VBBN

I'm disappointed as well that this was such a flat ending once again. The fact that the only way we will get Makuta is through a "combiner" is a pity, and I'm really disappointed that no MoUP will be there to complete the set with the other two masks- it actually devalues them a lot for me, i suddenly care less about those masks because now the trio won't be completed. Did I enjoy Bionicle G2? Somewhat, but not nearly as much as G1. It's no surprise that I wasn't a fan of this year's sets, and I often find myself wishing LEGO would try something new. There are elements of this line that made it feel like Bionicle that I hope we see return, namely the newfound emphasis on mask collecting. Even if we do get a brand new IP or Hero Factory 2.0 or something, I would love to see mask collecting make an even stronger return. To add to this point I can guarantee that the spirit of Bionicle will not be lost here in the Action Figures forum. Even as the future of CCBS is discovered, we will continue to bring bionicle back through contests and other means.

Please continue discussion of this announcement here http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=138163

Just announced by LEGO themselves: To keep the 2016 Bioncielt hreads focused on their respective year, let's keep discussion about this announcement to this thread.

Well I haven't gotten to watching those episodes- what was the ending that has sent everyone into a tizzy?

I've been thinking up some ideas of what I would like to build (and trying to figure out when I'm going to find the time to do so) I'm really excited to see what people build for this competition too, the BFTGM competition brought out some awesome villains but this one is contained to one character, so it'll be interesting to see everyone's take on Makuta himself.

All discussion related to the Rebrick Makuta Contest can go here, including discussion of the Makuta concept models. Please note: This is a contest on Rebrick and is in no way associated with Eurobricks. This thread is simply for the inevitable discussion which won't fit anywhere else- Obviously you may post your MOCs in their own separate threads here if you so desire.

My idea was always that the tail was a completely mechanic (as opposed to Biomechanical) construct- Even before Skull Scorpios death, the tail looked like this mechanical construct, and so in his reanimated for, while all that's left of his body is a skeleton-like figure, the tail retains it's mechanical look.

I'm disappointed that this type of thread existed in the first place, and there is certainly no need for a second one.

One report alerts staff to the topic at hand, as you report you have the ability to add comments to your report to discuss what you are reporting and why. With that said, any further discussion of the interviews or things released/discussed in interviews or relating to the contest news should be relocated to a different topic. Eurobricks will also be releasing information from interviews in due time.

More updates are on the way! And everyone welcome our second Action Figure Regulator TheOneVeyronian who has been helping behind the scenes the past year and will continue to help bring awesome new things to the Action Figures part of this community!

Congratulations! I've been watching the progress since the start and it's so awesome to see how this all turned out and came together, it looks fantastic!

This looks awesome! Certainly a bit more lively than the previous Beetle, and it definitely looks like it'll go well with the Mini and Camper Van (which now I want to get along with this..)

I will second with the no rehashes bit- I really don't want to see another return of Hero Factory, Let's go with something wildly different. (Personally I would like to see a theme of astronauts that encounter aliens, but maybe that's my bitterness that we never saw Bionicle or HeroFactory in space as a theme yet) However I'm totally all for a return of DC and Marvel figures. There's even more possibilities with those two themes than there is with Star Wars, and I think Lego has gotten a better grip on things and could deliver better figure than what we previously saw.

Technically there are two functions in one here- both a standard gearbox styled one, and also the ability to simple raise and lower the tail, causing the arms to move up and down at the same time in a "bashing" motion. There's isn't a huge variety of range or strength to this function, but it's there.

This review is now complete and ready to go!

