Review: 7148 Meltdown

[VBBN]

Hey welcome back! Time for yet another review by VBBN! Today I'll be looking at Meltdown, who seems to be the most anticipated of the 4 medium-sized villans, followed shortly by Xplode. I've reviewed a couple heros, so let's see how the Violans stack up!

Set name: Meltdown

Set Number: 7148

Price: 12.99$, 14,99 Euro

Pieces: 50

Year of release: 2010

The Box

Front

So, these medium sized villans that cost 13$ are actually replacing the standard toa-sized canister sets. However, they now come in Boxes as opposed to canisters like the Heroes do. Personally I prefer this, as it is much easier to store them(you can flatten them out). Meltdown's box art is FANTASTIC. It's bright, clean, and very attractive to the eye.

Back

The back shows Meltdown fighting Stringer and the shooting function the set has.

Sides

Two sides of the box I find interesting. One of them is a size chart of meltdown's head. The other one has the words "Liquidateur Meltdown" Why they put that there I haven't any idea, as there is no such thing on Rotor's box.

Size Comparison

As you can see, these are the largest containers for 10-13$ sets we have seen so far.

Opening

Now there is a tab that you can push to open the box by it's side, but I like to open them this way as it is easier to flatten them for storage.

Contents

Inside

As you can see here, the bulk of the parts are contained in a plastic baggie, with the technic pieces in a smaller baggie. The tubes and larger stuff are left out. Very similar to the Mahri's way of being packaged actually. There is also the sticker sheet, which I don't mind as it gives you the option to apply them or not. I put them on as straight as I could, took me about 10 minutes to get them perfect.

Recolored parts

Before I get on with the recolored parts, I heard a lot of people saying that the Mantax claws were recolored. they are actually seen(2 of them) in the lego Exo Force set named "Storm Slasher." Now then, we have Metru limbs in mata yellow, which is fantastic. I really am sick of having to use Bitil's limbs for MOCing. We also have the mahri tubes in clear with lime green injection. Vastus had dark green injection. Next, we have the Ackar/Mata Nui shin guards in mata yellow(Mata Nui's were Keetorange) We also have a Kalmah tentacle in lime green, which is perfect for an alien moc. Next, the zamor sphrere is a shade of green that is slightly darker than the ones seen in jaller and Hahli inika. I thought it was the same until I put them side-by-side. Finally, we have the Thornax launcher pieces in black.

New pieces

New pieces are equally as interesting. First we have his head, which is a very awesome sculpt. I must say something, IT CAN FIT ON A METRU HEAD. However it stickes out and looks ridiculous if you put it on. Next we have the Ben 10 limbs. While not new,I thought I would throw them in since most of the lego community doesn't care about ben 10 sets 9nor do I, I think it's terrible but that's another story to be told). The joints on it are really weird, I must say. Very thick in design. Anyways, next is the new torso which seems to be on almost everyone except for Von nebula. Next up, we have the new..well, whatever you want to call that yellow piece. Regardless, it's got some great mocing possibilities and I welcome anything Mata yellow into my collection. Next we have that strange new pin piece, like a shortened version of the piece that works in pistons in the titan sets. Finally,we have his toxic barrels. Man, they are fantastic. They are hollow so you can put extra amor or something in them, and they have an axle hole as well as two viking-horn sized holes ont he botton.

Instructions

The instructions are standard fare for a Bionicle type of set. Strangely, it has a piece of paper that says "To be placed in building instructions" All it is, is the saftey warnings.

Buliding

Start

.His build starts off with the torso and legs

Adding arms

No cracked joints yet!

Finished Set

Front

Back

Posed

Meltdown's unique articulation can give him some very awesome poses,I must say.

Bonus Images

We've got a hero down!

Size Comparison

Meltdown isn't huge, but he hus faily bulky in the arms and has lots of little bits sich as the barrakki eye.

Overall, Meltodwn is a fantastic figure. Sure, he's not the biggest set there is, but he's comprised of almost entirely new or recolored pieces, and the pieces that aren't, are still excellent MOCing pieces, such as the yellow mantax claws and skrall armor. His design is unique and the color scheme is excellent.

Colors scheme- 10/10 (No complaints whatsoever.)

Parts- 9.5/10 (Would have liked if the mask was compatible with Glatorian heads.)

Design- 10/10 (Fantastic Looking)

Articulation- 8/10 (He is limited with his arms, but it gives him cool poses in the end.)

Quality- 8.5/10 (The mask and yellow chunky weapon things aren't as good of quality as the mantax claws and metru limbs are.)

Overall: 46/50 Excellent

As always, questions,comments, and pic requests welcome!

Edited July 22, 2010 by 3D Brickthing
Indexed

[prateek]

Nice review. I like this one. BTW, I think Liquidateur is French for Meltdown

[vexorian]

I think the extra ball really sticks out. This is among the reasons I dislike those "all purposes" torsos that are not built up. If the piece had at least the same shape but a socket instead of the head ball joint so that it is add-able by another piece meltdown and thunder would be much better...

Anyway, how many of those pin pieces are there, and where are they used?

I think meltdown looks great and has good pieces. Is the volume of the box smaller or larger than the glatorian canisters? Although it is tall, I think it is thiner. This is important because on international markets the price increases as the size of the box increases...

I just hope that in the last wave of HF they do something about the torsos. They are ok for "impulse" sets but for 13 dollar things we need a new torso build.

[VBBN]

Nice review. I like this one. BTW, I think Liquidateur is French for Meltdown

If that was the case then it's strange because Rotor doesn't have it and I doubt Xplode would have it.

I think the extra ball really sticks out. This is among the reasons I dislike those "all purposes" torsos that are not built up. If the piece had at least the same shape but a socket instead of the head ball joint so that it is add-able by another piece meltdown and thunder would be much better...

