Combiner Wars Devastator

Devastator has finally come out and he's here in Australia! After many, many phone calls and stress after my state didn't get the shipment of the toys, I finally tracked one down today and have had many hours to play around with him, take photos and get an opinion of him, so I thought its time for a proper review!

Before I start...
1. The Takara version is better in every way. We all know this, so I won't be constantly pointing it out. I'm definitely going to be buying the Takara version even after owning the Hasbro version, so I think this is more of a "is this guy worth your time if you're not too fussed with Takara's improvements".
2. Devastator is big! Because of this, I unfortunately had to use a make-shift lightbox for the pictures of the big guy, I'm sorry! That's why you'll see a massive quality drop in the pics when we arrive to him, he just doesn't even nearly fit inside my regular little box.

So... Without further ado, lets begin the review with the Constructicon's leader!

Constructicon Scrapper

Robot Mode:



Scrapper is, in my opinion, the most aesthetically pleasing of the Constructicons in robot mode, but he does come with a pretty massive drawback. Apparently in a bid to improve foot stability in gestalt mode (more on that later), he lacks elbows similar to a standard G1 or Super Sentai toy. This is a big disappointment for the figure, because despite the box advertising tall the figures as "Voyagers", you really don't get anywhere near what is expected for a Voyager in terms of pose-ability, which makes it difficult to display the combined Constructicons in any remarkable way outside of a straight standing position.
Another drawback, although possibly limited to my figure, is that Scrapper's head does not like staying up. If everything isn't perfect, it will love to slide back down into his chest.



Scrapper is one of the smallest of the Constructicons and he lacks definitely due to his elbows, but he actually has a very nicely painted and detailed robot mode, especially on the chest and face. If you ignore the lack of posing options, he does work very well with other Generations figures.



Scrapper is perhaps the closest of the Constructicons to their G1 toys, due to his lack of elbows and almost identical transformation, however there is an undeniable amount of charm to the figure.



Payloader Mode:



As with all the Constructions, Scrapper has a very simple and quick transformation into vehicle mode which takes about a minute after the first attempt. Vehicle mode is very bog-standard, the shovel can move up and down and the wheels roll well. What you expect is what you get, honestly.



Scrapper's job in preparing for Devastator is to carry around the side panels of the chest-pieces, giving him the look of a flying payloader. Its not elegant, but it works and gives you a place to store the chest panels when you have the team in vehicle mode.

 

Constructicon Hook

Robot Mode:



In Robot Mode, Hook is by probably the most well-balanced of the Constructions next to Bonecrusher. He looks aesthetically sound, he has functional, if a bit awkward looking, elbows and functional knees as well as ankle tilts. He's also the only Constucticon that has the ability to look up and down without awkwardly dislodging his head, including Devastator. His elbows are a bit dodgy (I believe this is being fixed in the UW version), but he feels much more like a true Voyager then Scrapper does.



Here's Hook with the guy who replaces him as Devy's shoulders in IDW, Masterpiece Prowl. I've heard a lot of discussion over wether or not these figures (particularly the UW version) are worthy of going with Masterpieces. Honestly, I don't think they look terrible and we've basically been told that MP Devastator will never happen, so I can't fault you for trying. Personally I think that Devastator works a lot better then the individual characters in robot mode, but we'll get to that soon!



Hook's poses can easily outdo Scrappers and he looks pretty good in all of them. The crane arm also does well to help balance the toy, as it touches the ground in most poses, meaning you can get a bit more creative with Hook when compared ot his team-mates. One frustration with the figure, as can be seen in the above photo, are the panels on his shoulders often coming off. They're not terrible, as the ability for them to move helps with posing, but it is impossible to lock them down.



Crane mode



Crane mode, which has a transformation that mostly consists of lying him down and pusing his limbs in, leaves a bit to be desired. While it isn't awful to look at, I am not a fan of the big purple cube that sits in the center. In reality it is where Devastator's head is hiding, but I think perhaps some paint, maybe windows, to make it less noticable would've been good.



The crane can lift up, but honestly its a total disappointment. His titular hook is molded in place, so there's no way for him to lift the crane up and really look like he's doing anything. This bothers me more then I think it will most.

