It's another year, so another 1-step changer mold for Optimus Prime for RID2015! Compared to the other versions, this one's alternate mode is a little more curvy and rounded at the edges. There's still definitely several simple angular molded-in details on the trailer in particular that look like large, overlapping pieces of metal, but the actual edges are pretty rounded. This version also definitely has the least mold detailing in vehicle mode out of the three various 1-step versions of this design; it's all VERY basic in this mode except for the cab section, which oddly seems kind of "encased" in the back by portions of the trailer, with the blue going all the way to the front wheels on the bottom and the rear red sections-- which are his robot shoulders-- not looking much like the rear portion of the cab, and are pretty undetailed. The cab sections themselves are pretty nicely detailed, though, with smokestacks, stylized side doors, the edgy grill, the "bolts" on the front of the roof, and the like. Unfortunately, due to the transformation, there's a big line down the center of the cab that doesn't peg together in this mode. However, due to the intended audience of these 1-step figures, I don't have as big a problem with this as I would if it were aimed at older audiences. Beyond the milky red on the cab and the somewhat dark glittery blue plastic used for the trailer-- which looks really nice 'n sparkly, by the by-- there's also a bit of black in this mode. Obviously it's used for the tires, but there's also some minor connector pieces that use it as well, such as some pieces under the middle of the trailer and above the middle-to-rear portion of the trailer. (The latter has a port on the top for you to plug something like a Mini-Con Weaponizer or something in it.) Due to the transformation, there's a pretty big, noticeable gap in between the sides of the trailer. The black piece I just mentioned help covers up this gap a LITTLE, but it's still pretty obvious and definitely the biggest eyesore with this mode-- such a huge visible gap just looks bad. For paint, there's some black on the front truck windows and silver on his grill, but that's it.
    To transform this version of Optimus, basically his whole front section folds up and back, with the rest of the toy auto-transforming as a result. The end result is... ehhh. The biggest problem is that the blue trailer section is very much a rectangle in this mode that makes up almost the entirety of Optimus' main body and legs. From a front view, you can see his "skirt" and legs molded into a piece in front of this blue trailer rectangle, which continues up behind his main body and even behind his head a bit. There's also that aforemetioned black piece with the port in it behind his head, and especially if you're to look at Optimus from any view other than a front view in this mode, it's a pretty huge, distracting piece of truck hanging off of him. The headsculpt itself is pretty nice, even if it's molded onto the underside of a piece that flips down in vehicle mode, meaning there's some plastic behind and between his antennae. (It's also sunk down a little from the top of the chest, making it look like he's struggling to peer over his own pecs.) From the side, there's also two significant gaps in the main body of Optimus-- behind his upper legs, and a smaller gap behind his feet. His cab portion splits to form his chest and his arms, giving him a rather flat chest with rather unconvincing mold detailing and misshappen faux black windows. His shoulders are nice, but the rest of his arms are merely molded onto the insides of his truck cab halves, which looks rather weird and definitely too bulky. There's also no pegs or anything connecting his shoulders to his body-- just springs, so if you lean Optimus forward in this mode, his entire shoulders and arms slouch forward because of gravity and all. At least his small upper arms are painted silver to help break up the colors there, though, along with some silver on his upper legs, face, forehead vent, and a bit of light blue on his eyes. The red, black, and blue plastic are also broken up a bit more for a slightly more interesting color scheme than his vehicle mode. For articulation, Optimus can move his arms forward and out to the sides at the shoulders, but that's it. His fists DO have holes in them sized for holding weapons, but his arms can't point completely straight due to their molding, so he can't point weapons directly forward, sadly.
    I would rather Hasbro have spent their efforts on a 1-step for a new character (at least for the size class), as everything this 1-step RID2015 Optimus tries to do, another version has done better. The original Target exclusive version had a better color scheme and superior robot mode, while the 2016 mass-release 1-step mold had the best vehicle mode. This toy has a couple of interesting things going on with the transformation, but it's definitely one of the weaker 1-step molds. Only recommended for Optimus completists.
 

Review by Beastbot

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