Some very good items were purchased in August of 2017.

• Optimus Prime Autobot Legacy 2-Pack (Amazon Exclusive), amazon.com, $29.99

• The Last Knight Hound, Walmart, $26.86

• ToyWorld Assault, Combuster, Requiem, tfsource.com, $159.99

Optimus Prime and Orion Pax

I’m not sure what is the official name of this 2-Pack. This Amazon exclusive is officially listed on their website as Optimus Prime Autobot Legacy 2-Pack. I have seen it listed elsewhere as the Optimus Prime Evolution Pack. There is also the name of Transformers Tribute written on the upper left corner of the box. And I’m not sure if this falls under Titans Return, Power of the Primes, or something else. But whatever it’s called, it’s a good 2-Pack to have.

Both figures in the set are repaints. As of this writing, I have not opened the set. The Optimus Prime figure is a repaint of War For Cybertron Optimus Prime. I see some minor paint app differences between this release and the WFC figure, and I’m gonna assume everything else is the same. Do not underestimate the complexity of this deluxe figure. If I am to compile a top 10 most difficult Transformers list today, this figure would easily make the list. The Orion Pax figure is a repaint of Titans Return Kup. This is an excellent mold to be re-used as Orion Pax.

Buy this set if you don’t have either of the figures used as the base for the repaint. But even if you do, this set is still worth getting. There has not been that many Orion Pax figures made. Not counting this one, I only recall two others. One in Generations Thrilling 30, and another as the base figure in the Leader Class Evolution Optimus Prime that will be released in the Power of the Primes line. This 2-Pack adds another Orion Pax to your collection and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Hound

This is my second figure from The Last Knight. TLK gave us another excellent Hound figure, after the superb Hound we got from Age of Extinction.

The figure comes packed in robot mode. In this mode, he’s a bit stocky, but that may more accurately reflect his movie proportions. Arm articulation is decent, but there’s not that much going on in the head, chest, or legs. The front wheels of the vehicle mode transforms into the feet. This makes standing the figure somewhat challenging. Not impossible, but you will have to balance Hound just right if you want to get him into any kind of action pose.

He comes with five pieces of weapons: 2 pistols, 2 heavy rifles, and 1 weapons connector type thing. There are many ways to assemble and configure this assortment.

Transformation of TLK Hound is where this figure truly shines. The overall transformation mechanism is one of the most unique I have seen in some time. I mentioned that the feet becomes the front wheels, but worth mentioning are other engineering feats besides the feet (pun intended). The legs collapse in an impressive way too complicated to explain in words. The arms are placed bent in alt mode and it works. The entire package is well constructed. When done right, the alt mode feels like a cohesive whole.

TLK Hound looks a bit different from AoE Hound in alt mode. I don’t know if either is movie accurate, and I won’t bother looking into it because both movies pretty much suck. AoE Hound is more of a van, while TLK Hound is more of a pick-up truck with a scary big missile launcher attached on top of the bed. TLK Hound is in a lighter shade of green, which seems a bit more movie accurate as far as I know.

TLK Hound appears below with other TLK figs Barricade, Drift, and Bumblebee.

Overall, I like TLK Hound. The transformation is unique, and the alt mode comes together well. TLK Hound doesn’t sport as many weapons as his AoE counterpart, but what’s there is more than sufficient.

I should note that the Japanese version of this figure comes with a riot shield. And I’m guessing the shield goes over the bed of the truck in alt mode. But since I don’t have that version, I’m not able to say if that significantly enhances TLK Hound in any way.

Some will inevitably ask which is the better Hound. In my opinion, AoE Hound is superior. AoE Hound is sleeker looking, has more weapons, and a robot mode that is easier to stand on. But these two figures are different enough that comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. If you like movie figures, get them both.

Requiem, Assault, and Combuster

Every once in a while, you find a deal so awesome that you immediately jump on it’s purchase. That was the case with this set of Masterpiece style Conehead Seekers from ToyWorld. They usually retail for a bit over $100 each. So at $159.99 for the set of 3, I wasted no time clicking on that “Buy” button and made sure this online transaction entered the vendor’s system. This was a Labor Day sale. It didn’t take long before this set sold out at this amazing price.

