Up next in our look at the 2014 Hero Factory sets we have 44018 Furno Jet Machine, kindly provided by LEGO. I guess at this point he's not a rookie anymore, and he's got his own huge mech now to help defend against the invasion from below. But should you add him to your collection? Read and watch on to find out!

Presentation
From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.

From the first glance, you can definitely tell this is a Furno set. There's lots of red, fire, and even a silly little fire extinguisher to put out the flames. The jet machine is going after one of the invaders, with every tool in its box. Along the top we've got some nice artwork and the 'Invasion from Below' text. I really hope we see some wallpapers or something with clean versions of the art. The lower section of the bag indicates that the set includes a Furno herofig and a single invader.

The back of the bag showcases the action features like the rotating turbines, removable cockpit, opening and closing containment cell, and leaping invader. There's also a 1-to-1 scale image of Furno with his blaster and trusty fire extinguisher. It gets the job done, but nothing too exciting.

Finally, we have the artwork on the bottom of the bag. I still think this is a cool touch and want some digital versions of it.

Building
Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?

As with most smaller constraction sets, the build here isn't going to blow your minds. That said, it does diverge a bit from the standard hero build we've seen the past couple of years. The dark silver armor connects to what are normally the shoulder joints, and a series of limb pieces on the back serve to widen and set back the shoulders. The overall effect gives the jet machine some much-appreciated bulk and adjusts the proportions a bit. I don't know what the proportions of a jet machine piloted by a robotic hero should be, but it looks pretty fitting here. All-in-all a satisfying build with some interesting techniques, but you'll still be done in a few minutes.

On a side note, I did not apply the stickers to this set. In this case, I don't feel like they really add anything here, and make the parts harder to use in MOCs.

Set Design
Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.

The set contains about eighty pieces, which puts a lot of parts on your table when you open it. There's a bunch of limb pieces, although not many different types, and no interesting recolors. A standard selection of armor appears too, along with assorted Technic pieces. In the jet machine, the only new pieces are the cockpit and canopy as well as the containment cylinder halves, which I think is okay because the existing Hero Factory parts already work really well. We also get a unique Furno-themed print on one of the armor pieces.

I really like the look of the jet machine. It has a vivid and cohesive color scheme that works really well. The orange of the cockpit goes well with the red armor, and a lot of it is hidden behind the massive shoulders, making it less of a standout than it was on the Evo Walker. I do wish the arms were a tad bit longer and had some more movement, and the legs seem a little skinny compared to the torso, but those are fairly minor issues to me. The back of the set is well covered by the containment unit, keeping the set from coming down with 'bare-back syndrome.' The spotlights and turbines are a well thought out touch and make you forget that there's no head, filling up the space nicely.

If there weren't a lot of new parts in the jet machine itself, here's why. The Furno herofig has four new molds that come together to make an awesome miniature hero. The head is light-blue, almost a periwinkle, and has no printing. (I'll let someone else figure out where it falls on the LEGO color palette.) As with Evo, I'm sure this piece will be popular among AFOLs. The helmet and armor are compatible with minifigs, which is also cool. I really like these guys and think they do a great job capturing the look of the heroes in a smaller form factor.

Of course, this set also includes an invader in lime green. There's only one here, unlike in the Evo Walker, and I feel like that was a good choice if it allowed the main set to be as cool as it is. These little guys are very simple - a rubbery base, a Technic half-pin, and a plastic top. As simple as they are, they get the job done and have some excellent detailing, especially around the mouth.

Playability
The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?

The jet machine isn't encumbered by a launcher like the walker, but that also means the majority of the playability is tied to the mech's articulation. The turbines can rotate, changing from flamethrowers (or something like that) to a rocket pack. The containment unit on the back opens and snaps shut, holding the invader secure for further study and relocation. And of course, the canopy opens and the whole cockpit can eject if need be. That's really a lot more than we usually see on our hero sets, so that's pretty cool.

Aside from the above, the mech also has points of articulation at its shoulders, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. That's a little less than usual (no elbows), but it still allows for a good range of motion and some decent posing options to fend off the invaders. And of course, Furno can hop out of the jet machine and take them on with his blaster and fire extinguisher. That seems like a fairer fight, personally, as long as there's just a single invader. All together, there's definitely a lot of ways to role-play with this set, thanks to it including a hero and villain, along with the various action features.

Final Thoughts
Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?

Pros What's to like? Awesome herofig Furno Mech is well-designed Decent variety of parts Cool new invader Lots of playability Cons What's not to like? No elbow articulation Legs seem a little skinny

There's a lot to like about the Furno Jet Machine, and not much against it. I had a lot of fun building and playing with this set, and can definitely recommend it as a good addition to your collection. There may not be a lot of new constraction molds, but there's some good parts to add to your collection after you're done with this set.

Thanks again everyone for reading and watching - I hope you enjoyed the review. As per usual, feedback can go in the Talkback, along with any questions you might have. And of course, keep checking back on BZPower for more 2014 set reviews and plenty of LEGO news!

« Return to News