I like to imagine that this is guarding a mountain pass. When opened, the portcullis is actually just blocking the main road over the pass which black falcons control for a toll. then to access the fortifications, you have to go up the ramp and drawbridge
I’d love to see more small/mid sized medieval/classic fantasy sets, and especially I’d like a CMF series of that theme, it’d make a lot of medieval builds much more lively.
The portcullis does actually have a function, if the castle is folded closed, it is the first point of defense, and then connects up to the walled ramp up to the drawbridge, like a spiral. As a someone who studied castles quite a bit I really like the fortifications, and it looks beautiful with the different angles, amazing architectural details that make sense. Truly one of the better Lego castles at this scale and piece count, and the snow theme is refreshing. I do agree however that it could use some more color, maybe some green plants and items and colors in the interior. Definitely getting one of these!
Nice to meet someone else who has a background in medieval studies! I sort of see what you're saying regarding the drawbridge, but there's a wide open archway *right* next to the portcullis, with only a short wall between them. It reminds me of the short wall in the King's Mountain Fortress set that allows invaders to bypass what would otherwise be an intimidating gatehouse.
@@BB2O2 the archway and the portcullis form one hallway when closed, they do not have any pictures of it closed showing the entrance. it basically separates the drawbridge and portcullis in 2 different phases than in one single obstacle. its pretty cool design.
I actually really like this castle the more I look at it and figure out how it works since when its open really changes the layout. To get to the keep first one goes through the portcullis, then goes up a ramp and around the castle to then face the draw bridge, which takes them to the balcony which has the door to the keep. So it is quite protected, not really a castle but a fortress. The real problem is that castle is just too hot right now to have this as the black falcon equivalent to the Lions knight castle as a limited edition set. So LEGO will really still need to make a Black Falcons castle, as this will not properly fulfill that role. Its just not fair to fans as it will sell out immediately and will be resold on the market by scalpers as you said. Which is going to be frustrating and if I can't get it on release I may lose interest in LEGO castle (BTW the lions knight castle is the first set I have gotten in 25 years!) because they are not producing anything at the moment and making all the accessory sets rare GWP and creator pieces like this. The focus seems for LEGO seems to be to the reseller and investing collector and not making a good accessible toy. Also because of the piece limit it seems like it may be a little unfinished, or could have been taken a little further or added a cart or accessories (a siege weapon?) that will not be part of it now. I just do not understand the marketing and sales strategy of LEGO when it comes to castle which has been a good seller for them even at a high price point. Its been 9 months and nothing new from the Castle line while they have been pumping out hundreds of sets and most are really questionable and a departure from what makes LEGO great.
You hit the nail on the head. I also hope that Lego considers making a more official version of a Black Falcon castle. Although, technically that could be said for the Creator 3-in-1 Castle which is for the Black Falcons.
Castle is my main theme, and I heavily MOC my sets, so thank you for your criticism, as I am determined to get this set, and can use your critique to MOC it to my standards! I do like the winter theme. I am planning a mountain, so the snow makes sense, and this size fits with my theme of "several midsize castles in a large fantasy setting" instead of the usual castle convention setups that feature one giant castle. I really wanted Castle in the Forest, but missed the order day. I'm glad I got 2 of the Forest Hideout GWP, because Forestmen are my favorite faction, and those shields are printed!
I pieced out a castle in the forest last year, I think it cost me around $300. I will admit, it was a major pain in the butt because I wanted to order everything from Lego to save on shipping, and I had to break it up into several orders and make some color substitutions here and there. But if you’re willing to go through the process it’s worth it because I love the set! My kids and I find it even more fun to play with than the lion knights’ castle. And we have printed forestmen torsos and shields, better than what the brinklink set had to offer when it came out.
@@kaltech04 Okay, yeah, your experience with trying to consolidate shipping (and not being able to) and having to substitute parts is what I want to avoid. I'm glad for the feedback on how fun the castle is though. I will look up the parts list to get that build rolling. The thing is, I make 2x size versions of many Lego sets, and I wanted to do the same here. Maybe just order 2x the parts from the get go. Then I'd have my own version to go with my Forestmen-converted Ideas Treehouse.