I have documented my long and utter disappointment with the official MP Conehead Seekers, back in this post. So I won’t rant again here. The only thing worth repeating is that they suck, and no self-respecting TransFan should spend any of their hard earned money on such garbage. I have since sold MP Ramjet, and have been looking for 3rd party substitutes for the Coneheads. Thus I’ve had my eye on this set for some time now. Seeing this spectacular deal, I acted with haste.

My fellow TransFans, this is the set of MP Coneheads that you should have in your Decepticon forces. TW gave us a completely new design on MP Coneheads that has far surpassed all my expectations. I touched a bit on the sheer brilliance of these figures in this post about Decepticon air superiority, but some of that is worth repeating here. But before that, let’s take a look at the jet mode, which is what the figures come packed in.

ToyWorld Requiem (Dirge) in his beautiful jet mode.

ToyWorld Assault (Thrust) in his beautiful jet mode.

No scale issues with official MPs in jet mode.

Assault and Combuster in jet mode.

Now let’s look at the robot mode.

All 3 look excellent in robot mode. Nice and slender build, unlike the fat bulky MP Coneheads.

Each figure comes with 2 black display panels that can connect both vertically and horizontally. In these pics I am using all 6. They are also used in the pic above for Hound and the other cars.

In robot mode, the TW Coneheads are quite a bit taller than official MPs.

The TW Coneheads really deserve a review in a separate post, but I’m gonna give some quick thoughts here:

• Both modes look good – no complaints from me as far as the appearance of both jet and robot modes; see the pics for yourself
• Amazing build and construction – nice and tight joints, no quality issues here like the MP Seekers
• Great materials used – these figures feel solid and heft, and by comparison the MP Seekers feel cheap and sloppy
• Excellent design and engineering – an intuitive and enjoyable transformation that is many times superior to official MPs
• Each figure comes with 2 black display panels – TW didn’t have to include this but it’s a great addition
• Front landing gear of each jet and be hard to get out, but that’s a minor complaint
• Requiem (Dirge) and Combuster (Ramjet) come with firing missiles – and they FIRE! Careful not to lose them, they shoot pretty far
• Cockpits open in jet mode
• No scale issues in jet mode with official MPs
• In robot mode, TW Coneheads don’t scale so well; they are a tad taller than official MPs, which may be a turn off for some (see above pic)
• When you have all three and assemble the boxes, they form a nice big image

There is much more I should mention about this set, but I’ll reserve that for my review. I give the TW Coneheads the highest possible recommendation, and that’s the bottom line. If you are looking for Masterpiece style Coneheads for your collection, look no further.

Transform and Roll Out.
 

I have a lot of Transformers. Probably too many by most conventional standards. Space becomes an issue, as I have mentioned repeatedly on this blog. However, there’s another issue, and it’s that you simply don’t have time for all of them. Back in G1, I didn’t get TFs all that often. So I gave every single TF the time it deserved. All my G1 figures were transformed over and over and over. Some of them to the point of having extremely loose joints, while others became straight up broken.

Nowadays, if I transform a figure more than 4 times, I would say I transformed that figure a lot. It’s not that I’m trying to keep the figure mint or anything. I just don’t have the time, and I have too many TFs. Maybe I just need to slow down on buying them. But I enjoy TF hunting too much.

Most figures I will transform at least twice before it gets put in a box somewhere. However, I do have some figures where I only transformed them once. Meaning if they were packed in alt mode, I would transform it to robot, and it stays that way, never even going back to alt mode. Or vice versa. Below is a list of 10 TFs where this has happened. But first some ground rules about my selections:

• The figure must exist on My TF List.
• I must have opened the figure; figures that I purposely keep new do not count.
• I must have owned the figure for more than a year.

So based on these rules, what are my least transformed TFs? Let’s find out. All pics courtesy of Seibertron.com.

 
Highbrow
Series: Hunt for the Decepticons
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Voyager
Highbrow is one of my favorite figures from HftD. I really like the old WWII plane alt mode that he has. Not too many figures in the world of TF has such an alt mode. I documented his purchase back in this post. That was about 2 years ago, so I can now confirm that I have only ever seen this figure once in store. And I hunt a lot. Highbrow is a rare figure indeed. Anyway, I transformed this guy from robot to plane, and it has stayed that way since for about 2 years. Maybe it’s because I like the plane so much better than the robot for this figure. And here’s another funny thing: I did the exact same thing for his redeco, Powerdive. Got him from robot to plane, and he stayed that way on my shelf for about 3 months now. I’m not counting Powerdive as a entry here since I only had him for about 3 months. Both Highbrow and Powerdive are great figures, so I’m hoping I can make some time to transform either one back to robot real soon.

