Toy Review - Siege Shockwave

[GoktimusPrime]

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

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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

But in answer to the poll question in terms of being worth buying, I'm gonna have to say Only if below RRP.

[BigTransformerTrev]

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.

[Sinnertwin]

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.

[GoktimusPrime]

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.

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.

[GoktimusPrime]

[Sutton]

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.