Coming from someone that owns BOTH Lion Knights and Mountain fortress sets, here are a few points to keep in mind... A) the MF set is built with a 4K piece count limitation and only with those in production. The LK castle was an official Lego set that had no piece type or count restriction (4.5K). B) Taking the LK set out of the equation this set was leaps and bounds above it's predecessors. C) The MF offers an original theme, one that takes place in the winter which we've never had before. C) The LK is really half scale and is quite cramped. The MF, while not exactly to 1:1 scale, the size does feel more realistic. D) The designer for this is Sleepless Night. IMO his designs are levels above other designers. This is evident by how often he surpass hundreds of designers to become the finalist in each series. E) People always complain about price regardless. I think the price offered for what you get is a great deal. Let's be fortunate that we have the Brick Link Designer program otherwise, us hardcore fans would get nothing.
I think the castle looks cool. It doesn't have to make total real world sense to be an interesting design. I will buy as many as I can. Love the castle and Viking themes.
Kind of surprising we've neve seen a proper water mill before. I don't really count the various blacksmith shops over the years. Thanks for watching, Edward!
@@SMac86 I do! The difference, in my eyes, is that the rooms in that castle are connected with ladders and doors, which don't consistently appear in this one
@@BB2O2 You have some fair points from what we see so far, maybe it will be cleaned up a bit for release, but I like the look of it. Anyway there are a few ladders and hatches I added to the Lions castle myself, so it isn’t a game ender for me. I just really like the snowy atmosphere, and that path up to the keep is a perfect death trap if lined with archers. It’s unclear to me if the portcullis leads to the main castle or if that is its own section where knights can be dispatched from as it looks like the stables are down there with a dungeon.
@@SMac86 It looks like when closed the portcullis is the main entrance, and the path wraps around the sides to then cross the draw bridge, and more path to get to the balcony and enter the door... I really like this. Its a great match to the LIons knight castle... except it needs to be mass produced and enhanced a little.
@@jacobe1942 Ah yes I see that now. 👍 Seems like there should be some kind of side door to the stables though, because you arent getting that horse out up a ladder or small stairwell. In that case I would like to see that lower path wall a little higher in order to prevent simply hopping over it to bypass the portcullis. But that is easliy fixed. I am excited about the potential in this one too!
Seems like most of the design problems you point out are resolved by closing the model up. Portculis actually leads to the drawbridge, so it's a realistic layered defense. All rooms are reachable through the stair cases. The only defensive issue is the front wall is kinda short so infantry could easily bypass the portculis. They would still have to breach the drawbridge, which would require filling the gap with earth then getting a batterring ram over the low wall... I guess the basement dungeon and store rooms can be reached through breaking down one thin wall, but every Lego castle has that problem. Overall defensively it doesnt seem worse or less realistic than Lion Knights castle.
There is the right amount of stairs. If you enter through the portcullis then you only reach the underground floor. If you want to reach the living quarters, you must go over the draw bridge. And on this floor, you have steps to go to the higher floors.
As someone who enjoys medieval/fantasy theme, I personally would love to see more variety. I enjoy world building and would love to see castle theme get the same treatment as like City theme. Small affordable sets that you can collect to build your own castle villages etc. As a casual collector, it's just really hard to justify ANOTHER 300$ castle haha. I am happy to see more castle theme stuff from Lego though and I hope we eventually see a resurgence of all those cool fantasy sets they used to make. I would happily buy some sort of Orc fortress or Bandit Lair haha. Thanks for the video!
While the cons you pointed out have persuaded me away from this set for good reasons, I really appreciated the winter theme of the build. An idea for a non-castle set could be cathedrals, where designers could take advantage of the increased detail pieces for gargoyles, buttresses, and statues. Another could be a ball at a palace, though that seems like a hefty piece count as well. A proper farm set with a small hovel and crops would be an instant hit, for me at least. I really just hope they steer away from the $100+ price point for the sake of everyone's wallet :/
a MUST BUY for me. Black Falcons need an own castle with a new style, modern technics. Not like 3 in 1 castle which was a great start. Castle in the video looks AMAZING! Maybe TLG can make it even better somehow.
Great points. Overall a good castle, glad the program exists, but with the high price point, no new prints and the near-instant sellout that is likely, I’ll continue to stick with official offerings and cross my fingers and hope that the Medieval Village happens.
This is going to be very similar to the Castle in the Forest, where the set itself is okay but nothing is very exclusive, and aside from the stickers it would probably be pretty easy to piece together, and likely for cheaper than the cost of the set itself. I will probably not buy the set, but rather just try to piece it together with the parts I have in my collection with the free instructions.