 
Blurr
Series: Animated
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Car
Class: Deluxe
Back in this post I outlined my foray into the world of TF Animated. I admit, I did not at all like the Animated look when I first saw the toys. But eventually it kinda grows on you. Anyway, I bought a bunch of used figures from a guy on Craigslist for $80. Blurr was one of them. Almost all the figures in the set was in robot mode when I received them. I have transformed Blurr once to car, but that was it. As I write this, I don’t even have that much recollection of the toy. I just remember the robot being real skinny, transforming him once to a sleek and sexy car, then putting him away. All this happened in a blur (pun intended). But I do remember him being a decent figure, so I might dig him out later and transform him some more.

 
Snarl
Series: Animated
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Dinosaur
Class: Deluxe
Snarl was another Animated figure that came with the huge used purchase that I mentioned above for Blurr. And just like Blurr, I received him in robot mode. If I remember right, I got 15 figures total in the used set (a steal for a mere $80). Snarl was one of the figures that I transformed last. And I’m not sure why since I love the Dinobots. Maybe because Grimlock got all the Dinobot love, or maybe because deep down I’m resentful at the fact he’s called Snarl when he should’ve been called Slag. Whatever the reason, I remember I wasn’t all that impressed with the figure. I can’t give concrete reasons though. I just remember him being sub par. Anyway, he was transformed once from robot to dino. That is perhaps not enough time to make a proper evaluation of the figure. So I should maybe give him another chance and transform him again.

 
Ironhide
Series: Dark of the Moon
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Leader
Now for the only Leader class figure on this list. DOTM Leader Ironhide was a figure that I wanted for some time before I was able to locate him in store. When I started buying DOTM toys in the summer of 2011, I was on the lookout to get a Ironhide figure. I almost bought the Voyager version of Ironhide, but then I learned of the Leader class figure. Ironhide would agree that bigger is better, so I had to go Leader class. I transformed him once to truck when I got him, and for reasons that elude me, I never transformed him again. I can’t explain why. I think this is a very solid TF with a robust robot mode and a beefy truck mode, while not being overly difficult to transform for a Leader class fig in the Movie-verse. He’s got some nice gimmicks too. It’s possible I simply like that hefty truck too much, so I just left it like that. I can’t really see myself digging this out anytime soon to transform him either, so I guess he will stay as a truck to who knows when.

 
Sledge
Series: Power Core Combiners
Allegiance: Decepticon
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: N/A
Finally, a Decepticon on this list. I bought Sledge when I was still with my Ex. We were at Target, and of course I had to stop by the TF aisle. Sledge was quite rare at the time, I think I only saw him once before this trip. The Ex really liked the purple Mini-Con, since that’s one of her favorite colors. So I bought Sledge. This is one purchase I wish I could take back. As a general rule, PCCs are crap. My buddy Gemini and I call them Power Crap Combiners. There are exceptions (like Heavytread and Skyhammer), but Sledge is not one of them. He’s crappy for even PCC standards. I transformed him once from robot to excavator and never looked back. In all likelihood, I will never transform Sledge again, unless I have a real good reason. Even if you are forced to play with PCCs, there are better figures in that line to amuse yourself with.

 
Chopsaw
Series: Reveal the Shield
Allegiance: Decepticon
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Scout
Chopsaw is not a figure I would have normally bought. The only reason I even have him is because I really wanted RTS Scout Class Windcharger. All G1-ers will tell you that RTS Windcharger is an awesome figure that pays perfect homage to the G1 character of the same name. All CHUG fans wanted RTS Windcharger, but for the most part he was nowhere to be found in stores. He was made in extremely limited quantities, and Hasbro was having some serious distribution issues with RTS figures. For me, the only way to get him at MSRP was at BotCon 2011. Hasbro’s not stupid though. They made it so that Windcharger must be purchased in a set with 5 other figures. And it’s not like there’s a discount. That was one way for Hasbro to unload shelf-warmers at MSRP. Anyway, Chopsaw is one figure in that set. I outlined that purchase in this post. To be fair, Chopsaw is a nifty little figure. He’s got a wacky robot mode, but the motorcycle alt mode ain’t half bad. I could see myself play with this figure some more. Not a priority though.

