Toy Review - Generations FOC Combaticons wave

Swindle
I didnt think I would like this one as much as I do. Being the weakest G1 Combaticon, my expectations were not high. But I was pleasantly surprised. Decent bot mode, although his apron/chest shield thing is a bit weird, it still works. Looks like he is missing rear armour. Good pose-ability, except for the head. Robot mode all pegs together very nicely. Alt mode is kinda "huh?" but again its not supposed to be an earth-based vehicle. So as a cybertronian wheeled thing, I guess its not too bad.
Overall, not as good as Vortex, but better than Onslaught.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2f0aeio.jpg

Why, Kup? They have the best paint jobs out of all of them. Brawl's is alright.

My quick 2 cents on the Combaticons [1 have the mainline realease]

1. Swindle - Nice headscult but the robot mode seems flimsy and even the attack truck mode is very hollow
2. Vortex - Brittle plastic but I really like the transformation and think the attack chopper looks really cool and futuristic. I actually like how the rotos end up forming a sort of gauntlet. My favourite individual combaticon but the colour scheme is questionable
3. Blast off - Nice shuttle mode and the robot mode isn't bad. I liek the detailing on the thrusters and the way they form bad-ass shoulder pads. the black plastic hinge for the arms give me a heart attack every time I transform him becuase they seem incredibly fragile
4. Brawl - Great tank mode - futuristic and cool. Robot mode looks well proportioned from the front but I really don't like the kibble that hangs off his backside and the figure is poorly balanced becuase of this
5. Onslaught - respectable robot mode and forms a good torso for Bruticus. Missile truck mode is quite compromised though.

Bruticus
I really like him. I've even got used to the mainline fluoro colours. I respect that for a mainstream toy they have managed to engineer 5 individual robots with respectable bot modes, standard articulation and decent vehicles modes which can transform into a pretty good respresentation of Bruticus. Its all the more impressive that the feet and hands are self contained and all the limbs can either be an arm or a leg and can go on the left or right.

For me the greatest flaw is the plastic quality and the paint finish

I also respect the level of articulation on Bruticus

I must confess I will always be sympathetic to combiner toys as I got into G1 collecting because of the Gestalt teams. Given the improvement Bruticus is over the last mainline Combiners - the Energon Maximus toys - I am quite happy with the set

I've come to the conclusion that I like them quite a bit. I got the G2 boxset from amazon. I'd feel less inclined to like them had I bought them individually at $25 a go I think.

As Bruticus, with a little tweaking, I think they look pretty good and the fact that all the parts are contained within is pretty impressive. He can be posed quite well, but sometimes the joints of Onslaught can be weak and he'll slide over.

The team members themselves are better than I thought they be (from reading this thread, I was expecting pretty awful toys). However the cheap thin plastic is instantly noticeable.

Swindle would be my fave, although he is far too large. but nice vehicle mode and the robot mode looks accurate as well.

Vortex is next on my fave list. Great future helicopter mode and his blades spin easily. Shame his weapons aren't little mini-guns though as the blades just look strange. My only complaint would be on one of his knees, the ridging of the knee doesn't connect to the nub that is supposed to provide the clicks, giving him a completely free swinging knee. Its also a shame the blades to move around to his back either. This was the way he was in the game and it was cool. As the toy is, they are in the way of his hand on the arm and don't even look cool as a weapon... I think a clever recolour would make an interesting Ransack. If the blades were on his back.

Brawl is next, mainly due to his sexy tank mode. Although it should have been bigger. I like this as it's also his WFC mode too. His head is nicely sculpted as well. the robot mode is a mess though. Without a doubt the worst of the lot. On mine, the feet are so loose, he can barely stand up. He looks all jumbly and crap from the back because there is just soo mich rubbish hanging off him. It's a bit sad. Good thing I like the tank so much.

Blast off is nice. Both vehicle and robot mode gets the job done, but I don't like the way his shoulder pads can't clip in anywhere. In shuttle mode, I like the many options you have for placing his guns!

Onslaught. Oh Onslaught you poor little fellow. My how you have down graded since the beast you were in WFC... I really liked that mode. this one. Um, yeah, What the Hell?? Vehicle mode is an ABOMNIATION! Bruticus' head just hangs out the back, the arms just fold up the top. Worst of all on mine, no matter how I try the gun just won't clip on to the arms to hide them head OR keep the arms in place. and the gun is a bit small as well. It should have been bigger to cover the HOLE in the back of this mode.

Its just horrible.

Robot mode is quite a bit better though, but I do hate how scrawny his forearms are. Good posing options as a commander style figure due to a slight tilt that can be done at the waist. From the back he is very hollow. Sad. Why can't I plug his cannon on his back Hasbro? this would cover the hole nicely in both vehicle AND robot mode. Plus once again, the cannon should have been bigger. As it is, it is too large for a hand gun and looks stupid. Too small for a shoulder mortar with nowhere to plug. Oh and he should be larger than a deluxe so as to add more bulk to the combined mode. The chest of Brusticus looks a tad skinny to my eye, and it would allow for strengthening of the joints as well, making an altogether sturdier gestalt.