I fully agree. I am happy to get ANY kind of castle set, but at the end of the day it's huge, it's going to be expensive, no new pieces or any exclusive stuff, and most importantly it's not going to come with the same instructions and box and many other small things that Lego does. However, most of the things should be printed, as we now have all these items. I still love the castle, but I would have wanted something smaller - or something with more than just another castle.
I mean, Lego owns Brick Link. So it might as well be considered an official set. People certainly treat them like they are. Lego seems to only care a lot about licensed lines over everything else. I’m so uninterested in those lines. I really miss Classic IPs like castles and pirates.
A lot of your criticisms are easy to explain away. Your criticism about the defense of the castle is explained by space surrounding the castle that is not built up in LEGO pieces. Your criticism only works if you assume the castle is on flat terrain. Not sure how you can make that assumption. I would like to remind everyone that this is a "Mountain Fortress" in name, and aesthetic. It suggests that it is atop a mountains. Perhaps a treacherous one. I promise that you will not have an easy time pushing a ram, uphill, to get to the portcullis. This is the problem with a lot of adults that critique designs of LEGO sets. Their criticisms are the product of failed imagination, something LEGO tries to cultivate in kids with suggestions of things in a lot of LEGO's low-resolution set designs. And LEGO is not making this set. It has ZERO impact on future set ideas. It required ZERO R&D and does not require shelf space.
Your point about the set's terrain not being included is fair, but it's also part of the problem. I am judging purely what is being presented on its merits. If the designer had included enough of a mountain face to stop attackers from getting in, that would be one thing, but it does not. The Lion Knight's Castle, for example, does not have this problem since it was designed to be incredibly difficult to attack without requiring additional pieces. As the Mountain Fortress is clearly a set marketed at adults like ourselves, I am well within my bounds to critique it as such. Your sweeping claim that adults who criticize adult-oriented sets have "failed imaginations" comes off as a little arrogant, wouldn't you say? If the castle were green and I criticized the fact that it was green, would you say that I failed to imagine the appeal of a green castle? I have a high standard when it comes to what I'm willing to spend several hundred dollars on because I have a degree in medieval history. My opinion is not stopping you from buying this castle, and I hope you enjoy it! Lego owns Bricklink, so it is making this set. Its success or failure could very well impact future set development.
@@BB2O2 Let’s take your position of judging the set based on presentation up a notch. Using your logic, I can take it one step further and say the Mountain Fortress is impossible to attack with a ram because there is zero terrain surrounding the fortress. There is no way for a battering ram to get to the portcullis. Literally. This is obviously a ridiculous position. That you need MORE MOUNTAIN for the Mountain Fortress to buy in to the fact that the fortress isn’t so conveniently accessible is literally a failure of your imagination. The designer has allocated almost the entirety of 4,000 parts to an actual castle, while still being able to competently invite you to believe that the castle is not situated on easy-to-access terrain. Even the castle’s verticality with relatively small footprint suggests there isn’t much terrain to work with. There are a number of reasons to not buy a LEGO set. Especially a set that has NOT gone through LEGO’s typical quality control requirements before approval. However, the Mountain Fortress’ viability (or lack there of) as a defensive position is not one of them. It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself to not buy the set. You should not buy it if you don’t want it. And lastly, it is not arrogant for me to point out adults that have failed imaginations. You have only further proven your inability to imagine by doubling down and saying the designer should have provided more mountain. Do you need LEGO to build you an ocean for your boat set?
The limited part palette is not helping things, they've restricted the usage beyond even what's available from pick & build. It really is going to turn into the Modular Building Designer Program at this point.
I love this castle, but it looks a bit too similar to the Lion Knight's Castle. Not that that's a bad thing, just a bit odd. I'll still buy it since Castle has been my favorite theme since I got Forestmen's Crossing for Christmas in 1990. I'm always happy to see any older themes get some attention and new releases, even if not official
Totally agree that Lego needs to release smaller “support” sets in the Castle theme. Look at the variety of sets that were released in earlier iterations! This set is going to be a “pass” for me. Nice video!
It is strange how they make so many sets for other lines and people are clamoring for more classic castle and there is nothing other than a few GWP. (one upcoming?) A limited set like this is going to be disappointing for many who can't get it right away and have to deal with scalpers.