 
Backfire
Series: Hunt for the Decepticons
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Scout
Here is another figure that I would not usually buy. Again, this is another fig as part of the set that was forced on you in order to acquire Windcharger. I’m not really a big fan of this figure. In fact, out of that set of 6, Backfire is by far the worst figure IMO. Some fans may like him, but not me. It has been speculated that this figure is an homage to Cy-Kill from the GoBots. Probably because of the motorcycle alt mode and the colors. They may be right, I dunno. I could maybe see a customizer turning this into Cy-Kill. But I know this: Backfire sucks. I transformed him once and I see no further pleasure from doing it again. Only play as a last resort.

 
Backfire
Series: Dark of the Moon
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Basic Human Alliance
Two Backfires on the same list?! Say it ain’t so! I guess with a name like Backfire, everything you do is destined to fail. But seriously, DOTM Backfire is not too shabby. I think he’s one of the better Basic Human Alliance figures. Well, technically, I don’t know if calling them Basic HA is accurate. Human Alliance figures only come in two sizes. They started out doing only larger ones, usually slightly bigger than a Voyager figure. Then they started doing these smaller ones that are somewhere between a Scout and Deluxe. Kinda like PCC size. Regardless, Backfire is one of the better smaller ones. My favorite Basic HA would probably be Sandstorm and Half-Track. If I were to pick a 2nd favorite, it probably be Backfire. I like his robot mode, and I really like his ATV alt mode. This alt mode comes together quite well, and the human figure can sit on him just fine. I went into HA figures in this post, and I just realized now I bought Backfire and some other smaller HAs after that. I could see myself digging out Backfire later and transforming him some more, if only to play with that ATV.

 
Elita-One
Series: Transformers (2007 Movie)
Allegiance: Autobot
Mode in Package: Motorcycle
Class: Scout
Here is the only female figure to appear on this list. When I was compiling this, I started looking at my TF list to find the figures that were barely transformed. I don’t know why, but all of a sudden it hit me, I have Elita-One from the 1st Movie! She was a Target exclusive. I guess I got her because I have never seen Hasbro make figures of Elita-One, and this is a character that only hardcore G1-ers like myself would recognize, so I had to have her. However as a toy, she must’ve been unmemorable. I say that because, prior to this post, I didn’t even have her on my TF List! So I had to add her to the list first before publishing this. I don’t have much recollection of the figure. She must be a repaint of something, I just don’t know what. In fact, on Seibertron, I see 8 redecos of this mold. I’ll reserve my thoughts about the figure after I dig her out and transform her some more, since what I can recall is hazy at best. But I do remember transforming her only once, from bike to robot. That in itself cannot be a good sign. Heck, the fact that I forgot to include her in the TF list is a really bad sign. But who knows, taste change. My taste in women have changed over the years, so maybe in female TFs too? LOL.

 
Soundwave
Series: Generations, War For Cybertron
Allegiance: Decepticon
Mode in Package: Robot
Class: Deluxe
I saved the best for last. Here is a figure I’m embarrassed to have on this list. Soundwave is one of my all time favorite characters. So why would I even have a figure of Soundwave where I only transformed him once? I can’t explain it. Sometimes you rarely transform a figure because they’re too difficult, or maybe one mode is significantly better than the other so you just leave them in that mode, or its such a crappy figure that you don’t want to transform it anymore. WFC Deluxe Soundwave shares none of these faults. I’m guessing this figure must have been released when many other figures flooded the shelves, or he simply came around at a time in my life when there was too much going on. But whatever the reason, I need to dig out Soundwave and transform him some more. I remember transforming him only once, from robot to car. If memory serves, I was impressed with both modes. Now would be a good time to compare this figure with the Voyager figure from FOC. I think they each got their strengths, but I’ll know after I have them stand side by side. Apparently it’s also possible to have this Soundwave transform into a Cybertronian boombox. Not sure if that’s official or a fan creation, but I’m eager to try it.