Set name: Umarak the Destroyer Set number: 71316 Pieces:191 Price: $24.99 Release date: 2016 Hello everyone and welcome to Umarak the Destroyer! Now that The hunter has put the mask of control on his face, he's...lost control of himself? Well, let's see if this "upgrade" to Umarak is worth the purchase, especially if you already own his previous incarnation, which was my favorite set of the year- Does the Destroyer dethrone the Hunter? Let's find out. These sets were graciously provided by LEGO to review- All thoughts in this review are my own opinions and not those of LEGO. Front As usual, the box is standard fare. As with the winter wave, these boxes are a heavier cardboard than they were last year. As always please note that this is the European variant of the packaging. Back We see a rather uninspiring combo mode, the set's features, and a comic that shows umarak placing the mask of control over his own face, Interesting parts Firstly, while it's not a "part," we do get a sticker sheet for his torso print. Also, we have the new jaw piece, and a slew of trans neon green pieces including the new crystal armor piece, and recolors of a bone, the head and skull spider legs. Mask Umarak comes with only one mask, a very corrupted version of the Mask of Control (pictured on the right for comparison sake). The middle of the face is similar but her gains some fangs, a crack on the upper right, and...some obnoxious looking crystal structures. As we will see, the 'horns" of the original mask have been extended with a more custom build. Sadly, I couldn't show you the Hunter with the new mask of creation, the crystal structures on the side of the mask don't work with the original Hunter's antlers. Torso The torso is solidly built, and uses a turntable torso as it's main source of a function. A gearbox is also used, though there aren't actually any functions to be seen from it. Legs Similar to the Hunter, the Destroyer gets a technic heavy leg build. You'll see the choice of bone on the back of the leg culd have used the less restricting open ball bone, but I'm guessing such a choice was made to ensure stability. It also ensures a lack of forward and backward picot. Hmpf. Adding on We finish off the legs and carefully get those stickers on, Hands Each of the smaller beasts gets some poseable hands, and Umarak is no exception. There is an odd function that was integrated there, where moving the two longer fingers the thumb will move with them. it's, well, cool, but it really doesn't have a great way to 'activate" it and there's no friction to it at all. So that's not fun. Head Now here we see the jaw build- the difference here is the massive horns coming down. These are meant to be "mutated" versions of the MoCo's horns. Front Color wise, everything here is pretty well dispersed (save of course for the gold from the MoCo). He has a very mutated look, with absolutely massive hands and a hunched, top-heavy look. Side The hunch back is a little out of control here, with his head being mounted to an awkward technic structure. Back One thing of excitement here is get get another pearl dark gray ribcage! UNLIMITED POWER Umarak is limited in what he can do poseability wise, but that's mostly due to a lack of weapons and legs with somewhat restricted motion. Take control... I already didn't like the jaw piece on the beasts, and i think it look twice as bad on Umarak here. Since he has a different mask, the jaw is even larger than it should be, and the contrast of gunmetal against gold makes the jaw almost hard to see. Comparisons Like I said in my Ekimu review, I do like how well these incarnations of the characters retain some elements of their previous forms. Since the Hunter was quite a tall figure, I wasn't surprised to see that even the Destroyer is only slightly larger than his older form. The monster is quite a bit larger than Ekimu, though doesn't surpass our most recent supersized CCBS set, Grevious. Overall Umarak is a good looking set. He's an interesting build, and has a decent amount of parts for your money, with an alright selection of new and recolored pieces. His functions aren't anything too exciting and the lack of friction in the hands is a shame. I'm not particularly fond of how the 'horns" or the new MoCo looks- but how do I feel about him when compared to the Hunter? In my opinion, the Hunter remains to be my favorite set of the year. While Umarak looks cool, I feel he's been devolved not only into a crazed monster, but also into a "standard villain" syndrome. While the Hunter was a really cool Wendigo inspired being, the Destroyer is just a juiced up beast, and I would have liked to have seen something that retained more of that Wendigo look. But that's all personal preference and a comparison, as a set the Destroyer is a decent set and a worthy purchase in my opinion. As always sound off your thoughts in the comments and be sure to vote in the poll!

