Toy Review - Laser Optimus Prime (Legacy)

[Handsprime]

(G2 Universe) Laser Optimus Prime
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - New, with leg parts shared from Earthrise/Kingdom Optimus
Wave - 1
Released here - Not Yet
Approximate Retail Price - AU $80 - 110
Approximate Size - 17 cm (head to feet)
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Truck cab
Main Features/Gimmicks -
Main Colours - Red, blue, grey, black, silver
Main Accessories - Energon sword, Energon axe, Matrix of Leadership, blaster, repair bay, trailer

Robot Mode

Laser Optimus is yet another Optimus Prime figure, but this time based off his G2 design. His bands are sculpted to be open, but unlike Earthrise Prime don't actually move. He comes with a sword and a shield which could be combined to form a bigger sword, but I usually just keep the regular sword on my figure. He also has the Matrix of Leadership inside of him, which previous Laser Optimus toys didn't (TF2010 had one, but it wasn't removeable). One thing I forgot to photograph is that his trailer blaster is removeable and can be used as a gun, but honestly it doesn't look as good as the original blaster. If you have a spare blaster (I recommend the one from Titans Return), you can use that instead, or any targetmaster/battlemaster if you wish.

One of the biggest differences between this toy, and any of the other toys based off his G2 design, is that his shoulder pylons can now open and show missle pods, which means they finally have a purpose now (even if they don't actually do anything)

Articulation wise, he's pretty much at the standard of CHUG figures (waist, hands, feet, etc.), but the shoulders do get in the way since well, they aren't actually on his shoulders. He can still move quite freely, but I don't think he'll have a good time looking to his left or right (they can be moved down, but they do look a bit awkward)

Compared to the original toy (I don't have a G2 laser optimus prime, so RID scourge will have to do instead), he feels more modern than the original figure (which was quite ahead of its time when it first came out). I find him to be the best looking toy based off the G2 design by far (TF2010 was too realistic looking and had doors on his arms, while Titans Return was just Octane if he was Optimus.

Trailer

For the first time since the original G2 toy, we have gotten a new toy based off the G2 design that comes with a trailer (Titans Return doesn't count since that was part of the robot) and it's, okay. While I do like the repair bay, and the blaster on top is clearly paying homage to the original figure's trailer, there isn't really a lot going on here. You can store his sword and shield, and that's pretty much everything else. While Earthrise's trailer was bare bones, at least with that the trailer didn't really have much going on in the first place (sure in Earthrise Roller had to come with a weapons pack, but still), where the G2 toy had a lot more going on, which rocket launchers, disc shooter, and even a missile. While I get that with how the toys have changed so they don't shoot projectiles anymore, it would've been cool if the trailer had some additional weapons that could be attached to give it more firepower (maybe in a future weapons pack they'll do that).
To give you an idea what I meant, here's the Legacy Trailer, with the Scourge's trailer:


Alt Mode

OK the review is starting to sound negative so I'll add some postives. The truck mode looks quite nice. While it doesn't have the infamous artwork of Optimus burning down a forest, I don't mind since it makes this figure look more realistic anyway (or at least not over-the top). The transformation is more complex than the original toy (obviously).

Compared to the original, he is smaller, and not as realistic of a truck. But considering how cartoony the original's robot mode is, it doesn't do a bad job of updating the figure.
Also as a bonus, he here is compared to Earthrise Optimus:


Overall thoughts
While there are a few issues I have with the toy, they are mostly his shoulders and the trailer being a bit lackluster, but outside of that he is a fantastic figure, who is defintely a better figure than the previous versions of the G2 design.