Toy Review - Studio Series Devastator

[Krayt]

INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT REVIEWS
Studio-Series-37-Rampage (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26487-Toy-review-Studio-Series-37-Rampage)

Studio-Series-41-Scrapmetal (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26448-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-Scrapmetal)

Studio-Series-42-Long-Haul (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26556-Toy-review-Studio-Series-42-Long-Haul)

Studio-Series-47-Hightower (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26633-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-Hightower)

Studio-Series-53-Mixmaster (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26969-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-Mixmaster)

Studio-Series-55-Scavenger (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26968-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-Scavenger)

Studio-Series-60-Scrapper (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/27174-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-Scrapper)

Studio-Series-66-Overload (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/27289-Toy-Review-Studio-Series-66-Overload)

CONSTRUCTICON DEVASTATOR
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Studio Series (Revenge of the Fallen)
Size/class - SUPREME
New/remould/redeco - New
Approximate Retail Price - $100x2, $50x4, $30x2...$460!!!
Approximate Size - 37cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Sub-Group - Constructicon
Main Features/Gimmicks - Size
Main Colours - Red,Yellow,Green,Grey

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EcIKNYPUMAAh9-6?format=jpg

The dust has settled on my mammoth task of opening all 8 of these guys at once, and thoughts are starting to filter into my head.

This guy is huge! But way more solid than I thought he would be. The Arm and leg connectors are great, and after Jellico's post on Scavenger made me go back and look aver the connectors and stress points, nearly everything about him seems solid. Nearly Everything? Mixmaster lets everything down. You don't need the whole set yet... Just go look at Scavenger and Mixmaster and figure out how they are supposed to connect. No-ones mentioned it in either individual review, but there isn't much there to talk about anyway!!

Speaking of the individuals combiner modes... they got skipped over in the reviews too!!

RAMPAGE
One of the better individual components... The most fiddly of the lot to put into combined mode, but thats just getting the treads done right for this mode. Looks great.

SCRAPMETAL
A real pain to join to Hightower, but once in place he isn't going anywhere.

LONGHAUL
Sorry, but he just looks crap. 90% of him is hidden behind Overloads leg, which he buggered up and made shorter for some reason, and then leaves Devastator looking like a hobo with a gappy shoe that needs to get fixed.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EcOilI6UwAA3i7I?format=jpg

HIGHTOWER
Subtle changes to the treads is about all for his transformation. Holds well to both Scavenger and Scrapmetal.

MIXMASTER
Narrowly misses the worst of the set to LongHaul. He looks amazing on his own, but it's like they realised they left one piece out and had to wedge him in somehow to give Devy a head. But once in place, the face for Devy is BEAUTIFUL!!!! (But not the neck... or anything else... just the head.)

SCAVENGER
Holds well. A little bit of movement for the arms positions, but surprisingly has an "arm lift" feature for both arms at once. Just press the big wheel on the back, and the unique design of Scavenger lets both arms raise at once.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EcOjm13U4AATY_b?format=jpg

SCRAPPER
Horrible combined mode.... just pry things apart and angle slightly, and it's magically an arm? Next....

OVERLOAD
His Vehicle mode suffered to the benefit of the combined mode, but he is well worth the wait. You don't notice on Rampage Leg just how much he is covering the bots over (And if using Skipjack, with Scrapmetals "shield" in place there will be alot of yellow on show) but he totally mutes out Long Haul and relegates him to just a crappy old shoe.

DEVASTATOR
He stands tall, so goodbye to your memories of a gorilla-esk rampage through the desert. No head movement, no waist movement, and no strength in the arms to hold that position. You need to think of it as the just combined Devy in that single frame BEFORE he got on all fours and opened up his gullet to devour everything. Once that's in your head, the lack of accuracy is forgiven by the sheer size and detail. Well worth the detailing to forgo the pose.

