ZORK64 Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) I'd like to begin this review with a (slightly modified) quote from Gandalf the Grey: "AFOLs. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you." When I asked you which set I should review first, I had never expected the polybag to be the most requested set. I thought you'd go for Dragon Bolt or one of the heroes (well, Stormer was mentioned at least once, same goes for Frost Beast). But I don't want to complain about that. It's just a funny surprise. Set name: Exclusive Accessory Pack* Set Number: 40084 Price: ** Pieces: 9 (but only 6, according to the instructions) Year of release: July 2013 (Europe) *Well, I guess it's the name, since there's no specific name on the bag itself. **The pack itself is free, but you can only get it with another Hero Factory purchase. The bag The front of the polybag shows the black brain and the fire sword on a green background. One thing I find noteworthy on this bag is the title in another language (I guess it's French, but I'm not sure). The bag shows the title in yet another language, but otherwise it's relatively dull. So let's slice this up! The parts I was pleasantly surprised to find out that all of the TECHNIC pieces are included two times in the bag, especially the sword hilt piece - it really grew on me in the last wave, so I'm happy to get even more of these. This is also most likely not a particular case, since my other bag contained the same pieces. Here we have the exclusive black brain slug, which makes this pack so interesting. The slug itself is a redeco of the other brain slugs, cast in black rubbery plastic with a solid red eye section, so aside from the (solid) colour, it's identical with the regular brains. That means of course it got the same amount of detail as the others. I really like the brain-like detailing on it. It connects of course in the exact same way like it's less exclusive brethren. Pictures of interest from the instructions Due to the small size of this set, the instructions are not a booklet but just a single sheet of paper. Here we have the actual building instructions for the sword (ironically, there's an error in the assembly if you look at the steps 2 and 3). Turn the instructions around and you'll find a nice poster of the previous wave's bad guys and their brain slugs. A smart move, since that poster encourages kids to upgrade those guys with the flame sword and the black brain too. Building the set I guess that picture shows clearly the proper assembly of the sword. It's basically assembled in a way similiar to Furno XL's sword, only far less complex. Design and playability Well, both the sword and the slug look pretty nice. However, both of these can't really interact with eachother since the slug doesn't have any hands or such. But that doesn't matter, because you can get this set only with another Hero Factory set, which you can of course upgrade using these extra parts! Here I replaced Furno XL's default sword with the sword from this set. I could of course also try to combine both blades to make an even bigger sword. Final thoughts What can I say about a free parts pack aside from the obvious fact that it's a cool idea? The Accessory Pack is a very nice parts pack (even if you put the brain slug aside). If you happen to know a LEGO store near you (or decide to order Hero Factory sets online), I can only recommend you to get this pack, since it comes with a small yet versatile number of parts. Edited July 4, 2013 by ZORK64 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CM4Sci Posted July 4, 2013 Nice review, I should have picked some HF up while I was shopping today. -Sci Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howie28 Posted July 4, 2013 Very nice. I'd love to get one of these, but I don't have any purchases to make on S@H ATM. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cirvihi Posted July 4, 2013 Even if you set aside the recolored brain, this was still a neat little idea for a promotion, even more popular in the fact that people in the US can actually receive this for a change. The sword is a simple design that manages to look pretty cool in the process, and I've become quite a sucker for those BRAINS! Can't wait to snag one of these with Evo and Aquagon in the coming weeks, and I hope this becomes popular enough for promotions to continue in places besides Europe. BTW, what color is the sword piece itself? Is it the translucent red that's also found in Worriz and Cragger, or is it a completely opaque red one? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ToaJaller78 Posted July 4, 2013 FINNALLY!!!!! must. use. on. Pyrox. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UberlegoTV Posted July 4, 2013 I think ill get this, but not open it and sell it in like 4-5 months... or just open it xD Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zachattacx Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) This is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! It's a great parks pack and... DAT brain!So gorgeous! Also 500th post! EDIT:You know I would have really loved to see how this looks on villains from this wave. Edited July 4, 2013 by Zachattacx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vinyl Scratch Posted July 4, 2013 Damn that solid red blade is looking magnificent. And the Brain too, hoping we get more solid colours next year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cylex7 Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) Thanks for the review! Wow, that black brain looks gorgeous! Is this out in the US now, or in a few weeks? Better make a trip if so... Edited July 4, 2013 by cylex7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aethersprite Posted July 4, 2013 Wow. I didn't expect this set to come with parts other than the brain! The new sword piece in red? A trans fire piece? Two of those beautiful hilt pieces? Sold. I'd buy a ton of these. Unfortunately I don't think my country will be getting a similar promotion, hopefully I'll be able to get it through some other source. