Thursday, June 2, 2011
Review: [Hasbro] Transformers Power Core Combiners Darkstream with Razorbeam -Part 1-
| Figure Information | |
| Manufacturer: | Hasbro |
| Origin Series: | Transformers: Power Core Combiners |
| Scale: | Non-Scale |
| Height: | Approximately 13cm tall |
| Original Price: | 10 USD |
| Figure Blister Card: |
As mentioned before, you can just read back my comments on the packaging of the power core combiners since they pretty much have the same packaging for the entire line similar to some figma series wherein only a thing or two changes. Again, you can see Darkstream's allegiance from the box and he's, of course, a Decepticon. The package art features his alt mode along with his partner Razorbeam in its vehicle weapon mode mounted on him, it's a pretty decent art especially since the shading on Darkstream's jet mode is pretty cool, yeah, and the blend of Razorbeam is pretty good too.
| Figure Details: |
Now Darkstream's alt mode is a jet, though I'm not pretty familiar with it but it's surprisingly solid; why? Well, basically unlike the previous PCCs I've reviewed, his jet mode is so solidly made that there aren't any visible light blue pegs, they are all hidden very well even though his transformation sequence is pretty simple. The color itself is great, even though he's supposedly around the metallic dark gray scheme the use of plasticy gray is pretty fine as it is (better than being white right?) since it it's the typical plasticy grey we usually see in inner frames of other TFs (or maybe I'm color blind again XD) and the amount of detail isn't reduced, by flipping it upside down, you see more of his details and this includes his limbs but it's not pretty obvious like Sledge's sticking out hands in his alt mode.
And for additional fun factor, you can flip out three landing gears so you can display him properly on ground.
You can fan mode this guy into a Gerwalk mode but it didn't come to my mind during the shoot so, yeah XD Anyway, going to his bot mode; by a little amount of unfolding and folding you get to his bot mode, quite a simple transformation. Same comments for the Jet mode, he's got a solid bot mode too, you'll see the pegs at the back but that's just it, and I do prefer using them as heels for support. Now he's that really that awesome, his face isn't even menacing to begin with and his hands have a lot of hollow spots in them and his chest is the nose of the jet while the rest of it counts as a kibble on his back, his arms are also pretty plain IMO so yeah, nothing really that amazing, and seriously, Steamhammer's even more menacing than this guy, well, he is just a repaint of an autobot of the same mold afterall, maybe that's why :/
Now to his minicon partner, Razorbeam, which is who I really was after from the beginning, he's a repaint of Smolder's partner, Chopster, now in delicious dark clear blue plastic; he, of course, has some points of articulation which again I won't be moving to, but there's at least a pic where I posed him.
Now I'll start with the only useful thing in his other modes (for this 2-pack at least), his vehicle weapon mode. He turns into a cannon like armament but from the cyber missions back where Smolder and Chopster were seen, it's a flamethrower 0.o
Now it's a very useful mode especially for shoulder ports in torso mode limbs, but anyway, there's an obvious powerlinx port on top of his jet mode, where he can be pegged onto and thus allowing also swiveling movement.
And now for his other weapon mode, the useless one (for this pack only), the axe mode which is for bot mode weaponry, and this was also my target for the pack, since it's really really decent of a weapon and it reminds me of animated Optimus' axe (only a smaller scale, of course). XD
So, why useless? Due to just recoloring and 0 retooling, you can either blame it on Razorbeam's design or Darkstream's; since apparently, Darkstream has no effin way of holding the axe mode (but the funny thing is, in the instruction manual, he can!) due to Dark's 5mm ports in the hands being not deep enough (since it's not completely hollow) and Razorbeam's first 5mm thickness on the handle doesn't reach far enough to insert into Dark's hands. So yeah, fail detailing there Hasbro and thus, rendering this, the most useless partnership ever in the PCC line.
Lastly his Armor mode, a decent armor but once again, quite useless. I mean I do like the armor and thanks to Razorbeam's color, it even looks more decent but...
Apparently, Dark's powerlinx port is the same on his jet mode, and in bot mode, this falls on his back, so... it's a back armor! (lol wtf) I mean his back's already a big kibble, who needs an extra armor there, he needs one on his effin front. And do note, this goes the same for his torso mode... so... LOL
Well it does look nice but still awkward position. :p
| Articulation: |
Now despite the fail that is in the details section above. This is where Dark shines! His shoulders are ball jointed so yeah, you basically have the best known shoulder joint in terms of range to date; he does not have a bicep swivel BUT his elbow joint is double jointed awesomeness, and it's not the typical double joints, the point in the lower portion is a friggin ball joint, so it's a decent substitute for a bicep swivel, and yeah, thanks to the double jointed awesomeness, you can bend it perfectly.
Now for the legs, and I've probably mentioned the ranges for quite a while so I'm just listing them down: his hips are ball jointed so yeah you know its range (if not, just look below), he has a knee hinge (which doesn't go that far) and a thigh swivel.
Additionally, some people say his head does have articulation but mine won't budge, so I don't really know, but I'll count as not jointed, so yeah, it's a little disappointing sine it could've added to his highly good articulation.
Despite having a failed compatibility with his minicon, Dark's a lot of fun to pose thanks to his awesome joints and you can do a lot of lul wut poses with him because of it. And yeah, he's pretty flexible as he is so this is his real standing point.
Well, thankfully enough, his hands though not deep enough are, as mentioned before, 5mm ports so you can give him other stuff from G1 weapons to DotM's mechtech weapons.
| Final Thoughts: |
Overall, I don't recommend Dark but I do recommend his minicon, as seriously, some people would pick up PCCs for the minicons alone. Unless you want a Decepticon version of that Autobot 5-pack commander, then this pack isn't worth picking up due to the partnership failure and yeah, Hasbro ripped you (and me!) off but hey, I was after Razorbeam in the first place. Alternatively, if you don't care about color, you can just pick up Smolder and Chopster instead as that pack is awesome in many ways (but I don't have it, my sister does :p).
| Rating (Out of 10) | |
| Details | 7 |
| Articulation | 9 |
| Price | 6 |
| Overall: | 7.33 |
| Extra: |
I don't really know when this will be up (or if will even have a part 2) since I don't plan on getting the aerialbots for him as I'd end up getting the same mold but different factions only, well, if I do get Mudslinger (which I'm still thinking of getting) then it's more possible since the destructicons have proved really well for his Torso, else if not, then he'll be getting the combaticons instead when Bombshock is home since they are at the very least both military themed. Do note that the torso mode pic below has a slight error in its looks XD
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Most useless indeed XD
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