But the Hat.... Mixmaster was so forgotten they had to send Overload along with it so he could go out and play with the other kids at lunchtime... I guess that the trade off is that at least they didn't compromise on Mixmasters Bot or Vehicle modes to incorporate the Devys Neck...

Unlike the original, no opening Maw here... just a pretty face... and really I don't mind because when was the last time you actually played with something? He stands on a shelf and tries to hide from the Wife... But the mouth opens relatively wide, and the bottom of the jaw moves a bit as well, giving a simple view of opening wider.

[Jellico]

Good review.

There is a 5mm port on Devastator's butt you can plug Rampage's base plate into (yes I know). It hides the tines better.

I am one Overload short of completing him myself. I have 7 connected parts sitting right next to me as a type, grinning.

If you poke around online there are a few good options for angling Mixmaster up to allow a crouched position. The biggest issue then is accepting that there are no knees and you will probably have to rely on bending at the waist rather than the ankles to go on all fours.

[nalops]

Feels like they could've rectified the Overload/Long Haul issue by moving some of the bulk from the foot and lengthening the leg. That way Overload doesn't need to be longer on one side and Devastator has accurate split toes although I'm not sure how actually viable my idea would be.

Still, I'm excited to have this completed myself. I also haven't opened while waiting for all the members. Have Scrapper on layby at Big W and still waiting for Scavenger from TBI. Then it'd just be Overload to find. Even considering getting Skipjack and I almost never buy duplicates of a mould.

Thanks for the review! :D

[Krayt]

There is a 5mm port on Devastator's butt you can plug Rampage's base plate into (yes I know). It hides the tines better.



Yeah I worked that out after the pic.... but it’s not really the right way.... hole itself is recessed, and the piece is more “held by the surrounds” than “inserted into hole”

[Krayt]

Feels like they could've rectified the Overload/Long Haul issue by moving some of the bulk from the foot and lengthening the leg. That way Overload doesn't need to be longer on one side and Devastator has accurate split toes although I'm not sure how actually viable my idea would be.

I would have been happy if done like scrap metals “shield”... just an extra piece you remove for combined mode, but leave inserted for bot and vehicle

[Gehirn]

https://i.ibb.co/6N4s0Jr/IMG-20200812-141134.jpg

I got my overload today thus completing Devastator. I'll try to take some more photos later but for now here are my thoughts.

Have to echo Krayt's thoughts on Mixmaster's head connection being pretty dreadful. For me Mixmaster was probably my least favourite and this issue just gave me more reason to dislike it.

The combined form of Devastator looks a lot better in person especially once you get him into a pose and out of the plain stance a lot of images on the net have him in. My only issue with the combined form is that the top half feels kinda fragile/loose due to it all resting on Scavenger's wheel and post.

In the end, this is a character/s that I had no interest in ever having but the uniqueness of them individually like the robot mode of Hightower and Rampage and the combined form has really sold me on having Devastator.

[Tha_Phantom]

Great review!
Combined mine this evening and overall am happy with it. Biggest flaw is the lack of any head articulation, not even side to side. One thing that bugs my OCD is the fingers are designed very differently on each hand and I can't articulate them or the arms in a way to make them "match", but that's probably just me who cares about that.... Anyway, the ratchets hold up pretty well considering the weight of the thing and I even got one arm to hold up a micromaster Devastator.

Also, thank you Krayt for pointing out the arm lift feature, that's pretty cool.

[Krayt]

Great review! One thing that bugs my OCD is the fingers are designed very differently on each hand and I can't articulate them or the arms in a way to make them "match", but that's probably just me who cares about that....

You could always match the arms..... just need to decide which one you prefer and source a second scrapper/set of deluxes

[Tha_Phantom]

You could always match the arms..... just need to decide which one you prefer and source a second scrapper/set of deluxes

Funnily enough I do have a second Scrapper and Scrapmetal (but not Hightower) so I can play with those without having to take Devy apart. Might see how it looks with two Scrappers.