 
So these are my least transformed Transformers. As I look at this list, some things come to mind. Six of these figures are from Movie lines, or Movie sub lines. I guess this finding does not surprise me. Only one figure falls into CHUG, and that’s WFC Soundwave. I would have been real surprised if this list were full of CHUG figures. Also, four figures transform into motorcycles. Maybe one some level, I don’t enjoy motorcycle transformers.

There are only 3 Decepticons on here. I’m pretty sure I don’t discriminate based on faction. Maybe they just make a lot more Autobots. If I get really bored one of these days, I’ll go through my TF list and count.

The good news in all this is that I don’t have any TFs where I opened and never transformed. I have heard of some TransFans complain about this phenomenon. I hope it never happens to me.

What are your least transformed TFs? Feel free to comment below.

Transform and Roll Out!

In the past I have assembled all my Optimus Prime figures for a group photo. Similarly, the leader of the Decepticons deserves a group shot of his own, and that’s what I’m doing today. I dug out all my Megatron figures, scattered across shelves and closets, and combined them for one pic. If all these Megatron really joined forces, they would take over the world, if not the universe. That’s of course if they don’t start fighting among themselves.

With the exception of the Masterpiece (MP-05) and Classic Ultimate Battle 2-Pack, all my Megatrons are in alt modes. They appear in the pics below.

From left to right:
Top shelf: Titanium (GIJoe vs TF), Titanium (War Within), Generations Deluxe (War For Cybertron), Reveal the Shield Legend G1, Classic Voyager, TF Prime Voyager, TF United Voyager, DOTM Voyager, Hegemon
Bottom shelf: TF Animated Leader, TF Animated Voyager

Below is a pic of my unopened Megatrons.

Alternity (top left), Japanese G1 Re-issue (bottom left), Encore G1 Re-issue (right)

Two of my Megatrons are in storage, so I’ll just use pics that I took before.

Masterpiece MP-05 (the gun, duh)

Classic Deluxe G2, in the Ultimate Battle 2-Pack, top left

Some random thoughts as I look at all these Megatrons:
• I only have one Megatron from the Movie-verse. That tells you how much I like Bay’s re-imaging of the character. I only got the DOTM Voyager version because the toy itself is kinda cool. And that cape gimmick is unseen in the TF World.
• Most of these figures are pretty good, if not exceptional. The only one that I would not recommend is the TF Animated Voyager Megatron. This is one of those figs that I wish I could take back to the store, if I didn’t buy him online. Both alt and robot modes are weak, and there are constructions issues galore. Get any of the other Megs on here before this one.
• The Titanium GIJoe vs TF Megatron is also not that great, but his tank mode looks cool. And he’s quite heavy, something sorely lacking in today’s TFs. And for those reasons, I put him above the TFA Voyager.
• I can’t say which is my favorite Megatron on here. The MP is just a brilliant piece in TF engineering. Same goes for Hegemon. The TF Prime Voyager, TF Animated Leader, and WFC Deluxe are all very impressive figures. These are probably my top 5. Hard to put a rank on them, though.
• As for having multiples, I got 2 of the TF Animated Leader, 2 of the Japanese G1 Re-issue, 2 of the MP, and 2 of the RtS Legend fig. I got a 2nd TFA Leader fig because TRU was clearing them out one time for $20. As for the Japanese Re-issue, I was forced to buy 2. You can see the $130 price tag in the pic, which is for 2. I got this set from a dealer at AX. I figure at $65 per Meg, it’s still a good price. I got 2 MPs purely for the purpose of selling one later. I don’t even know if the MP has gone up in price. The RtS Legend Megs was only found at discount stores, for $3.99. First time was at Marshalls, and then some months later at Tuesday Morning.
• The most difficult of these to transform is without a doubt the MP, which I mentioned in this post (BTW, that post seriously needs an update).
• And speaking of transformation, maybe one day I’ll transform them all into robot mode and make another post. No time for that today.

Here are links to my other collection posts:
Optimus Prime
More Optimus Prime
Cliffjumper
Ratchet

Long Live Megatron! Transform and Roll Out!

I am a big fan of War For Cybertron. Later this year, perhaps around fall, the sequel Fall of Cybertron will be released. But what’s even better is that there will be figures from FOC! Just like WFC, figures from the sequel will be released in the Generations line.

