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Sentinel Prime

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27 comments posted
Next Bayformer Suggestion

Shockwave is pretty good, but you should try Skyhammer. It has a very non-Bayformer aesthetic, great articulation and stability, and an excellent alt mode. Shockwave's alt mode is a big Cybertronian block with a huge gun and blade.

atom smasher's picture
Posted by atom smasher on 26 June, 2011 - 21:04
Apart from the face sculpt

Apart from the face sculpt he's not a bad looking dude. Both modes look cool, especially his alt mode. Still won't be buying any of the Bayformers though.

north-exit's picture
Posted by north-exit on 26 June, 2011 - 21:40
Bayformer Toys

Agreed wholeheartedly. Sentinel Prime does fit perfectly with the modern G1 aspect of things. That's why I stayed away from certain Bayformer toys that objects that aspect. I think Roadbuster, Shockwave, & Skyhammer are good choices. I mean Shockwave is aesthetically cool looking than Megatron.

Diakron's picture
Posted by Diakron on 27 June, 2011 - 00:53
I'll be honest. Very nice

I'll be honest. Very nice pictures, but that's about it. The rest I didn't like, especially as a person having over a month experience with this robot and actually reviewing it elsewhere already.

Robot mode- the back panel splits up to form a Vector Prime- like cape and the railings fold down. The robot DOES stand, you just have to click the groin joint back and knee joint forward by one click so from side it looks a bit chicken like. You didn't really discuss the weapons as much as I wished for, especially the fact the shield is very loose in hands and should be mounted on the forearm to stay in one place. There was also no mentioning of how this toy is compatible with Generations/Hunt For The Decepticons 3,5mm weapon clipping system ( I assume you heard of this system as Generations is an extension of G1 in a way).

Vehicle mode- no mentioning of how the electronic works in this mode, nor how it's changing when you plug weapons into Sentinel's roof. Also, you didn't mention the deployable front bumper water gun, nor how main weapons can be stored inside the vehicle (blades in the leg compartment and the shield on the undercarriage.

I agree getting him into car mode is tricky, but you can see SOC Daimos-like traits in here with arms stored in legs in alt mode and admittedly the engireering of this transformation is quite nice seeing what goes where.

Overall, an average review, really, Seems rushed and it's visible you looked at the instructions while doing it, but not all of it. I hope you manage to make a better TF review next time :)

Wallas's picture
Posted by Wallas on 27 June, 2011 - 05:51
I appreciate the constructive

I appreciate the constructive criticism, and I'll take it into account if I review another one of these. My brevity is mostly because I know there are dozens of other reviews (like your own, no doubt), which delve into these toys in incredible detail, and I'm more interested in providing a certain point of view than duplicating or amplifying these efforts. But, again, a valid critique.

The Enthusiast's picture
Posted by The Enthusiast on 27 June, 2011 - 08:12
personally

I say, at least you have a ton of comments for this review...can't be all bad:)

AJProDie-Cast's picture
Posted by AJProDie-Cast on 27 June, 2011 - 18:49
JoshB

Hello Wallas, it's fair to note that JoshB did an average review of TF Generations Cyclonus just like this one b/c of the heavy traffic of reviews that covered the robot w/ a thorough analysis about it on the world net. He even made note to his readers about this on his short-lived review. So there's really no point in emulating one's in-depth reviews on the subject. That's why I think film critics Siskel & Ebert had the right approach to modern criticism: If you want to honestly criticize a subject to your audience, give them a natural reaction to it.

Diakron's picture
Posted by Diakron on 27 June, 2011 - 13:59
Why not, I'm looking forward

Why not, I'm looking forward to critic.

Ok, next time I'll send my points over a PM.

But for me there is a difference between "I don't like this because I'd do it in a different way" and "I don't like it because it skips the selling points and key features of the toy". My response was aimed to show there is much more to this toy than the article suggests and not to be nasty to The Enthusiast ( and I'm happy to see he accepted my points as valid,). Despite what you might've interpret from my comment, I don't enjoy purposefuly trolling others or being a prick showing his superiority. I enjoy seeing toys in their full glory.

Let's leave it at that because I'm not bent on creating flame here, just wanted to clear why I wrote what I wrote. Again, next time I'll transfer my technical suggestions via private messages.

