Name: Ratchet
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Studio Series
Year of Release: 2024
Size Class: Voyager
Mold Status: retool of Studio Series Ratchet
PACKAGING:
This version of Ratchet is inspired by his death scene in the 1986 Transformers movie... and he comes in a 2-pack with a similarly fashioned Brawn.
VEHICLE MODE:
The mold itself is from Studio Series Ratchet, but replaced the front windscreen with a damaged version, as well as replacing all transparent plastic in the original release with painted ones.
Ignoring the windscreen, this is a really good vehicle mode, and unlike the Earthrise Deluxe, the back actually looks like the back of a vehicle.
The only negative is that even though this is a Voyager figure, he is very compact, and is only slightly larger than a Deluxe. Nevertheless, he does feel nicely put together.
Despite the damaged windscreen, it surprisingly still works fairly well.
He comes with Brawn, who doesn't have any damage visible in vehicle mode.
His robot weapons can store in one of two places, either on the roof or underneath.
Additionally, the lightbar is attached via a simple 5mm peg, so you can remove it for a non-rescue vehicle.
There are a lot of transformation seams though, and this seems unavoidable with Ironhide / Ratchet figures, even the Masterpiece version has them.
TRANSFORMATION:
While inspired by the Earthrise Deluxe, this is a different transformation and one that is surprisingly good. Most of the budget went into this, hence the smaller size. There is no partsforming, the whole figure form sth erobot mode, and it manages to do this by having the back form chunky legs, and then having a few panels fold on top of each other to get rid of the extra mass. While the front form the chest, and the arms fold out from the middle. It seems elegant when executed liek this.
ROBOT MODE:
Wow, this is one of the best Ratchet figures we've had that had the whole vehicle form the robot mode. The proportions are surprisingly good and he isn't overburdened with kibble.
A lot of the kibble wraps around his legs, but done in a solid manner. He doesn't carry much of a backpack either.
The other remolded part of this figure is the headsculpt, where he now has a screaming face of sorts, or maybe it's one of pain.
Unfortunately, most of the budget went into the engineering, so he is only Deluxe sized, and kind of disappointing that way. At least he does feel solid in the hand.
There is a big cardboard stand, which can fit both the figures in the 2-pack at once.
A short with his packmate Brawn, and another one with the Earthrise Deluxe, showing how they are similar in size, but whereas the Earthrise version feels hollow, this Studio Series version does not.
A close up of his chest showing the remolded chest with all the damage.
Articulation is great, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, knees and ankles.
He comes with a pair of silver guns, as well as two blast effects parts (that are comprised of three smaller pieces).
He can hold the guns in both his hands.
Furthermore, you can attach the purple blast effects to the tips of these weapons.
However, the best is using the blast effects on his chest, as that has a 5mm port, and you can replicate his death scene...
The pair of guns can be stored behind his legs when not in use.
He has big chunky limbs, which helps in making his feel good in the hand and when posing him.
The shade of white used is bright, as well as the baby blue, yet it somehow works well together.
A fantastic robot mode, and this is even a good repaint / remold.
OVERALL:
The mold itself is worth getting. This version is novel in that it is replicating a death scene, which feels like some sort of dark humor. Yet its concept manages to work in execution.
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