The following pics are previews of all the deluxe figures planned for FOC. While we only got 5 figures from WFC (Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, Soundwave, Cliffjumper), we’re gonna get so much more for FOC! That’s right TransFans. Hasbro loves you. They’re even doing a combiner team that really combines! No release dates are given yet, but most likely the 1st wave will hit store shelves around the same time as the game. Fall of 2012 will be the Fall of Cybertron! Hey, that makes me wonder if there are seasons on Cybertron.

All pics are courtesy of the Transformers Facebook page.

Jazz

Optimus Prime

Shockwave

Blast Off

Brawl

Onslaught

Swindle

Vortex

Bruticus

Kickback

Starscream

Sideswipe

Ultra Magnus

Fireflight

Fireflight doesn’t look right to me. I think this figure makes a better Strafe, with that head mold, alt mode, and the colors. But I like Aerialbots too, so I can live with it.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting all of them. Transform and Roll Out!

Today I’m going to feature a character that Hasbro/Takara didn’t take seriously until the last few years: Cliffjumper. For decades, CJ was simply that red repaint of Bumblebee. In the G1 cartoons, CJ and Bee were distinct characters with distinct personalities. But as for the G1 toys, the two were awfully similar. Technically they were not repaints of each other (with different head molds and slightly different body molds), but it was obvious that the two figures were cut from the same cloth. It didn’t help matters that, early in G1 before the TF brand was properly established, Hasbro released red Bumblebees and yellow Cliffjumpers, further blending the identity of the two. As the years went on, the Bumblebee mold was often selected to be repainted as Cliffjumper whenever Hasbro felt like making a quick buck off the same mold.

At around 2009, things began to change. Cliffjumper figures began to see more variation from Bumblebee. If memory serves, the first Cliffjumper with a different head in this modern era is the Alternity figure. Technically Takara sold the figure as Bumblebee, but we all know he’s really Cliffjumper. In Transformers Prime, CJ is a completely different mold from Bumblebee. After all these years, Cliffjumper is finally getting the recognition that he deserves.

Below I proudly present my Cliffjumper collection.

Clockwise from top left: Classics deluxe, TF Prime RID deluxe, Movie deluxe, Alternity, Generations WFC deluxe.

G1 Keychain

Interestingly enough, I still have the packaging to all my Cliffjumper toys. Mostly because I didn’t open them. The only ones I opened are the Alternity and WFC figures (as shown in the pic above). But I keep the box to all my Alternities, and I have two of the WFC figure, one unopened. I plan to open TF Prime RID Cliffjumper and I don’t plan to buy multiples, so this trend of having all CJ’s packaging probably won’t continue.

From Casey Kasem to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson… Transform and Roll Out!

As the most recognizable character in the TF franchise, it’s no wonder that Hasbro keeps churning out new figures of the great Optimus Prime. Sometimes they are new incarnations, a brand new design of the Autobot leader that deserves to be made into a figure. Sometimes they are simply repaints or slight retools of a previous figure, in which case purchase of the figure is questionable. And sometimes Hasbro/Takara goes back to the drawing board, and gives us new and improved versions on a previous design of Optimus Prime.

On Nov 23rd, 2009, I made a post about all my Optimus Prime figures. That was more than 2 years ago, so I think it’s time for another update. Below are the Optimus Prime figures I have bought since that time. And just like Nov 23rd, 2009, I have nothing better to do today than watch football and make this post.

From left to right:
Front row: Reveal the Shield (G1, legend class), Dark of the Moon (commander class, with 3D glasses)
Middle row: Reveal the Shield (G2, deluxe class), Generations War For Cybertron (deluxe class), Animated (Cybertronian mode, deluxe class)
Top row: Dark of the Moon (voyager class, Walmart exclusive), Dark of the Moon (voyager class)

Below is a pic in their alt modes.

Below are two more Prime figs that I never opened.