So as individual bots they are hit and miss. none are really great, and all have some positives so they avoid becoming hated toys. :D But then they are mainly designed to form Bruticus and the individual bots is just a bit of a bonus really.

As it stands, i would only recommend these guys if you get all of them for Brusticus. On their own there are MUCH better figures out there. Even Swindle is merely an acceptable toy. but as Brusticus they look cool and as a group I think they look OK, in both vehicle and robot modes.

So its all or nothing I guess. Considering how these guys are, I'd like to see Hasbro give the combiners another crack, if these guys are considered a concept attempt at modern combiners, I think they have done all right. If they had a more uniform style of vehicle to work with for the next one, I think they could pull it off nicely. *cough*Menosaur*cough* Although I'd still like to see the chest/leader of the group be larger than a deluxe.

Some photos of group shots coz I can.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...psb9310eb0.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...psa155d440.jpg

And here's my attempt at a Brawl gun emplacement mode.:D:cool:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...ps944cfe80.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tetsuwan Convoy

Brawl is next, mainly due to his sexy tank mode. Although it should have been bigger. I like this as it's also his WFC mode too. His head is nicely sculpted as well. the robot mode is a mess though. Without a doubt the worst of the lot. On mine, the feet are so loose, he can barely stand up. He looks all jumbly and crap from the back because there is just soo mich rubbish hanging off him. It's a bit sad. Good thing I like the tank so much.

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I've got the same G2 version, and have experienced that exact same QC issue with Brawl's feet. His scaling is the most disappointing -- especially since he's meant to be the untameable bruiser of the lot, almost as disappointing as Onslaught's alt mode. I do like the upper body in robot mode, since he's the only Combaticon that does not have scrawny elbows.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tetsuwan Convoy

Onslaught. Oh Onslaught you poor little fellow. My how you have down graded since the beast you were in WFC... I really liked that mode. this one. Um, yeah, What the Hell?? Vehicle mode is an ABOMNIATION! Bruticus' head just hangs out the back, the arms just fold up the top. Worst of all on mine, no matter how I try the gun just won't clip on to the arms to hide them head OR keep the arms in place. and the gun is a bit small as well. It should have been bigger to cover the HOLE in the back of this mode.

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Same issue with attaching the gun onto G1-Kup's alt mode. It's also disappointing in that, even if the gun was attached properly in alt mode, it is constantly pointing at a 10 degree decline -- meaning that he cannot shoot straight, unless the enemy was between 20-30(?) metres in front of him (as seen in the SDCC version via Seibertron).

Weird, Onslaught's alt mode looks like Kup's cybertronian vehicle mode (g1).
(Don't get any ideas Hasbro)

I might retake the second photo, as I didn't realise the settings until after I uploaded the pics to my computer. If I do retake it, at least the Gen2 Bruticus won't take too long to re-assemble (I've already transformed it back into the individual robots).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/855.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/856.jpg

Liking the combined mode quite a bit. Having trouble finding a good config for the combined gun. It just looks kind of stupid if you join it together like the instructions. I guess the fact that the G2 one has funky colours for the gun anyway don't help much...

Impressed at pose options. Onslaught is definitely the weak link in this group. Even as Bruticus. His small body lacks beefiness and it a bit too gappy for my liking. plus the hips are too weak as well. He should have been a voyager with strong joints to hold the whole thing together better.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...ps2fa2e828.jpg

From the back he looks hollow, but Brawl has great foot options, as you can turn the turret, which gives him an ankle swivel (almost). I like it and don't regret at all.

Would like to see more, but with a voyager leader character

Quote:

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Originally Posted by griffin

I might retake the second photo, as I didn't realise the settings until after I uploaded the pics to my computer. If I do retake it, at least the Gen2 Bruticus won't take too long to re-assemble (I've already transformed it back into the individual robots).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/855.jpg

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Like that comparison shot, griffin. Thanks for sharing :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tetsuwan Convoy

Liking the combined mode quite a bit. Having trouble finding a good config for the combined gun. It just looks kind of stupid if you join it together like the instructions. I guess the fact that the G2 one has funky colours for the gun anyway don't help much...

Impressed at pose options. Onslaught is definitely the weak link in this group. Even as Bruticus. His small body lacks beefiness and it a bit too gappy for my liking. plus the hips are too weak as well. He should have been a voyager with strong joints to hold the whole thing together better.

*snip*

From the back he looks hollow, but Brawl has great foot options, as you can turn the turret, which gives him an ankle swivel (almost). I like it and don't regret at all.

Would like to see more, but with a voyager leader character

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I find Onslaught to be quite sturdy despite his hollowness. Aside from the initial stress marks mentioned, I have not noticed any new ones forming. So the cause of QC issues might be in a rushed design rather than a fault from the assembly line(?). I think if the limbs were to forego the interchangeability gimmick, Bruticus may have produced a better looking combined mode. This would most likely mean giving up on a bad Wreckers combiner repaint, but that's still making up for 3 much better to great products.