Bionicle vs. HeroFactory

[Fry]

To anybody hopeful for Bionicles return, please take time to read this. Lego will most likely not reboot Bionicle. Yeah, everybody knows that, but still, people (inducing me) are hopeful for its return. Let us discuss the key differences between both HF and Bionicle and see how it all ties together.

 

1) HeroFactory just sort of poped out of nowhere with no focus on STORY (or at least not very much) while Bionicle was entirely story oriented.

 

2) "it's what you do that makes you a hero" vs. "we build Heris" nuff' said.

 

3) Lego paid people to develop games (MNOG, The Legend Of Mata Nui, Tohunga, Adventures, Stop the Morbuzahk, ect) while lego focus' mainly on TV for HF and there are no real games

 

4) Lego was VERY concerned with Bionicle in the respect that they did thousands of things such as tours, comics, books, even putting it on NY city boards. Lego isn't in as bad a finatial situation as they were back then so why bother?

 

5) Just look at both of them! The difference is night and day! One is a story oriented deep quest with a diabolical master of shadow while one is a cheap skeleton toy system with a paper thin story. Just look at how many books they wrote for Bionicle!

 

Kids obviously don't apreciate stuff like this now. I got into the original sets when I was really young though... What are your opinions?

[LordofBionicles]

I agree with the fact that Bionicle is so much better but I also feel this is a remaining case of: "Not going to accept HF's existense", I miss Bionicle as well and I'm not going to say: "move on" because heck, I think about Bionicle almost on a daily basis but what we, the Bionicle-fans, have got to get through is this hatred towards Hero Factory for being the line which "replaced" BIONICLE.

 

And I'm speaking to all the Bionicle-fans out there with this same issue:

Imagine if your best friend had to move out of town and suddenly a guy at school wanted to befriend you, would you tell him: "don't talk to me, you'll never take my friend's place!"? No, because it's not the guy's fault that your friend had to go and he's just trying to be friendly.

 

I don't feel interested towards Hero Factorie's Story but that doesn't mean it's a bad line, it's still LEGO, our favorite toy company which has brought us so many fun hours of play, so please, l would suggest you to leave this anger behind, if you enjoy Bionicle as much as you say then I recommend you think of new ways of experiencing it: make a stop motion, write a fan-fiction, do a painting, write a song, anything to show how much you love it and to keep it alive so that it doesn't go in vain.

[Pranciblad]

So, it's not Bionicle! Therefore it must be bad? Gee, haven't heard this one before. But let's go over all your points shall we?

 

1) Yes, Bionicle was more story oriented. So? That's not an objective measure of quality, especially when we're talking about a Lego line. Most lego lines are like HF: they have a looser story that's easy to get into, and to build off of. I can understand if it's not your cup of tea, but that's what HF is aiming for.

 

2) Okay, I'm tired of seeing this tagline repeated as if the HF story is boring and has no character development because all the heroes are supposed to roll off the assembly line absolutely perfect. I have the most rudimentary knowledge of HF's story possible and I know this isn't true. Besides, the toa mata being purpose-built to save the world sure didn't stop their story from being interesting, did it?

 

3) I don't know. I'm pretty sure HF has had a substantial amount of online games. Surely not to the extent of Bionicle, I'll concede, but not exactly a dissapointing number. I will admit that the lack of console offerings is a sore spot, though.

 

4) HF is a smaller theme. As neat as a tie-in media blitz would be I'm sure Lego wouldn't consider it feasible. Besides, Bionicle was kind of the exception for things like that in the first place. I can't think of any theme Lego lavished as much attention to really.

 

5) Okay first off, most of this I've already addressed in points 1-4. Secondly, I'm surprised you're knocking the building system, i.e. The one thing most people'd say was the definite improvement HF brought to the table. But different strokes I guess.

 

And may I ask what kids don't appreciate? Story based themes? I doubt it, Ninjago and Chima both have story up he wazoo and I'm pretty sure kids are enjoying those. Constraction? Well yeah, you have a point there, but the new theme coming next year has me pretty confident that constraction is gonna be fine.

 

Good grief that took a long time to type. I'm off to bed.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Pranciblad

[Aanchir]

1. Hero Factory began with a much stronger focus on story than most LEGO themes, actually. It's a different KIND of story (a superhero action/adventure story rather than a fantasy epic), but it's still pretty heavily story-oriented compared to your typical LEGO theme, or even compared to themes like Throwbots and Roboriders that BIONICLE was originally inspired by. Unlike those themes, the heroes have personalities, including a fair share of internal and external conflict.

 

2. People make a big deal of Kopaka's "it's what you do that makes you a hero" when comparing BIONICLE to Hero Factory, ignoring that Hero Factory deals with the exact same theme on occasions. Keep in mind that the word "Toa" means "hero", and that the Toa Mata were built as heroes the same as any Hero Factory hero would be. They never had a chance to earn the title before being saddled with that responsibility. Indeed, both themes deal heavily with the idea of proving yourself a hero only after being granted the powers and responsibilities of one. The Toa Metru story arc is a prime example — to the Toa Metru, their transformation into "Toa-heroes" seemed perfectly arbitrary and they had to strive to prove that they deserved the title, the same way Furno had to strive to prove the same thing to his team leader Stormer.

