of the G1, all the arguments I see against that PotP Predaking is just pointless rambling and splitting hair. Seriously, compared to CW Devastator, he look way less cheap and everything work just fine.

Once again, it's nerds being nerds, complaining that a common retail transformers that will sell for relatively cheap don't have the same level of details and quality as a FREAKING MASTERPIECE.

But heh, it's the endless cycle hardcore fans that will NEVER be satisfied, no matter what is done. Jezz, God himself would bring a transformer that is 1:1 accurate to the show and is actually ALIVE, fans would STILL find something to complain about.

Seibertron's emoticons are not big enough to express my feeling accurately so...

[Jelze Bunnycat]

But heh, it's the endless cycle hardcore fans that will NEVER be satisfied, no matter what is done. Jezz, God himself would bring a transformer that is 1:1 accurate to the show and is actually ALIVE, fans would STILL find something to complain about.

"You must be this geeky to ride the ride", Sabrina-Online #397, 2006.

Never gets old.

[-Kanrabat-]

But heh, it's the endless cycle hardcore fans that will NEVER be satisfied, no matter what is done. Jezz, God himself would bring a transformer that is 1:1 accurate to the show and is actually ALIVE, fans would STILL find something to complain about.

"You must be this geeky to ride the ride", Sabrina-Online #397, 2006.

Never gets old.

>2006 comic

Well, indeed. You could slap any years and it would still be relevant. Fans complaining over nothing is a law of the Universe.

[Flashwave]

I was not born until well after G1 was over, but I associate Predaking with the knuckle spikes. However, I think what gets me, is it others have them while he doesn't. If Hasbro had said well we just want to put them on here but they're too aggressive for toys, or if they had said well we want to put them on here but we're worried about them getting snapped off, I think we would have rolled her eyes as a collective community and said, just do what you got to do. But the Dinobots have them, now admittedly the Dinobots have their spikes facing away from their fists, so I don't know if that's significant or not. But if the Dinobots had them, why couldn't they do the same for Predaking? And it wouldn't affect Parts count, I'd be a miniscule amount of plastic, so I'm not sure what the limiting factor is.

Now as to the swords, I am sure that we would all like to see new mold swords, but I think I would be very happy, if Hasbro had just taken the sword that comes with snarl, duplicated it four times, and painted it gold. It might be a little small for the Voyager sized Predaking figures, and it certainly doesn't get ready King his sword, but they wouldn't have to do any new molding.

[Cobotron]

I'm guessing the knuckle spikes were omitted from the fists, so that they could be stored in the feet.

[SpikeyTigertron]

However, I think what gets me, is it others have them while he doesn't. If Hasbro had said well we just want to put them on here but they're too aggressive for toys, or if they had said well we want to put them on here but we're worried about them getting snapped off, I think we would have rolled her eyes as a collective community and said, just do what you got to do. But the Dinobots have them, now admittedly the Dinobots have their spikes facing away from their fists, so I don't know if that's significant or not. But if the Dinobots had them, why couldn't they do the same for Predaking? And it wouldn't affect Parts count, I'd be a miniscule amount of plastic, so I'm not sure what the limiting factor is.

what finally made me go "eh fine, I can live without the knuckle spikes" was realizing that the "stored" in the feet. So technically all the kibble is self contained in a weapon. Now... could they perhaps have hollowed out the feet more and had them plug in backwards (knuckles facing out toward the ground versus up into the ankle) probably... but it would have cost *more* plastic instead of letting them save it.

I do believe that had Takara and Hasbro not "united" production, i'm sure we'd be getting at least individual swords, if not his combined buster sword. But I'd put dollars to donuts of perfect effect reissuing their Volcanicus combining sword scaled up and gold in color (possibly with a G1-style arm cannon).

[SpikeyTigertron]

I'm guessing the knuckle spikes were omitted from the fists, so that they could be stored in the feet.

beat me to it!

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I'm guessing the knuckle spikes were omitted from the fists, so that they could be stored in the feet.

Could be but...

O dear, I may have found another reason why: legal issues. The G1 figures as well as some portrayals has them not as part of the fist proper, but rather as a form of Brass Knuckles, which are illegal to own in several countries.

[SpikeyTigertron]

the more I think about it... the fact that these are all voyager is the primary reason we didn't get swords (unless SDCC/Hascon surprises us). Short of Alphatrion/Optimus (laser) Prime do we have any existing voyager scale swords?

[SpikeyTigertron]

I'm guessing the knuckle spikes were omitted from the fists, so that they could be stored in the feet.

Could be but...

O dear, I may have found another reason why: legal issues. The G1 figures as well as some portrayals has them not as part of the fist proper, but rather as a form of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_knuckles[/url]Brass Knuckles[/url], which are illegal to own in several countries.

I would still counter with the spiked fists on the dinobots like the others said... But.... they don't have the "mounting plate" that are definitely part of Predakings fists

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I'm guessing the knuckle spikes were omitted from the fists, so that they could be stored in the feet.

Could be but...

O dear, I may have found another reason why: legal issues. The G1 figures as well as some portrayals has them not as part of the fist proper, but rather as a form of Brass Knuckles, which are illegal to own in several countries.

I would still counter with the spiked fists on the dinobots like the others said... But.... they don't have the "mounting plate" that are definitely part of Predakings fists

There were only three spikes on those, not one for each knuckle, plus they have an armor form that could explain away those spikes. G1 Predaking's fists definitely have that knuckle duster design, depending on interpretation. Replicating that would be... unwise for a toy this big.

