Gatanui Posted June 23, 2012 Expect fully detailed picture reviews of Stringer, Voltix, Bulk and Core Hunter soon. -Gata Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 23, 2012 I didn't notice this with pics, but splitface is so using the Breeze/Samus style armor in his red area. Which is ever so..o feminine. I am not saying that Splitface that half male and half female to me, but... err, wait I am actually saying it. I removed that piece entirely. I get what they were trying to do, but it just looks...bad. Too wide- heck, it would look bad even on a female figure I reckon.I mean I'm halfway through this XT4 review and we haven't even looked at the figure yet! This the problem of maaaaaaaaaaaaany video reviews. They focus too much on the box (Why should I care? Just show the front, the sides and the back. One minute tops) and the pieces (just show the new ones, no need to show, say, blue 5M shells) and not enough on the building and the model.I watched some of the Stormer XL review (I stopped at "really horrible build." No one's bashing my man Stormer). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vinyl Scratch Posted June 23, 2012 ... Okay, I'm totally sold on Speeda Demon after I saw the back art. So far, XT4 really looks good actually. But still, dunno if I will buy him. The rest remain the same, this is a great line. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vexorian Posted June 23, 2012 I like that Speeda looks like an imp without the bike. But the bike does not look good to me. I don't know, too many gaps? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DraikNova Posted June 23, 2012 Weird, the bike is the best part in my opinion and looks very cohesive with that jaw filling up a gap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dviddy Posted June 23, 2012 You can throw me in with the "people who hate video reviews of LEGO sets" thing. That's why on BZPower when we've done our big goofy staff Brickfair set reviews the video is really just entertainment. The review is in the text and pictures. So much easier and the reviewer's hands aren't constantly in the way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vexorian Posted June 23, 2012 Weird, the bike is the best part in my opinion and looks very cohesive with that jaw filling up a gap. I guess it is mostly because I paid the most attention to when we look at it laterally and without driver. I think that as long as Speeda stays in the bike it looks better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZORK64 Posted June 23, 2012 Oh the irony... I got Stringer and Stormer XL today at my LEGO store, and since my flickr-account started to bug me about the max. number of uploaded pictures, I decided to make video reviews of them. So I made a video review of Stringer today, which I wanted to post here too, and now I have to read that a fair number of EB-members don't like video reviews at all. Well anyway, I'll still upload that review once I'm done editing it, but perhaps I'll write a traditional review for Stormer XL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtleman2020 Posted June 23, 2012 I have to say that even if the sets sucked incredibly (not saying they do) I'm still going to buy them all just for pieces. The good ones will be built and five minutes later taken apart. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) Wow, Bulk is beautiful. The rocket launcher attachment is better than I thought, but I'm still going to revamp it my way. Next is Core Hunter. I guess he'll get the highest number of views It's up..did he really say the claw weapons are new? Edited June 23, 2012 by Shakar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vexorian Posted June 23, 2012 Bulk is like the hottest thing ever. I am in love with Bulk. However, I am kind of bummed the transparent sticks are green and not trans orange, I am not sure why I thought they were going to be orange. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) I guess those lasers match with his Zamor whatever that sphere is supposed to be this time (plasma?). They would've looked better in tr bright green, however. I'm disappointed with CH's back armour attachment..wouldn't the new O hole-ball joint-O hole liftarm have worked better? Or maybe not, I don't know. Man, the shots are so random, and he goes over so many little details..it's frustrating. I'll wait for better reviews. Edited June 23, 2012 by Shakar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vexorian Posted June 24, 2012 Raw Jaw paws in black. Now I am gonna have to buy CH as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aethersprite Posted June 24, 2012 Ehhh... Really turned off by Voltix and Bulk's black feet. Why couldn't they have given us gunmetal? Plus, Core Hunter's back attachment is really disappointing, with that ball joint sticking out. Shall wait for better picture reviews, the lighting in the videos make it really hard to judge a figure's colour scheme. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZORK64 Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) Well then, my video review for Stringer is online, you can find it .I know, the quality is horrible. Movie Maker made it only worse. I'm sorry about that. And about some of the nonsense I talk too. ^^' If you happen to like it, I'll make a video review for Stormer XL too. If not, the review for Stormer XL will be a traditional one... although I maybe make a German video review for the set. Edited June 24, 2012 by ZORK64 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DraikNova Posted June 24, 2012 I for one prefer the Bulk-Core Hunter combo over the actual sets. It looks like a lion-centaur creature with a rocket launcher! