Toy Review: Transformers Timelines Megatron (Hearts of Steel) (Deluxe)

Review:  #897

Name:  Megatron

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Decepticon

Line:  Timelines

Year of Release:  2025

Size Class:  Deluxe

Mold Status:  new

PACKAGING:

Similar to the Optimus Prime / Starscream two-pack, Megatron comes with Bumblebee, and they're in a very nice box with a great looking piece of artwork on the cover.

Take the cover sleeve off and the figures are packaged in a book like packaging, that can open up with windows, so you display them like that if you didn't want to take them out.

ALTERNATE MODE:

Based on an unused design, Megatron transformed into a wheeled cannon, and has a medieval feel to him (the Hearts of Steel theme that this was based upon was kind of a cyberpunk theme).

While Megatron looks great from the front, the back isn't as good, as his folded up robot legs are there and looks somewhat awkward, but does mean he is super stable.

He is an okay size for a Deluxe, but he does feel quite light, and thanks to what must be a lot of hollow parts, which cheapens his feel despite the uniqueness of the design.

A quick shot with Bumblebee, and there is clearly a scale issue, especially with Bumblebee being so tiny himself.

The two big wheels roll, and there are actually two more small plastic wheels on the bottom of the back, so the whole cannon can roll on a flat surface, which is pretty cool (they could have just made him completely static to save costs).

The cannon itself doesn't have any articulation so it can only ever face straight forward.  There are two small guns on either side of the wheels.

Looking down from above, you can see most of the robot, the back being the legs, and the middle the torso.  The hips are completely visible.

This is such a unique mode for a Transformer that you cannot hate it.

TRANSFORMATION:

As you can guess from the alternate mode, Megatron has a simple transformation.  The legs just unfold from behind.  The arms are from the side.  Remove the cannon and you can then flip out the head.

ROBOT MODE:

Despite the simple transformation, the robot mode looks pretty sharp, and the wheels as giant shoulder pads work so well thanks to each of the individual spikes being painted silver.

The only annoying kibble that he has are the semi-circular grey things on the outside of his forearms (which are used to hide the robot fists in cannon mode).

The head sculpt is classic Megatron.

He is taller than the usual Deluxe in robot mode, and the shoulder pads gives him the illusion of being bulkier than he truly is.

His only weapon in robot mode is the cannon.

The cannon is plugged on top of his forearm.  He's not actually holding it in his hand even though it might look like it from a few angles.

Compared to Bumblebee, Megatron's much bigger, but he is also simpler in engineering.

With all four of the Hearts of Steel figures, they look so well together, and it is still amazing that these figures were even made since they're so niche and different.

Articulation is good, he has joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, knees and ankles.

His legs are quite long, so he can look lanky.  Just like in cannon mode, he can feel overly light and cheap for his size.

The shoulder pads are jointed so that they can get out of the way when posing the arms.

The grey used here is a tad bit on the lighter side and too close to "Hasbro grey", thankfully it's limited in use.

A good looking robot mode whose design may not be as unique as the cannon, but still more unique than most Transformers.

OVERALL:

If you're even marginally interested in the design, the Megatron is a good figure to get.  Even if you're not sure what Hearts of Steel is, the alternate mode and the design is so unique, that he is worth getting.  He's like a breath of fresh air being different to the typical Transformers we get nowadays.

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Toy Review: Transformers Generations Studio Series Devastator (86 Movie)

Review:  #896

Name:  Devastator

Brand:  Transformers

Allegiance:  Decepticon

Line:  Generations - Studio Series

Year of Release:  2025

Size Class:  N/A

Mold Status:  new

CONSTRUCTICONS:

While the wait wasn't the worst we've had for a Combiner that was released in multiple waves, due to the sheer popularity of the character, it can be nerve wracking in terms of whether you can get all the figures or not.

Particularly so given that all of Devastator's limbs are unique and you can't really for him without a specific figure either as he doesn't use the skeletal frame system.

Nevertheless, once you get all six figures, they look really good.  Although Long Haul towing part of the combiner kibble feels like cheating.

Despite the figures being roughly a similar size, they were split into 2x Deluxes, 2x Voyagers and 1x Commander (that had two figures).

As a result, the figures are relatively uncompromised and they each are decent figures in their own right.

TRANSFORMATION:

Transformation is similar to the Combiner Wars version but much more refined and works a lot better.  Long Haul folds up to combine with Hook and the extra kibble to form the torso.  Scavenger and Bonecrusher does the least amount of work as they're basically their vehicle modes in their arm configuration.  While Scrapper and Mixmaster form the legs and also doesn't require too much work to get them into that mode.

As expected for a figure comprise of six individual pieces, and the sheer weight of everything, the legs are designed to securely withstand it.  The Scrapper and Mixmaster attach via the knees using a very solid interlocking system of pegs in multiple places.  Some of the spare parts used that are not part of the individual figures as the chest plate, the forearms and hands, and his big gun.  The rest of the Constructicons' small guns have no use here.

COMBINED MODE:

And now, of course, the whole reason you would get all six members, for Devastator, and really, this is the best Devastator we have had.

He is not perfect though, as there is a lot of kibble on the back, particularly most of Long Haul.  Otherwise, he's pretty clean.

The head sculpt is good, and it is interesting given during transformation, his face is squished in for storage, but there is no evidence of that here.

Devastator is large, he is made up of six Deluxe to Voyager class height figures after all.  But he isn't massive, like a Titan.

He's only just a bit taller than Legacy Menasor, but Devastator feels a lot more hefty and solidly put together though.

From the side, you can see how much of Long Haul sticks out.  They're his legs, and considering that there was all those extra combiner pieces, it's disappointing that we still have this much kibble with nowhere to go.  Those legs could have been better designed to tuck away somewhere or lie flatting on his back.

The designers have done a wonderful job of making him super stable, so that he is able to utilize the full range of his articulation:  head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees, and even ankles.

In terms of weaponry, Devastator has a bigger longer gun to hold.

The rest of the individual Constructicons' weapons are too much to be of any use here, and they don't even combine into a larger gun.  There are plenty of 5mm ports around the figure for you to store those weapons though.

And yeah, once again, this is the best Devastator's we had, and once you've combined him, he is very impressive.

Perhaps most impressive is just how well this figure holds together, both physically, and visually in a cohesive way.

You can easily pick him up and don't have to be careful when posing him.  Every piece and member clicks or pegs into place, so you don't have to worry about dislodging everything.

The weight distribution is spot on too, he isn't out of balance and won't easily keel over.

The ankle tilts help a lot in this matter, keeping him standing flat on the table.

A fantastic combined mode, and one that's the standard for all updated Combiners.

OVERALL:

The Combiner Wars version was flawed, and it's been nearly a decade, so an update was required.  While his release schedule makes him quite pricey overall (and somewhat stressful to get over the course of months), the end result is very nice and quite worth it.  It's a near perfect rendition of the character, with the only major flaws being the extra combiner kibble and Long Haul's legs sticking out the back.

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