Review: #119
Name: Onslaught
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Generations - Fall of Cybertron
Year of Release: 2012
Size Class: Deluxe
Variations: SDCC and JP version in game accurate colors, retail version in Generations line, retooled into Impactor.
VEHICLE MODE:
Onslaught transforms into an Cybertronian truck with a dual purple cannon on top. He's yellow, and while I wouldn't say the shade is ugly, there are better shades of yellow out there.
The back is hollow, and Onslaught feels unfinished. You can see the combiner ports sticking out of the front wheels and the back part of the truck.
I'm just going to say Onslaught is a mess in this mode. Basically, the Bruticus (combiner) head folds back, and the robot arms then cover over the head, and then you plug the cannon on top to cover that up. Yeah... the truck mode isn't that distinct or immediately recognizable.
Onslaught is a really short truck, he feels very compressed for what he should be. The wheels roll and the molding is somewhat screen accurate.
I'm not going to lie, this is a terrible alt mode, and you can see that it's severely compromised by what it has to do (three modes: vehicle, robot, torso). The reduction of mass doesn't help it much either.
TRANSFORMATION:
Quite simple and easy, you just have to detach the legs (which are pegged together at the back, making the vehicle mode quite solid and stable), flip it, and then rotate the sides of the trucks for his shoulders, adjust the arms, snap the waist down and pop the head up. The arms/elbows can be weird due to the jointing, and not knowing how they are supposed to go, but Onslaught is not tricky at all. Snapping the waist down or putting it back up can be scary due to the joint being quite stiff, and there's a cracking sound whenever you do it, which doesn't help either.
ROBOT MODE:
The purple comes out more here due to his limbs being that color. As with the rest of the G2 set, there's a distinct lack of paint operations to highlight the molded detailing.
At first glance, Onslaught's legs look awkward and forced, but they function quite well.
The head sculpt is good... if only it was painted black like the packaging shots, instead, it's a solid purple which blends into the panel that it attaches to. Of note, pushing the head up so the head is completely out is extremely hard on my one. I had to use excessive force (and it felt like some parts were going to snap off), . I think the panel has some extra flash of plastic that's preventing it.
While Onslaught is fairly tall, he has a completely hollow torso (which is only partially filled with the Bruticus head). He's still very light when you weigh him in your hands.
While this robot mode isn't too bad, you can still see some compromises done with it, such as the bulky shoulders, and combiner kibble on his back.
Annoyingly, you cannot plug his cannon on his back ala G1. And don't expect that this cannon piece is made of solid plastic because when you turn it over...
You realize that it's completely hollow... which kinda sucks. Cost cutting in effect here.
Onslaught is forced to use the cannon as a weapon, and it can plug onto either hand. Sadly, it's a tad bit oversized and awkward to wield.
Articulation is actually quite good, and better than you'd expect from just looking at him. The shoulders rotate, but cannot lift out. The elbow joints seem thin and fragile, so be careful there. His hips are ratcheting joints since they double up as the hips for the combiner mode.
A better robot than I had initially expected. I thought it would be a mess from the photos, but it's actually quite solid.
OVERALL:
Yes, it is immediately clear that Onslaught is severely compromised due to him being the torso of a combiner. The vehicle is a mess and a write-off but the robot mode is still quite respectable. The colors may leave more to be desired but it is G2 themed. The main complaint I have would be the hollow oversized weapon that cannot attach to his back, otherwise, an okay figure.
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