AOE Figure Review Thread

Money, violence, sex, computer graphics, scatalogical humor, racism, robots designed to be rednecks but given European accents, and maybe another sequel to the saga... what's not to love? TF m1, Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon and now Age of Extinction.
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Dominic
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Dominic »

MP, it only counts as being a "grognard" if your preferences are wholly based in nostalgia. If the new stuff is actually *worse*, then you are just demonstrating that you have standards.

Barber steered you wrong re TF v GI Joe, or RID, or what?
Little of both. The fact that Barber is an editor, and could exert some influence over both adds to the insult, especially on "Robots in Disguise".
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Tigermegatron
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Tigermegatron »

I bought Three TF4 toys a few days ago. AOE Leader size Grimlock,AOE Voyager size Optimus Prime & AOE Voyager size Grimlock.

I'm not going to do full toy reviews here,Just quickie highlights listing what I like and don't.

AOE Leader size Grimlock. Transformed it back and forth. Watched a youtube video while Transforming the toy from robot into Dinosaur mode. I love this toy,The sculpt,transformation,poseabilty,proportions and engineering are all top notch superb. While it's way too early to say this,This toy will be my favorite of the AOE toy line. Love the Vacumized Silver Chrome on this toy it really takes this toy to a newer awesome high quality level.I also think the more shinny glossy gold paint on the toy is a nice touch.

I measured the AOE Leader Sized Grimlock toy in robot mode from robot head to toe. It measures in at 9 & 1/4 inches tall. So this is a leader sized robot mode not a Ultra sized robot mode. I'm really getting sick & tired of internet TF fans saying this toy is a Ultra sized toy placed in a leader sized box/price point. It clearly isn't,even the beast mode is leader sized,it's got then long lenght & bulk. AEC Leader sized toys were 9 inches tall in robot mode. Most Movie verse leader sized toys were 9 inch to 9.5 inches tall in robot mode. TFA Leader sized toys are the ones that had Megatron & Bulkhead Be Eight inches or shorter tall.

AOE Voyager sized Grimlock. Measured the robot mode,it's 7 inches tall. I Think this toy is epic Inferior to the leader sized version. The sculpt is weird in both modes as it's sculpted to look more like a Beast Wars Transmetal 1 toy. The sculpt feels low in some places & overly high in other places on the toy. Hands down this is the more younger kiddie version. Coloring the robot head silver instead of black was a bad decision. That long weapon is so bad,it ruins the toy a bit.

Would love to see this AOE Voyger sized Grimlock toy recolored in 1996 Beast Wars Megatron T-rex Purple colors & Giving a newer Megatron robot head.

AOE Voyager sized Evasive mode Optimus Prime. Measured the toy in robot mode,It's 7 inches tall from head to toe. The Transformation was a lot more complex & involved that I thought it would be. Loved how mostly everything had the needed slots & pegs ports. It's a beautiful sculpted homage G-1 toy in both modes. Would have preferred the legs look more 1984 instead of movie verse optimus in sculpt. Love how super poseable the robot mode is. The robot mode has the 7 inches height of a voyager but the non-bulk of a deluxe toy. The vehicle mode looks like it's in deluxe scale. Don't care for the thin,non-bulky,puny looking robot mode. For those unaware the instructions reveal a face plate head sculpt. So a face plate version is coming. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-new ... ed-180098/

Still think it was a epic bad idea for HasTak to create 2 leader sized AOE TF4 toys based off the Western Truck new vehicle design for Optimus Prime. I think this old school Evasive mode truck cab for AOE Optimus SERIOUSLY deserved a leader sized toy not a Voyager sized toy.
Last edited by Tigermegatron on Sat May 24, 2014 7:21 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Tigermegatron
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Tigermegatron »

I think it's epic funny that every AOE TF4 Generations toys from deluxes to voyagers to leaders all have the same "18 transformations steps" listed words on the packages. Surely all of these toys don't have exactly 18 conversions steps.