Set name: Storm Beast Set number: 71314 Pieces:109 Price: $14.99 | £9.99 | €14.99 Release date: 2016 Welcome to the review of Storm Beast! When I first saw toyfair photos of these sets, Storm Beast looked to be my favorite. has that opinion stayed true? Let's find out. These sets were graciously provided by LEGO to review- All thoughts in this review are my own opinions and not those of LEGO. Front As usual, the box is standard fare. As with the winter wave, these boxes are a heavier cardboard than they were last year. Back All of the beast's have a very similar comic on the back, basically just reskinned as each respective pair of Toa and Beast. Interesting parts There's quite a slew of new and recolored parts to look at here. First, we've got the skull spider legs and head piece in trans neon green, 4m armor in dark blue, and a unique chest print. In terms of new parts, there's the new beast mask in dark blue blended with trans neon green and the jaw piece in pearl dark gray, and finally the crystal piece in trans light blue. Mask We also get Kopaka's mask in white blended with trans neon green as a "corrupted" color scheme. It's a cool combination, certainly a nice departure from the regular white and trans light blue, Torso In terms of creativity, there's a lot going on here- Storm Beast's torso build utilizes some beams to create a very unique function that we'll look at soon. The "trigger" is his tail. Legs Each beast gets some custom shins, and Storm's are the longest by 1m. Claws Storm Beast gets a pretty awesome set of claws, using three of those skull spider legs. The only downside here is the exposed balljoint on the small beast foot. Head We then build up the mount for the jaw. When you move the jaw up, the mask will fly off. Frame Due to the design of the shoulders, the arms are situated at a strange forward angle. Front Storm beast is a little light on the armoring. The arms are a little bit stubby due to the length of bone used- his wrists are basically his elbows- I'm also not at all a fan of how the crystal piece sits on the bone here, it leaves him looking quite exposed. Side Here we have the arms in a stationary position, which causes his "tail" to sit at a very strange position. Back Beg for mercy His colors mix together pretty well, though I wouldn't have argued with even more dark blue. Easy does it After it took 15 minutes to get this guy into this position, he fell over and I had to do it again. The function has absolutely no friction, and so any slight bit of weight on the arms caused him to topple over. Also, the tail- the design they chose to go with leaves you with no friction in the shadow trap, and so grasping Kopaka's mask is almost impossible, let along holding it in various positions without gravity taking effect. Function With his function, the first picture shows what happens if you lower the tail- his arms rise. Then you can swing the tail from side to side, and cause the arms to move up and down in different motions. So really there's two function here, the ability to move each arm up and down separately like a gearbox, or have them up and down in a "smashing motion." Size Comp Overall Similar to Quake Beast, Storm beast here brings in a really interesting construction for his function. He's got a great color scheme and a decent amount of new and recolored parts. Personally, though, he's my least favorite of the Beasts. He doesn't look as well armored or filled out, the tail is a bit strange and even harder to hold a mask in than Quake beast, and the complete lack of friction in the arm moving mechanism is a little frustrating when it come to poseability. Overall, the pictures will lead you to your own decision, share your thoughts in the comments and as always be sure to vote in the poll!

