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Thread: Transformers WFC Siege Starscream video Review

  1. #21
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    The issue with the chest popping off, I'd rather that, than it shearing off. It's a deliberate engineering choice.

  2. #22
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    So I got Screamer yesterday and I'm pretty stoked with him. Transformation is not too difficult, he's a shellformer done right as Dr Lockdown said. Articulation is good but pretty much what you'd expect except for the feet. I'm impressed there are 4 different points of articulation in the feet which makes posing a breeze! This is also the first Siege figure I've owned where the battle damage hasn't annoyed me, I like that it's fairly consistent all over unlike some other figures in the line. I also appreciate that the backs of the legs have a springloaded panel that pops out so they aren't hollow when in bot mode. Overall the engineering that has gone into this is impressive considering it's both a fairly toon accurate tetra jet and bot mode at a voyager price point. I don't expect perfection here, but what we have definitely does a good job.

    My only major criticism of this guy is that darn chest panel! Unfortunately, when you swing it out for transformation it will inevitably keep popping off until it's properly locked into place again, so I just remove it until I'm done with the transformation. Otherwise, I'm happy with this guy and would recommend despite the chest.


    Looking to buy lucky draw Armada Prime and Diaclone Marlboor Wheeljack.

  3. #23
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    I agree with Tha_Phantom, I actually the designer(s) did a pretty good job with this all thing considered. A tetrajet that doesn't shell form is pretty unrealistic on a retail Voyager budget.

    Here's my quick review:

    TETRAJET MODE:









    A pretty good attempt at the MTMTE Tetrajet design. IMHO it's quite realistic to have this design turn into the G1 toon Starscream without resorting to shell-forming, on a Hasbro retail budget anyway. The legs underneath is not ideal, but considering the robot mass the shell needs to conceal, I suspect it's either this, or a larger jet shell which will no doubt result in an excessive backpack in 'bot mode (I think the backpack as is is perfect). So again, I can look pass it. You gotta be realistic when looking at design compromises.

    I've always loved the Cybertronian designs from the 80s which now have a retro-futuristic charm to them. This jet mode is quite clean and everything fits solidly together with multiple interlocking tabs. Love the transparent plastic cockpit here and the battle damage looks decent on the jet. The tri-nozzle on the back is cool and I don't mind the the bot mode chest on the back; the chest "turbo" design looks like extra boosters. The weathering paint apps look decent too.

    TRANSFORMATION:
    The engineering is simple and efficient. I really like how the jet nose becomes the 'bot mode "intakes". It's like the designer's way to explain why the 'bot modes look the same when transformers were back on Cybertronn, with their earth alt mode kibble. Maybe I got lucky with the tolerances on the hinge piece, but I've had no problem at all with the chest panel. You just gotta find the right spots to apply force, and untab both sides simultaneously with both of your hands holding the hinge firmly, to avoid having leverage on one side only and pop the chest piece off the hinge. The back of the legs are spring loaded to fill the gap in bot mode. I do very appreciate this kind of feature that shows they do make effort to please us collectors.

    'BOT MODE:





    I absolutely this 'bot mode. Overall he can pass as "cartoon accurate", and upon close look he has that blended CHUG aesthetic going on, especially all the mechanical details and certain design element like the chest turbos remind me of the first Classics Screamer. The head sculpt has a little bit of Armada Starscream. I wish it was leaning more towards the G1 'toon look, but objectively this is a fantastic head sculpt, per TT's high standards. Overall he's solid and a joy to handle. The designer did great minimizing the backpack imho, which goes back to my point earlier, could be much worse.







    The articulation is fantastic and probably one of the best in any retail size class, like ever. Decent head ball joint range, shoulder butterfly joints (for transformation, but they're effective for a decent crossing arm pose which I forgot to take photo of...), double jointed elbow, wrist swivel and a bit of rotation due to transformation, a very deep knee bend, ankle tilt and a DEDICATED forward and back rotation! I didn't get my flight stand out but I imagine he can pull off some really cool poses on stand.

    This is my first experience with the Siege line and if I remember correctly the designers did say they deliberately avoided using ball joints, which I really appreciate. All the joints here are smooth to handle with excellent tolerances.


    Overall, this is a great figure imho. The fact that the chest panel didn't pop off on me at all probably helped too. Fun to handle, looks great in both modes, and insanely articulated: a great representation of modern TF figure.