Wallas's picture
Posted by Wallas on 27 June, 2011 - 15:04
Dammit- I really wanna read

Dammit- I really wanna read this review, but I can't because it'll be a spoiler! >_<; ...It's bad enough I know he's a fire truck and called Sentinel Prime.

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 27 June, 2011 - 13:42
Honestly, I think you're

Honestly, I think you're safe. There's no story to the review or anything, past that his name is Sentinel Prime, and he's a firetruck ;)

Prometheum5's picture
Posted by Prometheum5 on 27 June, 2011 - 14:51
I'm not talking just about

I'm not talking just about story when I said that. The fact I even know he exists, who voices him, and what he changes into is spoiler enough. But I don't want to know what he looks like or his features until I see it for myself.

I got Leader Ironhide (review in progress) because he was a recurring character from past movies, and we don't know 100% yet if what his features are will be in DotM or not.

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 27 June, 2011 - 17:48
Do you honestly believe that

Do you honestly believe that TF 3 is going to surprise you? It's Transformers not the bleedin' Wickerman.

VF5SS's picture
Posted by VF5SS on 27 June, 2011 - 17:57
Well, I burned myself on

Well, I burned myself on spoilers 16 years ago, and have regretted it ever since. I learned my lesson.

I'll watch trailers 'n such because they don't reveal too much, and they're usually out-of-context as trailers usually are. But that's the extent of it until I see [any] film with my own eyes. That goes for more than just Bayformers too, BTW.

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 27 June, 2011 - 18:05
Even trailers are far to

Even trailers are far to revealing these days, every time an add on TV flashes on (for a film I'm interested in) I look away & mute the volume, it's worth the trouble.

north-exit's picture
Posted by north-exit on 27 June, 2011 - 19:30
Bay/

when has a Bay movie been accused of having a storyline...to spoil...lol I would love Robot Chicken to make fun of them...like a civil court case against the soldiers for deciding to transfer the "all spark" in a populated city instead of the desert!...lol

AJProDie-Cast's picture
Posted by AJProDie-Cast on 27 June, 2011 - 18:48
That's because Michael Bay

That's because Michael Bay films often don't need deeply-complex and -moving plot lines to be entertaining. Take, for example, his first film, "The Rock". To this day, that is still my favorite Bay film. (It's also the only film where I like Nick Cage being, well, Nick Cage on the screen. Jack Nicholson he ain't.) No one- including myself- ever said he did non-action-based character drama well. He's an action film director, and he has a good- albeit not impenetrable- eye for what will get your blood pumping. IMO, Bayformers-1 is a close second, and "Armageddon" is a distant third.

(I don't care about either "Bad Boys", I disliked a lot of "Pearl Harbor" and most of "TF-RotF". But I still want to see "The Island".)

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 27 June, 2011 - 19:51
Don't see The Island. Trust

Don't see The Island. Trust me.

Prometheum5's picture
Posted by Prometheum5 on 27 June, 2011 - 20:13
All of those movies are

All of those movies are terrible.

VF5SS's picture
Posted by VF5SS on 27 June, 2011 - 20:26
I'll only respond by saying

I'll only respond by saying Bay is a rather polarizing director- yeh like his stuff or you don't. ^_^

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 28 June, 2011 - 02:30
true...but

Yeah, but maybe it is just the reader in me, but with like 3 lines of good dialogue here and there, his movies would not be so stupid...and the argument that they are action movies...so sans good writing, does not explain why in EVERY movie he has a long, very poorly directed/acted/designed long winded speech usually involving someone dying...Ben Aflecks speech to keep drilling, the nine speeches of Optimus Prime...the ridiculous Fox begging "sam" to live with planes flying above...like I said a junior high school student with a pencil could fix these issues. It is like have a popy Yamato and the person covers it with fake rust that can wipe off with a towel...

AJProDie-Cast's picture
Posted by AJProDie-Cast on 28 June, 2011 - 09:33
What is it with sequels?

Even though I have read or watched a half-dozen other reviews of this toy, I enjoyed this one for its fresh and honest perspective. Yeah, there are missed features and a few transformation issues, but I think that first impressions are valid info to share, and I enjoyed reading them.

