Oh right, we focus on constraction sets here - I guess we should review some. It's very convenient then that I happen to have a review for 44001 Pyrox for you all. How does this little baddie stack up as part as the 2013 lineup? Let's find out!

Presentation
From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

This set comes in a bag like most Hero Factory sets these days. It's very clear that this is a Hero Factory Brain Attack set, and Pyrox is charging at you of the front of the bag. I bought this set at a Toys 'R' Us in Maryland, but for some reason French seems to be the predominant language on the back. In addition to the foreign language lesson, we also see that Pyrox can combine with Furno XL to make an even bigger Furno XL. And of course don't forget to enter your Hero codes.

Inside the bag is another bag with most of the parts. The brain attacker, the torso, the mask and the instruction manual are loose inside.

Building
Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?

I think we all know this build by now. There's some pieces you don't usually see like the Ben 10 feet, but it's really straightforward. You could probably do it without the instructions if you wanted to.

Set Design
Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

Here's the part selection. Lots of black core Hero Factory pieces of course, but we also get some dark red, bright red, and trans-neon orange too. It's a decent selection, but nothing amazing. I would have liked more dark red, like some #3 and #4 armor pieces in that color.

There's a bunch of new, recolored, and otherwise interesting parts in this set. The L-shaped Technic connector isn't new, but this is the first time it's appeared in a Hero Factory set. The 2x3 quadruple axle connector is new for this year and is only available in Pyrox and Furno XL, as is the flame/lightning bolt piece. The claw with clip isn't new, but this is the first time it's in trans-neon orange which is cool. The head is new for this year and has been covered in previous reviews. The rock armor is new for this year and is only available in dark red in Pyrox. The #5 trans-neon orange armor has a pattern that's exclusive to Pyrox, and of course the mask is unique to him too. The brain is also new for this year and the yellow color is only in Pyrox. Not shown, the armor and feet are also new colors only found in this set.

The first thing this set makes me think of is a raging bull - the big horns and the hoof-like feet lend itself to that idea. Once you get beyond that, he looks very top-heavy. And he is - it can be difficult to balance this set and keep him standing. I like the dark red a lot and wish there was more of it - there's five black #3 armor pieces in this set, why not make some of those dark red instead? Or either of his hands - the new color is a bit useless with so few pieces in it. His left hand/paw is kind of cool, especially the transparent claws. The right hand seems kind of weak though - is it supposed to be a flamethrower or something?

The back is pretty bare, as expected in a smaller set. The brain helps though, as long as it stays in place...

...which, as you can see from the above, it does not do well. I had to pop it back in numerous times while taking pictures, and managed to capture it once here. In addition to not staying in place, it greatly limits the head poseability.

Playability
The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?

Pyrox has one play feature - you can spin his flamethrower around with the Technic connector behind his hand. Other than that, you can pose him in a variety of positions. As I mentioned earlier, he's not the most stable, so that is a concern. Otherwise, if you have some other sets they can battle each other. And that's it.

Final Thoughts
Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?

Pros What's to like? Dark red Trans-neon orange claws Grab the bull by the horns Cons What's not to like? Not enough dark red Top heavy and unstable Silly flamethrower

Overall, I think you can pass on Pyrox. The dark red pieces are nice, but there's simply not enough here to buy it just for the color. I'll probably be taking him apart for the pieces soon, since the design and character of the set aren't very interesting.

And there you have Pyrox in all his bullishness. I hope you found the review informative - you can post your comments and feedback in the Talkback. And of course you can check back for more LEGO reviews and news, here on BZPower.

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