[REVIEW] Atlantis 8059 Seabed Scavenger

[Opus]

Indexed

(this is my first review, comment are more than welcome!)

Price: $14.99 U.S.
Pieces: 119
Price per piece: $0.13
Released: December 2009

"Exploring the ocean floor, the heroic diver is on a critical search mission to find the green Atlantis treasure key. Using the scavenger's twin flick torpedoes, grab claw and spinning saw, the diver battles the Manta Warrior as it bravely defends its most precious possession."
The box also promises an active suspension, as the bottom of the ocean is not yet paved over.

Box1.jpg

Box2.jpg

Included are Lance Spears and a Manta Warrior minifigure, with trident and Manta Ray Key. Lance is a busy guy; this is one of 5 or so sets he appears in. Character development was not a strength of the Atlantis development team, apparently. He remains unshaven and worried about something. Nicely printed and detailed as ever, however, as is the Manta Warrior. I do love the soft molded plastic heads on the Manta figs. Lance has no weapon to defend himself outside his vehicle so I'm not sure how he's going to obtain that Key...

Figs1.jpg

Figs2.jpg

I did not photograph the assembly process, there isn't much to this set. Here are the pointy bits. A little detail on the arms at least.

Arms.jpg

I wasn't going to post a review of this vehicle at all until I came across these pieces:

Struts.jpg

This is the first time I've see these, and they sent my mind racing. It took all of my strength not to run off with these to the aerodrome and use them as part of a wing assembly on some air or spacecraft. The set comes with 4 of them, used in the suspension. The wheels are attached to the body via the 4 pins in the centre.

Struts 2.jpg

The cockpit is bare spare the single control stick. How these brave aquanauts are supposed to get by with so few controls is beyond me. Another cost-cutting measure in the Atlantis line. The underside of the cockpit is open.

cockpit.jpg

Vehicle.jpg

The vehicle is fine, it just doesn't distinguish itself from other recent models, such as the Power Miners line. The typical Atlantis stickers are present. My son shrugged and put it aside - perhaps if he didn't have a shelf full of Power Miners sets this would hold more interest for him. I'll give it another week and then I'm stealing those strut pieces ...

Overall impression: A bit expensive, straightforward build, a standard modern small-sized Lego vehicle. Recommended if you don't have any other recent vehicles and it's on sale for a decent price.

[Brickbuilder0937]

Good review, BTW those grey pieces were used for wing supports on the Sopwith Camel, Red Baron and Wright Flyer several years back.