 

Construction Bonecrusher



Bonecrusher, much like Hook, is one of the better figures in robot mode. While he does not have ankle tilts like Hook, he has much improved elbows, actually looking like elbows that you'd expect a Transformer to have, plus the transformation of his feet makes him very stable to pose in order to make up for it.



The paint job is fairly decent, but a bit of paint on the details on his waist would've gone a long way. Bonecrusher is the most direct adaption of the G1 toon design and he pulls it off rather well, so he definitely fits in better with Masterpiece figures then some of the others.



Bonecrusher is perhaps the only Constuction where I don't really have anything negative to say. He's a good figure that just needs a bit of extra paint to push him over the edge.



Bulldozer Mode:



Just as with scrapper, you're getting the standard you'd expect for his bulldozer mode. His "shovel" doesn't mode at all, but you really wouldn't need that for a bulldozer and everything else about him is fairly unremarkable. The bulldozer mode could really do with some paint to help it pop. Whilst the green treads are accurate, he's just so boring to look at. A bit more purple would've really made this figure a ton better. The Decepticon emblem in the "shovel" is a cute nod to the location of his rubsign on the G1 toy. The figure rolls well, using wheels on the back of the treads and underneath the bulldozer in the center.

 

Construction Long Haul



Long Haul is by far the biggest of the Constuctions, far more of an Ultra Size Class then that of a Voyager. However, the extra size doesn't mean extra articulation. He has incredibly goofy elbows that only curl inwards and outwards due to the transformation into Devastator, so the only truly articulate parts are his knees and turning head. Never the less, while is by far the most far removed from his G1 look, he is striking and foreboding and perhaps the most interesting of the team.



Long Haul's head isn't really accurate to anything, they've definitely done a bit of their own thing with him. Its significantly closer to his G1 toon look then his toy look, but its still not quite there. Nevertheless, he definitely looks like the big brute of the team and scales well with Generations figures, even if he looks completely out of place if people wanted him anywhere near Masterpieces.





Dump Truck Mode:



Long Haul's alt mode is a massive dump truck. The transformation into it is incredibly simple, but it is by far the most striking and notable of the Constructicons in vehicle mode, the definite favourite of the six in this mode.



Long Haul is also extra useful in that he can hold Devastator's gun and arms in his trailer. Its not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but it works well enough. This functionality is carried over in robot mode.

 

Construction Mixmaster

Robot Mode:



Next up is the cement-mixer, Mixmaster. As many have realized and given their opinion on, he's probably the most removed from his G1 counterpart, although his robot mode remains fairly faithful. His drum just awkwardly hangs off his back, there's no transformation involved. He has the benefit of elbows, although that may be considered a generous use of the term.



He stands as big as a fairly standard Voyager, with just a little more beef.



He has the cannons molded on, which is a nice touch and a homage to Mixmaster's G1 toy. He also has a newly designed head, made to resemble a Decepticon emblem. Its a pretty cool design, if a bit strange for the character.

Cement Mixer Mode:



"Controversally" Mixmaster, now a frontload mixer, is given a bit of an update compared to his G1 version, or at least a more significant then his team-mates. I'm impartial to the change. I honestly don't really see the point of it, but I don't necessarily care that much that he's a slightly different vehicle. Outside of the intrigue of a new alt-mode there's not much here. The cement drum doesn't rotate or anything, he just rolls along.

 

Constructicon Scavenger

Robot Mode:



Finally is Scavenger, who has by far the most articulate arms of the Constructicons, being the only one that can actually but his hands on his hips! Scavenger also uses the same half-decent legs as Bonecrusher which makes him one of the best of the six. Aesthetically, though, he's my least favourite. He looks long and lanky in my eyes and just doesn't come off that well, which is a shame considering his higher articulation.



Being able to move his arms significantly means he is able to give off a bit more personality then the rest of the Constructicons, which is a very good thing! However, mine has a big problem: there's white scratches all along the top and sides of his head. I'm not sure if its just my figure, and I assume it would be, but its kind of dodgy QC and not really something I was pleased with once I inspected the figure.



