Toy Review - Cyberverse Grimlock (Elite Class)

Series - Cyberverse
Sub-line - Power of the Spark
Size/class - Elite
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 2
Released here - Yes
Approximate Retail Price - $50
Approximate Size - 12.5cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Dinobot Tyrannosaurus Rex
Main Features/Gimmicks - Spark Armour
Main Colours - grey, black, yellow
Main Accessories - Trash Crash Spark armour

In box
https://i.ibb.co/pdCM2R4/cyberverse-grimlock01.jpg

Robot mode.
https://i.ibb.co/m96t2Hf/cyberverse-grimlock02.jpg
An adequate robot mode with 11 points of articulation. My emotional reaction to the core toy is very much like how I felt when I first encountered Pretender Grimlock back in 1989. It's kinda puny for a Grimlock, but it's fine for what it is. Would've preferred metallic gold instead of yellow and red eyes instead of blue. The face sculpt is the face plate with the snarling teeth behind it, which is reminiscent of how Grimlock was drawn in the IDW comics. Having the face being painted rather than left black also makes it more reminiscent of Pretender Grimlock to me.

Trash Crash.
https://i.ibb.co/t8fx0td/cyberverse-grimlock03.jpg
I used to think that "Anti-Tank Cannon" was a lame name for Grimlock's partner. Now Trash Crash sets a whole new low, and not just in name but design. Grimlock isn't able to really interact with Trash Crash as a vehicle, whereas at least Action Master Grimlock could hold it as a Targetmaster weapon and ride it as a vehicle. Holy crap, am I defending Action Masters now? You know a toy has really lowered the bar when it's making AMs look good. Anyway, Trash Crash doesn't do anything other than just roll. The skip bin that sits on the roof has no articulation, although the claws don't lock in and are prone to protruding if you raise the rear of the truck... so uh... looks weird when driving downhill.

Traaash Craaash!
https://i.ibb.co/fDK3YxY/cyberverse-grimlock03a.jpg
Grimlock has 5mm wide holes in his fists but the only accessory that he comes with that he can hold is, you guessed it, Trash Crash. This isn't an official configuration by the way, so technically, just like Energon Grimlock, he comes with nothing that he can wield. :rolleyes:

Trash Crash - rear view
https://i.ibb.co/93t41qR/cyberverse-grimlock05.jpg
Probably coincidental as this is part of the transformation, but Trash Crash's rear door can open. I'd say that you can put some rubbish in there, but Trash Crash can't get into itself.

Dinobot mode.
https://i.ibb.co/Tctry84/cyberverse-grimlock06.jpg
Again, much like the robot, it's small but adequate. Just like Pretender Grimmie.

Harness the power, Dino-Riders!
https://i.ibb.co/vZHcPPL/cyberverse-grimlock07.jpg
He's got missiles on his hips because of course he does. Some parts of the transformation is standard fare with Grimlock toys, but there are a few elements that are new which I do appreciate.

Cretaceous Park!
https://i.ibb.co/GtTnm7m/cyberverse-grimlock08.jpg
It's funny how some people think of T Reges as being from the Jurassic where they're actually Late Cretaceous. This means that actual Jurassic dinosaurs like the Stegosaurus were already long extinct by the time T Reges roamed the Earth. Stegosauruses lived about as close to T Reges as T Reges lived to humans. (and yes, "reges" is the proper plural for "rex").

But enough of grammar, you want the pi?ce de r?sistance. Behold...

SPARK ARMOUR
https://i.ibb.co/P5Dbvdx/cyberverse-grimlock09.jpg
*awkward silence*
Yeah. It's bad. Trash Crash just becomes this lump that sits on Grimlocks' back and covers his upper body. The only articulation is the helmet, so basically this armour acts more like a straitjacket. The claws on the gauntlets are activated by gravity, so they retract whenever the gauntlets are horizontal. This would mean that they retract if Grimlock raises a hand to strike at an opponent... only that there's no articulation to let him do this so... Schr?dinger's gimmick flaw? :p

OVERALL
https://i.ibb.co/HDTmJSr/jaam-whymyshouldershurt.jpg
The core bot is just okay and the Trash Crash accessory is just bollocks, but it obviously adds to the overall cost of the toy. I cannot imagine this toy being worth fifty bucks. I bought this for forty at Target's 20% sale and I still feel ripped off. Grimlock has about the equivalent quality of a Legends Class figure, so I reckon if you can get it for around $20 then maaaybe, but on the whole I can't really recommend this toy for collectors. The core Grimlock toy would be fine for little kids as it's a nice intuitive transformation and fun enough to play with. But again, that price tag would make it prohibitive to most kids.

While the dump truck/wolverine claws gimmic is pretty lame (and I can't get the claws to stay connected to my Grimlock) the saving grace is that its a fricking awesome rendition of a Legends size Grimlock. In fact, he's probably the favourite of all the Cyberverse toys released so far in this line (Optimus would be a close second).

Is it worth $50 to have a legends class Grimlock? Hells to the no. But am I going to live life with the regret of *NOT* owning a Legends size Grimlock? See above.