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 Sunday, November 30th, 2014 at 1:59pm by Andrew, BZPower News Manager[Source: Zatth] We're getting close to the end of our first batch of 2015 Bionicle reviews. Today Forum Assistant Zatth takes a look at 70780 Protector of Water and shares his thoughts on the set. You'll also find a look at Gali's Power-Up mode made using the parts from both sets. How does this protector stack up - does she float to the surface or swim with the fishes? You'll have to continue on to find out! Presentation
Like before, I gotta remind you Bionicle is back. IT'S BACK. Okay, glad we got that out of the way. The cardboard box is good because it saves the environment and is easier to keep stored. The graphics differ from Gali's box because there isn't an obelisk, but rather the Ga-Koro/Ga-Metru huts. A smaller box, but still eye-catching.
The back has your basic mask function, skull spider, and 1:1 ratio pics. The only thing really different is the lack of a comic on the back. Only the Toa get those, I guess.
The instruction booklet is, again, pretty straightforward. The Bionicle poster art from NYCC, the graphic with the six Masters, their Golden Masks, and the Mask of Creation in the centre, a promo for the combiner and the Bionicle app. The one different thing is that the comic is included in the instructions, though it appears at the beginning. Building
It's a very straightforward build making a humanoid figure out of the CCBS building model. I think the most exciting part of the build had to come from making the weapon, and that was just because of the many Technic pieces included in there. Set Design
From the two bags, there aren't really any major pieces that truly stand out. We have the Skull Spider mask, alongside the Protector's mask. This one has a blend of Dark Azure and Dark Trans Blue, which I will admit is a nice mix and works well with the rest of the set. There are trans-blue limbs, and dark trans blue CCBS armour pieces. The main pieces that stuck out to me were those that make up the turbine, as the yellow and trans blue combine in a pretty interesting way. The other bag was mostly Technic pieces, so apart from the silver spears there really wasn't much there.
However, the launcher is a piece I LOVE! Not only is it a very simple design for a launcher, but the myriad ways we've seen it be integrated with other Protectors makes me feel this launcher will be a fan favourite for a while. One thing, though: have extra ammo handy. It will run out FAST.
The set is pretty straightforward. It looks smaller than other Protectors like, say, Barney. Nonetheless, the turbines do add a degree of oomph, and the weapon also helps in this way. The colours work very well, but there isn't much else that jumps out when it comes to this Protector. The only thing that really bugged me overall was the armour pieces on the front and back, as they appear to protrude from the set more than helping it. Playability
The set has its playability value. Sans weapon it can be seen as a defenseless or fight-worthy opponent, depending on what story you concoct in your head. The weapon works, again, to give that hydrodynamic feel to the set. Otherwise, though, the weapon makes movement and poseability more constricted. I will say, though, THE LAUNCHER IS SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY WITH :D
But we can't leave without showing you the SUPER SPECIAL MEGA AWESOME CHOCOLATE FUDGEY COATED AWESOME COMBINER MODEL. Or, as the instructions call it, the Power Up model. Here I feel the Protector's weapon doesn't look too out of place. Not only does it look more proportional to Gali, but the pieces from Gali's trident help to extend the weapon. The turbines also help as Gali is missing her shark fins. And with two Skull Spiders, there's plenty of fun to be had! Final Thoughts
This wouldn't be my first pick for a Protector. Though it works well with the Water element, as a build and a character it doesn't do much. Nonetheless, it can be fun to play with, and makes an awesome Power Up model. Plus, it means Bionicle is back. Can't say no to that. Thanks again to BZPower and LEGO for these sets! I know I'm happy that Bionicle is back, and both Gali and the Protector of Water make me feel that Bionicle is heading in a great direction! Big thanks to you, Zatth, for reviewing this set! Please join me in thanking him in the Talkback, where you can also ask any questions you might have. There's one more set for us to review, so you should keep checking back on BZPower for that along with the latest LEGO and Bionicle news!
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