Fall of Cybertron due 29/8/12.... anyone else looking forward to this??

[sabathamk]

My husband is excited at the idea of a game... never played any though.  He got a lot of toys this last year, and loves transformers.  I have to say, he loved the movies even though they aren't at all like the G1 show which he loved a lot more.  I wondered about all the humans in them, honestly, but figured it was an attempt to bring transformers into our current world.  I personally loved the old series best, and haven't watched much of the newer ones.

[Echo_Shell]

Prime toys - I think you'll find they're a bit better constructed than most of the movie line.  Though you'll still find a few problems with durability, Prime makes heavy use of soft, bendable plastic in the more detailed areas so there is little risk of breakage.  My one BIG complaint so far is Starscreams alt mode.  They've had three attempts (commander class, deluxe and voyager) but it always ends up looking clunky and jumbled.  Megatron, as usual, transforms into an alien vehicle that really doesn't look like anything at all and Arachnid has no spider alt mode (should've been a triple changer, really).  Others are surprisingly well done.  All three Arcee figures look pretty good, with the earlier deluxe being my preference, Ratchet is absolutely spot on in both modes.  Bumblebee is awkward, but decent and Optimus's voyager mold is fantastic (though his deluxe isn't so great.  I could review each one here (as I have most) but I won't.  All in all, it's a good set, far superior to the glitchy Animated or the fragile movie figures, but not as solid as the Classics/Generations tend to be.  Beware their Legion class, though.  Hasbro's started reusing a few of the movie molds and they're just....meh.

To anyone interested, there are still a few of last year's NYCC exclusives on hasbrotoyshop.com - a must for true Arcee fans, as she comes in her classic pink and white, with a little Jack figuring for her to pet (well mine is), and a bumblebee painted up as a New York taxi cab.

[Xaniss]

I love toy reviews - so please don't stop if you don't want to!

It's actually great to hear what the other toy lines are like - even if I don't collect them, it's always great as a comparison... especially the difference between the Generations and the movie line (since they are mostly what I have/likely to collect)

Oh and hasbrotoyshop.com is not a buying option for moi since they don't ship overseas anyways!    My fingers are crossed for FOC figures hitting shelves soon... I really don't know if WFC toy line hit our shelves - I somehow feel it was a vague/thin line here since this game was news to me only last year 

What figures are available in stores for you guys? Has FOC figures gone live yet? We have a very limited range unfortunately (even in the main stream toy stores... that is only Toyworld where I live ) and I'm just wondering if I should bite the bullet and buy them from a US-based toystore while they're in stock or take a punt and see if they surface in our stores..? 

My husband is excited at the idea of a game... never played any though.  He got a lot of toys this last year, and loves transformers.  I have to say, he loved the movies even though they aren't at all like the G1 show which he loved a lot more.  I wondered about all the humans in them, honestly, but figured it was an attempt to bring transformers into our current world.  I personally loved the old series best, and haven't watched much of the newer ones.

He's never played!! You've so gotta nab a copy of War for Cybertron (You have a Xbox/PS3..?) it is hands down *the* best Transformers game.. I have it on PS3 and I have all the PS2/PS3 Transformers games (5 games in total) and WFC stands out amongst them all! Plus it is really fascinating to see Cybertron 'come alive' as you run and gun through each level. It is exclusively set on Cybertron (no humans for starters... I tried to run them down in the movie games  ) and there is three difficulty settings to help ease you into the game!

As for the human role in the movies, I honestly thought (with the first movie) it was attempting to explain how Cybertronians can manipulate our technology (such as Blackout uplinking to the Military server/Frenzy hacking into Air Force One and uploading a virus and causing a communications blackout... the sheer act of mimicking our vehicles) and how Humans could counter that and respond to such a engagement (like Maggie detecting Frenzy's signature/Glen picking up Cybertronian symbols in encrypted data).... Plus the whole 'Hoover Dam' cover-up thing (I actually liked that aspect of the movie ) and having a secret organisation dedicated to these specific aliens did seem plausible, but having three movies in a row from a Human perspective is really... interesting... no, wait it's that other word: tedious 

So what figures does your Husband collect? If it's only been for the past year, he is going with the vintage stuff? Or staying to more modern figures? I love to hear what others have going in their collection! 