I wish LEGO would realize how hot castle is right now and just make this a regular set but beef it up a little to the Lions knight standard. Its a pretty good match up but just needs a liiiiitle more accessories and such which are limited to the design parameters.
Wonderful i like this Castle . Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ta videos et tes propos certes ce n’est pas un ensemble officiel mais il est brillant et libre à nous de le modifie .
It looks pretty boring, imo. And with how high Lego is likely to price this, I'll pass. I'd love to see more castle sets with conflict. It really increases the play value which, yes, us adults still enjoy.
Not a fan of the design! The price of these castle and fantasy set is ridiculous! I can afford them don’t get me wrong, but not every set should be a big expense castle! I don’t even use Bricklink anymore and know it’ll be even more on eBay! The fact that it’s probably going to be another substandard none Lego design set with no new prints, factions or elements is also a big turn off! It’s a hard pass for me and I think I’ll use the money saved to buy retro castles and parts from bricks and pieces. Great vid btw.
Lego fans complain so much. All I hear is people hoping for a new castle line and then in some form the release really cool castle sets and everyone just complains.
I appreciate the feedback! Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. The point of this video is to judge whether or not this castle is worth $400, which I tried to approach fairly. As potential paying customers, we have the right to judge what we're thinking about buying beforehand rather than just accepting whatever Lego throws at us because it's better than nothing. This project would be just fine if it were the only Castle product out there, but it's not, and the existing ones are better. I'm sure it'll be successful regardless, and the reception has been positive from what I've seen! It would be boring if everyone had the exact same opinions on things, wouldn't it?
I like this and hope to procure one, the main complaint I have is that Castle is just too hot right now to have a limited series that will sell out in hours or less and then be on the resale market for much more.
Definitely over priced. It’s a cool looking castle with some design flaws, not enough mini figures, digital instructions, and only $14 cheaper (Cdn) than the official Lion Knights castle, which has none of the above problems. Lego is definitely showing its greed with this set.
Fan designs have gotten better than lego designs.. thats a very stupip point. And collect action figures instead of lego of you hate stickers... Stupid take, this castle isnt for you, thats it move one...
I bought two of them :) For me I buy EVERY castle or pirate set from BLDP cos in this way I support program and desigens like this or Castle in the forest. Bigger = better and in this case money are not a problem for big fans of LEGO. We work we earn we spend and it's better to buy this than expensive cloths or drugs ;) Project over 4K pices - YES PLEASE! I dream now about Blue coats BIG NAVAL IMPERIAL FLAG SHIP! :) Previous design from Sleepless Night - Black Knight Castle was far more better but LEGO was scared to release it :(
Wow! You missed the whole design of the set and are way off! I get it though took me a while to wrap my head around the design. Two issues with this review One: each room is accessible look closer. Two: portcullis gate is more of a barbican with the draw bridge being a gate house. Things that are hard to see: Basement level only accessible through portcullis hence no ladders or stairs. Accessible by wrap around path. There is a pass through door that leads to the wrap around path and the second line of defense the draw bridge. Small court yard to the keep.
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Personally i hope that Lego could release new castle related sets in the future
I like to imagine that this is guarding a mountain pass. When opened, the portcullis is actually just blocking the main road over the pass which black falcons control for a toll. then to access the fortifications, you have to go up the ramp and drawbridge
I’d love to see more small/mid sized medieval/classic fantasy sets, and especially I’d like a CMF series of that theme, it’d make a lot of medieval builds much more lively.
We need Knight Battle Packs.
The portcullis does actually have a function, if the castle is folded closed, it is the first point of defense, and then connects up to the walled ramp up to the drawbridge, like a spiral.
As a someone who studied castles quite a bit I really like the fortifications, and it looks beautiful with the different angles, amazing architectural details that make sense.
Truly one of the better Lego castles at this scale and piece count, and the snow theme is refreshing. I do agree however that it could use some more color, maybe some green plants and items and colors in the interior.
Definitely getting one of these!
Nice to meet someone else who has a background in medieval studies! I sort of see what you're saying regarding the drawbridge, but there's a wide open archway *right* next to the portcullis, with only a short wall between them. It reminds me of the short wall in the King's Mountain Fortress set that allows invaders to bypass what would otherwise be an intimidating gatehouse.
