Friday, October 11, 2013
Review: Robots in Disguise Autobot Ratchet
| Figure Information | |
| Manufacturer: | Hasbro |
| Origin Series: | Transformers Prime |
| Scale: | Non-scale |
| Height: | Approximately 14cm tall |
| Original Price: | 12.99 USD |
| Packaging: |
The RID Deluxes all come in similar card packaging wherein you see the Transformers Prime logo at the top and beside it, an image of the cgi model of the character, the card is labeld with Robots in Disguise which is the main toyline for the season 1 - season 2 of TF Prime. On one side of the card is the bot's tech specs while the back gives a short bio as well as the usual full of lies product shots. :p
| Details - Vehicle Mode: |
Ratchet's medical van mode looks very solid, though lacking in some details, what made me like the Hasbro one in an instant was because of the white paint they used for Ratchet; it's very clean, and it has the same feel as the Takara white which can be found on UN Jazz or UN Drift. Paint finish is very very nice on the alt mode but, again, lacks in detail like the life line on the back of the sides; the silver paint on the grills are a very nice touch and even with the lack of certain details, the overall appearance really gives a solid feel to it. (and hey, clear windows and windshield!)
The bumpers (as well as the roof) have 2 5-mm ports available, so you can plug any applicable 5-mm peg weapons there if you desire.
Of course, Ratchet can plug his scalpels there but really, armed vehicle modes aren't that appealing to me. (unless it really is supposed to be armed)
| Details - Robot Mode: |
The Robot mode, much like the alt, gives a very solid look, there are very minor kibbles and the overall look of Ratchet is amazing. One gripe though is that the red shades on the shoulder pads and the body are uneven (although not noticeable in the pics); but aside from that, every thing else works the use of the slightly darker gray on his limbs work perfectly with his color scheme and that silver paint for the face and also on some parts of the body have such a good finish on them. Again, it lacks some paint apps but the mold, I can say is as screen accurate as it can get, I just find it very good.
Adding up to the good mold and finish, Ratchet also uses some light piping and like his friend and leader, once the eyes light up, you can see an intricate amount of detail in Ratchet's eyes which is very very accurate to the show and also a big wow factor for me.
Some size comparisons, Ratchet would be a decently scaled deluxe, as he is nearly as tall as the First Edition Vehicon; but for comparisons below would be him standing beside Anna, FE Vehicon, and FE Optimus.
| Accessories: |
Ratchet comes with two scalpels which he can hold as dagger-like weapons BUT the main winn factor of this is that when you fold the hands down, the figure emulates a sense of show accuracy wherein his hands transform in the scalpels instead of holding them like daggers; the option is very very welcomed and the engineering is awesome in many ways.
| Articulation Points: |
Ratchet's head is on a ball joint but due to his "collar", movement can be quite stiff for the field medic, only allowing his sideward tilts to a certain degree and nearly impossible to look up or down; which in turns makes one of his few downsides.
While the neck is quite limited, the arms make up for it as the shoulders have free forward/backward movement, raising sidewards to bit more than the usual 90 degrees; he also has bicep swivels which is good and surprising his arms can emulate a double jointed hinge as there are hinges in the bicep as well as the elbows, thus, giving the field medic a very neat range of bending prowess.
Miraculously, Ratchet is also giving a waist joint which is rarely available in transformers toys; and this pretty much makes up for the lack of other articulation points.
Hips are on the usual ball joint which gives a very good forward and backward range while sideways have around an 80 degree stretch. Ratchet also has thigh swivels and his knees bend to a good ol' 90; lastly, you can fold his heels and toes which can be useful for jumping poses.
| Poseability: |
Posing Ratchet around was pretty fun, as he is a field medic, he isn't really one to fight but just do sermons and stay at base giving backup to his comrades; his articulated is great to emulate these feats but I feel that had they given him a wrist swivel, Ratchet would have been perfect!
While not a fighter, the figure itself is pretty capable of very neat poses with his scalpels and the lightpipe just adds a bit more awesome factor for the old field medic.
Interacting with other bots from TF Prime also works such as giving sermons to his old friend or agreeing to help out the tyrant.
There was one episode where Ratchet actually fought a lot, so hello Vehicon, meet Ratchet!
| Final Thoughts: |
Again RID Ratchet is just a totally solid figure and I love it, sure it's lacking in details but hey, this is THE Ratchet from the show! Great articulation, really fun to play with and overall, just a very satisfying purchase. I highly recommend getting this grouchy old doctor as he is one of the best from the early waves of the RID line.
Managed to snag him at the local toystore sometime around last year haha.
I do give the Doc an excellent 4.5 out of 5.
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