Maketoys Quantron, Part 2 of 3 (Yes, I lied)

Last time we took his arms and legs apart. In the second part of my Quantron boxset review it's torso time (It's gonna be a two part review in three parts).

The original Scattershot sounds like one hell of a guy. 'A brawling bragging bezerker..', he's definitely someone you would want on your side in a fight and the kind of fella the clever drinker lends a cig to in the pub before happy hour collapses under the irony of its name. We're dealing with a bruiser of a bot here people, so a new version ideally needs to be a hulk of a figure. Is this Maketoys reimagining a worthy update of the belligerent and violent Autobot?

Let's go with 'Yes'

Voyager in height and Voyager in chunk, Metalstorm cuts an imposing silhouette and is loaded with meaningful articulation. Stern of visage, big of gun and large of fist, I can believe that this guy would shoot Roadbuster in the face. I can believe he would shoot all of us in the face.

Knuckletab dusters

The sculpting is superb and sharp as a knife, the painted detail is spot on and like his team mates the use of translucent plastic throughout just looks fantastic. Far more of a G1 homage than the rest of Quantron, Metalstorm really does nail Scattershot's physical presence down hard. Dialled in 'full armor mode' aside, he's almost brilliant.

It's one way of storing Quantron's feet, I guess

Now stability.. the balljoints on his feet are not great but they're connected to strong ratchets and a pin joint. Initially he was falling all over the place and I was getting a tad wound up, ready to pop 'em off and thicken them up with old faithful. Until I realised how to use all three foot joints in tandem and now he can do wicked poses or just stand there easily without the need of the nail polish. Like his box mates, time with the figure does wonders for your appreciation and understanding of how it all works.

Unfortunately, mine had an off centre waist ratchet. It was affecting some sets, not all as far as I can tell. Maketoys are aware of it and parts are available to replace the faulty. But still.. not good. If it sounds like I'm being hyper critical over something aesthetic, it's because this stuff costs a lot of money, it's getting tiring making excuses for QC in 3P land and fixing toys out of the box just ain't cricket. As I said, almost brilliant.

That's a lot of 'Pew'

A refreshingly straightforward transformation (you're basically folding him in half) rewards with a refreshingly obscene starfighter mode. His entire front end is a gun. There's guns on the wings and guns on the back. It also looks like something savage she'd definitely use her safe word for if I whipped it out at bedtime.

Unintentionally Scattershot coloured bedspread in funnier than actual gag shocker

You can further the overkill by adding the combiner feet and robot wielded guns to the wings and turning the Technobot leader into all out dreadnought. Giving him front landing gear as well, this additional 'full booster' mode is not just us finishing the transformation though, honest guv.

Least convincing third mode over? Undoubtedly
Still cool as hell? Absolutely

Metalstorm is a hugely enjoyable figure. While it's perhaps unfair comparing him to the four smaller robots that make up the set, for my money he's easily the most fun out of the five. The unfortunate QC issue with the off centre waist on mine (again, not all) does knock marks off but it's good to know that Maketoys are aware of it and have replacement parts available should you require them.

Breaking it down, what we have here is a satisfyingly chunky and hard as nails looking robot that is a joy to pose and play about with and a breeze to transform.

And I didn't need to mention that effing instruction manual once.

Next up, the fully combined Quantron. The money shot itself. For real, I assure you (come on, this was long enough as it is).