Set Review: 8977 Zesk
Sunday, February 1st, 2009 at 4:10pm by Andrew, BZPower News Manager [Source: Kohaku]
Today we bring you a look at one of the little sets today, the one that perhaps differs the most from the others, at least at first glance. BZPower Blog Assistant Kohaku will let you know how different the Zesk really is, and if that oh-so-lovely tan makes this set worthwhile. Read on to see how he stacks up!
Presentation
From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
While I was at the store, Zesk stood out among the other Agori sets, maybe it was the tan, maybe it was the fact that he seemed to be different from the other Agori, or maybe it was the awesome pose and box art. Actually it was all of those things combined. On the front of the box we have the elemental background; on Zesk's box I noticed stairs, a ton of stairs. Why Zesk needs to climb so many stairs is beyond me...
The back of the box is plain and horrible, so we won't waste any time on it.
The other big thing is, like the Matoran sets last year, these have the plastic on the top and bottom of the thin cardboard. These are the exact same as last year and they are a waste of plastic. I can't help but wonder if the price would be lower without them.
Building
Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
Once you get it dumped out, the building is as easy as all of the other small sets, the only huge difference was that instead of being bipedal, our little Zesk is on all four legs.
The other difference was the fact that it uses a Vahki leg on his back which connects to the tail. Other than that it is the same exact build we saw last year.
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.
The new pieces on Zesk are few, we have the standard Iron Man head, and the sweet helmet that Zesk wears. The helmet itself is very smooth and streamlined, something I really like. As for features on the helmet, it has four eyes and four fangs.
Other than that the only other recolor is those ninety-degree angled limbs, the good news is they are TAN! Unfortunately... they are the only thing that is tan. This is of course the only tan besides his tan helmet.
As for how it looks, there are a few problems. His head can barely turn at all, the leg piece that connects to the tail really prevents that. As such Zesk always seems to be looking down.
As for the side view... it isn't pretty.
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?
Unfortunately, he doesn't have much use. He seems to have really limited poses and it really hurts him; sure you can stand him on two legs, but I really didn't like the look of that at all. Plus, he really can't look at his surroundings too much with his head.
Then we come to his tail - the blade piece is really overused. It is starting to seem like Lewa's katana piece all over again. Either way, they can still attack other Agori if they get too close.
Final Thoughts
Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
Pros
What's to like?
- Tan returns!
- Cool looking helmet
Cons
What's not to like?
- Not many new pieces
- Old design
- His poses are limited
- Price
Overall, I like the concept behind Zesk; it seemed really cool, however, he disappointed me more than I had expected. While he looks awesome on the box, the final product for me was anything but awesome. One of the other factors is price, when buying a Lego set, I want one that is worth my money, for me Zesk just doesn't have enough new pieces for me to really recommend him.
And the end of another set review has been reached. As always, be sure to thank Kohaku for taking the pictures and writing the review, which hopefully gave you some good insight into the set. Of course, keep checking back for more reviews, the latest news, and soon, ToyFair 2009 coverage, right here at BZPower!
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