 

3. There are plenty of "real games" for Hero Factory: at least one major online/mobile game each year. The Breakout game was amazing, with exciting levels, great character customization, and fun gameplay. Haven't really played the more recent ones, though.

 

4. LEGO's bad financial situation is exactly why they invested so heavily in promoting BIONICLE. Most of their other themes were failing at the time, and they really needed a hit. These days, LEGO has lots of incredibly successful themes and they no longer have to rely on any one theme as a lifeline. Instead of theme-specific truck tours, they now do events like LEGO KidsFest that promote MULTIPLE themes.

 

5. I'd say Hero Factory's building system is better than BIONICLE's, and I'd hardly call the story paper-thin... but it's true that it's not SUPPOSED to be as dense as BIONICLE's storyline. That's hardly a bad thing. Not every story has to be a deep and complex fantasy epic like BIONICLE or Ninjago. There's plenty of room in the world for simpler adventure stories.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Aanchir: Rachira of Time

[Lyichir]

To anybody hopeful for Bionicles return, please take time to read this. Lego will most likely not reboot Bionicle. Yeah, everybody knows that, but still, people (inducing me) are hopeful for its return. Let us discuss the key differences between both HF and Bionicle and see how it all ties together.

 

1) HeroFactory just sort of poped out of nowhere with no focus on STORY (or at least not very much) while Bionicle was entirely story oriented.

 

2) "it's what you do that makes you a hero" vs. "we build Heris" nuff' said.

 

3) Lego paid people to develop games (MNOG, The Legend Of Mata Nui, Tohunga, Adventures, Stop the Morbuzahk, ect) while lego focus' mainly on TV for HF and there are no real games

 

4) Lego was VERY concerned with Bionicle in the respect that they did thousands of things such as tours, comics, books, even putting it on NY city boards. Lego isn't in as bad a finatial situation as they were back then so why bother?

 

5) Just look at both of them! The difference is night and day! One is a story oriented deep quest with a diabolical master of shadow while one is a cheap skeleton toy system with a paper thin story. Just look at how many books they wrote for Bionicle!

 

Kids obviously don't apreciate stuff like this now. I got into the original sets when I was really young though... What are your opinions?

Pranciblad and Aanchir mostly covered my opinions really well but I have a few more thoughts to add.

 

3) Hero Factory does, in fact, have real games. Fairly good ones, at that. It's just that most of them are developed primarily for online play and mobile. But does that mean they're bad? Well, they're no Mata Nui Online Game, but neither was any Bionicle game post-2001. Perhaps you're referring to the lack of retail PC or console games, but Bionicle's console games were generally pretty weak (Bionicle Heroes practically ignored Bionicle's complex story, and Bionicle the Game was just generally not fun to play).

 

4) You hit the nail on the head, but I don't see why that's a bad thing. The Lego of 2001 was desperate to find a hit, and thus you ended up with Bionicle's massive hype train. But was any of that stuff really what made Bionicle great? When I think back on Bionicle, I don't care about spokespeople like Andy MacDonald or promotions like Free the Band. I think about the good set designs and the amazing story. Indeed, seeing as part of what led to Bionicle's end was a sky-high budget that failed to pay dividends, I'm perfectly happy with Lego letting Hero Factory sets sell themselves.

 

Which brings me to number 5). The Hero Factory building system is one of the best things to happen to the Lego constraction genre in some time. It eliminates the needless complexity and overspecialization of Bionicle sets and parts in favor of a system that's incredibly scalable in terms of complexity, with simple-to-construct sets for novice builders and incredible freedom for more advanced builders to take the system to new heights. The minimalist aesthetic of Hero Factory parts, and their compatibility with 3.2mm bar connections, make the Hero Factory system much more compatible with traditional Lego, both visually and in terms of connectivity.

 

As for your complaint about Hero Factory's story, there were Hero Factory books for a short while that were written by Greg Farshtey and were just as good as his work on Bionicle. Unfortunately, like Bionicle's books near the end of the theme's lifespan, the Hero Factory books did not sell well enough to justify their continued publication. It bums me out, but ultimately the lack of in-depth story doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the theme (and in fact, it makes it easier to develop my own MOCs and stories without the fear of future canon rendering them obsolete).

Edited June 19, 2014 by Lyichir

[boston100]

the story line for hero factory made me cringe. it was probably the most cliche thing ive heard in my life. the one that ticked me off the most was that year they had the animal themes. i HATE it when toy lines that start without aminal themes suddenly adopt them. i know bionicle did that in 2005 but they did it gracefully. But that being said i dont hate hero factory. I use the sets in my mocs i just dont follow the story. i sugest you do the same.

[Calvirick]

Due to the kinds of people I usually chill with, we would much rather talk about how silly JB is and not legos or artwork. (which is mostly my private life, and I sometimes feel insecure about it. but anyway.)

 

When I see a kid playing with a lego set, I ask them, what do you think of Hero Factory. They're like, "I like it." As if they are waiting for me to explain why my question was thrown out. Then I see them twiddle with the toy and then ask, "Do you know what Hero Factory is about?" And I kid you not, they all say, "What?" with that blank childish stare. That one look they give as they open their minds to your aura of wisdom.

 

My point: I don't know if it was how Lego marketed Bionicle, but it's like kids these days aren't looking for good stories anymore, unless they're nerds. But of course, society is screaming at them that nerds equal weirdos.

