Review: #242
Name: Nemesis Prime
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Adventure
Year of Release: 2015
Size Class: Deluxe (TAV-13)
Variations: repaint of RiD (2015) Warrior class Optimus Prime
VEHICLE MODE:
Nemesis Prime is a black and teal repaint of the RiD (2015) Warrior class Optimus Prime, currently only released in the Japanese toyline.
Nemesis Prime is a truck with a long trailer although they are one piece, there is no hitch (which makes turning in real life near impossible). There are some good sculpted elements, unfortunately, the rear lights are not painted at all and left black.
Other than that, this is a fantastic and superior repaint of the Optimus figure. The glossy black plastic combined with the metallic teal makes the whole figure pop. The silver painted hubcaps helps too.
Nemesis Prime features red windows and there is a scannable Decepticon symbol on top of the cab (albeit sideways since it is oriented more for robot mode), which unlocks the character in the smartphone app game.
While you'd expect a truck to be big, because it had to be a certain length in proportion to the cab, Nemesis Prime feels small in your hands, being more long and thin.
It is not all positives too since the trailer portions feels like it could be more solid. There are hollow bits (you can also see the ax can be stored in the trailer to cover some of the gaps) which are only attached via one peg. It would have been better and more secure if a second tab was added.
Something to mention is that all ten wheels roll, which is awesome. A fantastic truck mode that looks fantastic and amazing.
TRANSFORMATION:
On par with Hasbro's recent focus on simplifying figures, coupled with the Warrior class being simpler than the previous Deluxe offerings, Nemesis Prime is very easy to transform. However, the simplicity is executed well here making it fun and is clever enough to be impressive. I like how the sides of the trailer fold down to form part of his legs and the way the cab splits to form his shoulders and arms.
ROBOT MODE:
Nemesis Prime's robot mode is... perfect. While Optimus Prime was already good, Nemesis Prime improves upon it with vastly superior paint applications.
He wears the roof of the truck on his back and his feet are huge, however, this only serves to improve his heroic (evil?) stature. It gives him a nice bulky look and feel.
The head sculpt is classic Optimus Prime and it features some intricate detailing, the downside to it being a bit small.
A comparison with a Deluxe figure, he actually is as tall as most of the older bigger Deluxes. Thanks to the chunkiness of his limbs, Nemesis Prime also feels hefty in your hands.
Since Robots in Disguise (2015) is supposed to be continuation of Prime, the body type is an upgrade to the body that Optimus wore in the Prime series.
The biggest differentiating factor over Nemesis Prime is the fact that his lower torso is properly painted with silver and teal. It makes a world of difference compared to the original release and makes Nemesis Prime a very sharp figure indeed.
However, the biggest flaw of this mold are the truck hood halves covering each fist like a boxing glove. If only they could have spared the extra cost to make it swivel to uncover the hand. As it is, it looks ridiculous from some angles.
The teal highlights work so well on this figure, he is pure awesomeness in person and photos cannot do him justice. The heroic stature of the toy just works so well against an evil clone of Optimus.
His weapon is an energon ax that is reminiscent of the one used in the War for Cybertron games with the neon orange blade.
He can hold the ax in either hand and the handle is short enough such that it looks like it can crush an Autobot enemy's chassis.
Articulation is pretty cool here. Nemesis Prime has a waist swivel in addition to hip joints, thigh swivels, knee joint, balljointed elbows, shoulder swivels and a head that can turn side to side.
The biggest restriction in poseability are the shoulders in when "properly" transformed, they can only swivel forwards and backwards. However, you can utilize the transformation joints to lift it outwards to the sides but you have to be careful not to lift it too high otherwise it looks unnatural.
Nemesis Prime is super stable thanks to his enormous feet. You can be rest assured that he won't fall down unless you try to put him in the most crazy of poses.
Lastly, his torso is a false windshield. The truck cabs since on his shoulders as shoulder pads, which looks decent. An amazing robot mode that surpasses the already good truck mode. Nemesis Prime has his own character and the proportions and stature make this robot a great one to play and display.
OVERALL:
One of the best black repaints of an Optimus Prime figure since (ironically) Scourge from the original 2001 Robots in Disguise. The black, teal and red works so well together here and improves the mold so much that it's hard to look at the Optimus Prime version anymore. Honestly, this is the definite version of the mold, it is heaps of fun, great to display and frankly, one of the best looking toys of 2015.
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