In three days time 2012 will officially be over, the end of another year means many things, some that you might find... Chilling, depressing, envigorating, uplifting, hopeful, and so on and so forth. What does it mean for me? Finally getting caught up with my Kre-O Reviews, until I pick up something new of course.
Don't get me wrong, we've still got a certain traitor of the Prime's waiting for the editing and picture quality assurance set raring to go. But I think I'll save the Douche for an early 2013 Kre-O Review.
That being said, let us discuss Cannon Fodder Steve in all his glory! (And no, this does not mean I endorse stupid internet Memes, I just know when to employ them for added comical effect.)
14.99$ is the asking price at retail, last I checked, for a deliciously wicked looking bunch of Kreons. The set is similar to Cycle Chase in that it wants you to own more of them for a little Kreon army, however where Cycle Chase had a fairly decent looking model to accompany the Kreons, I'm a bit more leery about the model included with Decepticon Ambush.
(This photo was taken before I got my replacement Kreon Head for the lone Headless Vehicon, so you'll only be seeing five Kreons with actual heads in this and the following images.)
This is Cliffjumper's Off-Road 4x4 Buggy thing-a-mabob, I have no idea what you'd prefer to call it, I'm sticking with ATV and being done with it. The ATV Model is built differently from the one we've previously seen in Rotor Rage, and I think it suffers a bit from lack of fun features.
In Cycle Chase, Barricade is allowed to drive a Motorcycle with a Missile-Firing Side-Car or Drone Robot. But here in Decepticon Ambush, Cliffjumper is given a stupid looking quad-wheeled death dealer, that can't actually fire any missiles, rockets or anything else.
On top of that the official build for the vehicle doesn't allow for much grip on those cannons on the back, or locking in, or however it's explained. Basically if you're fiddling around to get them to point at the Vehicons you're just going to pull the whole damn thing off like that *Snaps Fingers* because there is nothing holding it onto the back of the ATV for secure measures. And there aren't really any useful parts left over to try and actually make it better.
The alternative mobile assault weapon is, I suppose somewhat decent, but again it lacks in fun factor due to the absence of any actual real working missiles like with Cycle Chase.
Then too there's this abudance of left over parts that don't really work out as anything other than a cluttered mess on the shelf.
I haven't really experimented too much with the parts offered up for this model, however I'm not too sure what, aside from the main models you can actually manage to pull off and still look half-way decent. Honestly if it weren't for the Vehicons in this set, this thing would not be worth picking up more than one of, on deep clearance at that. I get that some people actually like this type of vehicle, however it just does not look like something that Cliffjumper would be driving. Something like the Tron Light-Cylce or some kind of tri-wheeled, arsenal loaded, over-compensating death dealing menace of doom would have been a better all around model to include for a character like Cliffjumper.
What the vehicle model lacks the Vehicon add-on model/elements more than makes up for it. Here you see two sets total making a little road-block, ambush station thing. Four of this set alone would make an awesome four-corner outpost that the Vehicons man, or you could try just getting the parts to build up the little doo-dad with the light on it.
The spiky tire-busting thing isn't much to look at it, considering the number of pieces used in it, however it doesn't only work on Cliffjumper's ride. You can place it anywhere and all your Kre-O sized Autobots better watch out lest they lose their tires.
Here is Cliffjumper with Cliffjumper, since I had two sets and one of the arms was royally cracked I decided on opening up the second one. The parts are all the same from Bumblebee, only this time they are in a nice almost shiny looking red, the only thing I might not agree with is the little white paint job on his horns.
Sure it's cute and all, but they don't wow me as much as others might. Also it kind of detracts from the familiar single-toned coloring that the original duo of Cliffjumper and Bumblebee had.
Once again there is the Energon Torso included, in blue for the Autobots, Yeah this is the first time you've gotten to see it, as this is the only set so far I've picked up with an Autobot Energon Torso. I still think the gimmick is a bit goofy, and really wish they'd added the painted detail of the main character's torsos like the box art shows. Still it works well enough for the kiddies I suppose. (Or do they just lose it as soon as they open this set up???)
Army of Faceless Warriors. Deluge of Cannon Fodder. Soldiers of the Decepticon War Machine. This is the main reason you want this set, possibly even three, four or more of this set. That's right, it's an army of Vehicon Kreons. (I really hope a later wave of Micro-Changers will include another Vehicon we can use as a General or something, maybe even an easier way to army build the Kreon without also having an army of CJs.)
Each Vehicon, much like each Autotrooper has its distinctive class. There's the Aerial Unit with the new, smaller wing pack. The Ground Unit with the tires and the hand-held gun. Then the lowly Support Unit, or Grunt, or something, with an Arm-Cannon and pretty much nothing else.
As you can tell by the above image all of these guys have the same details, the same colors and the same faces, so mixing them up to differentiate them is all done with the accessories. Right now I've got four aerial units due to the extra wing pack that came in my headless Vehicon bag. I'm strongly thinking of grabbing a fourth set, however Kre-O would have to be on a really great discount, like 50% off the small sets before I even think about grabbing another one of these. Either that or a BOGOF deal, I just do not care for the main vehicle build in this set.
And here, showcasing the lovely Decepticon Symbol Piece, is our friend Headless Steve... Or maybe Headless Joe, what do ya know Headless Joe?
Dark Energon Pieces!
Not much to it, you get a clear purple brick and one of those clip pieces that Kreons can hold in clear purple. (Again I caution you not to put it in any actual Kreon hands, even if they can hold it it can be a bear to get out.)
Using both Cycle Chase parts and both Decepticon Ambush parts I managed to build... Well some sort of cannon thing, it wasn't much, but it was something you could do to combine the parts.
And here is the Decepticon Ambush box, a great looking little box, and despite my meh feelings about the vehicle in this set the image really makes it stand out as looking cool.
This is the back of the box. See how much it shows off the fun contents of the set? Yeah, maybe not as thrilling as what LEGO has to offer, but it works at grabbing the kiddies attention.
The Instructions are pretty much identical to Cycle Chase, a fold-out sheet that tells you how to build everything. Nothing much really, however it is straightforward enough and easy to follow.
We end this review with a little bit of fun, here you see what you might be tempted to build with three of these sets lying around. You've got the regular version of the ATV for Cliffjumper, then using the spare parts from the second set who is permanently in weapon emplacement mode you can build a little extra trailer or something for other Autobot Kreons to ride on into battle.
You also get a slightly alternative take on the rear mounted cannons, this method makes them much more stable as they are actually held onto the back of the vehicle properly. I can't understand why Hasbro would think one little plate piece would work better than that other square piece to hold everything on?
Well there you have Decepticon Ambush, a fun little troop builder set, at least where the Kreons are concerned. I think it could stand a bit more polish honestly, and I find myself rating accordingly. This only gets a solid 3 out of 5 from me, that vehicle, if the wheels weren't so monstrously huge it might actually work better, as it stands if it weren't for the Vehicon Army Building potential this set wouldn't get higher than a 2 from me. I'm just that mehed out from the main vehicle build.
Feel free to agree or disagree all you like.
Be here next year for our first review of 2013, Sentinel Prime, ironically enough a set released in 2011. And all throughout 2013 expect more great Kre-O reviews, I'm planning to pick up both Devastator sets, all the Micro-Changers I can lay my hands on and everything still to go from 2012, 2011 and whatever new sets are on offer for 2013.
Actually I'm kind of hoping the little set with Trailcutter, or whatever Hasbro's calling him, and Windcharger show up in January. At least it'd be nice to find some cheap Kre-O sets to get while I focus more on preparing for the Fort Max release at Spring Time.
