Dave's Transformers Universe Rant: Target Exclusives 2006 Overbite/Repugnus Scavenger/Hightower Bonecrusher/Longhaul This is all recolors of stuff I already have at least one version of (two in the case of the Constructicons). I don't plan to get the Constructicon sets, though, since I already have two versions of those toys. See http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/RiD/Landfill for my review of the Wal-Mart exclusive recolors, which are very similar to the new ones, but yellow and black instead of green, purple and black. Reportedly, there is no remolding. http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Phase2/BFuzor2 has my review of the original Buzzclaw (which got a LOT of recolors last year for BotCon). And http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Japan/BW2cyborgs has my review of Hellscream (based on http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Phase1/DeluxeW3 Cybershark). Yes, Universe reviews tend to be mostly references to older reviews. :) (Update 3/14/06: Repugnus assembly "error".) (Update 3/17/06: Overbite head storage picture.) CAPSULES Overbite/Repugnus: A bigger-than-Deluxe and a Basic for the $20 price point (on sale for $17 at the moment, and possibly long-term) is a decent deal in general. The Hellscream mold used for Overbite is very good, and the Buzzclaw mold used for Repugnus is good (if a bit overused last year). Strongly recommended if you don't own Hellscream, don't bother if you do (Overbite isn't very different and isn't better than Hellscream). $16.99 at Target. Scavenger/Hightower: A recommended mold and a mildly recommended one. If you have no other version of the molds, worth picking up on sale, so-so on full price. Bonecrusher/Long Haul: Two mildly recommended molds, so mildly recommended overall. $34 for Landfill is okay, but nowhere near as good a deal as the Wal-Mart version, even if the quality levels are higher than that one. RANTS Just gonna be Overbite/Repugnus, of course. Packaging: Standard $20 price point Universe box. Co-sells are on the side panel, showing the other four toys in the exclusive set, and full versions of the character drawings are repeated on the bottom panel. Both toys are packaged in beast mode, twist-tied down to a blister that is not glued to the backing, but instead uses the "tabs stuck through to the other side and taped down" trick. You have to first undo the ties that go all the way through to the box (two on Overbite, one on Repugnus), remove the blister, and then undo the remaining ties (two more on Overbite, SIX more on Repugnus AND a secondary bubble between his limbs). Or just go the old wirecutter route. Overbite's right pectoral fin is detached and separately attached to the cardstock with two ties. The two missiles are held to the card with rubber bands. The paperwork includes a Space Camp game piece (mine was not a winner, got a Starscream sticker), a single instruction sheet with instructions for both toys (looks like they did new ones for Overbite, there's too many subtle differences with Hellscream's, but Repugnus's are Buzzclaw's blown up a bit larger than original size), and a copy of the old poster/catalog for Universe back in the second and third waves. The box back claims Overbite has "snapping jaw!", but that's kinda overstating the case. The hinge on his head launcher isn't even really in the right place to represent jaw motion. It only attributes poseable wings and claws to Repugnus, ignoring his action feature. It also shows Repugnus as a Decepticon, contradicting his Autobot symbol. There's no official techspecs for these toys, so I'm making up my own. DECEPTICON: OVERBITE Altmode: Cyborg shark Function: Air/Sea Superiority Fighter Previous Mold Use: BWII Hellscream Previous Name Use: G1 Seacon Motto: "There are only two kinds of creatures: prey, and those who don't yet realize they are prey." OVERBITE lived just long enough to see all of the other SEACONS slain by an insane GALVATRON before being pulled through a warp portal by the dark god UNICRON. Doused with corrupted Energon, OVERBITE mutated into a half- organic, half-machine form with vastly more power than he had ever had before, even as part of PIRANACON. However, his experiences have convinced him that everyone is prey, even himself, and his old confidence is merely a shell covering a deep certainty that he will not survive this conflict. STR 8 INT 7 SPD 8 END 9 RNK 6 COUR 5 FRP 8 SKL 8 Avg 7.375 Mold Changes: The two pegs that hold the nose-axe to the head-shield are significantly shorter on Overbite. The axe also lacks the back-hook of