REVIEW: 6200 Evo

[Siegfried]

Set Index: Evo 6200

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErG5is6E50c

(I can't find a description yet, but I'll add it later.)

Evo returns with his "1.0" mask! I'm aware that many don't like this new packaging system, but I do. I've got loads of canisters going back to the Slizers days, and I've got plenty. If using this pagaging will help TLG reduce prices, increase parts, or just make TLG more profitable I'm cool with that. On aspect of the canisters that has always worried me is how tamperable they are... and how one annoying child half opening a set will make it hard to sell, which results in higher prices for everyone.

The Hero's packaging all have "zips" marked with the Hero Factory symbol.

On the back is some function shots, highlighting the cuffs and the shooting function.

One thing that appeals to me with this line is that the packages all feel so full. In fact to get them in there the bags are folded over; this photo shows how it was prior to emptying. I'm not sure how this is done via a machine as they would need to be shook to one side first to avoid damage.

Emptied and unfolded!

Revealed the bounty is. There's nothing hugely exciting in this set aside from the mask and chest piece I think it's not new or in others of this line.

Instructions part list. Surprisingly decent parts variety.

Now that the parts are out we can see the poackage a bit better. (No, I'm not careful like LuxorV... )

First part is the mask... which I must admit I find disappointing. The cover mask looks deeper/embossed and generally more interesting. It could just be a combination of being yellow and my photography, so I might try again a bit later. But certain details, like the holes on the "nose" aren't ever close to the picture.

Inside it's nothing special.

The cuffs! Even though they don't look as good as the ones in the videos, they are still pretty cool. I quite like the new "cuff" part, and I've always liked the chain. I'm looking forward to using the cuff part in system MOCs!

The torso is an interesting print. It looks all techy.

The new gun part looks good in gun-metal!

TLG must have been having complaints about the apparant lack of clarity with what panel to use. In sets with different panels of the same colour the number...

...is referred to in the instructions. Seems a bit much to me, but the target audience is 6, so I suppose it makes sense.

The building commences with the skeleton. Evo is pretty standard here, so I made him do pushups.

Finished and ready. It's a shame that the black 2 axel is rare now as it ruins the clean look of the gun.

Sparies.... oh... spare. It's the price of the lack of small parts I suppose.

I think he looks best from this side, but the mask to me is a letdown. It all just blends visually, much like Waspix did. It's tempting to dirty it up, or ink the edges. It'd look a lot better then. Old image.

From the back... er... yeah, no improvement here. Interestingly if you look at the promo video you'll see that he looks a lot more buffed up there (no surprise), but if you look at the video he's got the same foot trick as Rocka 6202. Was this the plan? Old Image.

Speaking of plans, here's Evo's plan; cuff Toxic Reapa aka. Sludge...

...and in this reality he succeeds! Hurrah?

Now they can combine! I think this is one of the better combiners.

New photos!

I'm trying to get some shadows...

When my wife saw this one she thought they were cuddling. I said "no!"... but I'm starting to agree. Evo almost looks like he's leaning in rather than resisting. It's such a pose-fail that I had to include it regardless!

Ratings

Posability:

Good. The gun arm restricts movement a bit, but that's the only issue. (To be honest most of the Hero Factory sets pose well so I probably should drop this criteria!) 8/10

Parts:

Really only the custom parts are special, but this is also the only set with a gun-metal gun part. 6/10

Looks:

Not too impressed, sorry to say. The packaging looks so much better. 4/10

Fudge:

Too EVOlutionary. 3/10

Overall:

Meh? Unless you really want that gun part I can't recommend this one. 5/10

Bonus Image:

Evo with 2.0 armour.

This review is part of a series. If you feel some aspect wasn't covered be sure to check my review for Black Phantom, Toxic Reapa and Rocka before asking about it! I might improve some of these photos if time permits... but if you have anything in mind please feel free to ask.

Bonus closing thoughts

This being my last review of this Hero Factory wave (until these come to my locality sometime next decade) I might as well include my overall thoughts on this line. In short; I really like what I see! With the exception of this set (and probably Surge, but I haven't got him) TLG are trying something different. Gone is the 6x good guys of the same size and a few bad guys that are slightly bigger that's been done too much for too long, instead we have what seems to be three different sizes with bad guys having the same variance. Gone is the canisters as well... although I suspect that I'm one of the few that likes this change.

I do wish however that TLG took greater care in ensuring the rendered masks match the final version. Some, like Black Phantom and Toxic Reapa are beautiful, others like Evo are disappointing. The lack of a back is also a constant annoyance for me.

But it's wonderful to see TLG make so many big changes in a short space of time (Bionicle -> Hero Factory -> Ball socket building -> No canisters) and I'm excited to think what'll happen next year!

Edited December 24, 2011 by Siegfried
More images!

[MakutaDreadscythe]

I'd have to disagree. I think Evo's simplicity is much to his benefit, as it rids him of the problem I had with Rocka's cluttered look. If you don't mind me asking, how does Evo look with the 2.0 armour piece on top of his current chest piece?