@@BB2O2 the archway and the portcullis form one hallway when closed, they do not have any pictures of it closed showing the entrance. it basically separates the drawbridge and portcullis in 2 different phases than in one single obstacle. its pretty cool design.
I actually really like this castle the more I look at it and figure out how it works since when its open really changes the layout. To get to the keep first one goes through the portcullis, then goes up a ramp and around the castle to then face the draw bridge, which takes them to the balcony which has the door to the keep. So it is quite protected, not really a castle but a fortress. The real problem is that castle is just too hot right now to have this as the black falcon equivalent to the Lions knight castle as a limited edition set. So LEGO will really still need to make a Black Falcons castle, as this will not properly fulfill that role. Its just not fair to fans as it will sell out immediately and will be resold on the market by scalpers as you said. Which is going to be frustrating and if I can't get it on release I may lose interest in LEGO castle (BTW the lions knight castle is the first set I have gotten in 25 years!) because they are not producing anything at the moment and making all the accessory sets rare GWP and creator pieces like this. The focus seems for LEGO seems to be to the reseller and investing collector and not making a good accessible toy. Also because of the piece limit it seems like it may be a little unfinished, or could have been taken a little further or added a cart or accessories (a siege weapon?) that will not be part of it now. I just do not understand the marketing and sales strategy of LEGO when it comes to castle which has been a good seller for them even at a high price point. Its been 9 months and nothing new from the Castle line while they have been pumping out hundreds of sets and most are really questionable and a departure from what makes LEGO great.
You hit the nail on the head. I also hope that Lego considers making a more official version of a Black Falcon castle. Although, technically that could be said for the Creator 3-in-1 Castle which is for the Black Falcons.
Lego will NEVER do this but a cathedral would be awesome
notre dame cathedral set just announced haha
@@cowboydup 😱
Castle is my main theme, and I heavily MOC my sets, so thank you for your criticism, as I am determined to get this set, and can use your critique to MOC it to my standards! I do like the winter theme. I am planning a mountain, so the snow makes sense, and this size fits with my theme of "several midsize castles in a large fantasy setting" instead of the usual castle convention setups that feature one giant castle. I really wanted Castle in the Forest, but missed the order day. I'm glad I got 2 of the Forest Hideout GWP, because Forestmen are my favorite faction, and those shields are printed!
I pieced out a castle in the forest last year, I think it cost me around $300. I will admit, it was a major pain in the butt because I wanted to order everything from Lego to save on shipping, and I had to break it up into several orders and make some color substitutions here and there. But if you’re willing to go through the process it’s worth it because I love the set! My kids and I find it even more fun to play with than the lion knights’ castle. And we have printed forestmen torsos and shields, better than what the brinklink set had to offer when it came out.
@@kaltech04 Okay, yeah, your experience with trying to consolidate shipping (and not being able to) and having to substitute parts is what I want to avoid. I'm glad for the feedback on how fun the castle is though. I will look up the parts list to get that build rolling. The thing is, I make 2x size versions of many Lego sets, and I wanted to do the same here. Maybe just order 2x the parts from the get go. Then I'd have my own version to go with my Forestmen-converted Ideas Treehouse.
Coming from someone that owns BOTH Lion Knights and Mountain fortress sets, here are a few points to keep in mind... A) the MF set is built with a 4K piece count limitation and only with those in production. The LK castle was an official Lego set that had no piece type or count restriction (4.5K). B) Taking the LK set out of the equation this set was leaps and bounds above it's predecessors. C) The MF offers an original theme, one that takes place in the winter which we've never had before. C) The LK is really half scale and is quite cramped. The MF, while not exactly to 1:1 scale, the size does feel more realistic. D) The designer for this is Sleepless Night. IMO his designs are levels above other designers. This is evident by how often he surpass hundreds of designers to become the finalist in each series. E) People always complain about price regardless. I think the price offered for what you get is a great deal. Let's be fortunate that we have the Brick Link Designer program otherwise, us hardcore fans would get nothing.
I think the castle looks cool. It doesn't have to make total real world sense to be an interesting design. I will buy as many as I can. Love the castle and Viking themes.
So can i buy this set later this year ?
A windmill or watermill might make sense to fit with the medieval theme.
Kind of surprising we've neve seen a proper water mill before. I don't really count the various blacksmith shops over the years. Thanks for watching, Edward!
