REVIEW: 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum

[Pchan1983]

Here is my review on 76218 Sanctum Sanctorum:

THE GOOD:

• Another modular building with is the same year always a win!
• Looks great.
• Interesting building techniques and innovative use of parts for exterior especially.
• Back to multiple instruction booklets with each one per level to enhance experience with family.
• Full of MCU references beyond Infinity War & Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness.
• Awesome new hair piece for Mordo.

THE NOT SO GOOD:

• Stairs to 3rd level does not exist in this build.
• The windows look nice but the decors can easily be misaligned.
• Minifigures selection can be improved, instead of spider man & iron man & Ebony Maw, may be Kacillius, Ancient One & Christine Palmer makes more sense?

This is indeed somewhat a dream came true.  If you tell me a year or two ago this is happening I wouldn't would have believe it.  The good news, this set is good.  The exterior is probably executed better than the interior.  It just looks great and I really like the techniques to build the corner of the sanctum.  The building experience is great, nothing felt repetitive and lots of new ways to build things.  A lot of stickers but I would say it's excessive, some though I do wish it is printed.  The new trees are great but the windows decor, easily to be misaligned just because the piece only secured by one stud.  Interior packs in lots of details and MCU references, however I do feel space is limited because of the total depth in this design.  Extend the building 6 studs more deeper might give it a bit more flexibility in this regard but even with this, I doubt they can add the stairs to the top level.  This is the only issue that really bothers me.   Otherwise, this set doesn't just look great but have a few play features integrated too.  Those portals are really fun.  Also there are tons of references to MCU that only MCU fans could spot immediately.  Just by looking at some of the references, I think they should add Thor:Ragnarok to the box art too.  May be also include Thor & Loki as minifigures would have made this even better.  Minifigures wise, it;s great.  I do wish more leg printings and characters other than iron man, spidey & ebonay maw would be more appealing to MCU fans.  Having said that, both iron man and spidey are exclusive to this set and spider got additional leg prints too.  I just wish getting a few characters more directly related to Dr.Strange.

I also like the box art and the instruaction booklets, me and my wife had a great time building this together because it has been awhile big sets like this comes with multiple booklets allow you to build different parts simultaneosly.  Also I hope Lego continue to include background info of the set going forward.

This is a great set and I do recommend this to everyone, while the price is high but I think it totally worth the price.

[JintaiZ]

An excellent review for an excellent set!

I really like the idea of licensed modular buildings, just wish it was little bit cheaper...

[Pchan1983]

5 hours ago, JintaiZ said:

An excellent review for an excellent set!

I really like the idea of licensed modular buildings, just wish it was little bit cheaper...

thanks.

I don't know how this set can be cheaper when the normal modular buildings also already similar price.  May be they can release section of a building with compatible with modular so you can pick to buy small section of it?

[LegendaryArticuno]

Close to 50 stickers should be a con, just saying.

[Vindicare]

I agree most with your minifg lineup. Not having Kacillius at all is definitely unfortunate, maybe we’ll see him in a CMF. Leg & arm printing is a plus, but we really didn’t need another Spidey. And considering we have the book with that spell & the doors, Kacillius would’ve been perfect for this set. 

Onto the building. It’s fantastic. The angled bit is well integrated. I like interior during the build process, but that’s it. So I’m glad they paid extra attention to the exterior. 

[thebricksbear]

Kaecilius missing is definitely an indication they have other sets planned, as he is a far more obvious choice than several characters in this set.

[Pchan1983]

On 8/31/2022 at 5:59 AM, Vindicare said:

I agree most with your minifg lineup. Not having Kacillius at all is definitely unfortunate, maybe we’ll see him in a CMF. Leg & arm printing is a plus, but we really didn’t need another Spidey. And considering we have the book with that spell & the doors, Kacillius would’ve been perfect for this set. 

Onto the building. It’s fantastic. The angled bit is well integrated. I like interior during the build process, but that’s it. So I’m glad they paid extra attention to the exterior. 

exactly,  I still feel a big disappointed not including Kacillius.  time to request LEGO to give us a D2C Dormanmu and hopefully include Kacillius XD

 

4 hours ago, bricksandabear said:

Kaecilius missing is definitely an indication they have other sets planned, as he is a far more obvious choice than several characters in this set.

D2C Dormanmu Dark Dimension set? =P