Toy Review - Siege Shockwave

SHOCKWAVE
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Siege
Hypo-line - War for Cybertron
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here - January 2019
Approximate Retail Price - $100
Approximate Size - 15.7cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - spaceship
Main Features/Gimmicks - light piping
Main Colours - purple
Main Accessories - detachable armour

Pics

https://i.ibb.co/3fyxqTJ/SIEGE-shockwave01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PhZTGTr/SIEGE-shockwave02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/1dFTpXp/SIEGE-shockwave03.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Sxz817d/SIEGE-shockwave04.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/S79GG6D/SIEGE-shockwave05.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/KWJkZhR/SIEGE-shockwave06.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/X2MwpKK/SIEGE-shockwave07.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/GCVgyqL/SIEGE-shockwave08.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/7VYZ5V3/SIEGE-shockwave09.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/dLYfcFk/SIEGE-shockwave10.jpg

Overall thoughts
* Core toy is fantastic
* Spaceship mode is actually really cool, and I initially thought nothing of it (I was expecting to not care about it at all)
* Spaceship mode can be inverted to approximate a gun mode, although the handle is way too small to be held
* Amazing light piping in both robot and spaceship modes
* Try-hard battle damage is minimal and not too visually intrusive
* There are shared engineering features with MP Laserwave, particularly with how the gun barrel is connected by an articulated arm
* This is basically a Voyager sized toy that comes with its own 1st Party add-on kit. Objectively speaking it's not really worth full Leader RRP but definitely worth it if you can get it at below RRP (say for about $70~80 or less)

Price aside, just a really nice figure
https://i.ibb.co/PZhM4ZB/jaam-yum.jpg
But in answer to the poll question in terms of being worth buying, I'm gonna have to say Only if below RRP.

I’m really looking forward to Skyread, Cog and Six-Gun from Siege as I don’t have Generations versions of them, but despite having several versions already I’m really looking forward to this Shockwave. I’ve been in love with that altmode since I first laid eyes on it. In some ways I reckon it should be his new standard altmode for the future, like how Megatron is now often portrayed as a tank.

It is cool you can still do a giant gun mode though, hadn’t seen that in any other pictorials of the toy.

I voted only if cheap as Shockwave's size dulled my initial enthusiasm. As you've mentioned he's a Voyager Class figure with add ons, rather than what I consider to be a traditional Leader Class sized toy.


https://i.imgur.com/clOiB01.jpg

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

:(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinnertwin

As you've mentioned he's a Voyager Class figure with add ons, rather than what I consider to be a traditional Leader Class sized toy.

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Totally fair assessment. :)

Price aside for just a moment, I find that as Voyagers Shockwave is better than Megatron. The inability for Megatron's head to lock into position is inexcusably bad and I find the tank mode to be... okay but not great. Actually that basically describes Siege Megatron -- he's okay but not great. Shockwave is an excellent "Voyager" whereas Megatron is just alright.

But yeah, if you can find Shockwave for say $80ish or cheaper then I think it's worth it. Cos that breaks down to about $50 for the core figure and $30 for the add-ons. Or however much you would otherwise pay for an add-on kit (say hypothetically Shockers were released just as a Voyager and the add-ons were an unlicensed third party set) - add that price to $50 and that should give you an idea of how much you should pay for this toy. I highly doubt that an add-on kit like this would cost fifty dollary-doos. ;)

https://i.ibb.co/rsMBn2Q/SIEGE-shockwave11.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/phNTNby/SIEGE-shockwave12.jpg

Wow. What an excellent toy. I understand some people's misgivings with the whole size/price thing but the overall design makes up for it.

The core robot and the 'submarine' mode are great as it is, a sweet update of the G1 figure with enough modern design ideas to keep it interesting, but the extra parts add a lot to it too.

The large battlecruiser is badass, and the customisation options are great; there's a stack of different ways to attach the parts to make different styles of large 'battlecruisers'.

I'm not a super-huge fan of Shockwave's 'exosuit', it's nowhere near as well implemented as Ultra Magnus' super-suit, but I really like his drone/hoverboard. It seems really odd that it's featured on the box, but not in the instructions. In my own mind, I can imagine the drone following Shockwave through dangerous terrain, silently watching over him while he does 'Shockwavey-sciency' stuff. It looks really mean, despite being a little hollow.

This guy is a definite must-buy IMHO.

I love the molded detail on this figure, I recently got him and the dark purple glossy plastic with all that panel detail just looks so good in hand. He also has little to no battle damage which is also another positive.

The other nifty thing with this guy is that his large battlecruiser mode is very customisable. I've currently got him in a "General Grievous Belbullab-22" config and it looks nasty. It's a simple play-pattern, but he's a great figure for mucking around with.

What an awesome TF. The bulked up robot mode reminds of a Hindu deity because there are few TFs that have four arms. By the way, his foot cannons look better attached to his outer arms.

The alt. mode is really where the action's at. When in full battle mode this battle cruiser looks very good alongside the FOC Shockwave. Furthermore it wouldn't be out of place in the Star Blazers cartoons (remember the wave motion gun?).

Picked this up the other day and I love it. Probably the best 'scifi capital ship' Transformer since Galaxy Force Vector Prime.

He is quite the handsome figure colourwise and on point sculpted detail. The light piping as others have mentioned is spectacular.

I can't believe I'm saying this but with all the gorgeous transparent parts on him I kind of wish he had some light up features or dare I say even: a sound box :eek:

Loving the base figure.

I have no real attachment to the extra bits, however I appreciate the idea to keep him in scale but still give value for money.

Any instructions anywhere on how to make his surfboard?

Being Voyager sized with extra parts, it scales well with Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave. The light piping is a welcome feature. The box is nicely designed. As great as the figure looks, I only bought it at a discounted price and not the $89.99 RRP.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KELPIE

Any instructions anywhere on how to make his surfboard?

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Instructions for surfboard mode: https://youtu.be/yrMxzBsCGH0?t=481

In surfboard mode, the engine pod connectors on my copy seem very loose. Is this a common issue?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kovert

In surfboard mode, the engine pod connectors on my copy seem very loose. Is this a common issue?

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Yes, I have the same. It's okay in spaceship mode because of the extra tabs to keep it aligned, but surfboard mode is very loose. I should try and get some varnish onto it some day to see if it can be tighter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Butcher31

Yes, I have the same. It's okay in spaceship mode because of the extra tabs to keep it aligned, but surfboard mode is very loose. I should try and get some varnish onto it some day to see if it can be tighter.

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I exchanged Shockwave today and managed to get the last one in the store. Unfortunately, the connector on the left engine pod is still loose. And the elbows are loose too. Oh well, it's only a toy that retails for $89.99. :)

Thanks to Myer's clearance of this guy at $50, I finally grabbed Shockwave. The sled thingamajig will go into storage. I care nothing for it or the add on kit options.

That said, for $50, the base figure is worth it and I paid voyager price for a nicely detailed Shockwave that turns into a laser gun. Sure it moonlights as a submarine or whatever, but that's just a bonus. Very happy with Shockwave as a voyager!

I passed up Shockwave initially as I was disappointed there was no adequate gun mode, but then I came across a method. So I bought him when I was in Singapore at Robo Robo, which has lots of out of print items. Glad I did as this gun mode is pretty good, considering we'll probably never get a G1 laser gun. The green tube is a plastic straw to allow connecting the hose to the top instead of the side 5mm port. Bonus is that this method uses nearly all the accessories. The spaceship cockpit makes for a nice trigger.

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