And that's terrible.

 

Bionicle introduced me to Graphic Design. And so far, I haven't seen Hero factory inspire anybody. I've only seen Ipads inspire kids.

[Fry]

My cousin who is 4 loves HeroFactory. He goes around ALL day with his sets playing them with his own weird story. So, one day I decided to show him my collection. I brought him to the room and was awed. He was particularly fond of Muaka and Kane-Ra. I told him the story, showed him the comics and the sets back when everything had some sort of function. Now, I can't keep him out :3

[Aanchir]

the one that ticked me off the most was that year they had the animal themes. i HATE it when toy lines that start without aminal themes suddenly adopt them. i know bionicle did that in 2005 but they did it gracefully.

AND in 2007. AND in 2008. Really, BIONICLE rolled out animal-themed sets very frequently, just not necessarily animal-themed versions of its heroes.

[Collector1]

5. I'd say Hero Factory's building system is better than BIONICLE's, and I'd hardly call the story paper-thin... but it's true that it's not SUPPOSED to be as dense as BIONICLE's storyline. That's hardly a bad thing. Not every story has to be a deep and complex fantasy epic like BIONICLE or Ninjago. There's plenty of room in the world for simpler adventure stories.

Now I do agree that HF's building system is WAY better than BIONICLE's, but I feel the parts to HF's building system aren't as detailed as BIONICLE's. Like how the noble Komau and noble Mahiki were the perfect blend of tribal masks with cyborganic implants for example. I just feel that Hero Factory is lacking in these little details.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Collector1

[ALVIS]

My point: I don't know if it was how Lego marketed Bionicle, but it's like kids these days aren't looking for good stories anymore, unless they're nerds. But of course, society is screaming at them that nerds equal weirdos.

And that's terrible.

 

This isn't the 1960s anymore, Cal. In this day and age, it's "cool" to be a geek. Just look at all the blockbusters based on "nerd" franchises like The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Star Trek, and so on and so forth.

 

There have always been, and always will be, kids who play with toys for different reasons. For every BIONICLE fan who followed the story obsessively, there were several who gave it only a cursory glance. I'd go so far as to say the majority of BIONICLE fans knew next to nothing about the story, beyond the characters' names -- sometimes, not even that. Does that make the years of enjoyment they got out of the sets invalid in any way? Of course not.

[Makuta Miras]

1. The story is fairly good, just not in the epic-saga style which we all like in BIONICLE. Essentially, Hero Factory's story is designed to be easy to pick up, like the first 7 How to Train Your Dragon books, whereas BIONICLE is more like The Lord of The Rings in story format.

2. BIONICLE undoubtedly has better morals (If you see what I mean.) than Hero Factory. I saw it being discussed somewhere (I think it was in the cancelled storylines topic over in S&T) that it would have been cool if the Matoran who became the Inika, instead of being Toa-ized got vehicles to battle the Piraka with. That would have been more of a "It's what you do that makes you a hero" storyline than the one we got.

3. Lego's done online games for Breakout, Brain Attack and IFB.

4.

5. I admit, the HF system is more aesthetically pleasing than BIONICLE, and the joints are sturdier, but if you think about it, BIONICLE originally sprang from Technic, so the pistons and stuff make more sense, whereas HF is more of a far-future robot style. Ish.

 

Finally, let me say: If you don't like HF because it replaced BIONICLE, then... If you're looking at HF, just forget BIONICLE. See it for what it is, not comparing it to BIONICLE all the time. Here's an example. If H= A number of cakes, and B= 2a, then H could still be a decent number of cakes, so essentially:

 

DON'T COMPARE HF TO BIONICLE!

 

Bear in mind that this is coming from me, when I only just stopped hating HF about three weeks ago.

[Manducus]

Bionicle had a good storyline and HF pieces are great when it comes to MOCing. In the end, everyone wins.

 

For me, I don't really see a major difference.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Regicidal Kaiser Manducus

[Sumiki]

I don't particularly care for the idea of direct comparison because BIONICLE and Hero Factory both happen to be constraction lines. While comparing and contrasting them is all well and good, I'm not of the opinion that one is objectively better than the other, which is what these topics - and there have been a good deal of them since the debut of Hero Factory - essentially boil down to.

Kids don't pay attention to the Hero Factory story any more than they did the BIONICLE story. The difference was that BIONICLE actually had a substantive story that expanded the target audience upward by a few years, which is something that Hero Factory really doesn't do.

If you like BIONICLE and then look at Hero Factory, you're likely to see the latter line through the lens of the former, which really isn't helpful. I'm not against people who hate Hero Factory for legitimate reasons, but I'm certainly going to be skeptical of anyone who hates it simply because it's the contraction successor to BIONICLE.

[Fry]

I don't like hero factory because I do not like the way it is. I do not hate it because it "replaced" Bionicle. I don't really like any lego theme save sar wars and the classics and, obviously, Bionicle. I compared the two because they are both considered "brother" brands if you know what I mean. I could compare it to Chima or Ninjago both of wich I equally dislike, but those aren't related to Bionicle in the way that HF is.

