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    Discuss This Story ReviewSaturday, July 8th, 2017 at 9:02pm by Andrew, BZPower News Manager
    [Source: Zatth]

    Another set from the first wave of skyline Architecture models, 21027 Berlin is a miniature representation of the city with so much history and presence. BZPower Forum Assistant Zatth is back again to take a look at this set as well, and is now ready to share his thoughts on it with you all. So let's go check out his review and see how it stacks up!

    Debates about the grammatical accuracy of Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" quotation abound, so why don't we take the city apart brick-by-brick and find out, via the magic of LEGO, if we too shall be Berliners one build at a time?

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

    21027 Berlin Review 01 21027 Berlin Review 02 21027 Berlin Review 03 21027 Berlin Review 04

    The Architecture sets continue to dazzle with beautiful boxes and instruction manuals. And, with Berlin being so varied, I think this is a time when it's useful to have the box in the background, or the manual for anyone who wants to learn more about the buildings or how you built them.

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

    21027 Berlin Review 05 21027 Berlin Review 06 21027 Berlin Review 07 21027 Berlin Review 08 21027 Berlin Review 09 21027 Berlin Review 10 21027 Berlin Review 11 21027 Berlin Review 12 21027 Berlin Review 13

    THIS SET WAS SO MUCH FUN TO BUILD! :D Seriously, the variety of the buildings was awesome. First off, you start with a traditional bricks build that isn't super innovative for the Reichstag, but it does the job of showing you how much detail can be packed in a few bricks, while still making the whole appear like an actual building. It sets the tone for what the Architecture cityscapes can do, without being too heavy a start.

    21027 Berlin Review 14 21027 Berlin Review 15 21027 Berlin Review 16

    Next, the Deutsche Bahn Tower is also pretty uneventful in being bricks stacked on each other with some minor SNOT building... until you get to the placement of it. See, one jutting stud as you build the baseplate foundation turns out to be there to hold the building, which is otherwise connected by a pin that could leave it spinning. A very minor addition, but one that shows the kind of planning that can go into stabilizing a build as small as this.

    21027 Berlin Review 17

    Next, the GINORMOUS Berlin TV Tower spire which is also a fun build, in that it's mostly Technic pieces and upside down dishes. Monotonous? Maybe. Fun? Yes.

    21027 Berlin Review 18

    Finally, the Brandenburg Gate is like a palette cleanser, returning to a minimalist style that packs in a lot of detail. And as you finish it, you turn to look at all that you've built and are blown away by how fun and varied it all was! Huzzah!

    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.

    21027 Berlin Review 19 21027 Berlin Review 20

    Really, the only new pieces on here are the Berlin Wall prints and the SNOT-like baseplate pieces.

    21027 Berlin Review 21 21027 Berlin Review 22 21027 Berlin Review 23 21027 Berlin Review 24 21027 Berlin Review 25 21027 Berlin Review 26 21027 Berlin Review 27 21027 Berlin Review 28 21027 Berlin Review 29 21027 Berlin Review 30 21027 Berlin Review 31

    What this set lacks in original pieces it makes up in breadth of colors and pieces. From transparent domes, to cheese wedges of many colors, to printed tiles, to golden microfigs. The Berlin cityscape demands variety in its buildings and building style, and will leave you with a good assortment of pieces to expand on your collection.

    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?

    21027 Berlin Review 32 21027 Berlin Review 33 21027 Berlin Review 34 21027 Berlin Review 35 21027 Berlin Review 36 21027 Berlin Review 37 21027 Berlin Review 38 21027 Berlin Review 39

    This set also can't be played with much, but the 'Get-ability' for it, in my opinion, is quite high. The building is ridiculously fun, and not too hard to construct. The different pieces, and the make-up of the final set, give the sense of a proud accomplishment. AND LOOK AT THOSE MINI BERLIN WALL PIECES! SUCH A BRILLIANT ADDITION.

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

    Pros
    What's to like?

    • Good variety of pieces
    • Awesome building styles for each model
    • BERLIN WALL SEGMENTS AS PRINTED PLATES

    Cons
    What's not to like?

    • Smaller Architecture set
    • Breadth of style and wide assortment of pieces in small quantities may not be your cup of tea

    I loved this set. I loved the breadth in building, and the amount of pieces, small as the quantities were, in their variety. I'd suggest getting this set, but if you're inclined to go for another one that's more your taste, it might be as varied as this one but be a better fit for you.

    We greatly appreciate LEGO for sending BZPower this set and also thank Pablo for taking the time to review it. Of course we'd love to hear your thoughts as well as any questions you might have in the Talkback! Don't go too far though, we'll be back with more LEGO news and set reviews soon!

    Discuss This Story

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