[Siegfried]

I'd have to disagree. I think Evo's simplicity is much to his benefit, as it rids him of the problem I had with Rocka's cluttered look. If you don't mind me asking, how does Evo look with the 2.0 armour piece on top of his current chest piece?

I'm just stating an opinion. I'm actually glad that I haven't made a review that makes him unlikable just because I don't think much of him. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow.

[Aethersprite]

I agree, Evo is quite disappointing based on the pictures we've seen. He just looks too bland to me. But his colours gel together well, so I can't say he's as bad as Surge. Still, one of the sets I striked of my wanted list after seeing reviews of him.

[MakutaDreadscythe]

I'm just stating an opinion. I'm actually glad that I haven't made a review that makes him unlikable just because I don't think much of him. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow.

Thanks!

[Aanchir]

For me, Evo is one of the best heroes in the upcoming wave. His color scheme is well-organized, his proportions are reasonable, and he overall manages to present a very unique body and weapon design without too much fluff. The other set next wave that most gives me this impression of being well-planned and designed is Splitface, who also has a cohesive weapon and strategically-organized parts and colors. But of course he does such with more of an organized chaos, and at a higher price point.

Many of your flaws are valid, like the lack of back armor (I reckon in his case this was probably because they wanted to keep him in the "small" price-point) and the lack of definition in some of the mask details. I wonder if perhaps there was some reason the crisp edges of the render were left off the final mask... for some reason, it just ends up feeling a lot less sharp and well-defined than the 1.0 masks, and the render at least suggests that this wasn't originally intended in the part's design. Maybe Front could enlighten us.

For back armor, I'd recommend perhaps sticking an extra yellow foot piece into an online Pick-A-Brick order, if you ever happen to make one.

[VBBN]

Many of your flaws are valid, like the lack of back armor (I reckon in his case this was probably because they wanted to keep him in the "small" price-point) and the lack of definition in some of the mask details. I wonder if perhaps there was some reason the crisp edges of the render were left off the final mask...

As far as I can tell, it looks like all of the depths of the mask are correct, It's simply a matter of CGI editing. Looks at the back of the bag, at the side view, you can clearly tell that the depth is shown using shading. The only way that would be acheived on him is by paint, which I doubt would have been done in the first place.

[ZORK64]

Once again, thanks for the review Siegfried.

After reading your review, Evo actually became a bit more interesting to me. One thing I actually like about him is his simplistic design. He doesn't wear any other tools or weapons than his really badass-looking arm cannon, and he looks good that way. My only complain about him would be the hollow back, luckily, not all of the 2012 sets suffer from this.

However, I'm personally more tempted to get Surge, which I'll probably also review if nobody else is planning to get him (and because Omicron Squad Leader got the dibs on Breez )

[Ceroknight]

Thank you for the review!

I agree, Evo lacks something

[acidophilus]

Thank you for the review!

I agree, Evo lacks something

I thought the same, That's why I remade him into this:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63781

[vexorian]

Yeah, with pictures I now agree with the negativity in the review. There 's just a lot of things I would do with this set differently than TLG did.

a) I would go for exclusively a black+yellow color scheme except for the head. Evo 2.0 was really one of the few 2.0 that went very well with his color scheme and black bone bricks. If there was something that was definitely not brocken about Evo 2.0 was the color scheme.

b) Would replace the yellow chest with black or gun metal. That fixes the bad look from behind and also fixes something that really bugs me about the chest piece, the tech silver print does not really go well with yellow.

I think the only thing that is worth pices-wise is the yellow bricks, but for that I'd rather buy Evo 2.0 again, and I got two of them already.

[Siegfried]

If you don't mind me asking, how does Evo look with the 2.0 armour piece on top of his current chest piece?

Here!

I've also added and replaced a few others.

[MakutaDreadscythe]

Here!

I've also added and replaced a few others.

Thanks! That actually looks really cool. If I can, I might do that with all the heroes, it seems to fit so well!

[Aanchir]

Here!

I've also added and replaced a few others.

I'm not hugely convinced the purple is still needed in his color scheme, but if it is added he does feel a lot more like his previous version.

After adding it, I think it helps even further to change his head color to Transparent Fluorescent Blue (the color used for the original Preston Stormer, Vapour, and several 2009 BIONICLE sets) and change the color of his Zamor Sphere to blue. Acidophilus did in his revamp, and I think it makes the purple flow with the set's color scheme a lot better!

[optimus99]

Nice review, my brother got him for christmas he's pretty cool

Edited December 28, 2011 by optimus99

[wghost]

Thanks for the review!

My favorite hero of the new wave: color scheme, asymmetry, cannon arm and the mask all look really nice. I especially like the lack of purple: though I admit yellow works with it (complementary colors and stuff), but black/gunmetal and yellow is a geat combination too. I would like to buy this set, that's for sure.

Edited December 31, 2011 by wghost