Anyway, how many of those pin pieces are there, and where are they used?

I think meltdown looks great and has good pieces. Is the volume of the box smaller or larger than the glatorian canisters? Although it is tall, I think it is thiner. This is important because on international markets the price increases as the size of the box increases...

I just hope that in the last wave of HF they do something about the torsos. They are ok for "impulse" sets but for 13 dollar things we need a new torso build.

The extra ball is honestly not that obvious, the Skrall armor hides it fairly well. It just shows up balantly on these pictures because the piece is new to it's really shiney.

There is one of the pieces, it's used to hold together his Thornax.

And no, it is definatly not thinner. Compared to Vorox's canister, it is about 2 cm thicker than the thickest part of the canister.

[prateek]

If that was the case then it's strange because Rotor doesn't have it and I doubt Xplode would have it.

There isn't a second name for Rotor because Rotor in French is Rotor

[VBBN]

On 7/21/2010 at 0:15 PM, prateek said:

There isn't a second name for Rotor because Rotor in French is Rotor

Fair point 

[Aanchir]

So you'd rather that French-speakers get stuck with two meaningless names, while English speakers get a full set of names with obvious meanings? I doubt that would be good for LEGO's sales.

I get the idea that making the names less obscure was a deliberate change LEGO made when ending BIONICLE and starting Hero Factory. People like a name that they can easily connect with the figure, and having the figure's name match up with their "element" or "theme" helps a great deal-- no matter what language it's in.

I personally like the Ben 10 limbs. Their smooth but chunky design seems to fit the Hero Factory aesthetic, and was a nice touch in the Ben 10 theme since, like all the parts besides the printed heads and torsos, there was no extra detail that limited its use to one theme or character. I've recently found myself wishing I had some in white or silver for a MOC I've been planning (sadly, that's a color in which they aren't yet available, and HF hasn't given us any hints that they're going to be released in new colors).

Meltdown's weapons are probably some of my favorites. I love how the tanks on his back feed into the weapons, so you can imagine the launcher shooting radioactive sludge (just like it says on the website!) and the other arm generating a sludgy poisonous tentacle. I'm also a fan of Corroder's weapons, but they're nowhere near as imaginative.

I'm kind of quizzical about the sludge tanks, since it's hard to tell what LEGO might plan on using this piece for in the future. Could you take a detail pic of the sludge tanks that shows the connection points clearly?

[Mesonak]

Actually, Corroder, Thunder, Meltdown, Furno Bike, and Von Nebula have the french names on their sides.

Great review as always, VBBN; Thanks very much for the high quality pictures. :)

Your review's made me like Meltdown more and more; He's now my second favorite Hero Factor villain. And I might be getting him later today, with luck.

Thanks again. :D

-Mesonak

[Captain M]

Another awesome review by VBBN. I hope to see more of these reviews from you in the future. Now, about the set: The colors blend in nicely with what the character seems to be, a radioactive monster. I see have some new molds, including the helmet, or face that Meltdown wears(the helmet looks very familiar though). Meltdown also has the new body, the same one as the Heroes wear. I hope they make more in different styles though. I don't want this piece to end up like the Inika bodies- too overused. That's about all I have to say right now. Good Review.

[VBBN]

On 7/21/2010 at 4:37 PM, Aanchir said:

 

Quote

I personally like the Ben 10 limbs. Their smooth but chunky design seems to fit the Hero Factory aesthetic, and was a nice touch in the Ben 10 theme since, like all the parts besides the printed heads and torsos, there was no extra detail that limited its use to one theme or character. I've recently found myself wishing I had some in white or silver for a MOC I've been planning (sadly, that's a color in which they aren't yet available, and HF hasn't given us any hints that they're going to be released in new colors).

I must agree, I dig them on the set. Granted, I wouldn't want a whole set of them like Ben 10 as every limb on a Ben 10 set is hollow, but when used in moderation such as here, I enjoy them being used.

Quote

Meltdown's weapons are probably some of my favorites. I love how the tanks on his back feed into the weapons, so you can imagine the launcher shooting radioactive sludge (just like it says on the website!) and the other arm generating a sludgy poisonous tentacle. I'm also a fan of Corroder's weapons, but they're nowhere near as imaginative.

I'm kind of quizzical about the sludge tanks, since it's hard to tell what LEGO might plan on using this piece for in the future. Could you take a detail pic of the sludge tanks that shows the connection points clearly?

Yessir I'll have that pic up tomorrow.

On 7/21/2010 at 5:42 PM, Captain M said:

Another awesome review by VBBN. I hope to see more of these reviews from you in the future. Now, about the set: The colors blend in nicely with what the character seems to be, a radioactive monster. I see have some new molds, including the helmet, or face that Meltdown wears(the helmet looks very familiar though). Meltdown also has the new body, the same one as the Heroes wear. I hope they make more in different styles though. I don't want this piece to end up like the Inika bodies- too overused. That's about all I have to say right now. Good Review.

Thanks, I will have plenty more reviews up. I recently looked over the set list of Bionicle and other Ation figure sets that don't have reviews and the list was close to 300, so I want to start reviewing some older sets while continuing on with these Hero Factory reviews. Since it might be a month till I buy the Bike and Dropship I'll tryand get some classic Bionicle reviews up in the meantime.

[Front]

Guys, the strange names on the sides of the boxes are for the Hungarians.

[Aethersprite]

I don't have Kalmah or the Baranus, so this might be a silly question... But is Meltdown's tentacle bendy?

[Captain M]

I don't have Kalmah or the Baranus, so this might be a silly question... But is Meltdown's tentacle bendy?

Yes.