Review: 8975 Berix

[Corvus]

Hi there! (Yes, this is the most creative intro I can think off... )

I was in Seattle last weekend for X-mas, so I picked up some of the new '09 Glatorian at TRU. First up, we have Berix, who was a whopping $7.99 for 15 pieces!

The box:

Nothing going on here. I think this is exactly the same as last year's matoran. Boring. However, the back of the box has the BIO-code, which is B3RXOR. I hate leet-speek in BIO-codes. I didn't get anything, but maybe that's because it hasn't been updated yet...

Them new parts:

A few new parts here, and almost everything except one piece (pipe-thing) is recolored! Yay!

The new head. I like it, and I count 3 different colors so far: Trans-yellow, trans-orange, and trans-blue. I was hoping to get red, but whatever. It's funny how much it looks like Ironman.

They actually attach from the top now. This screws with the masks of old, but it opens up some new possibilities. I kinda like it.

The new hands. I've heard a lot of whining about how horrible they are, but I think they're just plain awesome. Maybe they look a bit oversized on the matoran, but they were never really properly scaled to people, now were they?

The build:

The build. All right. Em....hmmmm. There isn't one. The only reason I wrote 'The build' in large letters is to make fun of BZP. But come on, there are only 15 parts! What build can you do? Right. None. It's boring.

That said, Berix does all right for a partless loser. I think the angle on the arms could be a bit more, but they're not bad. The legs, however, look chunky. The good part is that all the parts are recolored and that he has a very nice mask. Very refreshing.

I was highly dissapointed by this. For some reason, I was expecting some sort of trans-blue, like that of the bigger guy's swords. Ah well. It'd be so much better trans...

OK, here we have him with full weapons. I like how the hands make it look like he's actually holding the two parts to make a shield.

And, well, that's it, really. He's a matoran, what else can you expect? He's pretty thin, yada yada yada, but this is the better of the two torsos. Overall, he's actually pretty nice. He's colorful, and all the parts are either new or recolored, except for his shield pieces and the tube. I give 7/10, mostly because I don't care much for the torso and the price.

Anyway, useful little bugger. A lot more pics on flickr.

More reviews of Gresh, Malum, Skrall, and Strakk coming tomorrow! (Why? It's late, and I'm tired. )

[hollisbrick]

Nice review, not a big fan of this theme (as you might know ) But it's starting get better IMO. Personelly I think last year was better but this year is alright. Btw do you have the small scorpian one (Bionicle names are so difficult to remember ) And review it? Pwease

Thanks for the review though. Also I agree with the price's, they are getting rediculas

[Corvus]

Nice review, not a big fan of this theme (as you might know ) But it's starting get better IMO. Personelly I think last year was better but this year is alright. Btw do you have the small scorpian one (Bionicle names are so difficult to remember ) And review it? Pwease

Thanks for the review though. Also I agree with the price's, they are getting rediculas

This is the only small guy I have. I agree though, I can never remember the names...

[Chef Hatchet]

They should have given him blue (in whatever shade) Chroniclers staffs and the Mahri tube in some new color.

Then he'd technically have ALL new pieces.

Anyway, Berix is my favorite Agori, due to how awesome he looks.

Too bad TRU only had two Glatorian and no Agori.

And Target had nothing

[Bundalings]

Mm... I love that mask. Definitely my next Glatorian/Agori to get.

~Bunda

[dviddy]

The only reason I wrote 'The build' in large letters is to make fun of BZP

Know what? BZP reviews run this one into the ground. Make fun of them all you want, but I have yet to see someone on EB review a set as well as BZP staff does. And that's not counting the super-awesome-detailed reviews I've written for the front page, so I'm not just tooting my own horn here. There's a lot of work that goes into one of our reviews, and I don't particularly enjoy the nonsensical BZP bashing.

Berix is okay. But I prefer Metus, when it comes to Av-Matoran Agori. Metus' helmet/mask/whatever I think looks cooler than Berix', and the snowflake shield is just kickin'.

[hollisbrick]

This is the only small guy I have. I agree though, I can never remember the names...

Fair enough..

[Bundalings]

Know what? BZP reviews run this one into the ground. Make fun of them all you want, but I have yet to see someone on EB review a set as well as BZP staff does. And that's not counting the super-awesome-detailed reviews I've written for the front page, so I'm not just tooting my own horn here. There's a lot of work that goes into one of our reviews, and I don't particularly enjoy the nonsensical BZP bashing.

