General thoughts about this line (from my Eagle Robo review): All I can say is...wow. I know there's been some debate whether these are "masterpiece" Machine Robos/Gobots and I think that's probably the wrong term. However, I only really say that based on their size; if they were twice their size and just a little more elaborate they'd totally fit in a MP TF display. As is, they're somewhere between Classics-ish versions of the characters and Hybrid Style TFs. Now, on their size: You definitely have to go into these knowing they're not huge. They range from Rod Drill, who's about scout sized, to Eagle Robo, who's maybe a smallish deluxe. They remind me a lot of Maketoys' Swerve/Gears and Tailgate, except, and this surprised me a lot, they totally have diecast parts! The diecast is used really well. All three of the ones that have been released have it mainly in their lower legs and a bit in their chests. I guess this could lend weight to the "masterpiece" label for these guys or maybe it's more like how "geewuners" often complain about modern toys having no diecast. However, I don't think of them as either. What they are is upgraded versions of the original Gobots (or at least my idea of them, I've only owned/handled a few). You're probably thinking "duh, that's what they are" but I mean something different that a classics or masterpiece Machine Robo/Gobot line. They...just feel like Gobots. I don't know how else to put it. It's like if the original line never stopped and everything that makes Gobots Gobots carried through to the present and these're just redos of the originals. I dunno what it is, but I really like these guys. tl;dr: they're really neat. ACTUAL REVIEW Vehicle Mode: So I went into this line with barely any knowledge of Machine Robo or Gobots. When I first saw pictures of his alt mode I didn't really think twice about his top treads but now I think it makes total sense. If there was an actual drill tank you could totally use treads on top to help push you through a tunnel as you're drilling. I really like how the heels attach to the back to fill in the transformation gap. He's got wheels on the outsides of his shoulders and on his treads but the front ones don't roll very well. His weapons can be left on during transformation and store in his hands for alt mode which is pretty impressive. So one thing that might turn a lot of people off is the drill. If you want the full extra-long drill, you've gotta partsform when in alt mode. There's no storage for the long drill or his head (when unattached) in either mode. However, if you just ignore the long drill entirely he has a perfect transformation, albeit with a kinda stubby drill. It's a little scary swapping the drills anyway just because how tight the long one holds on but I haven't seen any stress marks yet. He seems to be made of top notch plastic. Oh, and since his head is on a ball joint, you can point the drill in different directions but the range is fairly limited. Some size comparisons. Like I mentioned, these figures remind me of the Maketoys Swerve/Gears and Tailgate figures, although the Machine Robo guys are a little more smoothly sculpted and don't have the kinda sharp edges the MT guys have. Robot Mode: I really like the robot mode. For me, it's what puts him at the top (by a very slim margin) of the three figures released so far. He just owns any pose you put him in. Even just standing he's got a presence. His articulation is nearly perfect. Ball joint head, good shoulders and hips, double elbows and knees, waist swivel that gives a decent ab crunch, and ankle tilts. However, the worst part of this figure is his forward leg movement. Due to the hip skirt, you can only get about a 45 degree bend forward, and that's if you take advantage of his ab crunch. It's not a problem for most poses, but for anything that requires a sitting pose or high kick it just stops you dead. I would have loved separated flaps or a different crotch assembly altogether, but them's the breaks. No real gaps on the back. The same assembly that covers the gap on the back of the tank mode covers the back of the legs. His forearms are hollow from the back but adding his weapons covers it up. Stand plugs into the back of his waist like the other two. Unlike Eagle Robo, Rod Drill (and Battle Robo) can't attach to the stand in vehicle mode. In case you're wondering. ffffffffffff Some comparisons. Some thoughts: As I alluded to earlier, Rod Drill is my favorite of the line so far. Eagle is technically more impressive but he's just a little finicky, at least compared to the other two. Battle Robo is great too but his articulation isn't quite as good as Rod Drill's. I just wish there was a better solution for the crotch plate. Some thoughts on the display base: As promised, here's a bit on the base. This is my first experience with either a modular base or display stand so I don't have much to compare to but I really like what's here. All the parts are covered in holes and tabs and I haven't discovered all the ways they connect yet. You can make a pretty good garage/base out of the three sets combined. The I-beam parts have tabs on them too but I haven't figured out how to build with them yet. You can also build a decent backdrop. I'm looking forward to getting more sets so I can maybe have enough for a review backdrop. The display arm itself is made up of I-beam looking parts (two per figure) and joints (three each). The joints have posts that plug into the I-beams which get tighter as you push them in. This means to turn the arm you pull out the beam a bit, turn it, and push it back in. Dunno if it's a standard system, but it holds a shape pretty well. The joints themselves are ratcheted VERY tightly. You can bend them without loosening the joint but it's really stiff. Fortunately, you can press on the side with the screw to push apart the halves of the joint so you can adjust the ratchet freely. It's a little tricky but really stable. And modular
I really don't understand that crotch piece. Had they not made it go so low, it would've greatly improved the range of hip articulation, but instead it looks like a diaper AND severely limits leg posability. That makes him the weakest of the three for me, but otherwise he looks great!
Totally agree. He is the only one of the four I didn't bother to get precisely because of this and it had me scratching my head from the reveals wondering who the heck thought a solid crotch piece was a good idea.