[Gehirn]

One thing that bugs my OCD is the fingers are designed very differently on each hand and I can't articulate them or the arms in a way to make them "match", but that's probably just me who cares about that.
I have scrapper with his wheels inward so at least it matches the multiple fingers on the outside and one inner.

[Bemblebuu]

I don't mind the top half of Devastator, but from waist down he is a mess. Way too blocky and plastic looking for Studio Series figure.

[SharkyMcShark]

I don't mind the top half of Devastator, but from waist down he is a mess. Way too blocky and plastic looking for Studio Series figure.

You're right.


It's the hips I think - those big square plates scream PLAYSKOOL TRANSFORMER.


I'll still finish the combiner at some point, but I do wish that the design had either committed to the on all fours look from the movie or the more simian version from the concept art (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:ROTF_Devastator_and_components_concept_art.jp g).

[Magnus]

Just go look at Scavenger and Mixmaster and figure out how they are supposed to connect. No-ones mentioned it in either individual review, but there isn't much there to talk about anyway!




Have to echo Krayt's thoughts on Mixmaster's head connection being pretty dreadful. For me Mixmaster was probably my least favourite and this issue just gave me more reason to dislike it.


The instructions don't show this, but you're meant to get the posts on Scavenger and hook them into Mixmaster's rear wheels before pushing the C-clips on Mixmaster down onto Scavenger. This will give Mixmaster a firm connection onto Scavenger.

https://i.imgur.com/FUqQDbt.jpg



Speaking of the individuals combiner modes... they got skipped over in the reviews too!!


I was planning on doing this once I got all eight Constructicons, but here are the individual combined modes as standalone pieces:

https://i.imgur.com/qnA6GXX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KjHvq9M.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/E2Syt9s.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OSt9E2C.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ht8oZSx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mInMxKq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sZ8C2qe.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xbZ0ifn.jpg

On Devastator himself: he turned out a fair big bigger than I was expecting, since it seemed like the combined modes were 'compacted'. He's heavy, too - the individual Constructicons may only have limited mass, but put eight of them together and you end up with something quite hefty.

I know some fans have taken exception to Devastator's bipedal stance, but I think that the idea of Devastator as a hulking brute that towers over others is better served as a biped than as a quadruped. Besides, concept art (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/devastator-concept-art-movie-constructicons-jpg.27099276/) as well as the original promotional image that showcased Studio Series Devastator's components (https://news.tfw2005.com/2019/02/28/new-image-studio-series-devastator-384239) depicted him as a biped.

Gripes? The connector peg on Hightower should have had a tighter joint so that it could support the combined weight of Hightower and Scrapmetal if someone wanted to raise the left arm at the elbow, and I had to tweak the ankles a bit to get Devastator to stand when ratcheting the hips forward in order to avoid a slouching, hips-forward stance. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with Devastator and think he was worth the wait.

[doublespy]

The instructions don't show this, but you're meant to get the posts on Scavenger and hook them into Mixmaster's rear wheels before pushing the C-clips on Mixmaster down onto Scavenger. This will give Mixmaster a firm connection onto Scavenger.

https://i.imgur.com/FUqQDbt.jpg


Yeah, among all the instructions Hasbro butchered, these are one of the worst...All that effort from TT to engineer this awesome combining gimmick, only for Hasbro to go 'eh, this will do'. Sometimes I really doubt if Hasbro know what they're doing.

I didn't have time to go through all the discussion online about Devy's issues yet, but I can already a couple of spots that could potentially cause structural problems in the long run. But overall, considering all the limitations Shogo Hasui had to work with, this is exceptional engineering on the whole set.