Berix is okay. But I prefer Metus, when it comes to Av-Matoran Agori. Metus' helmet/mask/whatever I think looks cooler than Berix', and the snowflake shield is just kickin'.

Indeed. BZP reviews are much more thorough than EB reviews, in general. Not talking about forum reviews, most of those are bad, but the front page reviews.

Nonetheless there isn't really much to say about the Av Matoran or Agori, is there?

~Bunda

[Pencoin]

Berix isn't a matoran, he is an Agori. And he is still my favorite!

Edited December 30, 2008 by Pencoin

[Corvus]

Know what? BZP reviews run this one into the ground. Make fun of them all you want, but I have yet to see someone on EB review a set as well as BZP staff does. And that's not counting the super-awesome-detailed reviews I've written for the front page, so I'm not just tooting my own horn here. There's a lot of work that goes into one of our reviews, and I don't particularly enjoy the nonsensical BZP bashing.

Sorry. BZP does have good reviews, and I go there regularly to check for them. The only thing I dislike about it is that there's a format you have to follow to make them... Then again, I haven't checked that in a while...

Berix isn't a matora, he is an Agori.

My bad, sorry.

[InnerRayg]

Sorry. BZP does have good reviews, and I go there regularly to check for them. The only thing I dislike about it is that there's a format you have to follow to make them... Then again, I haven't checked that in a while...

My bad, sorry.

Well, the format helps, not everyone "knows" how to do a review right....if they have a nice little checkbox of things to do, at least we can get a pretty decent review from everyone.

[Algernon]

Know what? BZP reviews run this one into the ground. Make fun of them all you want, but I have yet to see someone on EB review a set as well as BZP staff does. And that's not counting the super-awesome-detailed reviews I've written for the front page, so I'm not just tooting my own horn here. There's a lot of work that goes into one of our reviews, and I don't particularly enjoy the nonsensical BZP bashing.

Berix is okay. But I prefer Metus, when it comes to Av-Matoran Agori. Metus' helmet/mask/whatever I think looks cooler than Berix', and the snowflake shield is just kickin'.

Honestly BZP reviews annoy me, because the text-to-pic ratio is ridiculously high. Good EB reviews describe the functions and show you how the set works so you can make up your own mind- generally, BZP reviews seem to rant on and on about "the build" and other somewhat unimportant aspects of the set with less of a focus on pictorial overview.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Algernon

[JINZONINGEN73]

Honestly BZP reviews annoy me, because the text-to-pic ratio is ridiculously high. Good EB reviews describe the functions and show you how the set works so you can make up your own mind- generally, BZP reviews seem to rant on and on about "the build" and other somewhat unimportant aspects of the set with less of a focus on pictorial overview.

THIS.

I like Eurobricks because there's no format for reviews (well, not a harsh one). Hell, hardly ANY words are needed in a review, as long as you can see all the new parts clearly.

Set reviews on BZ are like reading a fanfic somewhat. Too long, occasional attempts at humor, ...geeky filler junk, at least for me. The pics are usually decent, but they're hosted on BZ... I like clicking on a Brickshelf gallery to get the zoomed pics all at once and escape the text.

But hey, who cares really? Some kids dig Bionicle for reading the story, others SOLELY for the parts/sets.

Neither review is "wrong". I think. Matter of taste.

One thing is certain, most people aren't buying Lego sets to analyze the font used on the text of the box. >__<

Man... Berix, like all the Glatorian sets are all cool... but those dark feet REALLY are throwing my eyes off.

[dviddy]

others SOLELY for the parts/sets.

Having written five (and in the middle of writing my sixth) reviews for the BZP front page, I can tell you this:

This is why my reviews on BZP go so in-depth, and end up so long. Screw the story, I'm looking at the set the way I do MOCs where the builder had a limited stash of parts.

I'm not personally satisfied with what I see here on EB where the reviews are "Here's a bunch of pictures, lol, he's awesome to the maxx, go buy it." I'd much rather know what I'm getting myself into, and hey, if I absolutely hate a set, and get to say so in an official BZP review, and get some kids to buy a different set, instead of the ones that are repetitive and suck, then hooray me.

But hey, that's cool. Some people read books, and others watch the film adaptations.

I'm sure the people who are too lazy to read aren't missing out on anything.

Plus, if you want good pictures, you can't beat my BZP reviews. (And all my review images are also hosted on my Majhost gallery, BTW.)

