Opened a number of figs over the break since Xmas; since nearly all involved transforming em gonna post my thoughts here
-> SS core Spike
A bit underwhelming, but I suppose it was always going to be
Wish they had detailed his face at all instead of just leaving it a bald sculpting, but they probably would've f*cked up the application? and then inside a dome where people can't fix it/touch it up
I wonder if the Daniel mold-reuse will actually have a different head? Since they can literally use the exact same body
-> SS core Ratchet
haha, this thing kind of sucks
having two painted guns is cool and everything but I kind of wish they spent that budget on making the mold better, or hell, even painting the rear ambulance windows (they only painted the cab chest windows, so bot mode presents)
all this does is make me want the SS86 Ironhide re-tool into Ratchet, which I imagine will present better; though I'll probably be a sucker and get the core Ironhide from this too, even though it sucks - because hey, I've got one, what you gonna do, not get the other one?
-> Legacy BombBurst
As a Masterforce fan and also Pretenders, I'm a bit biased but I think this lil guy is great
The amalgam-style thing they're trying to do with the whole "bot mode is the pretender shell, alt mode is the inner bot's" thing, I think it's an interesting direction, and as much as I love Iguanus (played the old G1 to death, snatched the Legacy right away), I think this guy barely edges him out
If he had articulated jaw action it'd be no contest - and honestly, given how the head sculpt presents, why the hell doesn't it have biting action!?
-> Legacy Tarantulas
bought the only copy of him I ever saw (in-person in GameStop back in September), couple paint QAs but figure I won't see him again in-store so gonna settle
This figure is really great - spider legs are a bit crowded in bot mode, trying to do any arm poses beyond "at his sides", but he looks so damned good it's barely a strike against him
Wish his anchor weapon was painted up at all like Kingdom BA's, considering they painted the sawblade
-> Legacy Elita-1 & Minerva
I know these are basically the same figure, but they're pretty OK - little annoyed by the semi-permanent "bow-legged knees" thing they got going on
Decided for myself, gonna keep Elita's car front parts down with the rest of the hood in bot mode, so "only Minerva" has her trademark huge car pieces hovering up over her shoulders - to break up their silhouettes a bit more
Also, doing Minerva first and Elita 2nd, I was slightly shocked that they made Elita's "G1-accurate crown sticking up out the top of the alt mode's cab", literally a 5mm peg detachable extra piece; imagined they would make the effort to make it "her real actual crown" up on top there, but after transforming Minerva "huh, no idea how they're gonna pull this off" "oh I see, by completely half-assing it"
They're fine tho
-> Earthspark Twitch
my copy seems fine, only complaint is shoulders & elbows are a bit stiff, makes posing difficult (hips & knees are great), cyberverse-quality plastic makes me not want to force the joints too much though - hell, the clear plastic used for the dragonfly wings feels tougher than the forearm plastic
Also, where the gun pegs into the nose in alt mode, seems to want to pop off at a hair's breadth
So I mean I guess there's a few issues, but whatever, she's fine - no paint QA to mention, though spoiled for choice with how many came in the standie
-> Legacy Jhiaxus
Ya this guy is just as cool as everyone said, I love how he has articulated fingers for no reason! Inside leg panels below the knees, I wish they pegged in better than "almost nothing" but he's great, five stars
I want to give him more guns! Really deck him out, G2Sideswipe-style
-> Legacy Blitzwing
Absolutely beautiful - I said it in an earlier thread, but to have so many QA issues with Pulse exclusives, I opened this guy around the same time, and this retail leader class just blew me away
Sure his jet undercarriage sucks (haven't changed him to it yet honestly - packaged in tank mode, transformed to bot and haven't looked back), and hey the tank is pretty OK, other than the nosecone sticking out the front, and LITERALLY CAN SEE THE BOT FACE IN THERE AS WELL, like it's not hidden, there's a noticeable cavity and there he is
But he's a gorgeous boi and idgaf
-> Velocitron GalaxyShuttle
packaged in shuttle mode, converted to bot mode, eventually train and he's that way for now
Love the new face, colours are lot more fun than Astrotrain's drab decor
Reminded that this mold isn't great for posing re: clunky legs a bit, but anyone that packs five different guns, that can all peg on at once? gets a pass from me
I would say "if you liked Astrotrain or thought he was OK, this guy is better imo"
-> Creatures Collide Scorponok
With his alt "mutant" head swapped on, I'm finding I like this guy a lot - like a big (little) black scorpion ninja, poses nice
I should get another copy of those 3rd party torso extenders for him, for the perma-ab-crunch look
-> Wreck n' Rule Springer
Skipped Siege Springer 'cause battlemuck, grabbed this guy in the "is the BAF hammer really a hammer" fervor
I have an old G1 Springer somewhere, so I don't mind the toy-deco look - and I have to say, as a first go at this mold, it's pretty OK - plus my copy's ankles haven't blown out yet
Swords are slightly curved/floppy, but I'm sure 3rd party will resolve this, if they haven't already
-> Holiday OP
Haha, if you don't like this then there's no saving you
Couple paint QAs in the finer tiny details for my copy, but meh, face is fine and I imagine he'll be tough to find on the shelves
Plus candy cane gun trailer boner, hahaha
Showed my wife the pics, goes "ah, it's a boy OP"
-> Shattered Glass Soundwave
He's awesome - more fun for me than my Netflix SW, if only because my NFSW had shoulder "spread out" joints that were so tight they started stressing the inner plastic
chest door button action didn't work initially, but after putting Ravage in the chest seems to be fine (maybe needed the weight?)
Could be biased cause I read the comic in advance but he's fun and cool, has a bandana and doesn't afraid of anything
-> Shattered Glass Flamewar
Didn't fully transform her, cause Pulse shipped me a copy with duplicate parts
-> Hero is Born 2-pack
Orion Pax is fine; AlphaTrion came with duplicate parts as well
Reached out to Pulse, they want to do a full replacement, even though both the duplicate parts situations here, can be easily popped on & off
A shame because A3 is mostly fine, though I guess he did have two scratches on his face paint, guess it's better off to get a new one
-> Haslab Victory Saber
Talked about it before in the QC thread, just posting some pics sent to Pulse
