Subject:
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4x2ReVu: 7093 Skeleton Tower
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.reviews
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Date:
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Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:59 GMT
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Matheson Crowley has never known the meaning of failure. As the only existing
offspring of a succubus and a sithe sorcerer (or so he’s been told his entire
life) he never once failed at reaching beyond his grasp with successful results.
But today might be the day he learns a sad and final lesson as the final touches
are put on the incantation for raising a Gorespawn Drawgyr.
The very
banefire shard the entire ritual is based upon just exploded within the
capturing crystal, reversing protective energies and detonating even the crystal
itself (a most unexpected occurrence). Now the entire ‘practicing’ level of his
workshop is ablaze in wicked blue and green flames as the foundation of the
fortress rocks and shakes.
A great hole bursts open in the blackened crust
of the plain outside his castle and a giant, scaly head thrusts itself out to
gaze around and finally focus angrily at the perplexed wizard.
The 7093 Skeleton Tower is five-tier tower in the shape of a skull with what
appears to be claw-like fingers reaching out of the ground (this is a cool
concept!). The lower jaw of the ‘skull’ raises and lowers like a drawbridge and
the toothline even hinges out to open when the gate is lowered. At ground level
the back of the mouth is an open maw with a large spider and his web. The
second level is basically just a crawlspace with room for the drawbridge
mechanism (with the gate lever/wheel located outside of the castle). There’s no
visible access to the third level of the castle (hey, he’s a wizard, he can fly,
right?) which is an open rampart featuring the wizard’s crystal ball. From the
third level a separate turret juts out on the right and on the left. Facing
outward, the left turret is a small one-piece castle booth with a battlement on
top. The right turret features a small catapult for lobbing lava bits and
there’s an extending beam that holds a bone cage suspended by a chain.
The set features the dark wizard, two skeletons, a knight, princess and a large
dragon. Noteworthy elements include the wizard’s staff, zapping ‘elemental’
pieces, the knight’s preprinted breastplate and the dragon itself.
I was really looking forward to getting this set and I’ve gotta say that I’m
disappointed in the execution of it. There are some very good concepts going on
here, the first one being Lego’s improvement on the skull façade (originally
featured in the pirate theme 6279 Skull Island, but probably done best in the
Tyco Superblocks 5283 Black Knight’s Castle). Other good concepts include
using teeth on the ramparts and the prison cell made up of bones.
My disappointment came from the castle as a whole (which felt too ‘juniorized’)
but also from specific weaknesses like no access to any of the levels, no way to
raise or lower the prison cell and chiefly from the raising and lowering front
gate. This is an interesting idea but the way it is carried out just doesn’t
work. For one the thing the jaw juts out too far (looking a bit silly when in
the open position) and the chains that raise and lower the gate are at such an
angle that they keep catching on the rims of the eye sockets. This, coupled
with the use of a rubber band between two sprockets to turn the mechanism, makes
for a very SLOW, jittery gate-raising process. Having the gate lever on the
outside of the castle with no access for minifigs put the final coffin nail on
this lost opportunity.
If Lego would have put more effort into improving the features and making this a
full blown, large castle (instead of a smaller medium set) it could have been a
fantastic construction. As it is, it’s a tried-and-failed opportunity to pull
off something very cool and sinister looking (though they might have
deliberately avoided that for the sake of younger audiences).
In my opinion, the set was worth its original pricetag of $50 for the collection
of parts, figures and the heart of the idea, but I can’t honestly see paying
more than $60 or $70 (at the most) for what now goes for around $200 or more
unopened.
If you’re interested in the wizard (he does have a cool cape and
waist/legs print) or dragon, buy them separately. If you’re interested in the
structure, buy or view the instructions and I bet you could improve on the basic
structure.
!!! 4x2ReVu Stats !!!
Rating: Four out of eight studs.
Pros: Pretty cool wizard and dragon figure with some very good castle
concepts.
Cons: Disappointing execution of good ideas torpedoes what
should have been an awesome, larger castle set.
Walletwise: 398 pieces
for $50.00 but you can’t touch it unopened for less than $200.
Date:
7/19/10
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