Finally a Constructicon that can pull off an action pose! This solidifies him as one of the better of the six.



Power Shovel Mode:



One of the better alt-modes, Scavenger turns into a clean Power Shovel that is nearly identical to his G1 toy. It has the standard features as expected, rolling well thanks to wheels beneath its treads. There's nothing particularly remarkable but nothing bad either. Its a good mode.



The arm of the shovel can move up and down, back and forth, but the shovel itself is molded into place.

 

DEVASTATOR



Merge for the kill!



Devastator is where everything falls into place. The Constructicons all form from vehicle mode, outside of Long Haul and you can start to notice why some of the flaws of the individuals figures are there. Many of the hollow parts fold out and plug into other pieces of the gestalt and everything clips solidly and firmly. Every piece of Devastator is connected in multiple places to ensure he doesn't fall over easily, even the chest piece helps solidify the whole combiner, giving an extra hold on Scavenger and Bonecrusher into Long Haul and Hook. The result is pretty fantastic, honestly better then I was expecting. He's exactly the right scale for Classics and he looks awesome.



Devastator has just all about the articulation you'll be wanting, he can move his arms right about, his hands can open and close, he has solid knee joints that have no problem holding his weight and his feet can move and adjust in order to support the weight distribution of certain modes. Now comes my problem; Scrapper is by far the weakest link in the combination, with everything as solid and stable as it is, Scrapper is by far the most notably loose, with the arms and shovel not really seeming like a good enough base for his feet. This is ironic considering the excuse for Scrapper's lack of elbows was to have a more solid combination, I honestly don't see how elbows could have really made him any more useless a foot as he is. Nevertheless, Mixmaster is stable enough to usually make up for the slack on his other leg, but it is a bit of an issue I did not want for this figure after they used stability as an excuse for cutting back.



"No one calls Soundwave uncharismatic!"

Devastator also scales excellently with Masterpieces. While I personally am not a fan of mixing collections, I think Devastator would be a fair enough addition to the shelf if you so chose, as long as you kept him in his combined mode as I really don't think the Constructicons themselves work particularly well.



So, is Devastator worth it? I'd say... Wait for the Takara. The figure is definitely fun and has a lot going for it, I can't put him down and I love messing around with him, but for collectors, the Takara will definitely be worth the extra cash. I don't regret picking this guy up but I can't confidently recommend that you buy the Hasbro over the Takara unless you are on a tight budget and cannot afford the shipping for the big guy. You probably won't be disappointed if you go Hasbro though, he really is a very fun figure, even if you can really tell where corners have been cut!

Thanks for reading! I plan to do heaps more photos so I'll keep them coming. Please contact me if you have any requests!

 

How's the set packaged? Combined?

 

man, i never realized how ugly the G1 constructicons' vehicle modes are. bonecrusher's in particular, i'm so used to bulldozers having pistons by now lol

 

They come packaged in vehicle modes.

 

I disagree STRONGLY about this claim. I don't think Takaras Devastator is better, in fact in my opinion it's worse than this guy. Next time, please don't make the assumption that everyone likes the Takara one.

 

...
So you prefer missing or ugly-looking elbows?

 

I hereby crown you King of the Alpha Bravos. May you reign forever.

 

okay... why?

 

looking foward to getting mine in hand. i was fully aware of all of the limitations that each one has and have already excepted them but one thing that really stood out to me more now that i have seen then more clearer, they need some serious paint apps or stickers!!!!! they are waaaaaay to bone dry for me. i guess i will do the reprolables route.

 

Mr. unpopular opinions is back by popular demand!

...

Why

 

Love your write-up and objective point of view.
Looking forward to the rest of it!

 

I feel like Hercules is more the scale I want for my Combiner Wars collection and YOTS Omega Supreme.

 

They might not be perfect (far from it even), but I'm liking how these guys look so far. Obviously, some could do with more articulation and/or paint applications, but the main draw for me with this set is the combined mode, and the only thing I'm not liking about that is the solid black hands (wish they could've been purple. Might paint them myself), and the lack of pose-able thumbs

I think you're taking SG's statement a little to personally there, fella