Set name: Quake Beast Set number: 71315 Pieces:102 Price: $14.99 | £9.99 | €14.99 Release date: 2016 Welcome to the review of Quake Beast! He may not be one eyes, one horned, and I haven't asked him if he eats people, but this purple monster is here- is this crystal creature worth your money? Let's find out! These sets were graciously provided by LEGO to review- All thoughts in this review are my own opinions and not those of LEGO. Front There's nothing too exciting here, just the standard fare. I will say that the jaw looks quite good here due to the shadow, but alas the final set doesn't look quite that good. Also the crystal arm is in a bit of a deceiving pose, showing it in it's "best" looking position. Also his shoulder blades were cut off, interestingly enough. Back We see the set features, a combo model, and of course the standard comic print. Interesting parts For recolors, we have a trans neon green head and the unique chest print. In terms of new pieces, we have the new beast mask in purple blended with trans neon green (a rather awesome combination of colors), the new crystal piece in trans dark purple, and of course the jaw- which, if you have read my Lava Beast review, you will know I don't like this piece at all. It's a bit of a waste of a new mold and really doesn't look all that great in the finished product. Mask We also get Onua's mask recolored in black blended with trans neon green. Once again, this mask is "corrupted" and as such it stands out from Onua when he actually wears it. Torso Building Quake Beast is quite an interesting process. We start off with the newest torso bone, first introduced in the Star Wars Force Awakens figures, and add a gearbox on- sideways. While have my issues with this build, Quake gets some major points for creativity here, and it makes for a refreshing build. Legs Each beast gets some custom shins, and Quake here is no exception. Also note that the asymmetry is really starting to take shape here. Shoulder...blade thing The next step in Quake's function is to build this..thing. Basically it's just a mess of spikes to make Quake Beast look even more ruptured. Arm His smaller arm is built, and once again, poseable fingers! If there's any aspect of these beasts I'm enjoying, this is a big one. Head We then build up the mount for the jaw. When you move the jaw up, the mask will fly off. Trap Here's a part of the set where I have my first issue- the shoulder trap. Now this construct here will allow you to store Onua's corrupted mask on Quake's shoulder. Or, so the box says. Unfortunately, this build offers little to no friction, and so the two halves of the jaw have no true ability to grasp the mask- or anything for that matter. I find it a real shame that this was so poorly executed, and Storm beast has an even worse situation. (Do note- not only can it not grasp the mask well, its hard to keep the jaws in a semi-closed position. it tends to close completely or flop totally open.) Frame More asymmetry is introduced as we add on his large crystal arm and the trap. Front From a front view, the first thing you'll notice is the crystal arm is pretty barren. The crystal pieces don't wrap around the arm much, and I think this really makes them look strange from this angle. Side Back Notice that a crank is the main means of moving the shoulder here. Gloves up Quake Beast might look like a guy without pockets trying to figure out what to do with his arms in a photo when he's standing straight, but in the right pose you can really hide the barren arm (and it's poseability is helped by the lack of clutter) Rough night Admittedly, he's a bit better in hand than I at first thought. The color scheme is solid, he does look quite bulky, and I don't mind the solid colored face as much as I did in initial photos. Come and get it After a bit of fiddling I managed to get Onua's mask to stay in the shoulder trap. Though if you dare pick the figure up, it's going to come falling out. Size Comp Like the other beasts, Quake here doesn't quite match up to his Toa counterpart in terms of height. Another Size Comp While he is equal in height to his previous trans-purple armored friend, he's got quite the bulk going on. He does fall a bit short compared to his arch enemy Tahu, standing about a head shorter. Function So what does that crazy torso build leave us with? Well, a not-so-great function. When you turn the crank, the arm swings backward at the shoulder. When it swings forward, the arm really doesn't get any forward range, so basically the only way you will go knocking masks off with this is if Quake beast was facing you sideways. I feel a more traditional gearbox build would have lead to a more effective use of this arm, and that's a shame- this is such an intricate build that really takes over most of this figure's aesthetic, and I ended up being disappointed in what it actually did. Overall Quake beast has his ups and downs. If you want an interesting and creative build, he's a great set to pick up. However, if you aren't fond of the function, it does take over quite a bit of this set's aesthetic and I feel some sacrifices were made to the overall look of the figure to make way for this function. As always the best way to judge a set is to have a look at the photos and decide for yourself- sound off your thoughts in the comments!