This sold out in 3 hours, valid points, but this castle looks magnificent and very impressive.
I love this set, it was one of my top prospects and Im so happy it made it.
Do you have the lion knights recent castle? All the rooms are cut in half... hasnt affected play one bit
@@SMac86 I do! The difference, in my eyes, is that the rooms in that castle are connected with ladders and doors, which don't consistently appear in this one
@@BB2O2 You have some fair points from what we see so far, maybe it will be cleaned up a bit for release, but I like the look of it. Anyway there are a few ladders and hatches I added to the Lions castle myself, so it isn’t a game ender for me. I just really like the snowy atmosphere, and that path up to the keep is a perfect death trap if lined with archers. It’s unclear to me if the portcullis leads to the main castle or if that is its own section where knights can be dispatched from as it looks like the stables are down there with a dungeon.
@@SMac86 It looks like when closed the portcullis is the main entrance, and the path wraps around the sides to then cross the draw bridge, and more path to get to the balcony and enter the door... I really like this. Its a great match to the LIons knight castle... except it needs to be mass produced and enhanced a little.
@@jacobe1942 Ah yes I see that now. 👍 Seems like there should be some kind of side door to the stables though, because you arent getting that horse out up a ladder or small stairwell. In that case I would like to see that lower path wall a little higher in order to prevent simply hopping over it to bypass the portcullis. But that is easliy fixed. I am excited about the potential in this one too!
Seems like most of the design problems you point out are resolved by closing the model up.
Portculis actually leads to the drawbridge, so it's a realistic layered defense. All rooms are reachable through the stair cases.
The only defensive issue is the front wall is kinda short so infantry could easily bypass the portculis. They would still have to breach the drawbridge, which would require filling the gap with earth then getting a batterring ram over the low wall...
I guess the basement dungeon and store rooms can be reached through breaking down one thin wall, but every Lego castle has that problem.
Overall defensively it doesnt seem worse or less realistic than Lion Knights castle.
There is the right amount of stairs. If you enter through the portcullis then you only reach the underground floor. If you want to reach the living quarters, you must go over the draw bridge. And on this floor, you have steps to go to the higher floors.
As someone who enjoys medieval/fantasy theme, I personally would love to see more variety. I enjoy world building and would love to see castle theme get the same treatment as like City theme. Small affordable sets that you can collect to build your own castle villages etc. As a casual collector, it's just really hard to justify ANOTHER 300$ castle haha.
I am happy to see more castle theme stuff from Lego though and I hope we eventually see a resurgence of all those cool fantasy sets they used to make. I would happily buy some sort of Orc fortress or Bandit Lair haha. Thanks for the video!
*400$ castle
While the cons you pointed out have persuaded me away from this set for good reasons, I really appreciated the winter theme of the build.
An idea for a non-castle set could be cathedrals, where designers could take advantage of the increased detail pieces for gargoyles, buttresses, and statues. Another could be a ball at a palace, though that seems like a hefty piece count as well. A proper farm set with a small hovel and crops would be an instant hit, for me at least. I really just hope they steer away from the $100+ price point for the sake of everyone's wallet :/
Same here. I love winter theming, and there just isn't enough of that outside of Christmas stuff.
a MUST BUY for me. Black Falcons need an own castle with a new style, modern technics. Not like 3 in 1 castle which was a great start. Castle in the video looks AMAZING! Maybe TLG can make it even better somehow.
Great points. Overall a good castle, glad the program exists, but with the high price point, no new prints and the near-instant sellout that is likely, I’ll continue to stick with official offerings and cross my fingers and hope that the Medieval Village happens.
Feel the same way, for sure. Thanks for watching, Blake!
It looks pretty cool, i just want more castle related stuff
I personally hope I can get one. I look forward to building it. If it needs a staircase. It’s LEGO. Engineer one in.
I would not mind where you build a castle or some other larger build from a number of smaller sets.
This is going to be very similar to the Castle in the Forest, where the set itself is okay but nothing is very exclusive, and aside from the stickers it would probably be pretty easy to piece together, and likely for cheaper than the cost of the set itself. I will probably not buy the set, but rather just try to piece it together with the parts I have in my collection with the free instructions.
I agree that there's not a ton in this set for Castle fans who aren't enamored with the build. Thanks for watching!
while i would have preferred other castles in the running i'm thrilled to have a new huge castle and will jump on this!
