Review: #771
Name: Optimus Prime
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Studio Series
Year of Release: 2023
Size Class: Voyager (Wave 20)
Mold Status: new
VEHICLE MODE:
Based upon his appearance in the War for Cybertron game, Optimus transforms into a red and blue
Cybertronian truck.
Cybertronian truck.
This is a huge bulky thing, and he looks okay, given that the game model's design wasn't much more than a lump on wheels either. The back is left exposed, showing off the robot hands, which is disappointing.
Optimus looks big and bulky, and he has the size to match, as at first glance, he appears to be properly bigger than a contemporary Voyager figure.
The robot weapons, being a gun and an axe, can peg onto the back.
Looking at the underside, it might seemed packed but ultimately, the vehicle is mostly a shell and it is mostly empty, so Optimus feels much lighter than you would expect from just looking at him alone.
Also, for some reason, the front windows aren't designed to be aligned like the game model, so it's a bit off in that aspect as well. Ultimately, this is still a solid vehicle mode.
TRANSFORMATION:
It is much less involved than the original Deluxe, despite its larger size. He still remains mostly a shellformer. The back splits to form the legs, while the front is a panel that you fold up to reveal the robot torso. You pull out the sides to release the arms and then can rotate them so that the front wheels end up on the back.
ROBOT MODE:
Optimus is equally bulky in robot mode, and it was something that the original Deluxe couldn't quite manage to do.
He carries a small amount of kibble on his back, mainly the panel that is the front of the truck. The front wheels are on his back in line with the character design.
The head sculpt is okay, his head appears small in comparison to his body, further emphasizing his bulkiness.
Looking at him alone, you'd would have thought he was massive. In comparison with another Voyager, and he appears shorter, but bulkier.
As part of the Studio Series line, he comes with a cardboard stand depicting a scene from the game.
There are a few gimmicks, the first of which is that his chest opens up to reveal the Matrix of Leadership, which is also removable.
His articulation is good, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees and ankles.
He comes with two weapons, a gun and an axe.
First off is his axe, whereby the handle can split into two so that you can slot each piece through his fist so it looks like he's holding the middle of the handle.
The axe has two blades, with a second piece able to flip back to show off the other mode, a single handed dual-bladed axe, and this is a really neat gimmick.
Lastly, the gun, instead of being held by his hand, you need to remove the arm completely (by way of a 5mm peg) and then reattach the gun instead. It's not great to be honest, and it would have been better if the gun was molded such that it covers the arm instead.
The left over forearm can peg onto the back of him. Curiously, and confusingly, the gun itself has nowhere to store in robot mode if you don't want to use it.
He's not a bad figure but he is quite hollow in a lot of areas, so that just like vehicle mode, he feels light when picking him up.
There's also a lack of paint, particularly, the neon paint that mimics the game's models. There's only some here and there, so he can look drab.
This is a good robot mode with more gimmicks than one would expect of a figure these days.
OVERALL:
Optimus is a solid figure, particularly if you are a fan of the game. He carries the first game's design, which arguably is less in need of an updated figure than the Fall of Cybertron version. Nevertheless, it's a welcome addition with just a few quirky decisions, like how you cannot store the gun in robot mode when not in use.
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