Toy Review - Age of Extinction Grimlock (Voyager)

[GoktimusPrime]

Grimlock
Series - Age of Extinction
Sub-line - Generations
Size/class - Voyager
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here - May 17 2014
Approximate Retail Price - $50
Approximate Size - 18cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Sub-Group - Dinobot
Alt-mode - Robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex
Main Features/Gimmicks - Snapping jaws
Main Colours - Bronze, silver, black
Main Accessory - spiked club x halberd polearm

Images

Stock photo (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/6/61/AOEVoyagerGrimlock.jpg)

In box
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/acquisitions/acquisitionthrilling0506_zpsf85e2db2.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/aoe_voyagers1_zpsf53dabd4.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/aoe_voyagers3_zps7c011ead.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/comparisons/movie%20G1/comparison_aoegrimlock_zpsf56c3ac8.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_opgrim01_zps97d3e741.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_opgrim02_zps4e668856.jpg

Appearance
The beast mode is a robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex; like the other AoE Dinobots, it's stylised with horns from the top of the head. :/ Umm... okay. The weapon attaches to the tip of the tail and secures quite well, but looks kinda weird. Like Scorn, quite a bit of Grimlock's robot mode is visible in the beast mode, making it frankly look incomplete. The first time I transformed it I was left thinking, "What? Is that it? That can't be it - it's not finished!" If you thought Scorn was bad in this department, Grimlock is a whole lot worse. Continuing on with the theme of having robot modes that resemble feudal warrior's armour (Slug = Knight, Scorn = Crusader), Grimlock's armour resembles Samurai armour. It's the most 'armoured' and least 'fossilicious' looking robot mode compared to the other Dinobots. The toy is predominantly bronze with black and silver highlights throughout. Both the robot and beast modes have jade eyes, and the robot has a red Autobot logo on his solar plexus. While the toy looks already from the front, it's not so great from behind, especially on the bum where the lower jaw of the Dinobot head just dangles there like he's just... never mind, let's keep this clean. :o The dino feet that dangle from his wrists just look really cumbersome. And of course, the feet look like Elf Shoes. :p

Transformation
The way that the shoulder & bum kibble transform into the beast head is rather interesting, but the rest of the transformation is pretty pedestrian; it's like the engineering of a Deluxe figure that's been blown up to Voyager size... and price. :(

Pros
+ No rubbery parts, so all tabs are able to lock in properly.
+ For the most part the colours work quite well.
+ 17 points of articulation
+ Jaw chomping gimmick is fairly unobtrusive.
+ The pole arm can be held 'upside down' with the club head removed to make it into a halberd weapon.

Cons
- The transformation and design are really simple for a Voyager Class toy; really more like Deluxe level of engineering. Totally not worth paying $50 for.
- The pole arm can only be held by a handle that protrudes from the shaft beneath the club's spiked head. This makes it a rather impractical melee weapon, as there just isn't any sufficient reach for the club head. It looks more like he's holding a big spiked coffee mug. The aforementioned halberd mode doesn't have much reach either considering Grimlock's size. It looks more like a cattle prod.
- The massive dino feet that just sit there on the wrists just look ugly.
- So do the horns on the head, which serve no real purpose and detract from the look of the beast mode, even as a mechanical beast. One of the cool things about the G1 Dinobots was that, being mechanical aside, they attempted to resemble the dinosaurs on which they were based. T Rexes don't have horns, thus neither did G1 Grimmers, but AoE Grimmo does. Be sure to lift these horns up in robot mode, otherwise they obstruct the robot's head/face; and in dino mode, swing the horns down so that the dino mode doesn't look like a big dog (as you can see in my second photo above).
- There's only one small peg that's meant to hold the feet together when transformed to dino mode. This peg either needed to be bigger, and/or they needed to add another peg to help keep the robot legs/feet together in beast mode (as they form the tail).

Overall
This is one of the worst Voyager figures I've seen since Grimwing... it is just so basic in design and feels cheap for a toy of this size and price point. Not recommended. But if you are going to get this underwhelming figure, be sure that you are not paying full RRP for it.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jaam_pain.gif

[Omega Metro]

From what I have seen of other reviews and pics, I'm loving the robot mode. I'm unsure about the Dino mode as it does look cheap and those teeth look ridiculous. I wouldn't pay $50 for it either. But I do want it. And anything with a simple transformation is a blessing. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

And anything with a simple transformation is a blessing. :)
I don't necessarily have a thing against simple transformations --- there have been some really nice toys with simple transformations, e.g. Flipchangers. If this toy were being sold for $30, I'd be lauding it. But the design simply does not justify $50 -- the pre-order price for a Masterpiece Autobot car! :eek:

[kurdt_the_goat]

Not intending to take a dig at you Goktimus, but couldn't you have just watched a video review before buying some of these toys and being so disappointed?