Hunt for the Decepticons, Battle Hooks leader class (left), Hunt for the Decepticons, Battle Blades voyager class

I seriously thought I bought more OP figures in this 2 year span, but I guess this is it. Most of these were bought on the cheap too. The G1 legend figure was found at Marshalls for $3.99. The DOTM commander class figure I got for free. Deluxe Animated Prime I got from TRU when they were clearing them out, I think for $7.99. The Walmart exclusive DOTM OP figure was $18.77, but he came as a two pack with Comettor. As for the unopened Primes, Battle Hooks leader OP I got for $19.99 from Ross (you can still see the price tag in the pic). As for Battle Blades voyager Prime, I first got him when he was only $10 at HasbroToyShop.com. That one was defective however, so I returned it and I got him again from BBTS.com at regular price.

Interestingly enough, the only figure here that I have multiples of is the Reveal the Shield G2 Laser Optimus Prime. I guess it’s because I keep finding him at discount stores for cheap, and I need at least one extra to turn into Nemesis Prime / Scourge (in case Hasbro does not do one). It also helps that FansProject is releasing Battle Tanker. When that happens, this figure may be a sought after item.

In the words of Optimus Prime, Transform and Roll Out!

Today is exactly 2 months after Transformers War For Cybertron was released, and there is already a DLC available for the game. Activision and High Moon wasted no time.

New material from the DLC includes 5 new characters and 4 new maps available for the online multi-player modes. The new characters are Onslaught, Scattershot, Shockwave, Jazz, and Demolishor. I checked PSN last night and this add-on is available to download for $9.99. Not a bad deal considering what you are getting. Check out the trailer below.

I’m glad that this DLC was released so I can have all the new characters. But at the same time, I’m a little peeved that some of these characters were advertised to be store exclusives and now they are available to everyone. I bought the game from Barnes and Noble (who gets it from Gamestop) because I thought that was the only way to get Shockwave. I had a feeling that all the “exclusive” characters were going to be available for download sometime later, but I didn’t think it would be this soon. If I knew the DLC was going to be released less than 2 months into it, I would’ve bought the game elsewhere.

Still, Jazz is one of my all time favorite characters. Onslaught is from my favorite combiner team (the Combaticons). I have a thing for the Technobots, of which Scattershot is the leader. So I will most likely be downloading this. Though I get the nagging feeling that I was nickel-and-dimed over the whole ordeal by Sony and Activision and High Moon and B&N and Gamestop and whoever else got a piece of my hard earned money.

I’ve completed the single player campaigns so its time for multi-player. Transform and Roll Out!

Sightings of TFs from the Generations line have been reported all over the web. On Seibertron.com, there are 97 sightings of Cybertronian Optimus Prime from WFC as of this writing. Amazon, Hasbrotoyshop, and TRU have been taking orders for them online. I’ve been keeping my eyes open for their availability in stores for some months now. For some odd reason, here in the West Coast they are still very scarce. But I finally located some at my local TRU this past Monday.

At this moment, my TRU is the only place that has them in very limited quantities. They are nowhere to be seen at my Walmarts or Targets. But I’m just glad I was able to get some. I will be opening these very soon and doing reviews. Until then, feast your eyes on these pics of them in the package.

Sharp TransFans will notice that Hasbro tweaked the Transformation Level on the package to more accurately describe the difficulty of the toy. Hasbro used to simply let the size of the toy dictate the Level, which was absurd. For Generations, Hasbro has extended the scale from 0 to 5 instead of the usual 1 to 4. All 4 figures in the above pics are Deluxe size, but their Levels are different. Prime and Bee are rated 4 for Advanced, Drift is 3 for Intermediate, and Thrust is 2 for Easy. I commend Hasbro for going with this approach.

The Classic line is currently my favorite line of TFs. Generations toys are a direct extension of this, so I couldn’t be more thrilled. There are many more toys planned for this line already, including Red Alert, Dirge, Cybertronian Soundwave, Blurr, Cybertronian Megatron, and many more that I’m forgetting. I eagerly look forward to all of them. Transform and Roll Out!

Transformers: War For Cybertron was finally released last Tuesday on June 22nd. I pre-ordered my copy from Barnes and Noble, who has an arrangement with Gamestop when it comes to fulfilling their video game orders. I had a B&N gift card, and I knew that Gamestop had exclusive content for Shockwave as a playable character. The game was shipped out on the 21st, and I received it on the 23rd.

I’ve had about a week to mess with the game now. Hands down, this is the best TF game ever made to date. In fact, I’m tempted to say this is the best game I’ve played all year, but I’ve only played for a about a week so I will reserve giving out such high praise until I’ve had more time. I’ve completed 5 solo campaigns on normal difficulty so there’s still much to be done. Besides, for this post I’m just going to throw out some random initial thoughts. I might do a full review later.

