Scattorshot
(Cybertron Defense)
Scattorshot's new vehicle
mode is another military vehicle, with a bunch of missiles molded onto
the front of the launchers (they're not firable, however, given that there's
so many and they're so small-- they're just to look cool). As with the
other Cybertron Defense upgrades, this version retains the general (very
nice) color scheme of the original Scattorshot,
with a few new additions like dull bronze, which go together very nicely
with the other colors. The mold detailing is spectacular, with TONS of
rivets and panels and other robotic detailing everywhere, and the paint
detailing is very nice well, with some nice silver apps on the sides and
some nice gold and black paint apps on the missile launchers. A bit more
paint could have been used near the front of the vehicle, however. Scattorshot
also now has two Powerlinx ports on the sides of this mode, to the rear,
for you to store Minicons on him and power him up even more! (I use one
of the Minicon ports in this mode to store the handheld robot mode gun,
however.) The missile launchers can also point upwards and swing around,
so he can shoot any Decepticon within his proximity. I do have some problems
with this mode, however, when it comes to robot mode extras. For one, the
front pieces are very obviously the robot mode feet, folded up. The robot
arms are also very obviously right under the missile launchers in this
mode, even if the hands are folded up inside then. Worst of all, though,
is that if you raise the missile launchers to point them upwards, the bottom
half of the robot head and the upper robot legs are VERY easily seen, and
don't mesh with the surrounding parts very well at all.
Scattorshot's robot
mode is excellent-- one of the best robot modes of Cybertron. His proportions
are spot-on, he's articulated at every point you can reasonably expect
on such a toy except at the wrists, all of his joints are nice and tight
(but not too tight), he's very stable with no vehicle mode kibble that
doesn't integrate well into this mode, and he's got a very nice amount
of paint detailing. The "strapped-on armor" look he has on his chest looks
especially cool. As is befitting an upgrade, his head also bears a very
obvious resemblance to the original Scattorshot, but a bit more "beefed
up", as his goggles look decidedly smaller in proportion to the rest of
his face. (Sadly, though, the goggles still can't go down over his actual
optics.) The two Powerlinx ports from the vehicle mode migrate onto the
sides of Scattorshot's lower legs in this mode, so they're still usable
here. What REALLY defines this toy, though, are the ultra-cool Cyber Key
gimmicks (which can also be used in vehicle mode, but I think they look
cooler in this mode). Plug the Cyber Key into the port on the missile launcher
on the right arm, and a large, long (non-firing) gun flips out, to add
some more firepower to Scattorshot's already beefed-up arsenal! Plug the
Cyber Key into the launcher on his right arm, and another launcher flips
out-- slide the front of the launcher forward to reveal two firable missiles,
and a targeting reticle to boot (though it is rather hard for Scattorshot
to actually look through said reticle, given its odd location-- it should
be on the other side of the launcher). Needless to say, with both of these
Key gimmicks activated, Scattorshot's ready to take on anything short of
Unicron himself!
Cybertron Defense Scattorshot
has some definite robot extras in his vehicle mode, but his incredibly
awesome Cyber Key gimmicks and well-proportioned, well-articulated, and
very well-done robot mode more than make up for these vehicle mode oversights.
Highly recommended.
Review by Beastbot