[Magnus]

TakaraTOMY's product page for Overload includes a PDF of the instructions. As well as having what I assume are brief descriptions of the steps with each diagram, they include the extra step of hooking those posts on Scavenger into Mixmaster's wheels in the section on combining the Constructicons. (https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products-lineup/tf_ss/ss-54)

[Krayt]

Yeah the peg-to-wheel connection was realised initially, but there is no solid structure to the wheels, so no major benefit in adding this to the connection

[GoktimusPrime]

15 months to complete this set. I haven't waited this long to complete a gestalt set since 2005 (RE: Energon Bonecrusher and Wideload)!

https://i.ibb.co/FYFDjqG/studioseries-constructicons01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/vLcDnBt/studioseries-constructiconz-devastator01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/cvWNSJX/studioseries-constructiconz-devastator02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/bXX26vQ/studioseries-constructiconz-devastator03.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Gxczxpv/studioseries-constructiconz-devastator03a.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/jkxTNtY/studioseries-constructiconz-devastator05.jpg

THOUGHTS:
An impressive looking display piece but limited action figure due to a limited range of functional/meaningful articulation.
Having said that, these Constructicons are mostly pretty good toys. Okay, Scavenger, Long Haul and especially Overload are somewhat compromised due to being load-bearing units (so is Rampage, but seeing that his lack of legs is screen-accurate, I guess nobody cares :p). Scrapper and Scrapmetal are really nice, and Hightower's not too bad (most of his limitations is due to the derpy screen design). Mixmaster's alright; not fantastic, but he's okay.

At the end of the day, these are toys which have to:
a/ Look like screen models
b/ Transform from robot to vehicle modes
c/ Combine
...and all conform to Deluxe, Voyager and Leader price points - not MPs. The articulation is woefully inadequate, but I'm also mindful that this is one heavy sucker. I haven't weighed it myself, but when I took the comparison picture between SS and CW Devastator, the CW toy felt really light by comparison. I was also messing around with POTP Predaking and Earthrise Scorponok, and yeah, SS Devastator feels the heftiest. And not surprising considering that he's made up of eight boxed Transformer toys! Two Deluxes, four Voyagers and two Leaders.

Many of us - myself included - complained about the 2009 ROTF Constructicons (Deluxes & Voyagers) not being able to combine, but in hindsight it's understandable that having photorealistic looking Constructicons that can transform and combine as toys was always going to be a difficult task. I think that the Legends Class set is still the best, especially in terms of dollar-value, but I would argue that these Studio Series toys are better value than the original 2009 ROTF Constructicons. Okay, SS Mixmaster's feet don't really conceal, Scavenger has more gaps, Rampage lacks legs and has no longer rubber treads/whips... fine, but I think that the SS Constructicons have more plusses than minuses. ROTF Mixmaster better conceals all robot parts and it has the intermediate battle platform mode, but the cement mixer truck mode isn't as well proportioned plus it cannot combine.

Anyway, we have more options now, and a much better option than that woeful Combiner Class Devastator! :)
In terms of whether or not I'd recommend these toys to others... I think it depends. If you want to have a Deluxe to Leader sized set of Constructicons who can all transform and combine into a big beefy Devastator - then sure, this set is for you. If you're not fussed about the sized then stick with the Legends Class set. If you want a big Devastator with a more screen-accurate knuckle-dragging posture and aren't fussed about the individual robot modes, then the Combiner Class toy is for you.

[Magnus]

At the end of the day, these are toys which have to:
a/ Look like screen models
b/ Transform from robot to vehicle modes
c/ Combine
...and all conform to Deluxe, Voyager and Leader price points - not MPs. The articulation is woefully inadequate, but I'm also mindful that this is one heavy sucker. I haven't weighed it myself, but when I took the comparison picture between SS and CW Devastator, the CW toy felt really light by comparison. I was also messing around with POTP Predaking and Earthrise Scorponok, and yeah, SS Devastator feels the heftiest. And not surprising considering that he's made up of eight boxed Transformer toys! Two Deluxes, four Voyagers and two Leaders.

I'm glad somebody else mentioned the weight. I 'weighed' Devastator by standing on a set of scales before and while holding Devastator, and came away with a mass of 1.7kg. Sure, it's probably not too accurate, but it's a ballpark figure. Kitchen scales would be better suited for weighing figures.

