Toy Review - Age of Extinction Grimlock (Voyager)

[GoktimusPrime]

More pics:

Medium shot of head/torso


Grimlock's gap-tastic dino mode


Transformation

[Mythirax]

Grimlock's gap-tastic dino mode

Unless you did it deliberately, the panel above his robot-mode head is not pushed in all the way in your photo. Making him very gappy.

First photo has how it's meant to be. The second photo I think looks much better, holding Grimlock's arms up higher. To make the body look more solid and rounded.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I think I hadn't locked those tabs in when I took that photo (I was mucking around w/ this toy in the car while waiting for the wife to finish her shopping ); I locked it in later but was ceebs to take another shot. It still leaves a gap though (as can be seen in your pics), just not as big. But that panel certainly doesn't sit flush. And while I can see the merit in your modified transformation of Grimlock, as you rightfully pointed out, the official transformation has the chest panels swung down which exposes robot kibble from the sides, although your config would reveal more robot kibble from front on.

[Mythirax]

Yeah, I think I hadn't locked those tabs in when I took that photo (I was mucking around w/ this toy in the car while waiting for the wife to finish her shopping ); I locked it in later but was ceebs to take another shot. It still leaves a gap though (as can be seen in your pics), just not as big. But that panel certainly doesn't sit flush. And while I can see the merit in your modified transformation of Grimlock, as you rightfully pointed out, the official transformation has the chest panels swung down which exposes robot kibble from the sides, although your config would reveal more robot kibble from front on.

Yeah, sadly some cracks and gaps still stay. But the same amount of robot kibble seems to display in either modes it seems. You can see in my previous post a more front on version with the arms like that. As for official transformation, I hate how so many images and instructions seem mistransformed now-a-days - I like the takara version better with the black arms, the colors seems to blend better in my opinion

[Zommael]

I have to say, I'm with Mythirax all the way on this one. To me, the leader looks like a bigger, less well-proportioned, more chrometacular version of the Voyager in both modes. I can't justify paying twice the price for a toy that looks less good and has a more complex transformation.

On the other hand, the voyager feels like a pretty solid figure despite the breakage I experienced the first time I transformed him. I know that should make me judge the toy worse, but I just can't. I like his transformation, it's for the most part intuitive, fun, and different from other Transformers with similar alt modes (I still insist he's a carnotaurus rather than a T-rex, but that's just me).

The colours are good. I particularly like the "tiger stripe" like pattern on the back. The blue eyes don't bother me, and I've noticed they match the rest of the dinobots released so far in shade. I wish Hasbro could have slapped some more silver paint on the robot legs, as there's a good amount of their signature grey in there, but oh well. Part of the reason I'm so hot on the colours might be because they're the same as those of my favourite soccer team, but at the same time, I do feel they fit and the gold looks good.

I wasn't at first sold on the weapon, until I realised the hollow head is designed to accommodate the tail attachment. However, I wasn't sold on that particular formation, either, until I'd looked at it a bit. I removed the handle which meant his tail ends in a wicked looking spiked mace rather than the thin shaft. I can see the shaft portion forming part of the tail, but for me, it doesn't look as good as the tail does without the weapon or with just the head attached. I'm not sure at all, but it looks to me like the shaft portion might once have been meant to attach to the underside of the dinosaur, but the feature was scrapped. That is pure speculation, though.

My preference is for Mythirax's alternate transformation, but either one does leave a noticeable gap. To some extent, I'm fine with that: he's a mechanical dinosaur, after all, and the parts aren't completely identifiable as robot parts.

In robot mode, I feel he has a more well-proportioned, powerful look than the leader version. He is still a fairly lean robot, but also more solid looking to me than the other version. I'm a fan of the headsculpt too.

But more than anything else, to me, despite the alterations that are always made for the movies and the obvious difference to the G1 toy, this toy feels like Grimlock. He has the ferocity, the power, and the vicious look of the character. I for one find this to be a worthy version of the character.

[Raptormesh]

I'm loving this cute thing (such a stark contrast to the post above :P). My gf calls him koinu-chan. But seriously I love the bot mode despite the legs-on-arms issue, I just wished they gave him a sword instead of that oversized popsicle.

Sure the transformation is simple but hey it works in both modes for me - cute dino, powerful and menacing looking bot.

[Defcon]

I voted only if something else, but I'd also would of liked to of voted only if cheap I'm just going to wait for a while until they release him in a new novelty version. So I'll just sit back and wait and see. How about a Firerock version complete with flaming weapon