In what way do you feel they were over-simplified Griffin? I don't think it can be articulation, because from what I've seen of Optimus and having this one, the articulation is good. The sculpt-work is also top-notch on Predaking (but most of the prior versions also had good detail work), so is it the transformation you felt let down by? Personally I'm not convinced complex transformations are necessarily a good thing, so that might be why I'm more satisfied with this toy than you are.