Looks Good In The Box!

Ah the ‘Open Box Review’ or as I like to call them: “Looks Good in the Box!”

I’m sorry, and with all due respect to all of those internet-scale model titans and those who have come before me with these things. But, come on now. Is there anything less useful than an open-box review? Consider what is always said or written after the big ‘reveal’. “Should build up nicely” “The parts are crisply molded” or my favorite: “Looks good in the box!“

Really? Doesn’t every kit look good in the box? Come to think of it, I can’t remember reading or hearing any reviewer say: “Oh GOD! This kit looks absolutely horrible in the box… HORRIBLE! I burned it and I suggest you do the same before it infects your entire stash!”

Now, I know there is a healthy segment within this thing of ours that is very concerned about the placement of rivets, the measurement of panel lines, and the length and width of parts and structures. And I will concede that there is an argument to be made for pulling out a fuselage half, placing it on top of a commonly accepted schematic-ey drawing, and digitally tracing red lines all over it. After all, these sticklers will appreciate knowing if the kit is anything but accurate.

But let’s pretend the kit is the most accurate model ever created in the known universe and the dimensions are so razor precise that the model simply laughs at your schematics. Wouldn’t you want to know if the build will fight you every step of the way and end up a castoff on the shelf of misfit models?

Or better yet, wouldn’t you prefer a review that warns you of issues, arms you with some strategies and shows you that a good result is achievable? Wouldn’t that be nice to know? Assuming, of course, you are a model builder and not simply a stockpiler of hyper-accurate model kits.

My good friend Evan, the 36th Panzer Meister, thinks so. See, he has an excellent way to review tank models. You can see some examples here, here, here, and yes, here.

Notice something?

HE ACTUALLY BUILDS THEM.

Gasp!

And before he does his magic with all his fancy paints and weathering techniques, he reviews the build. Evan reviews the contents of the box, the detail of the parts, the quality of the instruction sheet and he will give you an honest assessment of the build. All this to say: when Evan does a review, you get a true model builder review that is actually useful. Plus, he’s one of those salt-of-the-earth-awesomesauce-lends-you-his-car-with-absolutely-no-questions-asked armor builders you keep hearing about. Evan is a prince.

So, to those who feel compelled to upload an unboxing of a brand-new release before everyone else does, I say this: Forget the clicks and go beyond the open box review.

Because we already know what you are going to say.

Instead, build the thing and then give us the goods.

Be Evan.