Monday, August 30, 2010

Review: Nerf N-Strike Spectre REV-5

Nerf Spectre REV-5. Sam Fisher eat your heart out.
The Nerf N-Strike Spectre REV-5 is a new release blaster for 2010- exclusive to Walmart in the US for an October release, but it has been released in Asia with reports from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia already. It has been the one elusive blaster I couldn't get (I even got my hands on a Barricade RV-10!).. until now. With Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid being big fav's of mine (other than Army of Two!) this blaster was hopefully going to satisfy my "sneak attack" tilt:)

It's been speculated that the Spectre REV-5 is an update on the tried and true Maverick REV-6 but with one less shot but personally I'd have to disagree. In regards to aesthetics and styling, The Maverick is a thicker, more aggressive in-your-face looking blaster compared to the much flatter, sleeker lines of the Spectre. Even the name of the blasters themselves suggests different design themes- 'Maverick' suggests a much more blatant and open reckless 6-shooter wild west tilt, compared to 'Spectre'- silent, hidden, a ghost. The decision to make the Spectre's barrel a 5 round one is to keep the blaster small and less intrusive.

The Spectre REV-5 definitely gets it's visual cues from stealth based, covert ops movies and video games. Think more Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell.
Spectre REV-5's box. That kid..
Spectre REV-5 opening.. yup. cardboard.
Out of the box, (and it's a relatively compact box with the same grumpy looking kid on the front) it comes with the blaster, the "silencer" attachment, the foldable stock and 5 whistler darts.

Spectre REV-5- unpacked and ready

The Spectre's 5 round barrel is quite small and with squarer lines to make it sit flatter when you place the blaster down. It has a button on the left hand side of the blaster to push the barrel out; unlike the Maverick the barrel extends all the way (it does "spin" for about a quarter turn but not all the way around for you dumb ass Deer Hunter-esque wannabes) . Loading the barrel is simple and can be done with all varieties of Nerf dart.
Spectre REV-5 up close and personal
In the hand, the Spectre feels very nice to hold, however the grip IS very short and while I have small hands, it might be an issue for anyone who can hold a basketball with one hand:) It's long enough to use both hands for stability, but to be honest there's not a whole lot of blaster to hold on to without touching/disrupting the barrel.
Spectre REV-5- how I personally like it
Spectre REV-5 with the full kit. Loooong.
Spectre REV-5- full kit- but folded:)
To prime the Spectre, it uses a springloaded cock at the top of the blaster-it's closer to the front of the blaster rather than the back like the Maverick. The Spectre does come with tactical rails for attachments, but rather than putting them on top of the primer, they are closer to above the barrel.

Performance-wise it's impressive- I've said it before, but with all of the new N-Strike blasters that they seem to be better made or with better springs or SOMETHING- because their accuracy, power and range are just much better than the older blasters.
Recon with Spectre attachments. And then some.
The Spectre supports all N-Strike accessories for barrel extension, stocks and for use with the tactical rails. It's own accessories are the "silencer" barrel, and the foldable stock.

The silencer. For show. But what a show it is.
For my part, I find the silencer barrel makes sense for the type of blaster it wants to get its cues from (and yes, the silencer IS only for show, it doesn't silence anything, but come on, we're dealing with foam here) but it doesn't really fit on anything else. I tried it on my Recon and it looks pretty dorky. As to the Deploy and Longstrike. Spectre it is. And it looks good on it too. (Note I find mine sticks a lil- it's not easy to slide on, you need to wiggle it a bit. Not sure if it's just mine or a design fault)


Foldable stock. This isn't an ACTUAL position:)
The stock however.. it just looks out of place. Adding it to the Spectre just makes it look long and funny looking and it also encourages two handed grip- which isn't easy given as said earlier, there's nothing really to grip on to. You could fold it up, which in itself IS very cool but then it does defeats the purpose of having a stock in the first place.
Barricade RV-10 with the Spectre's stock. Very good.
Barricade with the Spectre stock-folded
That all being said though, given it is so light weight and minimal form, I was surprised at how solid it is and how well it locks into place. It's not just a hinge that folds back and forth- the techs at Nerf have ensured that the stock locks into place wherever you may want it be it open and close, and you do have to unhinge it again to move it.  It actually fits very nicely with (and makes more sense) the Barricade RV-10 where such control is needed; being a semi automatic blaster, but then can be folded away when you just wanna go nuts.
Spectre REV-5 in hand
In hand..and..er..shoulder.
Of the three new blasters that were released this year (not including the Stampede) the Spectre was the one I was anticipating the most. I have to admit though, compared to the delight I received with the Alpha Trooper CS-18 and the Barrel Break IX-2- the Spectre REV-5 WAS a little anti climatic. The silencer attachment is very cool though I found the stock attachment a lil odd (but it's now married up to my Barricade RV-10 for much better performance).   It still is a great blaster and looks great, but the Spectre REV-5 just doesn't..impact enough.. but maybe that's what makes it so cool.. stealthy, minimalist, no nonsense:) I'd still recommend it; I'll probably like it more when I one day pick up a pair of night vision goggles or something:P

No word on Australian availability- best to wait till it becomes more available before hitting the online market, as my seller did somewhat make some VERY good money on me (they forgot to leave the price tag on the original box!)

Usability: 7/10
Out of the box performance: 8/10
Cool factor: 7/10
Price point: 4/10 (bought this from the grey market, so it was heavily inflated)

35 comments:

  1. Try it with the T Streamline darts. They go at least 15m. Point the holes in the darts toward the actual revolving chamber and watch the bullets just... carry...

