Review: #693
Name: Rhinox
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Maximal
Line: Generations - War for Cybertron: Kingdom
Year of Release: 2021
Size Class: Voyager (Wave 3)
Mold Status: new
BEAST MODE:
Based upon the Beast Wars version of the character, Rhinox transforms into an organic rhino.
This is a pretty good beast mode, with the only robot parts being the green that peeks out of the front legs. The only negative here are the obvious hollow rear legs.
Rhinox is a Voyager and he is actually a fairly decent size, above is a comparison with Siege Optimus.
While the beast mode is very static as a whole (it's basically a brick), the mouth can open and close.
This is a great rhino mode, although he does not have any articulation as it leads to the issue of his head perpetually facing the ground.
TRANSFORMATION:
Surprisingly, the designer completely revamped the transformation scheme in comparison to the Thrilling 30 version. The forelegs form the robot arms, which is to be expected, but each arm is attached to half of the torso which shifts back and forward to snap together in robot mode. The rear legs form the robot legs but it is terribly designed. The various panels will keep getting caught with each other, and it is a frustrating experience in getting the clearance and moving the pieces just right (you'll end up forcing it) to get it done. It's horrible and something that should have been picked up and improved or simplified.
ROBOT MODE:
Unlike the rest of the Kingdom line, Rhinox isn't based upon his Beast Wars version, but rather the Forged to Fight mobile game so he is noticeably less accurate.
Given that the beast mode was such a panel-former, it's not surprised that he has quite a bit of kibble. It's actually impressive how well it manages to hide most of it away though with only the rhino head and back as a backpack.
The head sculpt is okay, it looks a bit too simple and too plasticky though. Unlike the Thrilling 30 version, the green and gold on this figure is noticeably duller, so it makes it even further away from the Beast Wars show model.
In terms of size, he is not too bad, he looks wider and bulkier than most Voyagers.
However, the cost-cutting and hollowing is in full swing here as it is very visible from the back.
The other disappointing aspect is how it uses a faux part for the chest. Considering that Dinobot manages to use the real beast's head and then bulked it up with extra faux parts (so it was half half) makes Rhinox's version feel lazy as a result.
Otherwise, for poseability, Rhinox is pretty good, he has joints for the head, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, knees and ankles. Due to transformation, he has amazing shoulder articulation which can flex forward.
He comes with both his Gatling guns.
Rhinox holds the guns in both hands and unfortunately, they look tiny in proportion to the rest of the robot. This is because they had to be small enough to store in rhino mode.
As well as that, the guns lose the spinning gimmick found in both the original and the Thrilling 30 figure.
When not in use, the guns can be stored on his back.
The robot looks good, but there are a few questionable design choices that aren't exactly flaws, but when compared to older versions of the character, does feel like a small step back.
OVERALL:
For those who don't have a Rhinox figure, then this is perfectly fine. However, this does feel like a step back from the Thrilling 30 version. While the robot legs on this one looks better, and the kibble is not as bad, the smaller guns, the terrible leg transformation, the off color scheme and excessive hollowed sections does make him feel like an inferior "update". It's not to say that this is a bad figure, but it's tough when we've had quite a decent update before that it is very hard for new figures these days to top given the even lower budget that designers have to work with.
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