It would be interesting to weigh titan class figures and see what kind of numbers we get. I understand that Combiner Wars Devastator is blocky with a lot of hollow parts, so despite being taller, it wouldn't surprise me if the two weighed the same. Even if the other titans weighed a bit more, they might feel lighter because they aren't as dense as Studio Series Devastator.


Many of us - myself included - complained about the 2009 ROTF Constructicons (Deluxes & Voyagers) not being able to combine, but in hindsight it's understandable that having photorealistic looking Constructicons that can transform and combine as toys was always going to be a difficult task. I think that the Legends Class set is still the best, especially in terms of dollar-value, but I would argue that these Studio Series toys are better value than the original 2009 ROTF Constructicons. Okay, SS Mixmaster's feet don't really conceal, Scavenger has more gaps, Rampage lacks legs and has no longer rubber treads/whips... fine, but I think that the SS Constructicons have more plusses than minuses. ROTF Mixmaster better conceals all robot parts and it has the intermediate battle platform mode, but the cement mixer truck mode isn't as well proportioned plus it cannot combine.

An observation I've made is that figures made for a movie's release tend to not look as good as figures of the same character released subsequently - this is because the engineers at TakaraTOMY are either working with concept art and the look of the character changes between when they get the art and when the characters are actually added in post-production, and/or they simply don't have enough time to make the characters 'work' as faithful toys in time for the factory to get tooled up and have the toys made and distributed in time for the movie's release. This challenge would have been even greater once Hasbro threw the need to combine into the mix and for figures like Long Haul and Rampage to bear the combined weight. I always figured that the legs would buckle and collapse under the weight of the other Constructicons, especially with the complex transformations that the RotF line was aiming for. The legends class figures can get away with combining because not only are not only far simpler, but they're far smaller and would weigh nowhere near as much as full-sized figures.

Even when Studio Series Devastator was announced, I was sceptical that Long Haul and Rampage could take the weight.

[doublespy]

Imagine you're Shogo Hasui around 2017. As part of the overseas product team you had been working on the new Studio Series a while and the whole team were having a blast especially with the movie CGI files available for reference. Then you went in a meeting one day and you were told Hasbro wanted the full Constructicons line up in the Studio Series, that can combine. And of course being the virtuoso veteran on the team, you were nominated to spearhead this project. Aside from all the wtf damn you Hasbro thoughts that also ran through Takashi Kunihiro san's head when he was handed the design task of the RotF Leader Prime/Jetfire combo, you sit down and take a look at some of the difficulties you have on hand:

- By nature of the character design, the combiner is highly asymmetrical, with one arm made of two Deluxe figures and one arm of one Voyager, which may lead to imbalance/weight distribution issue. And the two legs, although of similar size and being in the same size class, are massively different in design, so the individual weight and even center of gravity might need to be carefully planned out.

- Also by nature of character design, Devastator's hunched, with his knees permanently bent, and extremely top heavy (with his upper body made of 1.5 leaders, 2 voyagers, and 2 deluxes). This is not only a potential weight distribution issue, but more importantly a structural challenge. Let's have a quick look at Devy's legs (in red) in side view:

https://i.imgur.com/Uljt05Cm.jpg

Assume the upper body center of gravity is in line with the hip joints, there's gravity G which the upper body weight. This force can be broken down to G1 which is along the direction of Devy's thighs, and G2 which is perpendicular to G1. Although G2 is smaller than G1 when the angle of hip joint is less than 45 degrees, it still applies a great deal of torque (green arrow) on the knee joint (G2 x length of thigh); similarly, G1 applies torque on the ankle joint. Heavy ratchet joints will be required for these two joints, and the at least one set of them needs to be fully integrated within Long Haul and Rampage. An alternative would be: making one set of them rigid.

