For casual consumers, this could be the difference between buying a set and choosing another. This section scrutinizes the container and instruction manual you see before anything else.
Covering over 200 square inches of space with its front, the Baranus V7’s was the largest Bionicle box on the shelf at my local Target (Thornatus and Skopio being unavailable at the time). If the box’s size doesn’t grab your attention, then its excellent box art will. Sahmad rides, weapons at the ready, in the Spikit-drawn Baranus across what appears to be a rock bridge spanning a chasm of some sort. On the side of the bridge from which the Baranus rides, a lush jungle covers elevated terrain, while the Scarabax/Skrall symbol present on all of the summer 2009 containers hangs in the background like the sun. (The white spot that may appear to be a sun to readers is actually the flash from the camera.) In the corner is a picture-in-picture-style photo showing the breakdown of the set into Sahmad, the Baranus, and the Spikit. Also available for your viewing pleasure is the usual information about the set and Bionicle.com.
On the back of the box, the Spikit (still hooked up to the chariot) stands growling at you while Sahmad stands off to the side, weapons still raised. Arrayed around the box are photos of how to fire the Thornax launcher, Sahmad standing on the Spikit’s back, the Spikit standing on its hind legs, and the two larger sets, as well as the Bionicle Action Figure Game logo. It is also of note that the Twin Cutters on the Baranus are in a different position than on the front of the box. More on this later.
About the ‘larger’ sets mentioned above, it appears that the back of each vehicle set displays only the two sets above it on the hierarchy. This means that the Cendox displays the Kaxium and Baranus, the Kaxium displays the Baranus and Thornatus, and so on.
One side of the Baranus also shows an advertisement for The Legend Reborn, with three screenshots showing Mata Nui riding on the Thornatus, Mata Nui fleeing from the Skopio, and Mata Nui with Click on his shoulder.
Building
Bionicle is before anything a building toy. This section describes and discusses the building of the set.
When you open up the box, you’ll find three bags (appropriately labeled 1, 2, and 3), four large wheels, half of a Jungle Shield, one of Kalmah’s tentacles in black, and the instruction manual. Though it’s obvious from the colors inside the bags, the instruction manual confirms that the first bag (plus the tentacle) is used to build Sahmad, the second bag (plus the four wheels) is for the Baranus itself, and that the third bag (plus the Jungle Shield half) makes up the Spikit.
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Sahmad comes together about as easily as any other Agori/Av-Matoran with only a few minor additions to the typical build. However, if you bought this set for the Agori, you either wasted your money or really wanted the few unique or rare parts Sahmad possesses.
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The chariot itself comes together quite easily, centering around a new piece that will be discussed later in the review. The build is simple but effective, beginning with the base and wheels shown in the first picture, then having you build the raised portion separately before attaching it to the base.
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The Spikit is very simple to build, beginning with the ‘meat stick’ portion (my little nickname for the beginning of a build that is composed of a Technic beam with pieces clustered around it) shown in the first picture and progressing quickly into completion as you add the armor and legs.
The finished model.
The build of the Baranus V7 as a whole isn’t really something to write home about. It’s very straightforward method lacking any unexpected twists or tricks.
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Set Design
This section examines the set after it is built, as well as new, recolored, or otherwise interesting pieces.
The Baranus V7 comes with very few molds new to Bionicle. Among them are the previously mentioned base piece of the chariot, the helmets/heads of Sahmad and the Spikit, the wheel piece, and the buzz-saw-style thing. The base piece looks as though it could be very useful to MOCists with its many openings for pins. The wheels will also be very useful to MOCist who only buy Bionicle sets, widening their options for vehicles with wheels (I believe that such people were previously limited to Umbra’s roller-skate wheels).
The Spikit head can be reversed to become a helmet for the Glatorian/Agori of your choice. This can look a bit creepy when looking at the V7 from the back, as it appears the Spikit is staring backwards at its driver. The Spikit head also appears on Telluris, and Sahmad’s helmet on Perditus.
I realized after taking the picture that the lime green electro-blade actually first appeared on Tuma.
There are four recolored molds to be found on the Baranus. These include the Agori 90 degree limb in orange, three-hole Technic beam in yellow (not Keetorange), and the multi-resistant shield in gunmetal gray. For those of you worried about the yellow Technic beams ruining the Baranus’ color scheme, don’t. Though I’m really not sure why they are yellow, they’re almost completely invisible inside the wheels of the chariot (refer to the second picture depicting the construction of the chariot and you can spot two of them).
Otherwise interesting pieces are the half of a Jungle Shield currently available only in Gresh and the Baranus V7 and one of Bitil’s longswords, available before 2009 only in Bitil himself. Also interesting (though not pictured here) are two of Mantax’s pincer pieces in black, which could prove handy for MOCists trying to avoid silver.
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The design of the set is very simple, doing a good job of conveying Sahmad’s brutal, dangerous nature with its many blades and coloring. However, it is not by any stretch of the imagination complex, and does not possess any functions of any kind. It is simply a chariot drawn by a two-headed beast.
Playability
The set has been bought, built and visually examined. This section reviews the experience of playing with the set, including any functions or other outstanding features it may possess.
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The Baranus V7 is good fun to play with, possessing 27 points of articulation accounting for the Spikit, Sahmad, and the two swiveling Twin Cutters on the chariot. Though I don’t have pictures specifically for displaying it, the Cutters have two main positions: the lowered one shown in the pictures above and the raised one shown on the back of the box. The wheels of the chariot turn very smoothly, gliding easily over wood, tile, or carpet. It is somewhat of a damper on the kiddy joy of drawing the chariot by the Spikit that once you put down the beast, the chariot continues rolling until it bumps into the Spikit. There are three pins on the chariot for Sahmad to place his feet on, allowing you to slightly change his position on the chariot depending on which holes on Sahmad’s feet and pins on the chariot you use.
Roar.
As shown on the back of the box, the Spikit can rear up on its hind legs to claw at a foe. When it does so, the Spikit looks very bearlike.
Go, horsey, go!
Also shown on the back of the box is Sahmad somehow standing on the Spikit’s back. Though I have been unable to achieve this exact effect, I have been able to make Sahmad straddle the Spikit like a horse.
Though I have not had the opportunity to try out the Baranus in the Bionicle Action Figure Game, it will be interesting to invent new rules and regulations for vehicles. Plus, how cool will it be to watch Sahmad shoot down opponents as he rides past them?
Conclusion
This section chronicles the positive and negative characteristics of the set, its aspect scores, and any final thoughts on it as a whole.
Pros
What's good about the set?
It’s a chariot drawn by a green two-headed bear – how awesome is that? Excellent wheels – they work on any surface, plus will be great for MOCs. Bionicle Action Figure Game – this really can’t be a con. Cons What's not?
Simple build – something a little more complex for the price would have been nice. Lack of any kind of unique function – it would have really improved the set. Aspect Scores What does this set excel at? These four categories rate how it looks, the building experience, its usefulness in terms of parts for MOCing, and how much fun the set is after it's built.
Appearance: | | | | | | | 7/10 Building: | | | | | | 6/10 MOCing: | | | | | | | 7/10 Playability: | | | | | | | 7/10 Overall, the Baranus V7 is an average vehicle set, without any really outstanding aspects. If you really want it, go for it, but other sets seem to be a better value (Kaxium, I’m looking at you). This concludes my review of the Baranus V7.
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