Set name: Lava Beast Set number: 71313 Pieces:114 Price: $14.99 | £9.99 | €14.99 Release date: 2016 Welcome to my review of Lava Beast! Is this fiery demon a worthy purchase? Are those trans black pieces? Does his mother actually love that face? Let's find out! These sets were graciously provided by LEGO to review- All thoughts in this review are my own opinions and not those of LEGO. Front Lava beast is surrounded by quite a sickly and corrupted looking backdrop, with a kneeling Tahu set behind him. Please note that this is the European packaging, and as such the information displayed on the front of the box may vary in regards to showing piece count, hazard warnings, etc. Back The back highlights the set's features, and also a combo model with Umarak the Destroyer. I haven't looked at the instructions for this model just yet, but visually it looks similar to the Evo XL machine combo, where the end result is essentially Umarak with a few random beast bits thrown about. Eh. Interesting parts Firstly, lets look at the recolors- The standard 'skull" piece is now introduced in trans neon green! We also have the blade from earlier in the year in black mixed with orange (and you get four of them!). Lava Beast has a special chest print, which rounds off the recolors- with once exception, which we will get to momentarily. As for new parts, first we have the new crystal piece in trans....black? To get a CCBS piece in trans black is interesting, certainly I won't argue with a new trans color being introduced. On the other hand, this means we don't get this piece in trans neon orange, and I do hope we see such a recolor somewhere down the line. (And conversely, I hope we get more trans black parts to make this one more purposeful...) Next, we have the beast mask, which looks decent, but does of course suffer from what I call "Hewkii" syndrome, in the sense that it's more of a half mask that doesn't cover the face entirely. We also get the new lower jaw piece, which...I don't like. At all. My first problem with this piece is it just looks ridiculous on the finished beast, which you'll see among all of the beast photos. It also only comes in gunmetal, which matches none of the beast's faces (However, it does look best on Lava Beast, since black is a close tone.) Mask We also get Tahu's Hau recolored in red blended with trans neon green. It's meant to evoke a "corrupted" look, and as such it doesn't look quite so great on the Toa. It's a cool idea, but personally I would have liked if the blend was something more akin to the original poisoned Hau Nuva. Torso Lava Beast is the only of the three beasts to utilize the turntable torso. Legs The beasts each have a unique custom shin build. While that sounds cool in theory, the actual execution here is...is...well, I'm not sure this one took as much thought as it should have. Also notice the stabilizer on the back of the foot, a welcome addition. Hands Lava Beast also gets some custom hands with articulated fingers! Head Quake beast reminds me of Bruizer, and Lava Beast here brings back memories of Pyrox- once again we have a fire villain with horns, because it's not a fire villain if it doesn't have them. Clearly. The trans neon head is appreciated as it gives more eye color to the face! We finish this off with the lower jaw- notice that if you want to close the jaw, you will trigger the mask to fly off. That's a shame- I think it would have been cool if they had made some mechanism where you could have "snapped" the jaw with a function at the back of the head. Frame We add the head on with the help of a construct involving a shadow trap halve. Wings Another "function" is these wings here. It's simple, and basically you can turn the large gear to swing out the upper blade. Front Lava Beast ties together quite well! I really enjoy the look of the wings here- at first I wasn't a fan of them in the way that I had seen them posed, but they add a real menacing wingspan to the beast. Side Since his head sits forward quite a bit, it does fill in his torso a bit. Back I'm really not sure what effect they were going for with the shadow trap piece, but it works. Unfortunately his back is quite bare and exposed. From fire itself I must admit, while Lava here was at first my least favorite of the beasts, having him in hand has propelled him to being my favorite. He just looks evil. More than the other beasts, and even surpasses Umarak the Destroyer. You're mine The wings add a really cool visual flare to the beast- They pose well with his arms, and the added finger poseability really brings out some fun poses with this one. A deal to be made THe wings can turn into a more traditional weapon as a sort of straight blade, which works. I don't tend to keep them in this position, but this gives purpose to the spinning waist gimmick. Size Comp He does fall a bit short compared to his arch enemy Tahu, standing about a head shorter. Corruption Unlike the other two beasts, Lava Beast doesn't get a proper trap to hold the corrupted mask, instead he hold with with his claws. All things considered, this is a more secure connection than the trap halves on the other beasts, which you can see in their respective reviews. Overall Lava beast is, in my opinion, the coolest looking of the beasts. He comes with some decent new parts and recolors, and has a decent build. Unlike the other two beasts, his functions aren't quite as unique, but I think they work for what he is. He's well proportioned, poses well, and manages to make the jaw piece look, well, somewhat alright. If you are looking to pick up any of the beasts, Lava here would be my most highly recommended in terms of being a solid, well-built figure. If you are looking for a more interesting build, the other beasts may suit your fancy more.