I know like some others you have a huge collection and being a longtime fan, would want to pick up some of the latest offerings, period. But since you mention price so often, i would have thought you'd be way more selective!

For me, i'm not phased by higher price toys that i know will be good (pedigree or from watching a review), because i'm happy in the knowledge that the money's better spent than it would be on most of the 'general consumption' toys that end up like this!

[KingGrimlock]

I like the design and the direction theyve tried to go with Grimlock, this figure is a decent representation when you compare it with other recent Grimlocks. Take a look at FOC and masterpiece Grim, both of them also have the Legs turn into the arms and tail become the legs and feet as well as having part of the head fold down onto the back. To me this has a surprising amount of elements from other Grimlocks and I welcome it to my dinobot collection.

[Zommael]

This is annoying me now, and since I read Ben Yee's review of this toy this morning I can finally respond to it:

THEY'RE NOT ELF SHOES!!!! They are stylised sabotons, a fairly common piece of medieval knights' armour. There were even loosely-applied rules about how long the sabotons could be in Medieval France, based on social class. Of course, they didn't typically point up the way they do here, but that presentation of this particular piece of armour is fairly common in pop culture, and no doubt has been chosen to add to the knight effect for that reason.

So please stop calling them elf shoes. Please. For the children. :p

[Omega Metro]

I'm tossing up between getting the Voyager OR Leader Grimlock. Need to do more research before I buy.......and maybe watch the movie.;)

[MayzaPrime]

I voted no, and the only reason is cause I went for Leader Grimlock rather that Voyager Grimlock.

[liegeprime]

Hopefully when I go OS next month, it's been released there and are priced much less than what they are tagged here. We always get overpriced retail anyways. I'll just take my chances on getting this one over there...:p

[GoktimusPrime]

Not intending to take a dig at you Goktimus, but couldn't you have just watched a video review before buying some of these toys and being so disappointed?

I know like some others you have a huge collection and being a longtime fan, would want to pick up some of the latest offerings, period. But since you mention price so often, i would have thought you'd be way more selective!
I personally didn't pay full price for this figure (or any of the AoE TFs so far), but I'm always mindful of what the full retail price is meant to be whenever I review a toy, since that's what HasTak are expecting the average consumer to pay for the toy. I want to collect a toy for each of the movie screen characters. I decided to get Voyager Grimlock because I reckon the Leader figure will be even worse value for money. Typically the bigger and more expensive the toy, the worse value it becomes, as discussed in the Sub-Deluxe Figures thread (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=18230). :o ;)

[Verno]

I thought Torca had a bad case of "Foot on Wrist", but this guy is just taking it to a whole new level! Surely given the sheer size of the piece, they could have incorporated some kind of folding joint to at least try to make them smaller?!

[BigTransformerTrev]

I voted no, and the only reason is cause I went for Leader Grimlock rather that Voyager Grimlock.

Ditto

[Bidoofdude]

The dino mode looks so static and unarticulated, especially around the front. Pass.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

The beast mode is a robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex; like the other AoE Dinobots, it's stylised with horns from the top of the head. :
Is he supposed to be a T-rex? Going from the inclusion of Horns, my first thought was a Carnotaurus (http://www.walkingwithdinosaurs.com/dinosaurs/detail/carnotaurus/)

He didn't look very T-rex to me in the trailer either. imo:o

[GoktimusPrime]

Is he supposed to be a T-rex? Going from the inclusion of Horns, my first thought was a Carnotaurus (http://www.walkingwithdinosaurs.com/dinosaurs/detail/carnotaurus/)

He didn't look very T-rex to me in the trailer either. imo:o
The packaging (http://m.www.bwtf.com/toyreview-images/ageofextinction/voyager/grimlock/boxback.jpg) explicitly states that it's meant to be a T-Rex. :/

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

The packaging (http://m.www.bwtf.com/toyreview-images/ageofextinction/voyager/grimlock/boxback.jpg) explicitly states that it's meant to be a T-Rex. :/

ARGH. Damn Hasbro or someone who really doesn't know dinosaurs (or can be bothered googling...)

They got most of the Dinosaurs wrong on the PCCs as well... :-/

[Mythirax]

After playing with the new Dinobots, I got to admit. I'm really happy with them now :D

http://i.imgur.com/msztpcM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NX6vkyL.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/aJ864kU.jpg

[Omega Metro]

Sharpen the 'horns', sharpen the teeth, paint the teeth, paint the eyes red and it would look great I reckon.

