General Information:
Release Date: March 2019
Price Point: $5.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: Fire Blasts x 2 (Red)
Official images and text below in italics are from Amazon.com:
- Build the ultimate battlefield - the generations War for Cyber Tron trilogy introduces an expansive ecosystem of collectible figures and weapon accessories. (Each sold separately. Subject to availability).
- Features classic G1 characters – adult fans nostalgic for the original Transformers animation and kids discovering classic characters for the first time can share and experience exciting play patterns for all generations.
- Awesome weapon mode – the 1.5-Inch wfc-s17 aimless battle Masters figure converts from robot into blaster weapon mode in 5 easy steps. Simple conversion for kids and adults 8 years old and up!
- Compatible weapon mode works with all other Siege figures – Siege figures have weapon ports that enable fans to attach the weapon mode of wfc-s17 aimless.
- Add battle effects with Fire blasts accessories – The wfc-s17 Aimless figure comes with 2 fire blasts accessories. Attach fire blasts to the ends of the figure while in blaster mode to simulate blaster fire coming from the weapon.
In 2018 the "Power of the Primes" line finished off the "Prime Wars Trilogy" which had begun with "Combiner Wars". To kick off a whole new G1 inspired series of "Generations" figures, a new line known as "War for Cybertron: Siege" started in late 2018 (with a planned wide release in 2019). This line introduced new Classes of Transformers figures into the mix seen the last three years. In place of the "Master" price point at $5.99 USD MSRP, Titan Masters and Prime Masters have been replaced with Battle Masters. Each Battle Master also includes a soft plastic "Fire Blast" effect that can attach to the weapon modes, bringing the figures to life in a new way in "Generations".
In Generation 1, Aimless was the Targetmaster partner for the Decepticon Misfire. When Misfire was released as part of Titans Return, there was an Aimless figure but it became his head, not his weapon. Takara Tomy would quickly release their own version of Misfire in their Legends line, including a proper Targetmaster Aimless figure. This figure is not a re-release of the Takara Tomy figure, but instead a redeco and retool of "Siege" Blowpipe. This review will focus on the changes made to the figure for this release.
Packaging:
Similar to the Titan Masters and Prime Masters, Aimless is packaged on a small bubble card. However, Hasbro has stepped up the artwork to deliver a stronger visual punch. The card itself has artwork for the individual characters against a Cybertronian backdrop. Aimless' art shows him firing his weapon in battle. Below him is a large symbol which represents his rank. The name "Aimless" and his rank symbol appear in a vertical chevron on the left. The figure is packaged in Robot Mode. His "Fire Blast" effects are on the right side. Under him is the package insert featuring the word "Siege" in giant letters and the "War for Cybertron Trilogy" logo under it. The "Transformers" logo is on top in a much smaller font. Under all that is the term "Battle Masters" next to the age recommendation and Hasbro logo. On the right is a black strip with the vertical "Transformers" logo seen on most "Generations" packaging, the "Generations" logo above it and the Takara Tomy logo above that.
Robot Mode:
To create Aimless, the designers took the core torso/head piece from the Blowpipe sculpt and gave it new arms and legs along with new weapon barrels. The unfortunate part of this is that the head/torso is so distinctive that it is very clear this is not based on G1 Aimless. I would have actually preferred the designers do the inverse: give Aimless a new torso/head piece and reuse the arms and legs from Blowpipe. The result is not a bad looking figure by any means. There is a lot of nice, layered detailing sculpted into the new arm and leg pieces. They look great, but there is little in this robot mode design to connect this sculpt with G1 Aimless, which is a shame.
Aimless is made up of silver and light blue plastic, taking inspiration from G1 Aimless. There is a tiny Decepticon symbol painted on the left side of his chest and the face is painted orange with yellow eyes (both cues taken from G1 Aimless).
All four points of articulation on this figure are nice and tight. The weapon barrel piece on the back can detach and be connected to the side of either forearm. This piece is a new one featuring two barrels, similar to G1 Aimless in weapon form.
Transformation to Weapon Mode:
- Swing the weapon barrels over the head.
- Swing the hips/legs back and forward, tabbing in the heels into the weapon barrel section.
- Swing the arms up and push the tabs on the forearms into the slots on the hips.
Weapon Mode:
In weapon mode, Aimless gets a bit of an upgrade from his G1 days. Not only does he have two weapon barrels but he also has two rocket launcher pods mounted on top. This mode is perhaps the "most G1" this figure gets. Like G1 Aimless he features two equally sized weapon barrels with some parts sticking up on top. This mode features a lot of beautifully sculpted detail and pushing G1 homages aside, it looks great on its own.
Aimless has one 5mm peg on the bottom so he can connect to 5mm ports on other figures. The tips of each weapon barrel feature a small peg that you can use to attach his "Blast Effect" accessories. These are new designs, each one looking like a thin line of energy wrapping around the other. I love Blast Effects in general and this is no exception.
Final Thoughts:
Aimless won't knock your socks off if you want a new version of the G1 character. However, if you just want a cool Battle Master with a nice sculpt and awesome Blast Effects pieces this guy does the trick. Recommended, but temper your nostalgic expectations.
Pros:
- Good play value.
- New Blast Effects are very cool.
- There are some new parts, even if they are not the ideal parts to have swapped out.
- Blaster mode looks great.
Cons:
- I would have preferred the head/torso piece be the newly tooled pieces instead of the arms and legs.
