Toy Review - Generations FOC Grimlock

[griffin]

(Please post photos, comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details to start you off)

Series - Generations
Sub-line - Fall of Cybertron
Size/class - Voyager
Wave - 2
New/remould/redeco - New
Released here - not here yet (released globally December 2012)
Approximate Retail Price - $40-50 (US$20-25 in America)
Approximate Size - 18cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Dinosaur
Main Features/Gimmicks - light-up eyes and mouth, chomping jaws.
Main Colours - Grey, "gold", orange.
Main Accessories - Sword, shield.

NOTE - the original official image is below. The actual Hasbro toy does not have that metallic shine to it. If official photos of the actual toy is released, it will be added here.

[5FDP]

Watched the Kapow! Toys video review last night and now know why most of the promo images are of Grimlock side-on when in dino mode - he looks hollow underneath. I know this is for his transformation to bot mode (the dino head tucks away) but it looks ugly. Also, the transformation seems far too simple for a Voyager toy, a sacrifice made for most toys that require batteries. I may change my opinion of him if I saw one IRL, however for me it's an easy pass.

[Bidoofdude]

Watched the Kapow! Toys video review last night and now know why most of the promo images are of Grimlock side-on when in dino mode - he looks hollow underneath. I know this is for his transformation to bot mode (the dino head tucks away) but it looks ugly. Also, the transformation seems far too simple for a Voyager toy, a sacrifice made for most toys that require batteries. I may change my opinion of him if I saw one IRL, however for me it's an easy pass.

It's quite a shame with the hollowness and again, as you said, the batteries are a sacrifice. I would have been more excited if there was some sort of gold (same shade) that could click in when in dino mode, but maybe a third party company can do that?
I'll still get this regardless as I love Grimlock.
I think it would have been slightly better if they went with the game transformation. i.e. Legs are bulkier and go together to form head (feet are jaws) and tail is more game-like (would have to be shorter) and just goes on the back, instead of going into the torso and not folding into it.
This would have to be sacrificed for the chest glowing in robot mode, as batteries would most likely have had to be put in the legs.
I would be much happier if it went like that.
Just my 2c, for y'all.

[ILikeSoundwave]

Mine should be arriving next week along with Kickback!

[Iriorne]

I think it would have been slightly better if they went with the game transformation.

I thought the game transformation was pretty close to this toy (and the G1 toy, too)? Robot arms --> T-rex feet, robot legs --> tail, T-rex head magically appears out of the chest... in that respect, perhaps the hollow chest is game accurate?

I found this video which has some good background on the FoC Grimlock animation. I noticed that many of the transformation animations in the game were "cheats" - just involving parts shrinking into/expanding out of other parts. Grimlock seems no different, particularly the head/neck and tail which seem to pop out of the body and legs.

I actually miss Grimlock's dino-neck shoulder pauldrons/wings. I assume they were just a design compromise on the original G1 toy, but they helped bulk him up and gave him a cool silhouette.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I actually miss Grimlock's dino-neck shoulder pauldrons/wings. I assume they were just a design compromise on the original G1 toy, but they helped bulk him up and gave him a cool silhouette.

That's true, but considering his size, I suspect they may have been left off as they would have obstructed the player's view of the game more than it needed to be.

[VERT]

Got him just then. Have had a look and a transform. He is simple but the bot mode is a good size and he does look very cool. I may add a little paint to him though.

[Jim_jim]

I think I will skip this one and wait for the Jap version, so as Blaster.

[klystron]

I'm a little underwhelmed with this version of Grimlock. Why can we not get a good modern remake of this character? Classics? ...good alt, poor robot. Animated? ...not bad, but missing a dinosaur chest. FOC? ...good robot, but missing half the T-Rex.
In order to have the light gimmick work in bot mode, the dinosaur is missing its underside. Its just completely not there. It looks terrible from most angles; all hollow and thin. Probably acceptable as a deluxe, but not as a voyager.
Some fold out panels could have been included in rear of the robot chest cavity, to fill out the Dino underside. Would've prevented some bot lighting & maybe meant the Dino head would have protruded a little further out from the robot back, hey, that would've just made it more G1-ish.
T-Rex arms pop off quite easily too.
Robot mode is the stronger of the two, and what I will be displaying him in (which is a shame for a Grimlock figure - the dinosaur is/should be the main mode). Looks beefy and well represents the character. Nice articulation as well. Can get some nice poses with his two cool accessories (awesome sword!). I'm not loving the head sculpt tho.
This is my first non-Combaticon FOC figure, and I must admit the plastic does not feel great either. Still has that cheap feel like the Bruticus bots.

I would recommend him only if you really love the character (I do!) or the FOC toys/game. Or are a completist. Or really love transformers...

For me, this should have been a deluxe with no gimmick. Would fit better with other figures too. (Unless grimmy really is that much bigger than OP in the game; I dunno, I've not played it).

[M-bot]

Really underwhelmed by this figure. He's a reasonable size, but the mould is ordinary. In dino-mode, he has virtually no underside at all, almost as if someone removed the head, back and tail from the actual figure and stood it up by itself. He'll be in robot mode forever in my collection I think.

He has very limited posability in either mode - his legs are virtually completely stiff in robot mode, which also means the tail in dino-mode is also stiff. If transformed as per the instructions, his dino-legs (which are fine as arms in robot mode) are only moveable at the knee.

I don't mind the silvery-grey, but the 'gold' pieces are just a horrible flat yellow-brown. It's a terrible colour. If you haven't bought this one yet, this particular criticism may be made moot by buying the Takara release, which I'm guessing will be better in this regard.

On the plus side, his weapons are beautiful. Gorgeous colours, including a nice gunmetal grey.