[SpikeyTigertron]

There were only three spikes on those, not one for each knuckle, plus they have an armor form that could explain away those spikes. G1 Predaking's fists definitely have that knuckle duster design, depending on interpretation. Replicating that would be... unwise for a toy this big.

I'll take it lol. Reminds me, has anyone really sat down with a pictoral review of Volcanicus?

[Qwan]

I do own the Platinum G1 Predaking and I like it a lot.

However, even as a hardcore fan of the G1, all the arguments I see against that PotP Predaking is just pointless rambling and splitting hair. Seriously, compared to CW Devastator, he look way less cheap and everything work just fine.

Once again, it's nerds being nerds, complaining that a common retail transformers that will sell for relatively cheap don't have the same level of details and quality as a FREAKING MASTERPIECE.

Admittedly I'm one of the complainers here, but I wouldn't say some of the arguments being presented are just "pointless rambling" or "splitting hairs". I am worried that Predaking's leg structure means he's going to come apart at the mid-shins and collapse backwards constantly. I'm disappointed that most of the beast modes have barely any poseability, and don't even look convincingly dynamic. I'm bothered by the ridiculously-sized backpacks on literally everyone sans Razorclaw, just for the sake of keeping all the members more-or-less the same size (though I admire the engineering and thought that would've gone into splitting up the torso like that). Those might not all be toy-ruining issues necessarily, but they're not inconsequential, and they add up.

I love Titan Devastator (albeit the UW version). Love him, love basically everything about him. He is still my favorite Transformers figure out of every one I own, edging out the likes of MP-10, CW Bruticus with a bunch of upgrades, and MP Wheeljack. I'm not one who goes looking for things to complain about on new toys just for the sake of it. Unfortunately in my opinion, I didn't even have to try and find things to complain about because they found me this time

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Admittedly I'm one of the complainers here, but I wouldn't say some of the arguments being presented are just "pointless rambling" or "splitting hairs". I am worried that Predaking's leg structure means he's going to come apart at the mid-shins and collapse backwards constantly. I'm disappointed that most of the beast modes have barely any poseability, and don't even look convincingly dynamic. I'm bothered by the ridiculously-sized backpacks on literally everyone sans Razorclaw, just for the sake of keeping all the members more-or-less the same size (though I admire the engineering and thought that would've gone into splitting up the torso like that). Those might not all be toy-ruining issues necessarily, but they're not inconsequential, and they add up.

I love Titan Devastator (albeit the UW version). Love him, love basically everything about him. He is still my favorite Transformers figure out of every one I own, edging out the likes of MP-10, CW Bruticus with a bunch of upgrades, and MP Wheeljack. I'm not one who goes looking for things to complain about on new toys just for the sake of it. Unfortunately in my opinion, I didn't even have to try and find things to complain about because they found me this time

I'm just gonna do one of these cause Qwan here hits the nail.

[SpikeyTigertron]

I am worried that Predaking's leg structure means he's going to come apart at the mid-shins and collapse backwards constantly. I'm disappointed that most of the beast modes have barely any poseability, and don't even look convincingly dynamic. I'm bothered by the ridiculously-sized backpacks on literally everyone sans Razorclaw, just for the sake of keeping all the members more-or-less the same size (though I admire the engineering and thought that would've gone into splitting up the torso like that). Those might not all be toy-ruining issues necessarily, but they're not inconsequential, and they add up.

I'm not seeing where the fear is on the legs, I could see possible concerns about the hips, but shins? I'd assume that the combine leg extension is either on a heavy ratchet or a solid bar with ratchet, that runs through the whole... shoulder(?) of the beast modes.

I love Titan Devastator (albeit the UW version). Love him, love basically everything about him. He is still my favorite Transformers figure out of every one I own, edging out the likes of MP-10, CW Bruticus with a bunch of upgrades, and MP Wheeljack. I'm not one who goes looking for things to complain about on new toys just for the sake of it. Unfortunately in my opinion, I didn't even have to try and find things to complain about because they found me this time

I will agree that (Unite Warrior) Devistator is practically the closest we'll ever get to a Masterpiece Devistator. Outside of "higher quality" plastics and higher part count, the basic engineering is probably about as far as we'd get otherwise. Not to mention a Masterpiece vesion would probably be $50 per vehcile which would be a hard pass for me.

I'll give you the beast modes are bricks, and seeing what they *can* do with beast modes for the likes of Weirdwolf and the monsterbots... it's a bit of a sting. It could be they were simplied for the same reasons hasbro's Devistator was (part count and child proofing). While I like the elbows on the UW version... even they intidate me....

[SpikeyTigertron]

Is this the shin issue? You can see on that it's not transformed correctly. those thighs (?) should be brought forward and pegged into the shin/front legs. I believe there was also a photo (which i'm not going to back and try and figure out on my 3rd time trying to find the right ones) that shows there's a post that sticks up from the foot piece to help anchor the shin as well. (probably helps lock-up the robot form legs- I was surprised to see those look like regular universal joints instead of being ratchets).

[-Kanrabat-]

Despite Combiner Wars Devastator's flaws, he was still ROCK SOLID in combined form. Based on that, I don't think solidity or stability will be an issue for Predaking.