As if you wanted to see another Transformers review come from me next, here is one that didn't quite make it into Transformers Week. Ratchet is another Transformers Universe release branded with the 25th Anniversary label, specifically as a Generation 1 homage. Does this Deluxe Class medic need some fixing of his own? Read on to find out!
Name: Ratchet
Line: Transformers Universe, 25th Anniversary, Deluxe Class, Generation 1
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Released: 2nd Quarter 2009
Price: Retail: $12-$13 Online: $12-$16
Scale: Figure is 5.50 in. tall
Accessories: Hand attachment with blade and cannon ends
5 / 10 - Ratchet has a nifty all-around shape that's a bit stocky, but still looks moveable and stylish; individual parts of his robot mode have strange curved angles and funky protrusions that complicate his appearance too much; there is a considerable chunk of kibble on his back that makes anything other than facing forward an eyesore for Ratchet; his head sculpt gets the job done but doesn't stand out as particularly wonderful; there are technological details sculpted into various parts of his body; big wide feet are fantastic for keeping him standing and upright; vehicle mode looks absolutely horrendous with huge, nonsensical gaps all over, tiny wheels, and occasional areas with holes in the car for no reason.
6 / 10 - Ratchet relies mostly on the color of his plastics to achieve this G1 colorstyle; the white is bright and consistent in hue across all areas; the red plastic is the right shade and matches the painted red areas well too; applications of the red striping are perfectly clear and straight; the Autobot decal on his chest came out nicely; the basic black wheels could use paint to spruce them up as they look too plain as is; his clear translucent blue windows look very good, and yet there is the tacky light blue paint used to simulate the rear windows, and it looks terrible; some parts in robot mode probably should have been different colors (such as white forearms and red hips.
6 / 10 - Ratchet has a high number of joints compared to some Transformers; only a few points are limited in their range of movement (elbows, knees); joints are all tight and hold his weight; easy and fun to pose, especially with the super useful ball ankles; his chest is too easy to pull back from where it's supposed to be due to a leftover transformation joint; points don't look bad because they fit into the robot scheme quite naturally; transformation is a bit of a pain due to parts that don't align easily, for example, it's impossible to get his head in a totally upright position; he rolls easily in car mode; there isn't enough articulation in the world to make the weird chunks of his car mode frame look good and flush.
9 / 10 - Despite a few frustrations with his transformation and the ugly car mode, this is still a fun figure; he is like getting two toys in one, both of which have their own enjoyable elements; the actual act of transformation is entertaining even with some difficulties; he has a diverse movement range and can be posed or played with to great effect; comes with a cool two-part accessory that can be a blade or a cannon and attaches to either hand; packaging includes fun statistics and biography information; a classic Transformer that a lot of people can identify with.
6 / 10 -
Subject to the deluxe class price jump of a few months ago, he's a much weaker value than he would have been before, because $12-$13 is much more than $10; he's 5.50 inches tall, but also has some bulk to add that good feeling about the amount of plastic included; comes with an accessory that adds to the fun and plastic total; it is kind of like getting two toys for the price of one; there are some problems with his transformation and he also lacks paint that would improve him drastically; design is nothing spectacular enough to feel like you should pay for it.
Overall Score: 65 / 100 - This is an Okay Toy
Ratchet is by no means perfect when it comes to technical categories like paint and sculpt, but he is still an enjoyable action figure that might be worth a purchase if you're a huge Transformers fan or absolutely love Ratchet.
P.S. This could be the figure I'm giving away this month, just leave a comment for a chance to win (if it's the one).
-The Articulated One
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