  4. #24
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    Although the bot mode is spectacular, the shellforminess was worrying me. But in hand, this guy absolutely won me over. I feel like they probably could have tweaked the shell a little and hidden or de-emphasised the folded up robot underneath slightly more, but hey... Cybertronian mode, no rules I guess. It sure as heck works better on a "tetrajet" than it does on an Aerialbot.

    The chest panel is a huge fail though. Not least because okay fine it's a weird alien plane and it can do whatever it wants, but why does in have a fake cockpit under its butt?

    So, trying to figure out whether I can be bothered to pin it myself. Looks easy enough but am I competent enough to get it right...?

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by doublespy View Post
    I really like how the jet nose becomes the 'bot mode "intakes". It's like the designer's way to explain why the 'bot modes look the same when transformers were back on Cybertronn, with their earth alt mode kibble.
    Ah thank you, this is another point I wanted to make but couldn't articulate it properly.

    Also, for those wanting to mod the chest, Peaugh did a quick tutorial. Not sure I will end up doing it though, but if anyone does please post your results.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr07cWSegmE
    Looking to buy lucky draw Armada Prime and Diaclone Marlboor Wheeljack.

  6. #26
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    Speaking of chest hinges, TFW reports that later production runs include a pin securing his chest in place during transformations.

  7. #27
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    I needed a TF fix so I picked up this guy. He is pretty cool as everyone has eluded to.



    It appears very few of the recent design shortcuts have ended up in SIEGE figures. I like the rich paint, great articulation, joints that can be tightened, and only legit 1 pop-off joint. He is not hollow (despite places he could've been) and uses no stickers.


    I dislike the super boxy chest and think the thrustors could have been implemented better but overall this figure is a solid WIN.



    Including the battle effects, and all positive points above, this entire line looks great for user created content/stories online. This is something the big brands really need to keep in touch with and I would guess Hasbro (hello Botbots) is certainly aiming for this to happen with the SIEGE line.
    Last edited by Deonasis; 25th March 2019 at 07:34 AM.
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  8. #28
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    Personally not my thing as I'm happy enough with my FOC Starscream, but I must admit that it's a pretty nice toy. The chest is annoying and reminds me of Studio Series 01 Bumblebee's roof or POTP Cutthroat's beast head -- it's inexcusably bad but not a dealbreaker. And the chest stays on fine in both robot and jet modes, it's only during transformation that it comes off ridiculously easily.

    It's got a lot of really neat details in it including nods to the G1 design such as fake folded up F-15-like horizontal stabilisers! And the way that the nosecone transforms into the shoulder pylons is quite clever. The nosecone is broader than the cartoon mode, I reckon for child safety reasons (cos the alternative would be to have a rubbery nosecone, but then it'd be problematic to split and close up tightly). The interesting result of this is, and this is something I've never noticed before with the G1 Tetrajet design ... but it's soooo typically 70s/80s! It draws heavily from fighters like the Colonial Viper from Battlestar Galactica and the X-Wing fighter from Star Wars. And I'm sure that this is not a coincidence, but the blunter nosecone really accentuates this moreso than the pointy nosecone from the cartoon model.

  9. #29
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    Got this guy in the Target sale today so I able to make some kind of MTMTE diorama down the line with the eventual Bee and Wheeljack.

    I’m mainly in it for the alt mode, which does look a lot better in person. It’s only a shellformer a little bit, as the wings honestly aren’t super duper thick and the cockpit formation is really clever, so he gets a pass.

    Robot looks fine, but nothing will ever surpass the Classics Seeker mould robot classics-wise which is my go to for all robot mode related seeker stuff. Very fun alt mode though which is what they needed to get right here.

    Really hoping Thundercracker, Skywarp and hopefully a rainmaker set fix the chest issue, as he would be above average without the problem.
    Seeking the Following:
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  10. #30
    KELPIE is offline Rank 6 - Dedicated Member
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    Just opened this guy.

    Like everyone else I was surprised by the intakes folding down to form the nose. That was cleaver and made me happy.

    The bot is really poseable and both modes are sturdy. I really like him in hand in both modes way more than I thought I would.

    I've gone now from only intending on getting Skywarp, to likely getting the main three seekers and then seeing what happens from there.

    My only gripe, and I'm sure I'm the only one, is that he's a little to big. I don't think he needs to be this scale... in fact, I think this class is dumb. But that's just me.

    Sorry Gok, I think he's way better than FoC Screamer.

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