Set name: Ekimu the Mask Maker Set number: 71312 Pieces:94 Price: $14.99 | £9.99 | €14.99 Release date: 2016 Ekimu is back, and he's back more transparent than ever. How does this Toa-sized version of our mask maker stand up? Let's find out. These sets were graciously provided by LEGO to review- All thoughts in this review are my own opinions and not those of LEGO. Front If you've purchased a Bionicle set in the past two years, you won't find anything surprising here. I'm quite a fan of Ekimu's pose here, I don't quite know the significance of Umarak's mask here yet but Ekimu stepping on it really steps up the tone a bit. Back The back highlights the set's features, and also a small comic which just shows Umarak facing off with Ekimu. Interesting parts Firstly, we have a brand new armor piece in a crystal shape. It's a pretty heft piece, and has a really nice shape, though it doesn't really wrap around bones all too well, so it leaves something to be desired- we will look at this in the other reviews, since currently Ekimu only uses this piece in his weapon. Also, we get the highly-greebled chest plate from the Toa in a trans light blue. While i wasn't a huge fan of this piece before, I really like how it looks in this color. Masks First up, we have the Mask of Creation in trans light blue. While i know some people would have preferred this in gold mixed with trans light blue, I think this looks pretty cool. (Plus, who knows, maybe the mixed one is coming next year!) We also get Umarak the Hunter's mask in dark pearl gray mixed with trans neon orange. New mask, old body The recolored mask looks quite nice on the smaller, Protector-sized Ekimu. Umarak's makeover The recolored Umarak mask doesn't look too great here (Though you could swap out the trans bright green for orange) Other option Without needing any part swapping, this mask does work with someone else- a certain villain Ekimu previously was packaged with and fought- Kulta! Torso Ekimu uses the turntable torso, similar to the Toa previously in the year, but also uses a gearbox instead of a uniting feature. Frame Notice that Ekimu has asymmetrical arms, similar to Onua, to add some stability to his hammer-wielding arm. Unfortunately, the shoulders are the real problematic part here, not the elbow, but I'll get to this later. Armor As we can see, Ekimu is primarily trans light blue. I like the placement of the shells near his upper chest, it evokes the similar shape of the Protector-sized version. More armor We add on some more armor, including the smooth Chima add-ons and the previously seen piston pieces.I've seen some complaints about the gold disbursement, but personally I like the layout. Hammer The hammer is an interesting build. Unlike Ekimu's previous hammer or Onua's, there is no function here, just a solid hammer. It's an interesting use of the crystal piece, and an interesting structure behind it. Front The shield is mounted to the armor shell in his arm, a nice change from it normally just being held! Side Thanks to the upper chest armor and the gearbox, Ekimu is a bit more filled out than his Toa comrades. Back You can see here what i mentioned earlier- if you swing his arm upward, it does sometimes hit the front chest armor, and as a result the shoulder gets stuck. The Mask Maker Ekimu looks great. I was quite a fan of his Protector-sized form, and it's nice to have a proper Toa-sized variant this time around. A hammer and shield works quite well as weapons, and as "upgrades" to his previous form. Spoils of war For some reason, this incarnation of Ekimu seems like a really battle-hardened warrior. A warrior who has had enough of Makuta's nonsense and is ready to kick megablocks and take names. And I absolutely love it. One change I might suggest here is for the saw blade to have been recolored into a pearl dark gray, so match the hammer. As it is, I assume the ice blue is meant to evoke that "crystal" theme,e but I think a little gunmetal somewhere there could tie it to the hammer better. Objection Of course, the spinning waist gimmick works here just as well as ever when you place the hammer in both of his hands. Maybe it's just my copies, but I noticed my turntables on Ekimu, lava Beast, and Umarak were a bit looser. Not to the point of where the bodies turn wildly, but they don't have the squeaking issues that some of my first wave figures have. With the golden MoCr While the ice blue MoCr looks good on the protector-sized Ekimu, vice versa looks a bit odd due to the solid trans light blue body. With Umarak the Hunter Ekimu still has to look up to his horned adversary, but I quite like the difference in size here. "My, you've grown a bit" "Now you can pick on someone your own size." Old and new One thing that I enjoy about Ekimu and Umarak's second forms this year is you can really see some similarities from their previous forms- this is something I think many Hero Factory figures dropped the ball on. Overall In terms of Toa-sized heroes this year, Ekimu takes the cake as my favorite. He ditches the flat build of the Uniters, and opts for a better overall looking build, with nice features and a great color scheme. THere are a few things not to like here though- he comes with a relatively low amount of new and interesting parts, only feature one recolor and one new piece. Additionally, if you enjoyed some of the custom limbs and other such constructs of the Uniters, that feature is lost here- And of course, it may have been cool to unite the creatures with Ekimu, but such an ability is not possible here without rebuilding. Overall, a figure I like quite a bit, and one I'd highly recommend.