Lazerback is reminiscent of Transformers Robots In Disguise Bruticus when it comes to his colour scheme. The combination of red / purple / black and yellow are the main reason for this, though having a beast mode also helps.

We picked up the toy from All The Cool Stuff on the 11th January 2013 just hours after the case was opened. The first thing which strikes for about the Beast Hunters figures is the size of the boxes. The cards are significantly shorter than the previous Transformers Prime releases and are dwarfed on the pegs by the Dark of the Moon toys.

The packaging itself is lighter than the previous Prime figures, which along with the new shaped bubble (which has a slight homage feel to the rock blister Beast Wars figures), help make the figures stand-out on the shelfs despite their small stature.

A nice touch on the packaging is the promotion for IDW Publishing which can be found at the bottom of the card. The advert contains both the website address and a QR code to scan with a compatible mobile device. The advert is significantly larger than both the Fun Publications Official Transformers Collectors Club one on the bottom of the box, but also the social box highlighting the online social media presence.

Back to the toy, the paint applications and finish on the final toy are noticable different from the prototype on the back of the box. These are not so much design differences but the matt toy is a stark contrast to the gloss finish on the prototype with the most signiifcant difference being noticable on the yellow paint application on both the chest as well as on the face. The prototype has an almost gold look to it, where as the final figure his very washed out and reminds us of some of the fake Transformers figures we've picked up from poundshops in the past.

For a dragon, Lazerback has a very bird like head and his lack of wings don't really lend themselves to a traditional dragon vibe. That being said, his beast mode is exactly that, a beast. For a deluxe, it makes the figure look very stock in this form compared to the other Transformers Prime toys giving him an imposing look of strength.

In Robot form the toy is let down by the colour scheme and paint applications, with the detail tending to blend in. He has reasonable articulation and the beast / robot legs is a combination that we are all use to now, even though it can make the toy look like the Dragon has just stood up (which is pretty much what happens during the transformation). His head is not as well defined on the final version as the prototype with the green eyes looking very dull next to the deep purple and watered down yellow.

His tail transforms into a whip / axe and is made from the rubber material, with his back transforming into his gun. This can be kept on the back or removed and held in his hands though he doesn't always want to keep a hold of the weapon. The spring loaded weapon is pretty powerful, though the long tail does mean that the gun needs to be angle if you wish to pose the figure with his arm bent.

The instructions which come with Lazerback do not show the shoulder pieces being moved between dragon and robot form, but they are hinged and can raise up to form shoulder pads and bring back memories of the 1980s.

This next section of the review will focus on some of the quality control issues which plague the version of the toy which we've purchased. Having spoken to other fans including Benson Yee of BWTF.com, we do not know how wide spread this issue is, as so far this is the only version of the toy that we know of with these defects, but we urge people to check their figures and to try to look out for the signs before picking up the toy from the peg. This will take some close inspection as the affected areas are anywhere which is made from the black plastic.

If you look through the images which accompany this review you will notice various images show damage to the toy, especially on his gun. If you take the 13th image for example, you will notice stress-mark / burn type marks all over the weapon. This reminds us of some of the early signs of the gold plastic syndrome which ended up turning the plastic incredible brittle and ultimately resulted in toys breaking or disintegrating completely. On the same image, if you look towards the bottom where the purple plastic is, you will also notice brown marks. This is not dirt but are marks on the plastic. They are also noticable on the rear animal feet, though not to the extend of the weapon. Other areas affected by the black plastic include the upper arms, as highlight by some of the photographs where you will see white marks, rings and what look like scratches (only they are not scratches, they are within the plastic mold itself). The following image is a good example of the marks on the arms

The 18th image shows further marks on the purple of the gun as well as further "stress" over the plastic especially around the pins.

The 20th image perhaps highlights the extent of the damage the best.

Again, these marks are not scrapes on the surface of the plastic which remains smooth to the touch, but are underneath that surface layer. The damage to the gun is not just on the top but is also noticable inside the gun as highlight by the 22nd image within the gallery.

The 38th image within the gallery, shows the brown marks on the rear left foot of the figure. These "brown" markings on the purple, remember that are also on the gun, are not as widespread or as noticable as the damage on the black as they tend to look like dirt, only this was freshly opened, case fresh toy.

Overall the toy is a nice entry into the Beast Hunters line who is let down by the quality of some of the paint applications and, for our version at least, the quality control issues. That being said, if you like bright toys he will be a welcome additional to your collection, or if you are looking for an entry point into the Beast Hunters series, then this is a nice figure to pick up.