By the way, kids did know the story of Bionicle, at least for the first year: evil brings suffering to the land, Heros save it. Notice: doesn't that sound firmilliar to you? Both Hero Factory and Bionicle had the same basic story. The difference is the way it's told. Bionicle

Is just so much better. The Tohunga, the

Turaga, the Makuta, all of it is just so superior to Hero Factory. The mythology is gone. I knew the story to Bionicle when it came out though I was fairly young, so did my brothers, so did my friends. It INTERESTED us. Personally, I like the sets back when they had that technic feel with gears, levers, I mean sea roundly: given the choice if you were a kid, what would you take; an action figure or a rahi set. Better yet, offer a kid a basic pre 2004 set such as a Toa and a basic Hero Factory action figure. I'm pretty sure they would take the Toa (I know from expierence).

[Makuta Miras]

I don't like hero factory because I do not like the way it is. I do not hate it because it "replaced" Bionicle. I don't really like any lego theme save sar wars and the classics and, obviously, Bionicle. I compared the two because they are both considered "brother" brands if you know what I mean. I could compare it to Chima or Ninjago both of wich I equally dislike, but those aren't related to Bionicle in the way that HF is.

By the way, kids did know the story of Bionicle, at least for the first year: evil brings suffering to the land, Heros save it. Notice: doesn't that sound firmilliar to you? Both Hero Factory and Bionicle had the same basic story. The difference is the way it's told. Bionicle

Is just so much better. The Tohunga, the

Turaga, the Makuta, all of it is just so superior to Hero Factory. The mythology is gone. I knew the story to Bionicle when it came out though I was fairly young, so did my brothers, so did my friends. It INTERESTED us. Personally, I like the sets back when they had that technic feel with gears, levers, I mean sea roundly: given the choice if you were a kid, what would you take; an action figure or a rahi set. Better yet, offer a kid a basic pre 2004 set such as a Toa and a basic Hero Factory action figure. I'm pretty sure they would take the Toa (I know from expierence).

What I'm saying, is have you ever watched a HF TV episode? They aren't actually too bad if you really see them for what they are. Again, I hated HF for almost four years (For being the successor to BIONICLE) and to be honest, if you look at it, it isn't too bad for the people who it is aimed at. ie, not people old enough to be discussing these things in detail on the web. (aka Us.) So we shouldn't really complain. I have to admit, though, that HF pieces are much sturdier than post-2006 BIONICLE pieces. Sadly, because of my four-year hatred, I have a very limited supply of these pieces, so I use LDD a lot if I'm experimenting/messing around with HF pieces. And HF is sci-fi, where BIONICLE is fantasy, which undoubtedly means that BIONICLE has a bigger backstory.

 

Also, if you did give me that choice between Muaka & Kane-Ra or a "Hero", I would choose Muaka & Kane-Ra. I never got to collect the Rahi.

[Aanchir]

I don't like hero factory because I do not like the way it is. I do not hate it because it "replaced" Bionicle. I don't really like any lego theme save sar wars and the classics and, obviously, Bionicle. I compared the two because they are both considered "brother" brands if you know what I mean. I could compare it to Chima or Ninjago both of wich I equally dislike, but those aren't related to Bionicle in the way that HF is.

By the way, kids did know the story of Bionicle, at least for the first year: evil brings suffering to the land, Heros save it. Notice: doesn't that sound firmilliar to you? Both Hero Factory and Bionicle had the same basic story. The difference is the way it's told. Bionicle

Is just so much better. The Tohunga, the

Turaga, the Makuta, all of it is just so superior to Hero Factory. The mythology is gone. I knew the story to Bionicle when it came out though I was fairly young, so did my brothers, so did my friends. It INTERESTED us. Personally, I like the sets back when they had that technic feel with gears, levers, I mean sea roundly: given the choice if you were a kid, what would you take; an action figure or a rahi set. Better yet, offer a kid a basic pre 2004 set such as a Toa and a basic Hero Factory action figure. I'm pretty sure they would take the Toa (I know from expierence).

Action features actually started to make a big comeback in last year's Hero Factory sets — Bruizer had a swinging arm, Scarox had stabbing pincers, Pyrox and Surge had spinning plasma weapons, Bulk had a spinning drill, Breez and Rocka had spinning razor shields, Stormer featured a flip-up missile launcher, Surge featured retractable wings, Evo had a spinning staff, and Dragon Bolt had flapping wings (easily my favorite of the action features last year). Not to mention Jet Rocka's gear function.

 

This year, there are also a fair number of action features. Evo XL Machine has a gear function that's basically the same as Makuta's from 2003. Breez Flea Machine has a retractable winch with claw. Surge & Rocka Combat Machine has wings that fold and unfold similarly to Nivawk's wings or Nidhiki's claws. And of course Bulk Drill Machine has a spinning drill.

 

But with that said, I can see why a lot of kids might prefer action figures that have good proportions and articulation versus ones that have dynamic action features. Even when I was a kid, I rarely integrated action features into my OWN creations.

 

I think if I were given the choice, I'd probably take a small 2012 Hero Factory hero or villain over a 2001 Toa Mata. The price is roughly the same when you adjust for inflation, though the small 2012 Hero Factory sets boast a higher piece count on average (40 pieces versus 36 pieces). I feel like Toxic Reapa offers a better building experience, better parts, and generally a more appealing design than Onua. A gear function is cool and everything, but is it really better than fully articulated hips, knees, and elbows? Likewise, Evo offers great parts and a creative weapon design which integrates his entire arm. Even Surge boasts a cool color scheme, cool weapons, and sturdy, versatile armor shells on all his limbs — no bony limbs like the Toa Mata had. And then there are plenty of creative non-humanoid designs to choose from like Jawblade, Thornraxx and XT4.