- Every individual component is an individual stand alone release, with their own parts count incorporated in the budget, and this can be a double-edged sword. Previous Titans combiners like G1 Devs and Predaking's individual components suffered visible simplification when viewed as stand-alone figures because they were budgeted as one Titan class figure; however the combined mode arguably benefited from this because in general the less move parts in a given system, the more rigid this system is. Now each SS Devy component has to be their own stand-alone figure, with their own unique engineering. Hasbro's reps need to be able to market these as good enough individual figures to retailers, especially when the component releases span across several waves.

- Design time lines. How do you plan out your engineering? The components will be released across multiple waves spanning over more than one and half years. You'd probably need to design the legs in details first and prototype a mock up combiner asap for loading bearing testing. You'd probably also need to figure out Scavenger's general transformation scheme as well, as the his combined mode needs to be rigid enough to support the head and the upper limbs, and Scavenger's design says everything but rigid.

I would love to read an in-depth interview with Shogo Hasui about his SS Devastator experience!

All that rambling above, is basically me trying to say what I said when HasTak first reveal this project, that imho SS Devastator is the single most ambitious project(combiner or otherwise) they've ever done.

Finally the team is complete:
https://i.imgur.com/LMwD1mRh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nhDLrn5h.jpg

I love this combined mode. Thanks to the nature of movie designs, he has details to look at for days. Not overly tall but is incredibly massive mass/volume wise. Makes for a gorgeous display piece. Put it in the middle of your house and people won't be able take their eyes off it.
https://i.imgur.com/ZSTG3t5h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5PdG3QCh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LxBAKj9h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/T8yosC0h.jpg

Considering it needs to be fully integrated into a Voyager-sized figure, I think the head is fantastic, and the paint job is superb.
https://i.imgur.com/xEX8nsoh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/u615GDjh.jpg

Not much to say articulation wise. I personally think Shogo Hasui gave us the best that this deign can offer.
https://i.imgur.com/bBuWvSvh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BMaaa5Qh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CrH5Cwyh.jpg

So lets quickly look at my rambling at the start of this post, and see how Shogo Hasui fared against all those challenges:

- the left arm feels noticeably heavier to me than the right. The connecting post that everybody is worried about does carry a heavy load, a bit unbalanced no less, but it looks to be made of sturdy ABS so I'm not too concerned. Guess time will tell. The legs might be different in weight in the end,but the upper body weighs so much more it feels like that's negligible.
- Hasui opted for omitting the knee joint altogether, which is a sensible decision imo. This also facilitates the much stronger sliding connection between Overload and the two legs. Judging by all the TakTom official photos Devy was probably designed standing only so I haven't really tried fan-moding him on all fours yet. Might add to this post later. As to the hunching physique, yeah nothing much you can do to fight gravity really; I'm happy Devy can be hunched as is.
- The majority of individual components to me, are worth their own purchase, and this is already a hug win for HasTak. Personally I'd even say Long Haul, Scavenger and Scrapper are among some of the best SS figures. Individually they're just well-engineered, fun figures.
- Although Mixmaster/Scavenger could've easily had tabs for Overload's legs, overall the combined mode feels well planned out imho. Maybe we'll find out if how Hasui planned out the design processes, but the end result is excellent all things considered.

OVERALL:
I maintain my claim that this is the most ambitious project HasTak have done. Please remember: MPs are a completely different ball game altogether than retail.

If you're a Transformers engineering nerd like me, get this set. Despite the limitations in articulation, this is an incredible design achievement. I'm still in awe that Shogo Hasui pulled this off.

[DaptoDog]

I just put my set together over the weekend. It was the first time I had transformed any of the individual figures so it was quite a process, but one that was a lot more satisfying than expected. The final form exceeded my expectations, it has quite a presence, he's more brutish than any other combiner I can recall. I had him in a nice wide stance initially but to fit into the Detolf case I had to move the arms more inward. I prefer the upright stance to the all fours one.

Highly recommended and it doesn't look out of my place with my Movie Masterpiece figures.

