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Set Review: 44022 Evo XL Machine


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Good review with AMAZING photographs. Seriously, great job with those.

Vaguely from left to right in this picture: a trans-black windscreen (which, after I took this photo, I realized already existed in LEGO City sets, so ignore it); a mixed ball and peg connector, which looks highly useful for conversions from BIONICLE/Technic to HF System; a piece I am certain is new, the base of Evo's cockpit, with attachment points for his joysticks, the windscreen, the back of his armor (which has a peg to hold him in place) and, in the rear, a HF System connector; two click-together (and thereafter inseparable) halves of the turntable; one of the two halves of the Kaijette tank (hinged when pegs are pushed into the sides with both parts together); and, lastly, a versatile-seeming Technic I connector.

The windscreen actually IS new in this color if I'm not mistaken. It was a surprise to me as well, since Transparent Light Blue, Transparent, and Transparent Brown are usually the first three colors any windscreen will appear in. I suppose that's still true here, but it's surprising that only the first of those three colors actually appeared in LEGO City prior to 2014.The ball and peg connector (90630) is not new (it appeared in the debut wave for the new building system), but it's not very common either. Incredibly useful part, and I never seem to have as many as I would like.The cockpit and the storage tank are indeed new, as is the I-shaped Technic beam, but the Technic turntable is not. This will, however, be my family's first set to include that tiny Technic turntable. It certainly has never before appeared in a constraction set.

Lastly among the parts of interest are some HF system pieces I'm pretty sure are new. There's a double-socketed connector, ideal for BIONICLE limb backwards compatibility, and a teensy-weensy torso, which has all the essential connection points of a normal-sized HF torso, but in about half the size. I can't wait to see this used in a Matoran MOC.

Neither of these pieces are new, actually. 90622 was available when the new building system first debuted, and has appeared in fifteen sets to date (not counting 2014 sets). 98590 was introduced in 2012, and although it has only previously appeared in two sets (XT4 and Dragon Bolt) it is also available on Pick-A-Brick.I agree with the criticism of Evo XL's hand (and Stormer Freeze Machine's, as well). That "paw" piece works much better as a hand when the fingers are longer, which can be solved either by using different pieces for the fingers or by adding claws or fingertips to the ends of those robot arm pieces, as in CHI Worriz or this MOC.I appreciate your decision both to apply the stickers to this set for review purposes and not to bicker about them excessively. They're really not that bad in this case — the edges of the stickers are straight and should be easy enough to line up with the edges of the surfaces they're applied to. Much better than the times you're expected to put, say, a round sticker on either side of an airplane tail, with no reference points to ensure a matching angle and position. They're also in positions where they should remain attached without much trouble, rather than across multiple parts or on round parts that have too short a radius to support stickers.You're right that it's been quite a while since gear functions appeared in constraction sets — since 2008, in fact, which was oddly the last appearance of a gear function in a figure (Icarax) AND the last appearance of a gear function in a vehicle set. The 2009 vehicles included some functions, but none of them were gear-driven. Vehicles and mecha are a great place for gear functions because their movement doesn't have to seem especially lifelike — in fact, jerky movements are well-suited to things that are meant to seem inhuman and mechanical.At the same time, one criticism I've read of the gear function involves the combi model of the five machines. The gear function has little to no inherent friction, and this means it can't support a whole lot of weight in many poses. This becomes abundantly clear with the combi model, which is basically just the standard set with one arm from each of the other machines added to one of the unused ball joints. I think Toa Kaita Akamai dealt with this issue quite well back in 2001, using a ball and ball cup not for articulation but rather for added friction.Based on the European prices for this set and how those typically compare to American prices, the retail price of this set is estimated to be around $25. This makes it about two and a half times the price of $10 sets like Evo Walker and Jaw Beast vs. Stormer, or roughly equivalent to the combined price of one of those smallest sets and one of the medium-sized sets like Furno Jet Machine or Flyer Beast vs. Breez.One final note — you'd better not recycle that packaging until you take a look at the epic art that I hear decorates the bottom of each package (example from the Eurobricks review of Splitter Beast vs. Furno and Evo[/url]). Overall, I love the bags simply because they perform the storage function so much more efficiently than canisters did (in that they can collapse to whatever size you need, versus having a rigid volume regardless of their contents). But these sets more than any others have done a great job demonstrating that the LEGO Group can do cool new things with the packaging, rather than just changing the front and back graphics. Edited by Aanchir: Rachira of Time
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Despite being slightly disappointed by the revelation that the set is lacking ankle articulation, this is easily my favorite set from the wave if only for all the useful parts that comes with it. It sure helps that it looks cool, too. Thanks so much for the review, and as Rachira pointed out, the great pictures.

Edited by Vorahk1Panrahk2
BZPRPG
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Oh. Yes.

So glad to see that BZPower got one of these to review, as it was my favorite from the photos. It does not disappoint. Neither does the review, especially not the beautiful photos. Might even sell my Pyrox for this.

Steam Name: Toa Hahli Mahri. Xbox Live Gamertag: Makuta. Minecraft Username: ThePoohster.

Wants: 2003 Jaller (from Jaller and Gukko), Exo-Toa, Turaga Nuju, Turaga Vakama, Shadow Kraata, Axonn, Brutaka, Vezon & Fenrakk, Nocturn, ORANGE FIKOU.

I got rid of my picture, are you happy?

 

 

 

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You're right that it's been quite a while since gear functions appeared in constraction sets — since 2008, in fact, which was oddly the last appearance of a gear function in a figure (Icarax) AND the last appearance of a gear function in a vehicle set. The 2009 vehicles included some functions, but none of them were gear-driven. Vehicles and mecha are a great place for gear functions because their movement doesn't have to seem especially lifelike — in fact, jerky movements are well-suited to things that are meant to seem inhuman and mechanical.

 

Actually gear functions on figures were back last year with the Brain Attack sets.

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I saw the images for this on Brickshelf a few days ago and had to contain myself for the review to be written. Now that it has... I absolutely love those tiny HF bodies. Didn't know they existed before, but they are probably the biggest reason I'll pick up this set. That, and the fact that it does look pretty epic, standing as big as it does.

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You're right that it's been quite a while since gear functions appeared in constraction sets — since 2008, in fact, which was oddly the last appearance of a gear function in a figure (Icarax) AND the last appearance of a gear function in a vehicle set. The 2009 vehicles included some functions, but none of them were gear-driven. Vehicles and mecha are a great place for gear functions because their movement doesn't have to seem especially lifelike — in fact, jerky movements are well-suited to things that are meant to seem inhuman and mechanical.

Actually gear functions on figures were back last year with the Brain Attack sets.

 

Oh, I suppose you're right. I hadn't thought about Jet Rocka (or Drop Ship from 2010, for that matter). Icarax is still the last figure to include a gear function, though (the action features of Bruizer and Dragon Bolt were epic, but they didn't use gears).
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