[Mythirax]

After watching Peaughs video review of Leader Class Grimlock. I'm so thankful I got the Voyager instead. The leaders balance, chrome chipping, joint locking and big gaps in dino modes. Wow does it not sell it for me at all. In my opinion you're far bet off with this Voyager version which I think is pretty damn awesome.

[Omega Metro]

After watching Peaughs video review of Leader Class Grimlock. I'm so thankful I got the Voyager instead. The leaders balance, chrome chipping, joint locking and big gaps in dino modes. Wow does it not sell it for me at all. In my opinion you're far bet off with this Voyager version which I think is pretty damn awesome.

I thought exactly the same. I don't have the voyager yet but will be getting it.

[GoktimusPrime]

As someone who owns the Voyager, I think it's a dreadful toy. But I also feel that it's better than the Leader, so IMHO it's the lesser (and cheaper :p) or two evils. I got Grimlock at a discounted price, and even then I feel ripped. :rolleyes: If you are going to get this toy, do yourself a favour and try to avoid paying full retail for it.

[Mythirax]

As someone who owns the Voyager, I think it's a dreadful toy. But I also feel that it's better than the Leader, so IMHO it's the lesser (and cheaper :p) or two evils. I got Grimlock at a discounted price, and even then I feel ripped. :rolleyes: If you are going to get this toy, do yourself a favour and try to avoid paying full retail for it.

Haha poor Grimlock, I guess beauty is in the eyes of the beholder for him :p When I first took him out of the package, I'll admit, I didn't like it. But once I transformed it a few times, put parts in spots they're not meant to go. I really fell in love with it :D - He has his flaws, but compared to that leader. You can't go past the voyager. For anyone unsure though, discounted might be the best idea. I paid the $49 myself, but I feel I got my monies worth (least I tell myself that heh).

[GoktimusPrime]

I think he's an incredibly sub-standard Voyager. Comparing him with even more recent Voyagers like Dark of the Moon Megatron and even Grimlock's casemate, Evasion Mode Optimus Prime, and I find that these toys poop all over Voyager Grimlock. And whenever I think of this toy's full price I am reminded that I paid about the same for my pre-ordered Masterpiece Autobot cars. :o

As mundane as Evasion Optimus Prime's colour scheme is, I've found that it's an incredibly fun toy to play with. I just don't get that same enjoyment when I play with Grimlock. The engineering level is actually below that of Beast Machines -- and I find that's the case with all of the AoE Dinobots, actually. Okay, Beast Machines were bad Transformers toys, no doubt's there... but from a technical POV a lot of them were actually pretty well designed action figures (just not good Transformers). Much like the cartoon series, if it weren't Transformers it'd be actually pretty good. :p Take a look at say Deluxe Class BM Optimus Primal. Yes, it's a ridiculous looking gorilla mode and incredibly unorthodox^bizarre looking robot mode (the whole rounded technorganic aesthetic), but from a design perspective it's an exquisitely well crafted toy. The sculpting is so well done that you can see muscle fibres ripping across the body of the beast mode, and there's even airbrushed paint apps on the toy. And the beast mode is the weaker of the two for that toy -- the robot mode is remarkably solid for a Deluxe figure, whereas Voyager AoE Grimlock looks "half hollow" in robot mode from behind. Yeah alright, Optimus Primal's Shuriken gimmick sucks, but AoE Voyager Grimlock's weapon isn't great either. And this is compared to a Beast Machines toy; a line that's notorious for sucking! :eek:

But yeah, if you "have to" get an AoE Grimlock, the Voyager looks to be the best (or least worst) version. I'm not going to pay double the price for the Leader Class version; especially after seeing what passes for a Leader Class toy these days w/ First Edition AoE Optimus Prime. :rolleyes: For anyone else who's unsure or not in a hurry to own this toy, I highly recommend waiting until it's on sale. As Paulbot says, paying full price for this toy is just paying an "impatience tax." ;)

[Sinnertwin]

So please stop calling them elf shoes. Please. For the children. :p

You're right, they're not shoes. They're CFM Boots ;):p

[Zommael]

You're right, they're not shoes. They're CFM Boots ;):p

The Dinobots are sexeh.