It appears Hasbro employees were too lazy to count all of the transformations steps on each of the AOE Generations toys. Instead they opted for the easy way out by simply putting a generic incorrect "18 transformation steps" words listed on all the AOE Generations packages.
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by JediTricks »

God that Evolution pack paint scheme is painful to look at. Just shotgun blast colors anywhere, eh? And they made Classics Optimus look kinda cheap too, but I know folks will go nuts for that release with the chrome on the front, and they should for the 2 fine molds in the pack.


You are mistaken about there being the same number of steps on every package, Leader-class Prime is 20 steps on the package while Deluxe Drift is 16 steps.
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Tigermegatron »

JediTricks wrote: God that Evolution pack paint scheme is painful to look at. Just shotgun blast colors anywhere, eh? And they made Classics Optimus look kinda cheap too, but I know folks will go nuts for that release with the chrome on the front, and they should for the 2 fine molds in the pack.
I like the newly added face plate head on the Evasive toy & that's it,everything else is epic fail. Those newer colors are so beyond bad.

As far as the recolored 1.0 toy with added chrome goes,I love it. It's hands down a top notch must get toy..

I honestly think the AOE Evasive mode Optimus toy is a "poor mans" version based off the 1984 Optimus designs. The fan with some more money buys the better 1984 Optimus version which is the MP-10 Optimus toy. Had AOE Evasive mode Optimus been a leader scale toy it would have been worth buying by most fans standards. Since the AOE Evasive mode Optimus Toys is Voyager size & looks so thin,puny,hollow,light & so forth,it's a easy pass no buy by most fans standards.
JediTricks wrote: You are mistaken about there being the same number of steps on every package, Leader-class Prime is 20 steps on the package while Deluxe Drift is 16 steps.
Thanks for pointing this out. It appears someone at Hasbro tried to put different steps numbers on some of the AOE Generations toys. At some point they got lazy & didn't care any. It's apparent at some point they just started added 18 steps for almost every newer AOE Generations toy.
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by JediTricks »

I think they simply didn't realize that it takes roughly the same number of steps to do every figure. Some of Hasbro's steps are really dumb though, like 3 steps to rotate an arm around and flip it out, which is one single movement, but that's a hard thing to convey WITHOUT WORDS.
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Shockwave »

JediTricks wrote:but I know folks will go nuts for that release with the chrome on the front
Count me in that group. I like the deco on the classics Prime, but I'm not sure I'd wanna have to get Movieprime to own it. If anyone is interested in a split, let me know.
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Tigermegatron
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by Tigermegatron »

I bought & transformed AOE Evasive mode Voyager Optimus and AOE Voyager Grimlock. Sorry, I tried but didn't like either toy, So I gave them away to younger relatives.

AOE Evasive mode Optimus, I thought was a terrible optimus toy. Sure it's a Seven inch tall robot mode. But it's a very overly thin weak looking Seven inch tall Robot mode similar to what BM Mega sized Cheetor was. I didn't like how the upper half of the toy was a G-1 homage design while the lower half legs were a movie verse optimus design. The toy does get some points for it's complex transformation. Although I felt the transformation could have been made easier. The sculpt in robot mode looks too skinny & puny for a Optimus toy. That mouth instead of a face plate just doesn't fit the toy. I have seen recolors & face plate versions for this toy but won't bother picking up future versions. I think the small toy size & cut backs seriously hurt this design,had it been leader sized it would have been more bulkier which would have made this toy a better looking optimus toy. Think it was wasteful to create 3 new mold leader sized versions based off the newer Western truck AOE Optimus design,Would have preferred getting at least one leader sized AOE Optimus toy based off the old school evasive mode optimus design.