Hellscream's, but has a reinforced shaft. This seems to be the only actual change, although the missiles seem to be a tiny bit thinner (probably just normal batch variation). Color Swaps: Basically none, it IS the Hellscream color scheme. Bluish gray and light tan organic parts, forest green and black mech parts. Paint Apps: Slightly different from Hellscream's. Generally fewer paint applications in general, although it seems like a very thin layer of the tan from the belly is painted on the dorsal fin to make it look seafoam green (99CC99). The lack of any other paint apps on the dorsal fin, however, reduce the conning tower appearance and hurt the overall look of the toy. A Decepticon symbol is tampographed on the side of the shark head, or the left chest of the robot. Other notes: Seems a bit more stable than my Hellscream, although the missiles don't hold as firmly in the fists, and the missiles rattle a bit in their backpack storage area. I discovered that the shield part of the launchable skullpiece can snap onto the back of the conning tower for robot mode storage. Combine the nose axe with a missile for the lower part and you get a nice poleaxe weapon. [Later note: no strong UV reaction to any plastic or paint.] [http://www.dvandom.com/images/overbitestorage.JPG shows how to clip the shield onto the back.] Overall: This is a cool mod of an extra-cool original mold, and it's good to see it finally available in U.S. stores. Keeping in mind that this is an upgunning of a Deluxe mold, it's more of a $13-level toy on its own. Not worth getting the set JUST for this toy, though, so if you really don't want another Buzzclaw, you might wait to see if it goes on clearance. If you already have Hellscream, though, this isn't any better, nor even a whole lot different. AUTOBOT: REPUGNUS Altmode: Mantis/Lizard Fuzor Function: Triple Agent Previous Mold Use: BW Fuzor Buzzclaw Previous Name Use: G1 Monsterbot Motto: "Sometimes even I forget which side I'm on!" While exploring some of the forgotten underlevels of Cybertron that were heavily infected with organic taint, the AUTOBOT counter-intelligence agent REPUGNUS found a remnant of the essence of PRIMUS, and through it was pulled into the trans-reality "Universe" conflict. Damaged in transit and fused with the organic bits nearby, he found himself in a new form even more disgusting than his previous one. Now he plays a very dangerous game, pretending to be a DECEPTICON mole in the AUTOBOT forces...as far as his DECEPTICON handlers know, he's simply a rather clever VIRULENT CLONE who has convinced the AUTOBOTS that he is one of them. So far, his sheer guts and his cunning intellect have let him survive. So far. STR 5 INT 9 SPD 5 END 7 RNK 6 COUR 10 FRP 4 SKL 10 Avg 7 And yes, I used the packaging error as justification for his faction uncertainty. :) The Virulent Clone is one of the BotCon 05 recolors of Buzzclaw. Unfortunately, it looks like I kitbashed my only Buzzclaw. Extensive searching reveals no "clean" copies in my varius boxes. So my comparisons may not be 100% accurate. Mold Changes: As far as I can tell from the kitbashed version, there are no mold changes. Color Swaps: The opaque yellow-green plastic has been replaced by opaque yellow (FFFF00) plastic, and the clear orange has been replaced by a dark clear ruby red (CC0000 or thereabouts). Paint Apps: A sort of light grayish cyan (66FFFF is close) on the beast head and robot shins and robot eyes. The rest of the robot face is mostly gold with silver teeth. There's also gold on the beast crest, shins, tail and wings. A metallic blue-green adorns the wings as well, plus the insect eyes. A non-metallic translucent green is used to darken parts of the wings and tail. A small Autobot symbol is tampographed on his backpack. Other Notes: The use of G1 Repugnus's colors (more or less) creates a sort of candy-like appearance, a good foil for your TFCC exclusives, I suppose. [Later note: the yellow plastic glows strongly under UV light, the red does not. None of the paints react.] [Even later note: the mandibles are upside-down. You can see this as an assembly error or a variation frmo Buzzclaw, however you want. :) ] Overall: A decent toy, and I suppose this offering lets people who didn't want to pay Mastercollector's prices get a Buzzclaw recolor. Set as a whole: If you can pick this up at $17, definitely get it unless you already own Hellscream. And even at $20, it's a decent deal. Dave Van Domelen, at least the Decepticon symbol makes it trivial to tell Hellscream from Overbite at a glance. Hopefully we'll see other Cyborg Beasts released in Universe.