 

Now, you're right that BIONICLE's mythic, fantasy-laden storytelling style would be more appealing than Hero Factory's to people who prefer that kind of storytelling style. But that's not to say everybody prefers that kind of storytelling style, or that Hero Factory's storytelling style doesn't have any merit of its own. It's the same as how some people might prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, even though Star Trek is a more episodic sci-fi adventure story rather than an epic science-fantasy story.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Aanchir: Rachira of Time

[FallenCor]

HF didn't capture my interest the same way Bionicle did, and I'm afraid I'm unable to explain why, really. I don't fault Lego for the "lack of epic, in-depth storylines" because Bionicle was basically the exception to the rule. I honestly believe that if Lego hadn't been hit by hard times back then, we wouldn't even have the extensive storyline we were given. Bionicle would have been just like HF. As difficult as it is to believe, Lego is actually more story-oriented these days than it was, say, during the '90s. But Lego is a business first and foremost, so it's only logical that they would stick with toy-lines that are doing well, regardless of what the backstory is like. Ninjago and Chima are perfect examples of what Lego's been aiming for all these years: a toy-line that captures the attention of kids everywhere, and just so happens to have a nifty, mildly in-depth story to keep kids hooked. The same can be said for Hero Factory, and I sometimes wonder if HF is Lego's attempt at imitating Marvel and DC. When I think of HF, I think of your classic comic-book heroes; not Bionicle. And HF's simplicity is actually a good thing, as far as Lego's concerned. If HF were to be dropped right now, I doubt they would be too broken up over it, mainly because there wouldn't be as much of a backlash as there was at the end of Bionicle. And as some of you have already pointed out, Lego is doing very well right now, so it wouldn't hurt them at all, regardless.

To touch on #2 and #3 real quick, I don't see any problem with the whole "we build heroes" thing. "It's what you do that makes you a hero" was a lovely little message that added something to the story, while "we build heroes" was an innocent attempt to sound cool, I guess. I hear the latter and I just think of RoboCop or military recruitment ads, ha ha. As for #3, I think it just reflects the type of people that HF is currently aimed at. I'll agree that those of us who are now in our 20s and 30s were more of a hands-on generation, if you will, and would jump at the chance to be immersed in some extensive game that would put Bioncle: Heroes to shame. Newer generations aren't exactly inclined to play anything more involved than Angry Birds these days, I guess (my youngest sisters are like that). And again, Lego is doing very well lately, so they don't feel like they have to promote their toy-lines through a dozen console-based video-games anymore.

Hero Factory isn't Bionicle, and I never expected it to be. It's sitting comfortably as its own thing, and Lego seems content to leave it that way. The toy industry is, and always will be, a fickle thing, and the target audience of yesteryear is just along for the ride.

[Fry]

 

I don't like hero factory because I do not like the way it is. I do not hate it because it "replaced" Bionicle. I don't really like any lego theme save sar wars and the classics and, obviously, Bionicle. I compared the two because they are both considered "brother" brands if you know what I mean. I could compare it to Chima or Ninjago both of wich I equally dislike, but those aren't related to Bionicle in the way that HF is.

By the way, kids did know the story of Bionicle, at least for the first year: evil brings suffering to the land, Heros save it. Notice: doesn't that sound firmilliar to you? Both Hero Factory and Bionicle had the same basic story. The difference is the way it's told. Bionicle

Is just so much better. The Tohunga, the

Turaga, the Makuta, all of it is just so superior to Hero Factory. The mythology is gone. I knew the story to Bionicle when it came out though I was fairly young, so did my brothers, so did my friends. It INTERESTED us. Personally, I like the sets back when they had that technic feel with gears, levers, I mean sea roundly: given the choice if you were a kid, what would you take; an action figure or a rahi set. Better yet, offer a kid a basic pre 2004 set such as a Toa and a basic Hero Factory action figure. I'm pretty sure they would take the Toa (I know from expierence).

Action features actually started to make a big comeback in last year's Hero Factory sets Bruizer had a swinging arm, Scarox had stabbing pincers, Pyrox and Surge had spinning plasma weapons, Bulk had a spinning drill, Breez and Rocka had spinning razor shields, Stormer featured a flip-up missile launcher, Surge featured retractable wings, Evo had a spinning staff, and Dragon Bolt had flapping wings (easily my favorite of the action features last year). Not to mention Jet Rocka's gear function.

 

This year, there are also a fair number of action features. Evo XL Machine has a gear function that's basically the same as Makuta's from 2003. Breez Flea Machine has a retractable winch with claw. Surge & Rocka Combat Machine has wings that fold and unfold similarly to Nivawk's wings or Nidhiki's claws. And of course Bulk Drill Machine has a spinning drill.

 

But with that said, I can see why a lot of kids might prefer action figures that have good proportions and articulation versus ones that have dynamic action features. Even when I was a kid, I rarely integrated action features into my OWN creations.