AOE Voyager Grimlock in it's first release colors, I feel hurts the toy. I think this toy can be salvaged & become decent with that Store exclusive Vacumized Chrome repaint with that homage Black colored face. I'll be the first to admit this toy has a more kiddie/toddler sculpted design compared to the more higher teenager/adult themed sculpt that the AOE Leader sized Grimlock toy is catered to. So many parts on the AOE Voyager Grimlock toy reminds me more of Beastwars sculpted toys. If you are looking for a Movie Grimlock toy that homages the TF4 CGI Grimlock designs then buy the Leader sized toy. Because all this AOE Voyager Grimlock toy is,is a reimagined kiddie/toddler playschool/rescue bots toy version.
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by JediTricks »

Quick mini-reviews

Deluxe Strafe (TRU-exclusive Evolutions version, but it's the same figure) -

Pros:
- wide wingspan
- pointy motif works well
- darker blue with silver and black looks alright
- swords can be held pointed forward
- striking bot mode when wings spread and tails following
- knight head in bot mode looks alright here

Mixed:
- articulation is good in some ways and crappy in others
- swords do store, but not in any great way
- tails rubbery but bent permanently

Cons:
- cheap transformation
- two headed pteranodon doesn't really seem to accent the character better than one would have
- dino mode is really simplistic, just the bot mode hang-gliding
- crossbow missile is marble-launcher, barely fires
- packaging can't agree on where dino heads go in bot mode
- plastic feels more inflexible and brittle than usual
- hollow lower legs and arms

Overall:
Hard to figure this one out, the alt mode and transformation really let it down, but there is something pretty compelling about the bot mode. I am still undecided, maybe a 6.5/10.

----

Voyager Hound
Pros:
- great sculpting
- very good articulation
- surprisingly decent paint
- clever rubbery ammo-belt forearms
- rubbery bot head turns side to side adequately
- so many different weapons!!!
- weapons combine
- weapon storage in each mode
- vehicle mode has some good detailing at the front
- interesting transformation

Mixed:
- huge combined weapon a bit fragile
- low-kibble bot mode, but the fists have a notable kibble panel each
- toes swing to meet ground at any angle, but heels a bit shallow
- bot back is hollow
- long rifle (actually triple-multi-barrel cannon) transforms for vehicle mode but instructions don't mention that you have to pull the bottom barrel down, could lead to breakage

Cons:
- weapon storage has problems due to tolerance issues, peg holes being slightly too small and spitting out their accessories, the right tab and slot holster design spits out either gun and shows notable stress marks (this is on all the in-hand pics I've seen as well), also causing stress marks on the weapons themselves
- weapon storage in vehicle mode can be an exercise in frustration with stuff popping off or falling off a bit too often, since most is on the outside
- vehicle mode has a peg hole on top that has a pair of angled tabs inside, very confusing and looks like accidental flash, causes weapons to sit shallow at an odd angle
- simplistic vehicle mode cabin with big silver bar across the windshield

Overall:
I very much like this figure, but the frustration of the tolerances does hold it back quite a bit more. In theory, this is one of those figures that could define the brand; in practice, the brand's poor QC has held it back to a more modest Recommended, graded at 8/10
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Re: AOE Figure Review Thread

Post by BWprowl »

JediTricks wrote: Deluxe Strafe (TRU-exclusive Evolutions version, but it's the same figure) -

Pros:
- wide wingspan
- pointy motif works well
- darker blue with silver and black looks alright
- swords can be held pointed forward
- striking bot mode when wings spread and tails following
- knight head in bot mode looks alright here

Mixed:
- articulation is good in some ways and crappy in others
- swords do store, but not in any great way
- tails rubbery but bent permanently

Cons:
- cheap transformation
- two headed pteranodon doesn't really seem to accent the character better than one would have
- dino mode is really simplistic, just the bot mode hang-gliding
- crossbow missile is marble-launcher, barely fires
- packaging can't agree on where dino heads go in bot mode
- plastic feels more inflexible and brittle than usual
- hollow lower legs and arms

Overall:
Hard to figure this one out, the alt mode and transformation really let it down, but there is something pretty compelling about the bot mode. I am still undecided, maybe a 6.5/10.
Every pic I've seen of Strafe has it so his Dino heads point down towards each other on his chest in Bot mode, forming neat-looking outer shoulderpads. Incidentally, this design element is the best technical reason I can think of for him having two heads, though I suppose the same look could be achieved by having a single head split, though they might end up too thin in that case. At any rate, I'm inclined to think the two-heads thing is primarily a simple case of "because it's cool", and I really have no problem with it.

Anyway, I really want to find this guy. That Robot Mode is simply too cool looking to pass up.
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