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dorek Posted July 4, 2013 Thanks for the review! Wow, that black brain looks gorgeous! Is this out in the US now, or in a few weeks? Better make a trip if so... 11 more days, promotion starts the 15th. I'm definitely excited. I'll probably have to do S@H, since I'm on vacation (incidentally, the pack language does appear to be in French, but in a French promo catalog I picked up yesterday, they use "Cervell'Attack" as the official title, so there's definitely some dialect stuff going on that I don't understand =P), but I'm so glad that the black wasn't actually just a placeholder image. But yes, everything about this is amazing, thanks for the review. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kalhiki Posted July 4, 2013 Can't wait for the 15th. Good thing I held off on some of my purchases so I still have figures to buy. Don't really know what I'm going to do with it, though. Guess it'll just be one of those cool things to have. Kalhiki Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocketbilly Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) Wow! an extra hilt piece! I'm really looking forward to getting the black brain set. I was hoping to get two of them for a two headed MOC, but it seems that it's "one per household" at least for the UK iteration of the promotion. I suppose it's easy enough to work around but it's a hassle. Either way, I'd be happy with just the one. I may just have to try to get to a LEGO store and be crafty Thanks for the great review! Edited July 4, 2013 by Rocketbilly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VBBN Posted July 4, 2013 How Long does it last? The lego store here in Michigan doesn't usually have a nice selection of Hero Factory so i'll need to hit up the one in Chicago when I go there on the 26th, hoping this promotion is still running then. And nice review I was looking forward to seeing how that black brain looked. (I mean It's not like black is a crazy concept but just how creepy it ended up looking.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dorek Posted July 4, 2013 Until the 30th of July, is what the ad says, at least for America. Don't forget, it should apply to S@H orders as well! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VBBN Posted July 4, 2013 Well I'll be in Chicago from the 26-28th so I should be good on time, Would rather avoid shipping costs of S@H (I'd do a ton of separate transactions to get as many kits as possible so not free shipping for me) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aanchir Posted July 4, 2013 BTW, what color is the sword piece itself? Is it the translucent red that's also found in Worriz and Cragger, or is it a completely opaque red one? It's opaque, surprisingly. I wouldn't have expected them to make it a different color since the "translucent" one is about as close to opaque as you'd ever need anyway, but the instruction booklet and its Customer Service page says they did. (contrast the page for Worriz's blade). Neat that the brain is opaque as well. The grayish-brownish Tr. Brown (Trans-Black/"Smoke") color could have been neat too, but might not have felt quite as eeeeeevil as this one does. The way the bag is packed is interesting. It's different than the usual "polybag sets" that you see as gifts-with-purchase on LEGO.com and at LEGO stores. I wonder if the parts inside have anything to do with their decision to go with what looks like a sturdier bag. The sword is a bit plain, being more or less a smaller, recolored version of Furno XL's, but that doesn't make it a bad design, and it offers a decent selection of parts. Overall, very cool for the first non-standard Hero Factory set to have exclusive parts (other than, depending on your model, Hero Recon Team). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShiningStar Posted July 5, 2013 I'm excited to get a couple of these when the promotion starts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Infernum Posted July 7, 2013 Looks like a great promotion! I can't wait to get mah hands on that black slug! The sword is also nice, as is the extra technic pieces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zachattacx Posted July 8, 2013 Looks like a great promotion! I can't wait to get mah hands on that black slug! The sword is also nice, as is the extra technic pieces. Woah you gonna eat it...that's disgusting :p Well defiantly I'm getting this as I am going on vacation to somewhere near a LEGO store and if that doesn't work than online it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShadowWolfHount Posted January 17, 2014 The Black Brain is amazing and the best one out of the others, with me i have two of the Black Brains and i did hope there was going to be a Purple Brain one day. Now the Sword is good, like that it have the red sword piece that we can still get with one of the Chima Sets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