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MakutaDreadscythe Posted June 24, 2012 I don't mind video reviews, most times anyway, unless they spend little to no time on the finished product. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 24, 2012 So, I tried the Core Hunter design IRL, and I have to say: why? I can't understand why they didn't use the new liftarms in Stormer's ankles to attach the back armour. The Drilldozer bone creates an unstable, ever moving connection, not to mention that random uncovered ball joint. Even if you fill that with a 3M shell, it still looks akward. And I can't even tweak/fix that because only Stormer and Speeda Demon include that piece. Frustrating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtleman2020 Posted June 24, 2012 So, I tried the Core Hunter design IRL, and I have to say: why? I can't understand why they didn't use the new liftarms in Stormer's ankles to attach the back armour. The Drilldozer bone creates an unstable, ever moving connection, not to mention that random uncovered ball joint. Even if you fill that with a 3M shell, it still looks akward. And I can't even tweak/fix that because only Stormer and Speeda Demon include that piece. Frustrating. Y u no like us lego Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gatanui Posted June 24, 2012 The Stringer and Core Hunter reviews are written, Bulk is almost done and Voltix still missing. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow so I can take pictures then. -Gata Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aanchir Posted June 24, 2012 I don't hate video reviews in general. True, in many cases I prefer a text review, and I almost never listen to the audio when watching a video review because in video the set's strong and weak points should usually be apparent without the reviewer having to describe them orally. Show, don't tell. But there are good video reviews, which show the sets in detail without hands getting in the way or the camera dwelling too long on any one thing. For instance, see . This is a guy who clearly has great experience in the field of video reviews. No shaky camera, no hands fumbling with the minifigures or pieces... just a well-edited review showing off all the minifigures from various angles along with the complete build. This is the type of video review that I think a photo review could never fully replace. If only he reviewed non-licensed constraction sets!--------- As for this XT4 review, I'm surprised to see that my initial suspicions about XT4's torso bone were right and there is a pin hole through the center ball joint. This is a good decision IMO-- true, it means that parts can't snap to the sides of the torso bone's center ball joint, but there are few situations where that is even necessary (especially on this small torso bone that doesn't even have much clearance for doing so), and in the meantime this will make attaching back armor a lot easier. XT4 is still an amazing set design even ignoring the new torso beam. He has a unique physique, a well-organized color scheme, and some striking yet well-balanced asymmetry. --------- Stringer still looks amazing for his price point. I actually kind of like the use of regular blue along with the transparent blue, as I feel the regular blue helps act as a "transition area" between the transparent blue and the solid black armor. With that said, transparent blue shells wouldn't have been a bad thing either. Stringer could use some kind of back armor, but these days that's an easy enough problem to solve. The weapon is of course awesome. --------- Stormer XL's box is thinner than I imagined. It's a shame that pic on the back of the box isn't on cache.LEGO.com. His sticker sheet is tasteful too. And he's a great parts pack for those wanting a bunch of friction joints. Of his new parts, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that the parts used to connect the armor to his shin bones have three pin holes each, including one through the ball joint! After XT4's torso it's not hugely groundbreaking, but I had worried that it would only have a small cavity to allow it to be placed up against a ball joint, similar to that in Waspix's extra-arm-connector. His feet are cool in design, and could be versatile, but they still seem weird to me with the two giant toes. More Matoran-like than Hero-like IMO. The drones are nice new details, and the stickers help add detail, although I'm not sure whether I prefer them in their current form or in the form featured in the Toy Fair press guide's (very) preliminary image, where they were blended like his sword rather than stickered. His chest piece remains very stylish, even more so with stickers. The usefulness of the 3M beam C (two ball cups) is self-evident. Stormer XL, when built, is very imposing and has pretty good proportions. His back could use a bit more armor but his torso remains well-built. His sword is also still a great re-use of pieces, although I can think of a few ways the hilt could be improved (if the new 3x3 "gatling piece" of the Super Heroes constraction sets were available in black, it'd be preferable to that 3x2 cam piece, and a shorter axle connecting the sword to his hand would definitely be an improvement). --------- Bulk is pretty attractive, but he still has some odd design choices. His new boxy shell detail pieces are great, and his torso