[Tha_Phantom]

It would be interesting to weigh titan class figures and see what kind of numbers we get. I understand that Combiner Wars Devastator is blocky with a lot of hollow parts, so despite being taller, it wouldn't surprise me if the two weighed the same. Even if the other titans weighed a bit more, they might feel lighter because they aren't as dense as Studio Series Devastator.

I daresay the SS will weigh more and also why I'm glad that they decided to split the SS Constructicons up rather than do them as a giftset at the standard Titan price point of $300aud. I imagine there would have been a lot more compromises, hollow parts, etc than there is already. I am aware that a box set is coming out, but this is after the fact and from what I understand it will not be cheap! So as painful as the wait was I think in the long run we've benefited for it and those coming on board now can grab the giftset anyway.

[GoktimusPrime]

Designer interview:
https://hasbropulse.com/blogs/unboxed/behindthedesign-transformers-devastator

[Sutton]

Finally got to put this bad boy together after getting Overload delivered yesterday; it's been a bit of a journey but well worth it in my opinion.

While every figure suffers from compromises - which is always the case with combiners and triple-changers - the set as a whole is fantastic.


I am most surprised with the stability of the combined mode. From pictures I assumed it was a rickety old thing that would come apart if you sneezed near it, but it's actually locked together pretty tight with a stack of tabs. Reasonably complicated too - I don't think I'll be transforming my way through this set from memory any time soon.

[Butcher31]

With Overload appearing in regular retail, I finally got around to finishing the collection of Constructicons and putting it together.

It...is...INCREDIBLE. Seriously, such a beast. It's heavy and has a real presence to it.

What they've been able to achieve is amazing. Each figure is barely compromised and are cool stand-alone figures. And yet they combine into quite a cohesive robot that looks planned and not just a hodge-podge of figures.

I see Mixmaster copped some flack, but it is really well secured on top with multiple tight connection points. It's one of the simpler figures of the set but they still did well with it and the face looks really cool. I must admit, I was a little disappointed from the early photos of Devastator standing up instead of hunched, but you can make it crawl if you want. Having seen it in hand, I think I like the upright version. I'm going to leave it like that because it's more imposing and will display better.

Considering the weight, the figure connections and the articulation joints are pretty well secured. There are a lot of stiff ratchet joints going on. Again, really well thought out.

I'm constantly amazed by what the designers at Hasbro and Takara can come up with and Studio Series Devastator has really raised the bar. The unfortunate thing is that I'm not going to keep it in combined mode and won't appreciate the individual figures as much. Good problem to have.

[SharkyMcShark]

I must admit, I was a little disappointed from the early photos of Devastator standing up instead of hunched, but you can make it crawl if you want. Having seen it in hand, I think I like the upright version. I'm going to leave it like that because it's more imposing and will display better.


I feel the exact same way, having finally finished mine last week.

In person in front of you the proportions work a lot better.

[Dimi194]

Finallllyy got this guy done (after months of having all the parts lol, still took me 2 sittings!)

Wow, while he's a bit hard to pose//lacking some articulation, he displays AWESOMELY (even just in the standing config) - and the heft is awesome. Almost want to buy the giftbox so I can have both at once.... ooop

[Dimi194]

Update - Devvy jumped from my top shelf - and while he spilt into a few different parts (and took a massive chunk of out the floorboards), the only thing that actually broke was one of the tabs on MixMaster's cab front - pretty impressive!

[DipstickTapeDeck]

Finallllyy got this guy done (after months of having all the parts lol, still took me 2 sittings!)

Wow, while he's a bit hard to pose//lacking some articulation, he displays AWESOMELY (even just in the standing config) - and the heft is awesome. Almost want to buy the giftbox so I can have both at once.... ooop

Bought this for my son for Christmas. Thought the numbered box would make someone happy so put it on Marketplace 2 weeks ago. Was about to chuck it!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/830102037774435/