Part 2 on the trek to see if Hasbro and Takara really can pull off a large Devastator with reasonably accurate robot modes continues with the introduction of the one combiner part that would make sense on a beast looking Combiner, Rampage. "Promoted from Predacon to Constructacon, your choice on if this is the one from Predaking or the Predacon from Beast Wars. At least this one had more of a presence then Scrapmetal did.
Starting in bulldozer mode, and we're not off to a good start as the Combiner sacrifices are on display here. There are a lot of awkward gaps in the main body of the bulldozer, and unlike Scrapmetal, there's no movement here other than the wheels, making it feel very basic. In terms of functionality, the Combiner Wars Bonecrusher has it beat, but that's likely due to the fact that the scoop on that toy (I don't know construction vehicles), actually needed to move for the sake of the robot mode. Rampage's alt mode does, however, look a lot better then Bonecrusher's does, however that perspective is skewed slightly due to relying on images and videos for comparisons, as I don't own a Combiner Wars Devastator (and this is also being reviewed when I'm out of the house because I was bored, but that's beside the point). The muted red is complimented nicely by the paint, with things like the silver scoop, the blue windows, and the realistic placement of black and silver helping give it more of a presence, compared to CW Bonecrusher's bombardment of lime green. At a good angle, Rampage's bulldozer mode makes for a nice display piece if you don't want him for Devastator, but for those who do...
In a further case of redefining Scramble City, Ravage becomes the left foot of Devastator, and one that looks to be able to support the weight, thanks to a pair of sturdy, but moveable ratchets in the ankle. My only concern as it currently stands though is the connection to Overload, and how strong it will be because it looks to be connected via a sliding rail, and a pair of tabs. The instructions to get to this mode are complicated for what you're actually doing, and it feels like joints mentioned in the instructions aren't actually there. It doesn't make the mode impossible to get to, just frustrating for what the end result turns out to be. The support stand included for Ravage's robot mode, while it can store in the bulldozer mode, can't connect to the foot mode, which is a shame as it would help with covering the gap that is most of the foot, due to it being the treads and scoop of the bulldozer. If there is a way to do it though, let me know.
To the robot mode, and while I like Scrapmetal's robot mode, this just skews too far into the monster direction that it's hard to take it seriously, and the design of the character for the movie is a huge hindrance on the toy itself. It's a shame to an extent because I do like the idea of Transformers that don't have human-like designs, so seeing something like this is at least unique. It makes you wonder what troubles this poor bastard went through to get where he is, what caused him to have these proportions? It looks nasty in the good kind of way, but unfortunately, you can't get any good poses out of him. The tail is stiff and blocky for the sake of Devastator, and the arms are limited to what's in the shoulders in terms of movement, meaning you can't even get a good jumping pose out of him because they can't even reach all the way up. Even moving kibble out of the way, you can't even get a T-pose out of him, he just ends up looking like he wants a hug. You can't even get the tread whips looking good due to their small size, I really wish he came with accessories to make those longer. It's also a shame that they didn't do anything for the scoop and the cockpit, as those are some of the largest pieces of kibble I've ever seen on a Transformer (that isn't their entire alt mode on their backs)
*There would be a screenshot here of where he was in the movie, but I can't find one, nor can I take one, that isn't a blurry mess. He was the one that fought Bumblebee in the final battle, with Bumblebee using Ravage's spine as a weapon against him*
While I can recommend Scrapmetal as a stand-alone toy, the only reasons I can think of to get Rampage is either because you want a somewhat nice looking red Bulldozer, or you want him to be Devastator's foot. He's just not good as a stand-alone Transformer, and I can't help but feel that the source is the biggest part of the problem, it's probably the main reason why most of the toylines adopt a "design toy first, do lore second" approach. I think this type of design could be interesting to revisit later when the combining requirement isn't needed and it can have more movement, but as it stands, for me, it's going to stay as either a bulldozer or a foot.
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