[GoktimusPrime]

More pics:

Medium shot of head/torso
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_grimlock01_zps47e68b6b.jpg

Grimlock's gap-tastic dino mode
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_grimlock03_zpsea4bcb01.jpg

Transformation
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_grimlock02_zpsf45c9586.jpg

[Mythirax]

Grimlock's gap-tastic dino mode
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Age%20of%20Extinction/aoe_grimlock03_zpsea4bcb01.jpg

Unless you did it deliberately, the panel above his robot-mode head is not pushed in all the way in your photo. Making him very gappy.

First photo has how it's meant to be. The second photo I think looks much better, holding Grimlock's arms up higher. To make the body look more solid and rounded.

http://i.imgur.com/weKEKb9.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I think I hadn't locked those tabs in when I took that photo (I was mucking around w/ this toy in the car while waiting for the wife to finish her shopping :p); I locked it in later but was ceebs to take another shot. :p It still leaves a gap though (as can be seen in your pics), just not as big. But that panel certainly doesn't sit flush. And while I can see the merit in your modified transformation of Grimlock, as you rightfully pointed out, the official transformation has the chest panels swung down which exposes robot kibble from the sides, although your config would reveal more robot kibble from front on.

[Mythirax]

Yeah, I think I hadn't locked those tabs in when I took that photo (I was mucking around w/ this toy in the car while waiting for the wife to finish her shopping :p); I locked it in later but was ceebs to take another shot. :p It still leaves a gap though (as can be seen in your pics), just not as big. But that panel certainly doesn't sit flush. And while I can see the merit in your modified transformation of Grimlock, as you rightfully pointed out, the official transformation has the chest panels swung down which exposes robot kibble from the sides, although your config would reveal more robot kibble from front on.

Yeah, sadly some cracks and gaps still stay. But the same amount of robot kibble seems to display in either modes it seems. You can see in my previous post (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=414580&postcount=17) a more front on version with the arms like that. As for official transformation, I hate how so many images and instructions seem mistransformed now-a-days :( - I like the takara version better with the black arms, the colors seems to blend better in my opinion :D

[Zommael]

I have to say, I'm with Mythirax all the way on this one. To me, the leader looks like a bigger, less well-proportioned, more chrometacular version of the Voyager in both modes. I can't justify paying twice the price for a toy that looks less good and has a more complex transformation.

On the other hand, the voyager feels like a pretty solid figure despite the breakage I experienced the first time I transformed him. I know that should make me judge the toy worse, but I just can't. I like his transformation, it's for the most part intuitive, fun, and different from other Transformers with similar alt modes (I still insist he's a carnotaurus rather than a T-rex, but that's just me).

The colours are good. I particularly like the "tiger stripe" like pattern on the back. The blue eyes don't bother me, and I've noticed they match the rest of the dinobots released so far in shade. I wish Hasbro could have slapped some more silver paint on the robot legs, as there's a good amount of their signature grey in there, but oh well. Part of the reason I'm so hot on the colours might be because they're the same as those of my favourite soccer team, but at the same time, I do feel they fit and the gold looks good.

I wasn't at first sold on the weapon, until I realised the hollow head is designed to accommodate the tail attachment. However, I wasn't sold on that particular formation, either, until I'd looked at it a bit. I removed the handle which meant his tail ends in a wicked looking spiked mace rather than the thin shaft. I can see the shaft portion forming part of the tail, but for me, it doesn't look as good as the tail does without the weapon or with just the head attached. I'm not sure at all, but it looks to me like the shaft portion might once have been meant to attach to the underside of the dinosaur, but the feature was scrapped. That is pure speculation, though.

My preference is for Mythirax's alternate transformation, but either one does leave a noticeable gap. To some extent, I'm fine with that: he's a mechanical dinosaur, after all, and the parts aren't completely identifiable as robot parts.

In robot mode, I feel he has a more well-proportioned, powerful look than the leader version. He is still a fairly lean robot, but also more solid looking to me than the other version. I'm a fan of the headsculpt too.

But more than anything else, to me, despite the alterations that are always made for the movies and the obvious difference to the G1 toy, this toy feels like Grimlock. He has the ferocity, the power, and the vicious look of the character. I for one find this to be a worthy version of the character.

[Raptormesh]

I'm loving this cute thing (such a stark contrast to the post above :P). My gf calls him koinu-chan. :o But seriously I love the bot mode despite the legs-on-arms issue, I just wished they gave him a sword instead of that oversized popsicle.

Sure the transformation is simple but hey it works in both modes for me - cute dino, powerful and menacing looking bot. :D

[Defcon]

I voted only if something else, but I'd also would of liked to of voted only if cheap :p I'm just going to wait for a while until they release him in a new novelty version. So I'll just sit back and wait and see. How about a Firerock version complete with flaming weapon :D