shell has a lovely print, but his color scheme has a few really odd (and IMO, somewhat detrimental) decisions like the choice to give him black feet rather than silver metallic or even titanium metallic ones. At the same time, the Technic-based attachment used to connect his shoulder-mounted blaster to his back looks a lot better than I had anticipated (especially since it can fold back so nicely), and the "bulky" shells surrounding his helmet still look incredible. --------- Speeda Demon is also a mixed bag for me. Box art is gorgeous, as is the case with most sets this wave. The figure himself looks pretty stellar. And the bike design is certainly expressive with its vivid purple and gold color scheme, its spiky detail pieces, and its lightning exhaust. At the same time, the bike feels somewhat mediocre compared to the solidly-built Furno Bike, and the lack of launchers leaves it with even fewer actual functions. As the video makes clear, it's also in desperate need of a kickstand, which the Furno Bike did well in including. The lightning pieces used for this set and Voltix look superb, and his helmet looks good in bright yellowish green. Also, the bike looks better than I had originally anticipated, though it's still not a work of art like the Furno Bike. It's rather shapely and has a unique aesthetic, which would make it great for chase scenes with the Furno Bike as was seen in the Breakout TV episode. I'm a little less pleased with how the lightning pieces on the handlebars are being treated as weapons for Speeda Demon rather than part of the bike. Granted, it's a necessity considering how the handlebars are built (if only it were more similar to Rockoh T3's gorgeous handlebars, though of course that's harder with the larger fist pieces), but they don't match Speeda Demon's aesthetic at all and they match the bike's aesthetic really well. --------- Nex looks nice. I love how one arm is heavily armored in titanium metallic, yet has a completely different aesthetic than Evo's tank arm. The antenna on his other arm using a System harpoon piece is great as well. And his color scheme is both unique and well-organized. Also, his new helmet and chest pattern are gorgeous. The black hand is an odd design choice, but not necesarily a bad one. It's this kind of set that really makes me wonder how TLG can top this line in 2013, since the character designs this year are so wonderfully well-suited to the characters. They have flaws, like any sets, but in terms of establishing the characters' identities I don't think they could be any better. --------- Core Hunter is pretty intriguing. While his color scheme feels a bit cliche, it also makes him feel wonderfully evil. And the rest of his set design goes towards the same objective. He has lots of great black parts too. I actually like the way his back armor is attached. The way it is tilted forward gives him a great hunched-looking posture, and I've never really cared about ball joints being left unused. His black torso shell is a great piece for those who aren't happy with Stringer's color scheme. --------- The combi models in general look great and, for me, hearken back to my favorite canister set combi models, the Brickmaster-exclusive ones of 2007 and 2008. Their color schemes may not be beautiful, but it's their unique builds that make them worth paying attention to. Certainly a bit more unique than the humanoid Hero combi models of 2011. Incidentally, I just noticed for the first time while watching these reviews that the recommended age range for these sets has changed since last year. The 3.0 series had the age range for all small Hero sets at 6-16 and the age range for all medium-sized villain sets at 7-16. In contrast, this year's small sets have an age range of 6-12 and the medium-sized sets have an age range of 7-14. It's extremely peculiar as the builds for the sets this year have become more complicated if anything (what with greater piece counts and the addition of more Technic-based building on various sets). So I suppose TLG's standards for what type of building older kids will enjoy has changed. The larger-scale sets still have the recommended age range capped at 16, but I find it peculiar as a 21-year-old Hero Factory fan to learn that 14-year-old fans are not expected to get the same enjoyment from a set like Thornraxx as from a set like Splitface. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) @ Gatanui So, which is your favourite? Edited June 24, 2012 by Shakar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gatanui Posted June 24, 2012 @ Gatanui So, which is your favourite? Core Hunter looks great and solid. Even Voltix manages to look good. Surprisingly, his colour scheme doesn´t seem jumbled and I actually like the huge tubes all over the place. I love Stringer´s trans-blue armor and the weapon looks nice, too, although it has some issues. As far as Bulk goes, he lives up to his name and has perhaps the most interesting design of these. -Gata Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shakar Posted June 24, 2012 How stable is that shell on the back of CH? In the quick MOC I made it moved a lot. Once the sets are out everywhere, I bet Voltix is finally going to get his deserved praise. Two people (we know of) got him so far, and both approved of him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZORK64 Posted June 24, 2012 Just so you know, I took pictures today for a "Text" review of Stormer XL. So you can expect a written review from me soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