Furthermore, the synopsis of the differences between the G1 aesthetic and the Bayverse aesthetic was spot-on and very well-stated. I happen to like the Bayverse look (even if I don't care for the movies), but I grew up on G1 and I appreciate that, too. As the review suggested, Bayverse characters are usually hyper-complex shell-formers, and whether you like that or not comes down to personal opinion.

Enthusiast, I'd hate to think that this toy would drive you away from other Leader-class movie offerings (yeah, that's the real term). While I don't own him, the general opinion is that Sentinel Prime is a sort of sequel to the Revenge-of-the-Fallen Leader-class Prime that EVA_Unit_4A reviewed here:

http://www.collectiondx.com/toy_review/leaderclass_autobot_optimus_prime

Like many sequels, Sentinel shares a lot of the look of the original, but misses something of the spirit. The RotF Leader Prime is just plain dumbfounding in how good each mode is, and how complicated it is to get between them. As a truck, he's rock-solid, not a frustratingly fragile mess of panels. And s a robot, it's almost impossible for me (after owning him for about 1.5 year) to see how he could possibly turn into what he does. The complexity is worth the end results.

I guess my point is that I'd love to see an Enthusiast comparison between this toy and RotF Leader Prime. If it helps, a version of that Prime with Energon Hooks and "Battle Damage" is making the rounds at second-string U.S. department stores for seriously discounted prices.

(Oh, and am I the only one that has a hard time getting over Sentinel's matronly bosom?)

Corduroy Bear's picture
Posted by Corduroy Bear on 27 June, 2011 - 22:00
thanks for the thoughtful

thanks for the thoughtful remarks. I might have to check out that Prime. I have been giving it the eye. If I pick it up I'll blog an update.

The Enthusiast's picture
Posted by The Enthusiast on 27 June, 2011 - 22:56
Hrmm... Maybe if The

Hrmm... Maybe if The Enthusiast holds off a few more weeks/months, when I finally see DotM and get Sentinel Prime here, I could do a co-review and shoot the video review, and compare him to my RotF Leader OP...? ;)

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 28 June, 2011 - 02:28
dunbine

It has a Dunbine look to it, especially in the leg section. All it needs is a bug face.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 28 June, 2011 - 18:19
I've had a change of

I've had a change of heart...

Nearly six months since DotM came out and I STILL haven't seen the fuggin' thing. (I'm waiting for repairs to our new Blu-Ray player, then I'll get the 2-disc ver.)

It occurred to me that if I didn't move soon, I would loose my chance to get some of these DotM figures before they moved on to Wave 2 and/or "TF Prime". I reminded myself that several times I have gotten toys of characters I didn't like (ex: The Twins) just because the toys themselves were good. And so I knuckled under and got Sentinel Prime last night.
(By contrast, Deluxe Roadbuster and Crankcase are still sitting in their boxes unopened since I have other priority reviews underway. And I'm eying Deluxe Topspin and Voyager Shockwave.)


I'm not gonna repeat all of what everyone else has pointed out above, but I do still wanna give my $0.02.

I see what you meant about not breathing on the panels. While vehicle mode is rather panel-centric, I'd say that didn't bother me too much even though I agree with the part about them being quite finicky to align together. Other than the panels, the transformation was quite engaging, and I love how all the panels and techy stuff moves about inside his torso. I also though placing the arms inside the legs was quite a cleaver way to conserve space and not increase the cost by having those disassemble even more (nice as that would be too).
Did anyone else notice the really tiny fold-out water hook-up under the front bumper? (Man, I love little realistic details like that! Yet another reason why Bayformers float the hell out of my boat.)

IMO, the standard by which all other Leader-class Bayformers should be judged is still RotF Optimus Prime. I think Sentinel here does a very good job of keeping his features, details, and transformation to that same level without being as frustrating the first time through (even though, yes, those panels get annoying).

I, too, also had balance issues, but these worked out by making him slightly chicken-walker at the knees, and opening-up and playing around with the panels on his back-side.

The sword (err, naginata?) looks weak at the joint, but I love the Cybertronian glyphs on it. And the shield is just awesome. (Mech Tech vehicle mode = meh.)

Standard complaints:

--It sounds nothing like the guy who played him in the movie.
--The eyes glow the wrong color.

For the love of God, Hasbro, wake up on these two issues.

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 10 December, 2011 - 19:41