 

I think if I were given the choice, I'd probably take a small 2012 Hero Factory hero or villain over a 2001 Toa Mata. The price is roughly the same when you adjust for inflation, though the small 2012 Hero Factory sets boast a higher piece count on average (40 pieces versus 36 pieces). I feel like Toxic Reapa offers a better building experience, better parts, and generally a more appealing design than Onua. A gear function is cool and everything, but is it really better than fully articulated hips, knees, and elbows? Likewise, Evo offers great parts and a creative weapon design which integrates his entire arm. Even Surge boasts a cool color scheme, cool weapons, and sturdy, versatile armor shells on all his limbs no bony limbs like the Toa Mata had. And then there are plenty of creative non-humanoid designs to choose from like Jawblade, Thornraxx and XT4.

 

Now, you're right that BIONICLE's mythic, fantasy-laden storytelling style would be more appealing than Hero Factory's to people who prefer that kind of storytelling style. But that's not to say everybody prefers that kind of storytelling style, or that Hero Factory's storytelling style doesn't have any merit of its own. It's the same as how some people might prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, even though Star Trek is a more episodic sci-fi adventure story rather than an epic science-fantasy story.

I don't call spinning weapons "functions" I meant Technic style functions such as the snapping jaws of Muaka (who I've mentioned a lot :3) the massive snapping necks of Cahdok and Gahdok, well, basically anything before 2004. Afterwords it just sort of became spinning shields and stuff with no real purpose compared with, say, Toa arms, ect. I don't have some sort of irrational hatred for HeroFactory for being Bionicles successor, I hate it because it doesn't appeal to me. Same goes for almost every other lego save Star Wars and classic sets from like the 90's. Oh... Lego racers was so much fun... Moving on, if it weren't for Bionicle, I'd probobly only have like 5 lego sets max.

 

I don't like hero factory because I do not like the way it is. I do not hate it because it "replaced" Bionicle. I don't really like any lego theme save sar wars and the classics and, obviously, Bionicle. I compared the two because they are both considered "brother" brands if you know what I mean. I could compare it to Chima or Ninjago both of wich I equally dislike, but those aren't related to Bionicle in the way that HF is.

By the way, kids did know the story of Bionicle, at least for the first year: evil brings suffering to the land, Heros save it. Notice: doesn't that sound firmilliar to you? Both Hero Factory and Bionicle had the same basic story. The difference is the way it's told. Bionicle

Is just so much better. The Tohunga, the

Turaga, the Makuta, all of it is just so superior to Hero Factory. The mythology is gone. I knew the story to Bionicle when it came out though I was fairly young, so did my brothers, so did my friends. It INTERESTED us. Personally, I like the sets back when they had that technic feel with gears, levers, I mean sea roundly: given the choice if you were a kid, what would you take; an action figure or a rahi set. Better yet, offer a kid a basic pre 2004 set such as a Toa and a basic Hero Factory action figure. I'm pretty sure they would take the Toa (I know from expierence).

Action features actually started to make a big comeback in last year's Hero Factory sets Bruizer had a swinging arm, Scarox had stabbing pincers, Pyrox and Surge had spinning plasma weapons, Bulk had a spinning drill, Breez and Rocka had spinning razor shields, Stormer featured a flip-up missile launcher, Surge featured retractable wings, Evo had a spinning staff, and Dragon Bolt had flapping wings (easily my favorite of the action features last year). Not to mention Jet Rocka's gear function.

 

This year, there are also a fair number of action features. Evo XL Machine has a gear function that's basically the same as Makuta's from 2003. Breez Flea Machine has a retractable winch with claw. Surge & Rocka Combat Machine has wings that fold and unfold similarly to Nivawk's wings or Nidhiki's claws. And of course Bulk Drill Machine has a spinning drill.

 

But with that said, I can see why a lot of kids might prefer action figures that have good proportions and articulation versus ones that have dynamic action features. Even when I was a kid, I rarely integrated action features into my OWN creations.

 

I think if I were given the choice, I'd probably take a small 2012 Hero Factory hero or villain over a 2001 Toa Mata. The price is roughly the same when you adjust for inflation, though the small 2012 Hero Factory sets boast a higher piece count on average (40 pieces versus 36 pieces). I feel like Toxic Reapa offers a better building experience, better parts, and generally a more appealing design than Onua. A gear function is cool and everything, but is it really better than fully articulated hips, knees, and elbows? Likewise, Evo offers great parts and a creative weapon design which integrates his entire arm. Even Surge boasts a cool color scheme, cool weapons, and sturdy, versatile armor shells on all his limbs no bony limbs like the Toa Mata had. And then there are plenty of creative non-humanoid designs to choose from like Jawblade, Thornraxx and XT4.

 

Now, you're right that BIONICLE's mythic, fantasy-laden storytelling style would be more appealing than Hero Factory's to people who prefer that kind of storytelling style. But that's not to say everybody prefers that kind of storytelling style, or that Hero Factory's storytelling style doesn't have any merit of its own. It's the same as how some people might prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, even though Star Trek is a more episodic sci-fi adventure story rather than an epic science-fantasy story.

