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Evac Toy Line: Transformers – Cybertron Manufacturer: Hasbros Meat and Potatoes; 4.5 Perks;4.5 Homer Factor; 5.0			Description: a rescue chopper is the newest addition to the Cybertron line. The vehicle mode is loosely based on the Westland Lynx army helicopter with a winch on the right side of the chopper and two retractable missile launchers on the top of the fuselage.  The piece is painted in an odd combination of creamcicle orange and light blue.  Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.  To go into ‘bot mode the cockpit and lower part of the fuselage becomes the figure’s legs and feet.  The torso is part of the upper portion of the fuselage.  The winch and engine areas become the arms, while the missile launchers and tail become a ‘backpack’ for the piece.
Transformers have got to be the biggest pain to design.  Create this funky vehicle that changed into a robot, give it a cool design with weapons, and THEN you gotta give it something ‘special’.  Maybe it’s a Target Master, maybe a Headmaster, maybe it merges.  Every series since the very first one, like any product line, must top the last one.  How long can you keep that up?  More weapons, more detailed sculpting, better articulation.  What’s left?  The thing does the Electric Slide for you? (Wow, I just really dated myself just now.) ‘Cybertron’ is a very, very good line.  The vehicles are well designed, blah, blah, blah.  The newest gimmick is each vehicle has a special weapon activated by a special ‘key’.  Wow, sounds like ‘Armada’ doesn’t it?  Oy!  Good news is some of the weapon options are cool.  For example Optimus Prime’s (link) weapons are pretty dang cool. However, sometimes it seems like the designs are just reaching for ANYTHING to make the vehicle have a ‘special’ something to make it neat.  When you press your luck like that, well... the end result isn’t HORRIBLE by any means, but you aren’t exactly dancing in the streets either.  Case in point, Evac.  No, it’s not a BAD piece... but it’s not exactly ‘Holy crap you gotta get this now!’ either... Meat and potatoes are ok, but there is a HUGE problem here.  The good news is the sculpting and articulation is VERY good, as usual.  The figure has the detail we expect for the newest generation of Transformers.  There are panel lines and vents everywhere in both chopper and ‘bot mode.  And the ‘bot mode has a ton o’ joints for a huge range of motion.  The problem is the painting.  Now Cybertron figures tend to go with some kinda funky colors.  Bright yellow, some weird, neon greens, definitely NOT your basic palette.  However, they do work over-all.  Unfortunately on this figure the primary color is this creamsicle orange with light blue.  Now if darker colors were used to oppose the lighter one it wouldn’t be bad.  Unfortunately this combination looks like a Fisher Price kiddy toy.  Aaaagggggghhhhhhhh! The perks aren’t bad.  The transformation from chopper to robot mode is cool.  A dramatic change but it doesn’t take a long time to do the transformation without the instructions.  The special ‘weapon’ mode though is ‘eh’.  The two rocket launchers that are normally folded back pop forward.  If the missile launchers were hidden then suddenly popped out, or there was ANOTHER weapon that appeared it would be pretty cool.  Like this, it’s just one more thing to pop out from the figure.  Homer factor?  Hey, I’m a chopper junkie! In the end this is a good piece, but not a great one.  The figure’s over-all workmanship is good, no question.  As a helicopter fan I have to give in.  However there isn’t anything that sticks out and grabs you the way Bulkhead (link) did.  If you’re looking to complete your collection or are a chopper nut, you’ll have fun.  However if you’re looking for something special, you won’t find it here.