I'd like to preface this by apologizing for the use of flash. The lighting in my room sucks. Also, I don't have Darkmount, so I can't do a comparison of the two.


EDIT: Deceptigtar took much better pics. Head over to page 4 to see what this toy is supposed to look like.


Generations Skullgrin's alt mode is that of a half-track tank (I guess). I have to say, I really love the colors on this version, more so than Darkmount.



The turret can rotate 360 degrees, and the barrel can move up and down (something that I wish we saw more of).



For a quick size comparison, here he is next to fellow Generations tank, Megatron.





Skullgrin also comes with the machine gun, missile launcher, and smoke grenade launchers that Darkmount had. For the most part, I just leave them off the figure, but his many hard points makes arming him up really fun.



Being a repaint of Darkmount, Skullgrin retains Darkmount's comic-inspired artillery gun mode.



Can't say I'm a huge fan of it, but then again it's just a bonus mode. I do like that it has handles, though, so that a smaller figure can operate it (and yes, I forgot to rotate said handles ).



After a neat transformation (I especially love how the turret becomes the legs), we get Skullgrin's very nice robot mode. I love that Hasbro is now giving repaints new heads to make them a bit different.



Here are some close ups of the new head.





Skullgrin's articulation is really good, with a swivel head, ball shoulders, swivel bicep, hinged elbows (that can also hinge inward), ball wrists, hinged fingers (all one piece), swivel waist, ball hips, swivel thighs, hinged knees, and ball ankles (allows for forward and back, as well as tilt movement). He can hold his axe with both hands (as seen after the next pic), and can even stand on one leg!



Here's Skullgrin holding his axe with both hands, as well as a size comparison w/ Megs again.




Overall, if you don't have Darkmount, then this is highly recommended (depending on which color scheme you like more). If you do have Darkmount, then you may still want to pick this up, as the new head and different display options (from manipulating kibble to attaching different weapons) can make them look very different.

And, for one final pic, I present a couple of Pretender homages.

 

Very nice, I love the Darkmount mmold, but the colors on this are nice as well, and another g1 inspired homage is always nice!

 

Head looks so much better

 

Thanks a ton for posting a review of this guy, it's great to finally see that head in detail. The lightness of it compared to the rest of the body kind of throws me for a loop, and it even almost seems too small for the body, but maybe that's just the lighting. Putting him next to Bludgeon though, holy crap, that looks SO GOOD. I may have to get him for that alone.

 

Actually, the head does seem a bit small in person, but not enough to look weird. And yes, the white parts (especially the head) really stand out from the gray, though whether or not that's a good thing is up to the individual.

 

Looks fantastic. Cant wait for him c:

 

I don't like the new head.

 

i dont have this guy but i do have darkmount, and the figure is slowly growing on me more and more, but i like skullgrins paint apps more, great pics though.

 

I give up.

 

He's red?       I thought he was supposed to be pinkish/purplish...that would have gone really nice with the grey.

Was really interested in this bot but now I think I will just go chase Darkmount after all.. 

 

Awww wook at da cootsie wootsy wittle Bow on his head.

I dub thee Mrs. Skull-Head.

It's also interesting how they gave this toy Supreme Starscream's Color Scheme

 

His head is tiny

(OH! That's what she said)

 

His head seems out of place with the rest of the body. The unpainted white seems to contrast way too much and that's a shame because it's a very nice sculpt. Is it just the pictures?

 

The new head looks out of place. Too small, too unpainted, too organic, it doesn't fit the mechanical body...

 

Head seems a bit small, hopefully I'll grow used to it like I did with Punch/Counterpunch. Can we get a pic of him without the shoulderpads folded out? I'd like to see if that helps with the head or differentiates him from Straxus a bit more.

 

The head pretty much stands out as much in person as it does in pictures. I like the contrast (makes his head seem more like a skull to me), but I can definitely see how some people could have a problem with it.

You know what's weird? I absolutely can't stand the size of Punch/Counterpunch's head, but I'm okay with Skullgrin's head. Weird.

As for the pics, I'll take them as soon as I get home from school (unless someone beats me to it).

 

That head doesn't do anything for me at all. Neither does the color scheme, really. I'll probably end up passing on this guy.

 

The head does seem a bit small, but after looking at my Darkmount, it's probably because Skullgrin's head isn't as wide as Darkmount's. They're the same size, but Darkmount's head design covers slightly more area.

 

This guy is pretty darn cool as far as repaints go. I hope Hasbro keeps giving repaints new head sculpts.

 

I think it looks amazing. Much nicer than Darkmount, IMO.