I don't call spinning weapons "functions" I meant Technic style functions such as the snapping jaws of Muaka (who I've mentioned a lot :3) the massive snapping necks of Cahdok and Gahdok, well, basically anything before 2004. Afterwords it just sort of became spinning shields and stuff with no real purpose compared with, say, Toa arms, ect. I don't have some sort of irrational hatred for HeroFactory for being Bionicles successor, I hate it because it doesn't appeal to me. Same goes for almost every other lego save Star Wars and classic sets from like the 90's. Oh... Lego racers was so much fun... Moving on, if it weren't for Bionicle, I'd probobly only have like 5 lego sets max.

Hero Factory reminds me a lot of Throwbots (which I never really got into) If that's what you like then fine. I don't though...

[Aanchir]

 

Action features actually started to make a big comeback in last year's Hero Factory sets Bruizer had a swinging arm, Scarox had stabbing pincers, Pyrox and Surge had spinning plasma weapons, Bulk had a spinning drill, Breez and Rocka had spinning razor shields, Stormer featured a flip-up missile launcher, Surge featured retractable wings, Evo had a spinning staff, and Dragon Bolt had flapping wings (easily my favorite of the action features last year). Not to mention Jet Rocka's gear function.

 

This year, there are also a fair number of action features. Evo XL Machine has a gear function that's basically the same as Makuta's from 2003. Breez Flea Machine has a retractable winch with claw. Surge & Rocka Combat Machine has wings that fold and unfold similarly to Nivawk's wings or Nidhiki's claws. And of course Bulk Drill Machine has a spinning drill.

 

But with that said, I can see why a lot of kids might prefer action figures that have good proportions and articulation versus ones that have dynamic action features. Even when I was a kid, I rarely integrated action features into my OWN creations.

 

I think if I were given the choice, I'd probably take a small 2012 Hero Factory hero or villain over a 2001 Toa Mata. The price is roughly the same when you adjust for inflation, though the small 2012 Hero Factory sets boast a higher piece count on average (40 pieces versus 36 pieces). I feel like Toxic Reapa offers a better building experience, better parts, and generally a more appealing design than Onua. A gear function is cool and everything, but is it really better than fully articulated hips, knees, and elbows? Likewise, Evo offers great parts and a creative weapon design which integrates his entire arm. Even Surge boasts a cool color scheme, cool weapons, and sturdy, versatile armor shells on all his limbs no bony limbs like the Toa Mata had. And then there are plenty of creative non-humanoid designs to choose from like Jawblade, Thornraxx and XT4.

 

Now, you're right that BIONICLE's mythic, fantasy-laden storytelling style would be more appealing than Hero Factory's to people who prefer that kind of storytelling style. But that's not to say everybody prefers that kind of storytelling style, or that Hero Factory's storytelling style doesn't have any merit of its own. It's the same as how some people might prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, even though Star Trek is a more episodic sci-fi adventure story rather than an epic science-fantasy story.

I don't call spinning weapons "functions" I meant Technic style functions such as the snapping jaws of Muaka (who I've mentioned a lot :3) the massive snapping necks of Cahdok and Gahdok, well, basically anything before 2004. Afterwords it just sort of became spinning shields and stuff with no real purpose compared with, say, Toa arms, ect. I don't have some sort of irrational hatred for HeroFactory for being Bionicles successor, I hate it because it doesn't appeal to me. Same goes for almost every other lego save Star Wars and classic sets from like the 90's. Oh... Lego racers was so much fun... Moving on, if it weren't for Bionicle, I'd probobly only have like 5 lego sets max. Hero Factory reminds me a lot of Throwbots (which I never really got into) If that's what you like then fine. I don't though...

 

Muaka & Kane-Ra was indeed a great set. Muaka & Kane-Ra was also a $70 set in 2001. Adjusting for inflation, that would equate to $93.88 today. Even if you cut that in half to estimate the cost of a single figure, only one Hero Factory set — Drop Ship from 2010 — has been anywhere near that price. Everything else has been $35 or less, so it's hard to make a fair comparison there. Perhaps you could criticize Hero Factory for not having enough big sets, but you can't really criticize the sets there are for not having the same cool features as you would get in sets much more expensive than them!

 

Cahdok & Gahdok was also excellent, and it was just $60, but adjusted for inflation, it'd be $79.29. The same issue applies, just not to the same degree. Even the price of a single Bahrag would still be nearly $40 — more than any single Hero Factory set except the $50 Drop Ship. And Drop Ship, to its credit, had a brilliant action feature — it could grab a 2010–2011 Hero Factory canister, carry them, and deploy them into battle.

 

However, as I mentioned, both Jet Rocka (a $35 set) and Evo XL Machine (a $25 set) have had gear functions. Dragon Bolt, a $20 set, had a flapping wings function that was every bit as effective as that in Jaller & Gukko from 2003. Bruizer, a $13 set, has a Technic-based swinging arm function that, even without gears, performs every bit as well as a Toa Mata or Toa Nuva arm. Arguably better than many, in fact, since when it strikes a target it doesn't recoil, allowing you to bash a target repeatedly without having to stop and adjust the arm. Even the $10 Scarox had stabbing pincers activated by a Technic lever, and the Technic-based winch function on this year's $15 Breez Flea Machine is nothing if not elaborate.