Glad to hear you're a fan of this one, Frank!
I fully agree. I am happy to get ANY kind of castle set, but at the end of the day it's huge, it's going to be expensive, no new pieces or any exclusive stuff, and most importantly it's not going to come with the same instructions and box and many other small things that Lego does. However, most of the things should be printed, as we now have all these items. I still love the castle, but I would have wanted something smaller - or something with more than just another castle.
Great points here Octavian, glad we're on the same page!
I mean, Lego owns Brick Link. So it might as well be considered an official set. People certainly treat them like they are. Lego seems to only care a lot about licensed lines over everything else. I’m so uninterested in those lines. I really miss Classic IPs like castles and pirates.
A lot of your criticisms are easy to explain away. Your criticism about the defense of the castle is explained by space surrounding the castle that is not built up in LEGO pieces. Your criticism only works if you assume the castle is on flat terrain. Not sure how you can make that assumption. I would like to remind everyone that this is a "Mountain Fortress" in name, and aesthetic. It suggests that it is atop a mountains. Perhaps a treacherous one. I promise that you will not have an easy time pushing a ram, uphill, to get to the portcullis.
This is the problem with a lot of adults that critique designs of LEGO sets. Their criticisms are the product of failed imagination, something LEGO tries to cultivate in kids with suggestions of things in a lot of LEGO's low-resolution set designs.
And LEGO is not making this set. It has ZERO impact on future set ideas. It required ZERO R&D and does not require shelf space.
Your point about the set's terrain not being included is fair, but it's also part of the problem. I am judging purely what is being presented on its merits. If the designer had included enough of a mountain face to stop attackers from getting in, that would be one thing, but it does not. The Lion Knight's Castle, for example, does not have this problem since it was designed to be incredibly difficult to attack without requiring additional pieces. As the Mountain Fortress is clearly a set marketed at adults like ourselves, I am well within my bounds to critique it as such. Your sweeping claim that adults who criticize adult-oriented sets have "failed imaginations" comes off as a little arrogant, wouldn't you say? If the castle were green and I criticized the fact that it was green, would you say that I failed to imagine the appeal of a green castle?
I have a high standard when it comes to what I'm willing to spend several hundred dollars on because I have a degree in medieval history. My opinion is not stopping you from buying this castle, and I hope you enjoy it!
Lego owns Bricklink, so it is making this set. Its success or failure could very well impact future set development.
@@BB2O2 Let’s take your position of judging the set based on presentation up a notch. Using your logic, I can take it one step further and say the Mountain Fortress is impossible to attack with a ram because there is zero terrain surrounding the fortress. There is no way for a battering ram to get to the portcullis. Literally. This is obviously a ridiculous position. That you need MORE MOUNTAIN for the Mountain Fortress to buy in to the fact that the fortress isn’t so conveniently accessible is literally a failure of your imagination.
The designer has allocated almost the entirety of 4,000 parts to an actual castle, while still being able to competently invite you to believe that the castle is not situated on easy-to-access terrain. Even the castle’s verticality with relatively small footprint suggests there isn’t much terrain to work with.
There are a number of reasons to not buy a LEGO set. Especially a set that has NOT gone through LEGO’s typical quality control requirements before approval. However, the Mountain Fortress’ viability (or lack there of) as a defensive position is not one of them. It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself to not buy the set. You should not buy it if you don’t want it.
And lastly, it is not arrogant for me to point out adults that have failed imaginations. You have only further proven your inability to imagine by doubling down and saying the designer should have provided more mountain. Do you need LEGO to build you an ocean for your boat set?
I like it, looks awesome. Love the winter theme.
The limited part palette is not helping things, they've restricted the usage beyond even what's available from pick & build. It really is going to turn into the Modular Building Designer Program at this point.
Oi, mess off, legi need to do a proper castle theme.
They 100% should do a farm/ windmill
I agree. Thanks for watching, Cait!
Worst points I've heard in a while. Completely disagree with all of them.
That's okay! Thank you for watching.
I love this castle, but it looks a bit too similar to the Lion Knight's Castle. Not that that's a bad thing, just a bit odd. I'll still buy it since Castle has been my favorite theme since I got Forestmen's Crossing for Christmas in 1990. I'm always happy to see any older themes get some attention and new releases, even if not official
Idk I think it is amazing. Along with the forest stronghold for 2025
"There is no ladders or stairs" while literally looking at a picture showing two edit: three staircases.
