UniqueToys O-02 Alberich
Bottom Line (*** 1/2 stars- <out of a possible 5>)
By Stygian360
Introduction:
I’ve been following Unique Toys Ordin since before they released their first robot for this set. I had been wary of UT due to some lackluster construction on their attempt at Predaking, but they very quickly dispelled these fears with their follow-up effort- Mankia King. I couldn’t believe both products came from the same company! Obviously they took a look inside of themselves and their production pipeline and decided changes were in order, and thank the Gods they did because as they’ve gone along each successive release eclipses the quality and play value of what came before it; which brings us to Alberich. Having not had much interest in the Terrorcons as a youngster I wasn’t sure what to expect from this set. I had no overt attachment to the characters, so was concerned about whether I was going to care about what Unique Toys was up to with Ordin. Well as it turns out I care a lot. So, does Alberich do a good job of evoking the ‘terror’ he’s meant to? Let’s find out.
Articulation:
Alberich poses like a dream thanks to useful articulation throughout. If you own Troll you know what you’re getting as far as articulation as both Troll and Alberich seem to be built with a similar aesthetic, which includes articulation in both modes. His head is on a ball-joint as are his shoulders and legs. Everything swivels and adjusts appropriately and there are no concerns with clearance issues due to parts banging into one another or wasted opportunities to get just a little bit more posing out of his design. His alt mode is also appropriately articulated; including a neck cowl which provides a needed cover for his robot head and allows the alt mode head to pivot down. And unlike Troll (which was annoying beyond belief) Alberich has an actual opening alt mode jaw- for proper tearing and slicing!
Paint:
The paint applications overall on Alberich are minimal but what’s here is solid. Knock on wood I couldn’t locate any major flaws- overspray, paint drip, scratches, etc. This just goes to show how far Unique Toys has come since War Lord. Yes, someday I will let go of my dislike for UT’s earliest effort, but unfortunately I’m still feeling the sting, so for now please forgive me.
Transformation:
The transformation is solid and fairly straight-forward. Fold down a few panels, swing back a few panels, tab in a few panels, swing down his tail piece (on a nice double hinge joint- think Uranos Phantom) and he’s pretty much done. My only concern once he’s in alt mode are the soft ratcheting hips, which to me seem like they could wear down over time making standing at any but the most acute angles difficult. But fortunately out of the package he’s nice and tight and I see no issues. Also some may take issue with the visible gap between the legs and upper torso in alt mode. For some reason UT chose to lengthen the entire ‘beast’ causing this gap; which is probably to help better accommodate the overall aesthetic in limb mode. Overall I found his transformation fun if not complicated, and for me complicated does not equal better, so that’s a good thing.
Bottom Line:
Ordin is going to be a huge monster of a gestalt! That’s pretty much the conclusion I’ve come to. Oh, and pardon the pun, sorry about that. Personally I cannot wait to complete this guy as UT quickly moves through the various limb bots to polish this guy off in style. Speaking of; sometimes these gestalts feel like the sum of their parts and it’s inherently difficult to get equally excited about each and every limb. That said Alberich is a very solid action figure in his own right and well worth a purchase even as a stand-alone collectible. But why anyone would want to get Alberich and none of the other Ordin bots is a mystery, but to each their own style of collecting. Anyway, Alberich has solid if not mind-blowing transformation, great paint, great articulation and overall is a very handsome edition to any shelf.
Bot Mode:
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Beast Mode:
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Combiner Limb Mode:
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Alberich and Troll:
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