 

However, nobody expects everyone to enjoy the same themes for the same reasons. There are lots of themes that don't interest me, or that I just don't have room for in my budget. I just wanted to clear up some misconceptions. Some people feel like action features have completely disappeared from constraction sets, when really there have been some pretty cool action features in recent sets, and without the need for specialized gearboxes like a lot of the old BIONICLE canister set functions used. In fact, if we're not counting launchers, there are far more Technic-based action features in 2013 and 2014 Hero Factory sets than there were in 2006 or 2007 BIONICLE sets — and BIONICLE boasted far more sets each year than Hero Factory! It doesn't bother me when people criticize Hero Factory (as with any theme, it has plenty of flaws), but it does bother me when people criticize it for things that aren't true, or at least, aren't as true as people think they are.

 

Throwbots was an OK theme. I was into it before BIONICLE, though obviously I enjoyed BIONICLE a lot more because its characters had actual personalities, there were clear "good" and "evil" sets that could confront one another, and there was generally a lot more story to enjoy. Hero Factory's story isn't nearly as deep as BIONICLE's, but it does maintain a lot of those improvements BIONICLE made.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Aanchir: Rachira of Time

[Fry]

I only really liked Bionicle up until 2004. I like what came after story wise, but not set wise opposed to likening both. Hero factory feels like a cheaper version of the inika build. I will admit, the later ones have been a step in the right direction. I still don't like it though.

[Azani]

Now, you're right that BIONICLE's mythic, fantasy-laden storytelling style would be more appealing than Hero Factory's to people who prefer that kind of storytelling style. But that's not to say everybody prefers that kind of storytelling style, or that Hero Factory's storytelling style doesn't have any merit of its own. It's the same as how some people might prefer Star Trek over Star Wars, even though Star Trek is a more episodic sci-fi adventure story rather than an epic science-fantasy story.

It's very helpful for people who are using Hero Factory's story as a piece of evidence to hep to prove that Hero Factory is "better" than Bionicle to keep this in mind. Not everyone enjoys the same type of story. I'm definitely not a Hero Factory fan, but I feel as though there is potential for some people to enjoy its story regardless.

[Heir of the Chronicler]

Alright, when I read the title, "the ultimate showdown for the ultimate destiny" started playing in my head... and now it's stuck there. Thanks, guys.

 

"Shaq came back covered in a tire track..."

 

I enjoy both Hero Factory and Bionicle for what they could be. They are / were both, occasionally, brilliant... often mediocre... and many times, downright bad, both in set design and in story. If anything, HF's simple story leaves room for the enthusiast to build upon it- unlike Bionicle, where every detail and minute trivia had to be explored in detail.

 

I've been with Bionicle since the first picture of Onua surfaced in the Lego magazine in June 2001, but I don't put it on a pedestal. It had numerous flaws... they were just different than Hero Factory's flaws.

 

- Heir

Edited June 21, 2014 by Heir of the Chronicler

[boston100]

comparing bionicle to hero factory is like comparing Lord of the rings to deltora quest. (if you dont know what deltora quest is it is a cheesy fantasy series geard towards little kid, however it is still somewhat enjoyable) one is deep, mature and quality where the other is generic, cheesy but still lots of fun.

BTW i am going on vacation so i wont be on until monday 

[Tahu3.0]

actually hero factory by Breakout was beginning to develop a good or acceptable story but then for some reason Lego forgot to answer the cliffhangers there were in breakout and in brain attack and that's the reason for me that people don't like the hero factory story but the bionicle story is way better to begin with bionicle for me has the best story that Lego has ever made and the books explained the story the comics explained the story and hero factory had their own series of comics but it had it for a short time.           

[Manducus]

Both are equally the same to me.

 

Bionicle had a great story and HF has useful parts. So they both even it out for me.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Regicidal Kaiser Manducus

[Pomegranate]

comparing bionicle to hero factory is like comparing Lord of the rings to deltora quest. (if you dont know what deltora quest is it is a cheesy fantasy series geard towards little kid, however it is still somewhat enjoyable) one is deep, mature and quality where the other is generic, cheesy but still lots of fun.

BTW i am going on vacation so i wont be on until monday

 

I haven'y read all of Deltora Quest but as a kid I read the Dragons of Deltora series and it was incredible, so, it's all a matter of opinion I wouldn't say Bionicle is like LotR, that's a bit extreme, but you do make a good point. While both are lots of fun, HF does come across cheesier and oriented towards a somewhat younger audience, but that doesn't mean that makes HF that much worse, it's just not the same thing and won't be everyone's cup of tea

 

Both are equally the same to me.

 

Bionicle had a great story and HF has useful parts. So they both even it out for me.

Yep, that's how I see it. I looove Bionicle despite its faults and will always love it more than HF, but HF has such beautiful, beautiful parts and I am eternally grateful for 'em. HF is ball joint heaven.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Pomegranate

[Kardanui2556]

I got my first Bionicle set in 2007 or something (it was Mahri Nuparu), and I actually found the story quite easy to jump into. I found out about the Phantoka, and did a bit of research, read the books and comic books, played the online games frequently, and soon I considered myself a Bionicle expert. I was seven or six at the time, so now I know better. But what I'm saying is, I found the story pretty easy to jump into. My brother actually jumped into the story after Bionicle was canceled, and he was just fine. Granted, I come from a family of huge geeks and smart people so... I don't know if that helped or not...