[Echo_Shell]

I love toy reviews - so please don't stop if you don't want to!

It's actually great to hear what the other toy lines are like - even if I don't collect them, it's always great as a comparison... especially the difference between the Generations and the movie line (since they are mostly what I have/likely to collect)

I would, really, but it is not necessary.  Seibertron.com.  Find the toys drop down menu and access a growing photographic archives of nearly every Transformer toy ever made.  Very handy for thrift store finds that lack instructions and identifying bits and pieces.

As for what's near us.  We have many Walmarts and two Targets in driving distance and between them I've found nearly every Prime toy I'd had my eye on.  Toys R Us (we have 2) has stagnated.  They're at least 2 waves behind in most lines.  So far no FOC toys at all, but I've been oogling the pictures on various websites.  Really excited about FOC Starscream, but a little disappointed in Bruticus.  His component parts are splendid, but they don't go together so well.  That haphazard jumble may work for Devastator, but Bruticus should appear more solid than this toy does.  Still, I'll probably try to pick them up if I can get the cash.  Hopefully they won't show up too soon, though.  I need that money for the game itself.

And out of curiosity, did the Generations/Classics (and semi-obscure Reveal the Shield) lines never make it to Australia?

[Xaniss]

Very handy for thrift store finds that lack instructions and identifying bits and pieces.

I live in a town that basically is non-existent for toy thrift store finds... it's mainly clothing/furniture and what toys there are it's usually only Barbie, Duplo or Hot Wheels cars 

FOC Starscream..? Where did you see that!?    I would totally like to see him!

... ... Never mind - just pegged him and oh boy! I'm so gonna be buying him! 

I also want wave 2 Brawl only because of his line in WFC: "Megatron, when this is all over can I rip Starscream's head off and boot it into space? Pleeeeasse?" - Or it was something like that 

As for the toy line we had.. around the time the movie toys were released - first movie mind you and our stores were flooded with them - but around a few months after the movie popped out we did see some Generations figures: Red Alert, Onslaught, Powerglide, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Prowl (possibly..?) I can't remember anyone else specifically but then we got the Animated range and the other sequential movie figures but that is about it as far as my poor memory goes!

Consequentially though I've moved to a different region since the times the first/second movies were released and we just don't have the toy range up here on the Mid North Coast than we did in Newcastle. There is about a dedicated 4ft x 7ft (approx) of shelf space for Transformer figures here in Big W... probably about the same size in Target (which seems Avengers/Batman is taking over the Transformer's space) and a clearance rack in Toyworld ... so not much stock to speak of anyway 

We currently only have Kre-o figures (mostly on clearance), a few deluxe class Prime figures, RPM's, Dark Moon Leader class (Bee), boxset of the Ark and Voyager set of Optimus (I think?) Oh and Battle Ops Bee and a 'ultimate' Optimus - meant to be the biggest Optimus to date? So very sparse and why I do most of my shopping online 

[Echo_Shell]

Very handy for thrift store finds that lack instructions and identifying bits and pieces.

FOC Starscream..? Where did you see that!?    I would totally like to see him!

A while ago, maybe a month or so, seibertron.com or one of its affiliates sent facebook updates wherein Starscream and several others were shown.  Most are well known by now( Jazz, shockwave), but a few like starscream, an insecticon, I believe, and an autobot shockwave have yet to receive the same kind of attention and over exposure as, say Bruticus.  Unlike the last set, which contained maybe half a dozen figures, FOC looks like it will be huge.  But of course there will be no movie competing for space this time and Prime will be in its third and likely final season.

[Zapper]

Big TF fan here!

Sadly I'm far from being a game enthusiast, so I'm still busy with War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron can wait until I've unlocked the fembots 
But I'm super hyped for the new toys. I need to have at least four out of that line: Soundwave and the three insecticons. They've always been my big G1 favorites and I really dig their new designs!

[Xaniss]

A while ago, maybe a month or so, seibertron.com or one of its affiliates sent facebook updates wherein Starscream and several others were shown.  Most are well known by now( Jazz, shockwave), but a few like starscream, an insecticon, I believe, and an autobot shockwave have yet to receive the same kind of attention and over exposure as, say Bruticus.  Unlike the last set, which contained maybe half a dozen figures, FOC looks like it will be huge.  But of course there will be no movie competing for space this time and Prime will be in its third and likely final season.