Edited January 4, 2009 by Darth Vader

[Algernon]

Having written five (and in the middle of writing my sixth) reviews for the BZP front page, I can tell you this:

This is why my reviews on BZP go so in-depth, and end up so long. Screw the story, I'm looking at the set the way I do MOCs where the builder had a limited stash of parts.

I'm not personally satisfied with what I see here on EB where the reviews are "Here's a bunch of pictures, lol, he's awesome to the maxx, go buy it." I'd much rather know what I'm getting myself into, and hey, if I absolutely hate a set, and get to say so in an official BZP review, and get some kids to buy a different set, instead of the ones that are repetitive and suck, then hooray me.

But hey, that's cool. Some people read books, and others watch the film adaptations.

I'm sure the people who are too lazy to read aren't missing out on anything.

Plus, if you want good pictures, you can't beat my BZP reviews. (And all my review images are also hosted on my Majhost gallery, BTW.)

The book/film analogy isn't quite valid, since Eurobricks reviews lack any "story" whatsoever and expect you to make up your own mind without holding your hand through it. Which is how I like my reviews, at least with LEGO sets.

Also, I'm afraid a lot of EB photography is at least as good as your BZP pics.

[Strakk]

Thanks for the review. Berix's helmet is quite cool.

The colour scheme is nice too.

[JINZONINGEN73]

Also, I'm afraid a lot of EB photography is at least as good as your BZP pics.

Case in point, these Berix pics here. Pretty clean stuff.

Likewise, those Gresh pics you took in particular were indeed mighty.

[dviddy]

Also, I'm afraid a lot of EB photography is at least as good as your BZP pics.

Oh dear, now you're just embarrassing yourself.

( )

[Algernon]

Oh dear, now you're just embarrassing yourself.

( )

I'm not quite sure what to make of this post.

[Bundalings]

I'm not sure either...?

Browsing through the reviews just now, I spotted several with less-than-stellar pic qualities. Not going to link any links or name any names though.

Granted, a higher percentage of EB reviews have bad pics (compared with the BZP frontpage reviews), but I mean, look at the review pictures in the BZP sets forum. It's basically the same thing since EB doesn't have any front page reviews...

grah, tongue trippage

~Bunda

[dviddy]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this post.

I'm super serious, for seriousness.

I honestly don't care all that much. Reviews hit different marks on different people, and that's what matters. What bothered me here was the insinuation that the BZP reviews we do as staff members are terrible or useless, or that our format hinders the reviewing process. That's silly. (And, of course, I enjoy writing those BZP reviews to death, so that's part of it. Who likes to have your hard work belittled?) Yeah, there are BZP reviews that suck, and ones that don't. And I refuse to look at reviews in the sets forum on BZP, because the non-creative outlet subforums scare me. I tend to shelter myself in the BBC, and in the blogs. They make me happy.

And I like pictures in my reviews as well, and these ones are great. :)

(My next BZP review has more pictures than my last ones did. The Gresh and Atakus review photo-shoots were pretty crappy, as I'm home for the break, and for those shoots, it was very difficult setting a proper photo-taking stage up. Thankfully, the new light-box I received for Christmas helped that a lot.)

[Algernon]

It's true, different people enjoy different reviews. My theme reviews are very text heavy because, well, when you're reviewing a classic theme it tends to merit a lot of commentary. But I try to take a lot of pictures, too, because I know how much people like those.

I have trouble finding a good space for photoshooting. My bed works for the most part, but I have no completely white walls to shoot against. I'm not sure what people do.

[dviddy]

I have trouble finding a good space for photoshooting. My bed works for the most part, but I have no completely white walls to shoot against. I'm not sure what people do.

I can tell you this: invest fifty cents in a piece of white posterboard. It will work amazing wonders.

[Algernon]

I can tell you this: invest fifty cents in a piece of white posterboard. It will work amazing wonders.

Hm, I wonder if I have some of that laying around...

[InnerRayg]

(My next BZP review has more pictures than my last ones did. The Gresh and Atakus review photo-shoots were pretty crappy, as I'm home for the break, and for those shoots, it was very difficult setting a proper photo-taking stage up. Thankfully, the new light-box I received for Christmas helped that a lot.)

Oho, now I understand the mistake. Somebody sent you my light-box, I've been looking all over for it. Thanks for keeping it safe, I'll let you know where to return it. :D