I agree with your opinion. It is a beautiful set but it has some major issues especially with the piece count being that high.
How is possible order it?
This isn’t the final design of the set. Much like the castle in forest when it won. The design will change
This thing looks very similar to the lion knights castle. it’s basically just a snowy version of the Lion knights counselor with a taller tower
lego designs the stickers now
I think he used great techniques on the build, if l could l would buy it, but its too expensive and the figs will probably not be great
hard to say, you keep fading it out
what?
I want it tbh I love castles! Lol
Totally agree that Lego needs to release smaller “support” sets in the Castle theme. Look at the variety of sets that were released in earlier iterations! This set is going to be a “pass” for me. Nice video!
It is strange how they make so many sets for other lines and people are clamoring for more classic castle and there is nothing other than a few GWP. (one upcoming?) A limited set like this is going to be disappointing for many who can't get it right away and have to deal with scalpers.
The Lego 90th anniversary castle looks way better than this, so I’ll pass. They need to make something that’s better than what lego makes
I wish LEGO would realize how hot castle is right now and just make this a regular set but beef it up a little to the Lions knight standard. Its a pretty good match up but just needs a liiiiitle more accessories and such which are limited to the design parameters.
Wonderful i like this Castle . Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ta videos et tes propos certes ce n’est pas un ensemble officiel mais il est brillant et libre à nous de le modifie .
Who's playing with this tho?
It looks pretty boring, imo. And with how high Lego is likely to price this, I'll pass. I'd love to see more castle sets with conflict. It really increases the play value which, yes, us adults still enjoy.
Not a fan of the design! The price of these castle and fantasy set is ridiculous! I can afford them don’t get me wrong, but not every set should be a big expense castle! I don’t even use Bricklink anymore and know it’ll be even more on eBay! The fact that it’s probably going to be another substandard none Lego design set with no new prints, factions or elements is also a big turn off! It’s a hard pass for me and I think I’ll use the money saved to buy retro castles and parts from bricks and pieces.
Great vid btw.
Lego fans complain so much. All I hear is people hoping for a new castle line and then in some form the release really cool castle sets and everyone just complains.
I appreciate the feedback! Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. The point of this video is to judge whether or not this castle is worth $400, which I tried to approach fairly. As potential paying customers, we have the right to judge what we're thinking about buying beforehand rather than just accepting whatever Lego throws at us because it's better than nothing. This project would be just fine if it were the only Castle product out there, but it's not, and the existing ones are better. I'm sure it'll be successful regardless, and the reception has been positive from what I've seen! It would be boring if everyone had the exact same opinions on things, wouldn't it?
I like this and hope to procure one, the main complaint I have is that Castle is just too hot right now to have a limited series that will sell out in hours or less and then be on the resale market for much more.
Agreed
No catapults? Its just a castle model. Hard pass
Definitely over priced. It’s a cool looking castle with some design flaws, not enough mini figures, digital instructions, and only $14 cheaper (Cdn) than the official Lion Knights castle, which has none of the above problems. Lego is definitely showing its greed with this set.
Fan designs have gotten better than lego designs.. thats a very stupip point.
And collect action figures instead of lego of you hate stickers...
Stupid take, this castle isnt for you, thats it move one...
I bought two of them :) For me I buy EVERY castle or pirate set from BLDP cos in this way I support program and desigens like this or Castle in the forest. Bigger = better and in this case money are not a problem for big fans of LEGO. We work we earn we spend and it's better to buy this than expensive cloths or drugs ;) Project over 4K pices - YES PLEASE! I dream now about Blue coats BIG NAVAL IMPERIAL FLAG SHIP! :) Previous design from Sleepless Night - Black Knight Castle was far more better but LEGO was scared to release it :(
Good on you for supporting Castle! Thanks for watching
Wow! You missed the whole design of the set and are way off! I get it though took me a while to wrap my head around the design. Two issues with this review
One: each room is accessible look closer.
Two: portcullis gate is more of a barbican with the draw bridge being a gate house.
Things that are hard to see:
Basement level only accessible through portcullis hence no ladders or stairs. Accessible by wrap around path. There is a pass through door that leads to the wrap around path and the second line of defense the draw bridge. Small court yard to the keep.