Parakitor1977
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Parakitor1977's Stats
Parakitor1977's Stats
- 4.6Average Rating
- 220Helpfulness Votes
- 0Featured Reviews
- 15Review Count
- August 31, 2011First Review
- September 13, 2015Last Review
Darth Vader™
Darth Vader™
Posted:September 13, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
An intriguing build and imposing figure
" After building several other Star Wars buildable figures, I was totally surprised by the intense Technic build that makes up Darth Vader's torso. It's quite different from other constraction sets making use of the CCBS system that Hero Factory introduced. It was a delight to see how all those little pieces fit together to make a massive, imposing figure. Probably not the toy of choice for the little ones - those pins and axles can be difficult to build. But for older, advanced builders, this is a simply amazing set!
There are a few things I am less than thrilled with. First, his cape is just kind of tacked onto the back, so it folds back on itself in some poses, which doesn't do the Dark Lord of the Sith justice. During play, the shoulder pieces can pop off, but his range of motion is good enough that if you are conscious about it you can avoid it. Finally, the color of those shoulder pieces. After double checking, I learned that it actually is more movie accurate to use the dark silver pieces, but I somehow think that black would have worked better with the rest of the build. In poor lighting that dark silver actually looks perfect, as if the shoulders are reflecting some of the ambient light, but in bright light the shoulders look too garish. We don't usually see that in the movies because they're covered by the cape...which isn't the case in this toy. Oh, one more thing: for some odd reason the instructions say to put the forearm cladding on in a way that limits the range of motion of the elbow, and is different from any of the other buildable figures, so I just put the cladding on the other side of the bone to allow Darth Vader to assume more cool poses.
But overall, it's a superb action figure, and huge at that. The LEGO Group really outdid themselves this time! The printing on some of the elements goes a long way towards conveying the Darth Vader look, and the new shin cladding is absolutely perfect. And of course, we can't forget about that beautiful head sculpt! If you haven't already, pick this one up!
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
21
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+11points
15of 19found this review helpful.
Luke Skywalker™
Luke Skywalker™
Posted:September 9, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Not as bad as they say
" I know you've heard it or thought it: "Man, his face just doesn't look right." I was right there with you. Between his face and his all-black cladding, I thought he was the least interesting of all the new Star Wars buildable figures. Then I picked him up (so Vader could fight somebody), and was pleasantly surprised.
Overall, he is one of the simplest figures, and that's perfect for Luke. As a Jedi, he has little use for stuff. Despite that, he comes with some great accessories. I especially like how the blaster and lightsaber can clip to his hip. The handcuffs increased play value in my opinion as well.
I'm not sure I would have liked Luke as much on his own. It's true that some of the other figures just look more impressive. But he is definitely a solid addition to this collection of heroes and villains.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
State:
Indiana
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
15
days
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+19points
26of 33found this review helpful.
Clone Commander Cody™
Clone Commander Cody™
Posted:September 7, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
A decent addition to the collection
" Commander Cody struck me as an odd choice, but considering Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous are part of this series, it makes sense. Also, I'd much rather have Cody than a generic, all-white clone trooper. I only wish that he had orange printing on the kneecaps. Oh, and he could have benefited from some coverage on the backs of the legs, but that's easily fixed with my own pieces.
I think his backpack is alright, but maybe not the greatest. I am glad it covers up the back, and I applaud the use of the minifigure fencing sword as the antenna, even though it doesn't come out of the shoulder armor itself (constraction is partly about abstraction, and I love it!)
The gun is really well made, and he can pull some really good poses with it. In fact, posability is probably the highlight of this set. Excellent range of motion!
Overall he's a pretty good (and surprisingly big) figure. Maybe not my favorite, but he has some pretty stiff competition in this line up.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
12
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+21points
28of 35found this review helpful.
Jango Fett™
Jango Fett™
Posted:September 4, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
The Mandalorian Menace!
" I'll cut to the chase: the helmet is the star of this set. What a beautiful sculpt! It just captures Jango Fett so well. I know The LEGO Group didn't have any control over the color scheme, but the rest of the build complements the helmet well. I especially love the way the smooth silver armor pieces on the shins and shoulders catch the light; it's just perfect.
Aside from the helmet, the play value of this set is enormous. Again, part of that is because of the character: a bounty hunter with a jet pack that can chase down prey. But the execution is good. I especially appreciate that the pistols can attach to the brown holsters on his legs. So fun! I enjoy the launching missile action, too, and feel it enhances the play value...
...but it doesn't enhance the look. The jet pack looks alright from the front, but from the side or back it doesn't quite capture the iconic look of Jango's pack. Now, I must add that we're dealing with buildable action figures with the CCBS system, so there is some level of abstraction. It's just that the missile on the top seems so small. Especially from the back, the whole aparatus lacks any real bulk. I think I'm willing to take that sacrifice to enhance play value, but I will probably tinker around to make a more movie-accurate jet pack that I can switch in occasionally. One thing I will say about the back view, the dark bones against the silver makes it so that he doesn't suffer so much from bare legs syndrome.
Overall, I'm really happy with this set, and can't wait to get Obi-wan to have some epic duels!
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
11
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+20points
22of 24found this review helpful.
General Grievous™
General Grievous™
Posted:September 4, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Awesome, huge set!
" My completely biased opinion is that General Grievous makes for an amazing buildable action figure! He cuts an imposing figure and comes with lots of good parts for building titanic creations. And he is HUGE!