    I use it with the Longshot scope and the Recon stock. It's very comfortable and well, the scope on it makes it look like the VSS sniper from Bad Company 2 =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello. First time comment on this blog. I was curious on how the Spectre's folding stock would work on the Alpha Trooper? I feel that if any of the new Nerf N-Strike weapons need a stock, it would be the Alpha Trooper.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Urban Taggers, Robby here! Can I see a picture of the Spectre with the Attachments of the Super Soaker Shot Blast Scope and Stock on? I want the blue one as I need to keep a personal Nerf Archive of Pictures. Let me now soon. I'm only 14 years old. Get more and good reviews! I'm waiting ...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi guys,

    I've posted attachments updates here:

    http://urbantaggers.blogspot.com/2010/08/preview-co-ordinate-few-attachment-pics.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. So this gun shoots the same distance compared to a good'ole maverick right?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd actually suggest it'd shoot slightly further, but again it's the whole "new vs old"- there's something about the new blasters that seem to be more powerful and accurate.

    That being said, I only shoot them indoors in an enclosed space, so from the staircase to the couch, it hits the girlfriend the same:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. How did you create those graphics in the first picture? o.O

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pocket. Esq,
    What exactly is the spectre resting on in the "spectre- unpacked and ready to use" photograph? Is that some sort of material which you use for storing your weapons, as I would be interested in acquiring some. Thanks,

    Aspernatio

    ReplyDelete
  9. iLN: Just Adobe Photoshop; my every day work tool:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Aspernatio: actually it's a storage chest I bought for very cheap:)

    http://urbantaggers.blogspot.com/2010/08/storage-crate-picking-up-your-toys-has.html is the post so you can see it. I love it. Available from hardware stores and if you're in Australia- the Reject Shop:P

    ReplyDelete
  11. Is the stock aligned slightly to the right?

    ReplyDelete
  12. In a way.. yes because it folds to the right. But it doesn't feel any more to the right than a recon stock.

    ReplyDelete
  13. To P13c30fch33s3, The Stock Is On The Right Side But Feels Normal Because About Halfway Up The Stock, The Plastic Arms For The Stock Are Bent To Compensate For The Off Centerness

    ReplyDelete
  14. Does the silencer have a barrel extension like the Recon Barrel (etc)?

    ReplyDelete
  15. which is better spectre or barricade thanks

    ReplyDelete
  16. Would you recommend the spectre or the barricade
    more?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Personally, I prefer the Spectre; in my opinion it's a more refined version of the Maverick. Shoots further, slim lined, better tactical rail placement, better barrel, and with the attachments it's just a lot of fun. The Barricade is somewhat.. underwhelming in my opinion, it takes abit of fun out of Nerf with its semi automatic nature and the trigger is rather soft, so it feels unsatisfying to fire.

    That being said, the Barricade is double the amount of rounds if that's your thing, and being semi automatic means you can use one handed without having to prime.

    Personally my hat goes to the Spectre, but I find I warm the Barricade more as time goes on.

    ReplyDelete
  18. P13c30fch33s3: barrel extension? You mean to make it even longer?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I meant the rifled barrel that is in the middle of the Recon barrel. It is also on the Longstrike and Longshot's barrels.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yes! Someone who has good taste!
    I wanted to get the Spectre REV-5 for so long.
    And I liked it with the silencer only instead of attaching the stock. And people complain that the silencer isn't a silencer just because it doesn't work as a silencer. But it seems like it's supposed to represent a silencer! You my friend just made my day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. So which one would you say has better performance, range, accuracy, etc.. the Maverick or the Spectre?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hey Pocket,
    Love your blog. I was just wondering if this blaster is availible in Australia yet? If so I picked one up at Target in the Chermside Westfeild for $24.
    Thanks,
    Nerf Ninja

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm not sure to buy this or the alpha trooper... any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  24. ^jose^ I love the Alpha Trooper CS-18. It shoots as far as my modified Long Shot out of the box! Picked it up at target on sale! Best bang for the buck I have seen is the trooper!

    ReplyDelete
  25. just got the spectre recently. this is a great gun and its my pocket snipe until i get a longstrike or longshot, which ever i find first. its great for night battles, i can stay hidden until everyone shoots eachother and then pick them off without them even seeing me. the shots are pretty accurate from a good distance, maybe 20 ft. its definitely the best with whistlers, with most other darts they veer off. and of course its a revolver so there are absolutely no jams. putting attachments on the rail gets in the way of the cocking mechanism so thts a bad point. overall a 8.5/10

    ReplyDelete
  26. I just bought it, and its a wonderful gun. It shoots further than what i would hope with a modded mav. I usally use it with the recon barrel and the raider stock, althogh the foldable stock is great for the trooper. If I could choose between it and the alpha, its a tie becuase the alpha has rapidfire
    (raider firing method) and clip system. The spectre and the alpha are BOTH GREAT pocket snipers. The stmpde shield works on the spectre too, but gets in the way of the reload.

    ReplyDelete
  27. how does it compare to a recon with no attachments?

    ReplyDelete
  28. It destroys a recon, no attachments. It looks super cool, i just don't like its a rev 5, I think 8 would have been awesome (def, would add some bulk tho). Theres speculation of a WO spectre coming out, which i think would be sick

    ReplyDelete
  29. I figure if you take off the barrel and flip the stock depending on aim need it could do well as an assault rifle and change to a fair sniper

    ReplyDelete
  30. wow a barricade with a spectre stock looks realy cool!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Nerf is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. nerf or no life

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi,

    I am looking for a scope nerve alone, or do you find?

    ReplyDelete