Set Review: 8949 Kirop
Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 8:09pm by Andrew M, BZPower Reporter
There are innumerable questions to be pondered in the life. Pondering becomes so ponderous in itself. Consider: Is there any rationality in this universe, or is the whole of existence absurd? Is it I who has a certain way of picking up a fork, or a fork which has a certain way of having itself picked up? Where were the spiders? Is 8949 Kirop a good set to buy?
Fear not, BZPower. I'm here to help.
Unfortunately my camcorder is still broken so this will be a traditional review. Accept my apologies please!
Presentation
From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
The box is the first thing one notices about a set, and this one is particularly noticeable to Bionicle fans. The packaging of this year's Matoran is radically different from the simple, small cardboard boxes of yesteryear: this time they are more akin to the "canister"-level packaging. This is a rather large change and it looks quite good.
Kirop's contained is an oblong cardboard tube capped by two detailed portions of plastic sculpted similarly to stalagmites and stalactites. These are held taught together by a stiff plastic band. In the center of all resides a graphic of Kirop, staring out at potential buyers with a hypnotic gaze, as if to say "buy meeee, buy meeee."
As I said, the package looks very "cool" and is certainly much more interesting than basic cardboard boxes. I do not think any would disagree with my assessment that these are the best small-set packages yet. There is one catch, though--the small sets have increased in price to the point where the small sets now cost as much as the original Toa. I do not know how much additional cost the more complicated packaging adds to the set, but I'd gladly forgo it and return to cardboard boxes if it would bring the prices down.
Building
Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
I am tempted to skip this section entirely, because it almost does not exists with this set. There are only four steps in the instructions--the set contains only fourteen pieces and not a single pin or axle. All extremities are connected by ball-and-socket joints. The building experience, then, is brief and forgettable, nothing that can be savored.
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.
Most of the few pieces included in this set are new, including a new limb piece in two different colors. The greatest new piece, however, is an all-translucent head. It should prove very useful indeed in MOCs.
The arms block it a mite in the photograph, but this set is terribly thin. I'd bet the Toa could defeat him simply by blowing on him (though those Toa are rather thin as well; they may not have the lungpower). It just looks silly.
Thinness aside though, I do like the overall look of the set. I do not know what Kirop's personality in the storyline is, but looking at him I like to imagine he's a sputtering, hyperactive little bugger. He looks like a perfect evil sidekick to a main villain, which is exactly what he should appear to be.
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?
This is another section I am tempted to skip. Kirop does not do much. It does not do anything, in fact. It has eight points of articulation, so that can provide for some role-playing entertainment. He can also attach to the larger Chirox set for further role-play excitement. Since I do not own Chirox, Kirop instead surprised Pohatu.
Final Thoughts
Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
Pros
What's to like?
- It has some great pieces, like the all-translucent head
- It looks fairly nifty
Cons
What's not to like?
- It is overly simple and does not do anything
- It is laughably thin
The set is fine, but it is also nothing special. It would be a perfect choice for parents looking to get their Bionicle-fan child something fun without spending much money. If you have a few more dollars to spend, however, I would recommend going for one of the large Phantoka, which have superior construction, pose-ability, "playability," and accoutrements.
That about wraps up my review of Kirop! You can share you own thoughts in the talkback thread.
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