I really dig the connection they used for the head: a typical cladding connector. It makes for easy posing. The lightsaber blades are also fantastic, with a rubbery texture to make them more durable. His arms can connect together, which enhances playability. Still, without an opponent he seems to lack just a little in play value. Can't wait to pick up Obi-Wan Kenobi!
My only struggle is that posing him takes a bit of getting used to. His legs have some limitations in how far they can move; I'm used to the single-joint ankles, and his ankles are a bit different to work with. I know I'll figure it out, but it's been tricky posing him and keeping him balanced. This isn't a slight against the set - it is extremely well designed. But just be aware that achieving dynamic poses may not be as easy as you're used to.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
17
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+48points
54of 60found this review helpful.
Skull Scorpio
Skull Scorpio
Posted:August 17, 2015
Overall:
4
/
5
A great set for variety
" First I should say that my 4-year old son picked this set out. Clearly, this set is not meant for such a young person, but the cool factor drew his eye to this product, so we picked it up. He handled the build for the body and arms very well, needing only minor correction. The tail, on the other hand, required much more help from me, and I was happy to assist. What a neat little build with a unique action! I have a lot of fun with it, trying to steal the toa's mask.
One of the things that makes this set so fun for my son is that the legs are immovable. I know, advanced builders hate it, but when we're trying to attack heroic warriors to take their masks, it's nice not to be bothered with the legs collapsing during play. I think it was a smart choice for this particular model. There could be something said, however, for the disconnect between the advanced tail and the very simplistic legs - they kind of contradict. Still, once it's all put together it makes for a very enjoyable toy. I'm really digging the translucent orange eyes of the new villains, too!
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Son
Build Time:
30
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.
LaFerrari
LaFerrari
Posted:March 8, 2015
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Good, even for non-racing fans
" I know basically nothing about sports cars or racing cars outside of Disney's Cars and a little bit of Japanese street racing, but when I saw these sets on the shelves I was immediately intrigued. The build looked so tight, and I was interested in the techniques used to make the LaFerrari, especially the sides of the car and the front bar. It turns out that the building techniques aren't necessarily complicated, just smart, and I was surprised at how quickly it all went together. I love the assortment of pieces, and I dig the look of these new wheel wells (at least, I think they are new). What's really fun for me is looking at the real car and seeing how the designers chose the aspects that are most iconic to include in the sets. I'm very keen to try to use these pieces and other Speed Champion sets to build my own racing car.
The play value is alright with the inclusion of a starting line signal light, but I imagine it gets better with a second car. I'm usually not a fan of stickers, but with the sheer number of them in this set, I think it was a great decision in order to keep costs down.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
State:
Indiana
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
17
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+10points
11of 12found this review helpful.
FURNO Jet Machine
FURNO Jet Machine
Posted:March 2, 2014
Overall:
3
/
5
Weak at the hips
" This was a fun build. Really fun! I like what they did with the position of the arms and the forward shoulder armor. However, it makes for a somewhat challenging build for younger builders. Yeah, the recommended age is 7-14, so I guess I'm just saying that the LEGO Group meas what they say.
But the biggest problem with this set is that the hips aren't strong enough to support the upper body. Furno constantly does the splits when you try to play with him. Which I guess is understandable because his machine can fly, but I think a friction adapter on his hips would be a nice addition.
"
From: West Lafayette
State:
Indiana
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Son
Build Time:
58
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
3
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
Share:
+6points
7of 8found this review helpful.
SPLITTER BEAST VS. FURNO & EVO
SPLITTER BEAST VS. FURNO & EVO
Posted:March 1, 2014
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
" This is arguably the best set in this new line of Hero Factory. I've got a soft spot for the orange/blue combination, so this one caught my eye first. I love how the two faces are printed on different parts of the head, giving each beast its own personality.
I like how the big feet give the combined beast good balance. It's also fun finding different ways to pose the smaller beast's appendages while it is attached. I like to orient them backwards so they look like spikes or ridges, reminiscent of Godzilla.
The heroes are an almost necessary addition to this set, providing endless hours of fun! The chain is cool, though sometimes it feels a little short to really do anything meaningful to the beast.
My only disappointment is that Splitter Beast is not quite as big as I expected, so he isn't very menacing to the heroes' battle machines. He is shorter than Stormer XL and Furno XL.
Still a really fun set!
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
State:
Indiana
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
23
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
CLS-89 Eradicator Mech
CLS-89 Eradicator Mech
Posted:June 7, 2013
Parakitor1977
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
So much play value!
" This is my third Galaxy Squad set. I gave the Star Slicer rave reviews. I wish I could go back and take it down a notch because THIS set is AWESOME! Maybe it's because the split function is more like a transformer than just separating two vehicles, but there is so much play value! Loads of flick missiles, a hidden detonator, two cocoon-ish things (minifigures have to sit down to fit inside). I like that there is a flying and crawling alien abductoid, so that when the Eradicator splits into the galaxy jet and exo suit they each have an opponent. The mech has decent poseability, but the rotating waist allows it to strike some cool poses.
Am I a little disappointed that there are no alien minifigures? Yeah, but I'm glad they're omitted to keep it at this price point. The abductoids really are excellent bad guys.
Bottom line: I highly recommend this set!
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: West Lafayette
State:
Indiana
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+20points
21of 22found this review helpful.