Age of the Primes Onslaught Review

The finished Onslaught video review is under eight minutes, but the original recording ran for more than an hour. That was enough time to work through Bruticus, Onslaught, Brawl, Vortex, and Blast Off; compare the system with Menasor and Superion; test the connections; correct a few transformation mistakes; and discover which details mattered after the camera had been rolling for a while.

The short version had to stay focused. This companion post is where I can slow down and explain what changed my mind, what still bothers me, and what the long recording revealed about the way this Combaticon set works.

Handling Bruticus Changed My Mind

When I first saw the early design material for this Bruticus, I was not really into it. Once I had the figures in hand and could actually work with the combined mode, that reaction changed. The set makes more sense as an object than it did as an image.

This was Mr. J’s set, and I appreciate him letting me spend the time needed to film it. I already owned Vortex, but handling the group together is what made me start wanting the full team. The appeal is not just Onslaught by himself. It is seeing how Onslaught, Brawl, Vortex, and Blast Off contribute to a combiner that feels more considered than the earlier modern attempts.

The basic skeleton approach is still present, but the Combaticons do a better job of looking involved in the final form. Brawl is the clearest example. Instead of feeling like a vehicle attached to a door on the back of a leg, the tank opens and wraps into the lower leg. That integration gives the limb more purpose and makes the combined mode feel less like a frame wearing vehicles.

What Works in Combined Mode

Bruticus has a strong shelf presence. He is large, stable when everything is seated correctly, and immediately recognizable. The limb system also keeps the interchangeability that made the older combiner concept fun. The connections follow the same general approach used by Menasor and Superion, so there is room to experiment with different limbs if that is how you enjoy displaying these figures.

Those connections can be extremely tight. During the long recording, removing one arm took enough force that I had to stop and finish the job off camera. That is reassuring if the goal is a combined display that stays together, but it also means I would not rush the removal process. Supporting the joint and separating the connection carefully is better than pulling on the attached figure.

The articulation is useful, but it has limits. Bruticus has knee movement, thigh rotation, outward leg movement, and some ankle adjustment. The arms can move out and bend, but the hands are not articulated. There is no ab crunch, and the head movement is limited. This is a combiner that can hold a good stance, but it is not built around extreme posing.

The Colors Still Stand Out

My first concern is still the exposed skeleton color in the arms. The feet make an effort to carry colors that relate to the attached Combaticons, so I wish the front-facing arm structure followed the same idea. The darker mechanical colors are not a deal breaker, but they keep the arms from looking as unified as the legs.

Bruticus Needs a Gun

My biggest accessory complaint is simple: Bruticus does not come with a proper gun. The individual weapons can be moved around and stored in different ports, but that is not the same as giving the combined robot a weapon designed for him. A dedicated blaster, even one styled after Shockwave without adding another transformation, would have completed the presentation.

The duplicated cannon placement is another odd visual choice. Onslaught’s cannons remain visible while the trailer section supplies another pair in combined mode. I checked the configuration during filming because I thought I had transformed something incorrectly, but the doubled arrangement is the intended look. It is not enough to ruin the figure, but it is one of those details that becomes hard to ignore once you notice it.

Brawl Shows How the System Has Improved

Brawl is the part of the set that best demonstrates the progress from Menasor. His tank mode does more than sit against the outside of the leg. The body opens, slides into the frame, and closes around the structure. The result is a limb that looks more integrated while still being removable.

The process is straightforward once you know where the connections are, but the retaining tabs are not especially strong. You have to make sure the small plugs are aligned and pressed into place. When they are not fully seated, the outer pieces can come loose while the leg is being handled.

I also liked Brawl’s transformation more than I expected. It is one of the easier transformations in the group and produces a convincing tank mode. In the longer footage, I noticed some similarities to the way another Brawl in my collection handles its treads, but the important point here is that the transformation is understandable and the result works.

Onslaught Works in Every Part of the Display

Onslaught’s robot mode surprised me because the transformation is not overcomplicated. I was able to work through it without relying on the instructions. The legs fold and lock with clear movements, the arms form the front of the truck, and the robot mode stands well without needing the trailer to support it.

There are still compromises. The hands do not rotate because of how they fold into the vehicle mode, there is no ab crunch, and moving the head too far starts to break the sculpted outline. Even with those restrictions, Onslaught can hold a solid pose and looks like the center of the team.

The vehicle mode is one of the strongest parts of the package. Onslaught becomes the truck, while the combiner structure turns into a substantial trailer. Parts-forming can feel like a shortcut when the leftover piece has nowhere meaningful to go. Here, the trailer gives that structure a real display function and creates the long military-transport silhouette I expect from Onslaught.
Brawl can sit on the trailer, and the other vehicles can be arranged around the transport. Vortex and Blast Off also have display-port possibilities if you use compatible stands. Even before the complete team is assembled, the group has a satisfying vehicle-mode presentation.

What More Than an Hour of Raw Footage Revealed

I have not made the Behind the Scenes video yet, but the raw phone recording shows why a long shoot does not automatically become a long finished review. Some of that hour was spent moving the camera, resetting the light, changing the height of the shot, correcting a transformation step, or retrieving an accessory that fell out of frame. Those moments are part of making the video, but they do not all help someone decide whether the figure is worth their attention.

I also filmed with more than the main review in mind. I tried to keep the toys near the center of the frame so shots could be cropped later for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or TikTok. During the transformation footage, I paused my commentary at specific points so the microphone could capture the clicks and movement of the toy without my voice covering them. Those small choices are almost invisible in the finished edit, but they make the footage more useful.

The final showcase removed long transformation instructions, repeated explanations, camera remarks, false starts, and uncertain price talk. It kept the collector decision: why the set changed my mind, where the engineering improved, what the compromises are, and whether the complete Bruticus is something I would want on my shelf.

How Bruticus Compares With Menasor and Superion

For me, this set is clearly better than Menasor. Menasor was an exciting start for this modern combiner system, but the Combaticons look more integrated, especially in the legs. Moving away from the door-style vehicle attachment is a real improvement.

Superion is still strong. I thought that set was excellent, and its red-and-white team colors helped the exposed structure blend more naturally. Bruticus has a rougher mix of colors, but the vehicle variety and the way Brawl becomes part of the leg give this set its own advantage.

The final decision comes down to what matters most to you. If you want highly expressive articulation, perfect color matching, and a complete weapon loadout, there are real compromises here. If you want a modern Bruticus with strong combined presence, clever team integration, a useful trailer, and enjoyable vehicle modes, this set makes a persuasive case.

Final Thoughts

The early images did not sell me on Age of the Primes Bruticus. Handling the figures did. Onslaught is a strong centerpiece, Brawl shows the biggest engineering improvement, and the full group has more display value than I expected.

I still want matching arm colors. I still want Bruticus to have his own gun. I would also handle the tight limb connections with care. None of those complaints erase the main result of the shoot: after more than an hour of testing, transforming, comparing, and filming this set, I came away wanting this Bruticus.

Onslaught and the Combaticons Photo Gallery

Here is a closer look at Onslaught, Brawl, Blast Off, Vortex, and the group I photographed during the review shoot.

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  Detailed military robot action figure with weapons and armor, perfect for collectors and enthusiasts.

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  Detailed view of a Transformers robot action figure with purple and black accents, posed on a plain white surface.

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  Robotic figure being photographed in a studio with professional lighting and background setup.

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  Detailed view of a Transformers Decepticon action figure with purple insignia and movable joints.

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  A detailed collection of toy military vehicles and helicopter model set for display or play.

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  Detailed view of a Transformers Decepticon action figure showcasing its intricate design and color scheme.