I love how the campaigns are set up. There are 10 chapters total. The first 5 chapters are Decepticon campaigns and the last 5 are Autobot campaigns. Only Chapter 1 and Chapter 6 are available initially, the first chapters of each faction. Completing one chapter will unlock the next chapter. Story wise, the events in each chapter occur sequentially to form a coherent story. So for the first half of the game, we learn how Megatron and his army set the stage for invasion, and in the last half of the game we see how the Autobots counteract this threat.

There are 3 characters for each campaign. It’s different for each chapter and they are pre-determined. For chapter 1 it’s Megatron, Brawl, and Barricade, while in chapter 6 it’s Optimus, Bumblebee, and Ratchet. You get to choose which one you want to play as in solo mode, and the other 2 will be computer controlled. You can also play the campaign in multiplayer co-op, up to 3 players per game. I can’t wait to try the multiplayer.

Each campaign is freakin’ long! It takes about 2 hours to do one. It’s a good thing the game will save automatically upon every check point, so you don’t have to do the whole 2 hours in one sitting. The game also automatically saves in the middle of a long boss fight (most of them go through multiple modes of attack), so if you die you don’t have to re-start the fight from the beginning.

WFC is essentially a third-person shooter. You move with the left analog stick and aim with the right. The controls are spot on and the gameplay is tight. You transform by pressing down on the left stick. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses. There are a bunch of different weapons in the game. You can only have 2 at a time, and the character you use will determine which ones you can equip. There are also special ability that each character can perform, for example Sideswipe has a spinning melee attack and Breakdown has a knock-down push attack.

Story wise, WFC takes place on Cybertron, long before the TFs arrived on Earth. Character designs and overall look and feel are most certainly G1 inspired, but many elements from War Within are here as well.

Graphically, WFC is a beauty to behold. This, along with FFXIII, are the best looking games I have seen on my PS3. The game only runs at 720p max which is disappointing as far as stats go, but I can’t seriously imagine any noticeable improvements even if they managed to get this to 1080p.

And the voice acting, they need to be mentioned. Those of us that are familiar with anime voice actors will be thrilled to know that this game feature some of the best talent in this industry. Long time anime voice veterans such as Crispin Freeman, Kari Wahlgren, and Steven Blum are here to lend their talents. And of course the great Peter Cullen is back as Optimus. Oh, Johnny Yong Bosch does the best Bumblebee I have heard since G1. They should permanently cast him as Bumblebee for every TF series from this point forward. Even the narrator, I don’t know who was cast in WFC, but he deserves big time props. He totally sounds like the G1 narrator that went “It is the year 2005” in the G1 Movie.

To sum up, I’m very impressed thus far. I might do a full review later. All TransFans go to your console of choice now! War For Cybertron has begun!

One Shall Stand. One Shall Fall.
War For Cybertron will make TransFans of all.
The game is out, so spread the news.
Failure to play, there is no excuse.
Choose your character and prepare for battle.
Get your game on, like Frenzy and Rumble.
Play it solo, dare to make your stand.
Or go for multiplayer, find a helping hand.
Play the game now, all day and all night.
Autobot or Decepticon, it is time to fight.
WFC kicks ass, there is no doubt.
Until All Are One… Transform and Roll Out!

I must have missed the official press announcement for this, but apparently we have an release date for Transformers: War For Cybertron. Amazon has this game listed for release on June 22, 2010. I will be counting down the days!

For those that missed it, the most recent trailer appears in a previous post. For pics of the upcoming toy figures, click here.

 
More WFC news means even more Dr. Seuss:

One Shall Stand. One Shall Fall.
War For Cybertron will make TransFans of all.
Hasbro and Activision, a dream team they make.
All sales records, this masterpiece will break.
June 22nd 2010, that is the day.
Transformers will rock, unlike Michael Bay.
Friends and family, you will not miss.
This shall be a package of pure gaming bliss.
Choose your platform and players be ready,
to kick ass on PC, PS3, or Xbox 360.
The war begins and this battlecry we shout,
“Until All Are One… Transform and Roll Out!”