I'm *still* trying to get all these! Half a dozen you say? My knowledge of these particular figures that were available are: Bumblebee, Prime, Soundwave, Megs and Cliffjumper... are there any others I've missed please? Have all but Optimus so far! ... Been wanting the one of Prime with the white 'Hub' and black WFC stickers on it... petty I know, but that's the inner collector in me 

.... FOC looks like it will be huge.

I hope you're right, cos oooooh yeeeah!

Big TF fan here!

Sadly I'm far from being a game enthusiast, so I'm still busy with War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron can wait until I've unlocked the fembots 
But I'm super hyped for the new toys. I need to have at least four out of that line: Soundwave and the three insecticons. They've always been my big G1 favorites and I really dig their new designs!

I thought Arcee and Slipstream (fembots) were only unlocked by purchasing the DLC packs? No... wasn't Arcee made available once the game was finished? Brain.Dead.Can't.Think!! 

... I'm thinking of Ratchet now... he was unlocked on completion of the DARK MOON game... I'm getting my games confused now!    Not that I'm thinking that Ratchet is a fembot! 

I know the packs also came with the other escalation maps... and Jazz, Dead End... others too like Zeta ... errr can't remember who else..? 

I've heard that if you're trying to do multi-player, the games do have hackers/glitches in many of the games... and they are a real mosh-pit for the newbie! Fun, but still... oh, wow!

[Echo_Shell]

Those five, Optimus, Cliffjumper, Bumblebee, Soundwave and Megatron, comprise the first game's figures, barring any regional or store exclusives that I am not aware of.  (There was a TRU legion/legend class 4 pack which included "cybertron" and movie versions of Bumblebee and Starscream, but I am not certain that these had anything to do with the game). 

As for the Fembots, Slipstream and Arcee, they are unlocked for multiplayer use by completing their faction's storyline, Decepticon for Slipstream and Autobots for Arcee.

[Xaniss]

If anyone else cares about this - there is a demo version up for FoC available for download at the Playstation Store (I can't speak if Xbox has a demo - I only have a PS3)

You get an 'intro' demo playing as Bee (I seriously DON'T understand why they made him mute!!    I mean com'on people - not EVERYTHING has to revolve around Bay's misconception of a stuff-up!!)  and there is part of Chapter 6 playing as Vortex.. seriously loved playing as this guy!

Plus there is a multi-player for team deathmatch and conquest - so far you can only max out to level 6, but apparently on August 10 there will be greater levels and other abilities unlocking... wait and see. And the abilities you have in the levels (like sprint and swapping weapon hands) are available in the multi-player! Enjoy ponies!

[Echo_Shell]

yes, I have been playing the heck out of that demo version and I'm starting to get pretty good, actually.  My tag is EchoShell, if anybody wants to look me up.  Can't wait to get my Megatron pistol out in there...hehehehehehe!!

[Xaniss]

So have I... but regardless of *how* much I play, I'm still sucking    I can't get my aim straight - for the life of me I don't know why I'm doing that, but it always means I get canned. 

I just hope we get to keep our experience when the game goes live though ... it would really bite if it gets reset.

Next time I'm on I'll add you too 

[Echo_Shell]

Correction.  It's Echo_Shell with an underscore.  What's your tag, pray tell?

[Xaniss]

Oooooh! That explains why it didn't work last night! Will try again... later this evening though (it's morning here and I've got to dash!)

I'm Xaniss77 on the PSN, btw. 

[Echo_Shell]

Still keeping up with the toys?  Have to say I'm of mixed opinions regarding this first wave of FOC figures.  Jazz in particular disappoints me.  Very light, flimsy, under detailed (very few details painted in) and unusually small for a deluxe class vehicle.  But Shockwave is quite a different story.  Though small, he's very well constructed and I do appreciate how they adapted his weapon so that it mounts on his arm in a way reminiscent of his G1 counterpart.  Still kind of light weight and flimsy though...and his "jet" mode is very un-jet-like.