A Sand Crawler MOC From ComeBack Jeremy, Closing Out the Year on a Desert Note

Lego | Bought December 5, 2021 | $450 CAD from ComeBack Jeremy

Sand Crawler MOC brick model — Photo credit: mocbrickstore.com

Why I Bought It

I wrapped up my 2021 buying with another custom build, this time a 379-piece Jawa Sand Crawler MOC picked up through a seller going by ComeBack Jeremy. It’s a smaller, more compact take on the Sand Crawler than the larger Vonado-branded version I already had on the shelf from a different year, and I specifically wanted something at a different scale so the two wouldn’t just look like duplicates side by side.

Living With It

At 379 pieces it’s a much quicker build than my bigger Star Wars vehicles, but it still captures the Sand Crawler’s blocky, treaded silhouette well. The smaller scale actually works in its favor here — it slots into gaps on a crowded shelf that the bigger builds can’t, and it doesn’t compete for attention with the Republic Gunship sitting nearby. A nice, low-effort way to close out a year that had already delivered plenty of big builds.

The Good

Compact scale fits into shelf gaps the bigger builds can’t
Captures the Sand Crawler’s silhouette well despite the smaller piece count
Quick, relaxing build to close out a busy year

The Bad

Less detailed than a larger-scale Sand Crawler build
Third-party seller sourcing means less consistency than an official or established MOC brand

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A solid smaller-scale companion piece, not a replacement for a full-size Sand Crawler build.

Grab One Here

The Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition Xbox Controller, a Colorful Companion to a New Console

Hardware | Bought November 20, 2021 | $80 CAD from Eb Games

Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller — Photo credit: Xbox.com

Why I Bought It

Five days after finally getting my hands on a Series X, I was back at Eb Games for the Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition controller. Forza’s vibrant Mexico-inspired art direction translated into one of the more eye-catching controllers Xbox has put out, and after a year of console scarcity I was in the mood to just enjoy having current-gen hardware to shop for.

Living With It

The controller feels identical to a standard Xbox Wireless Controller in the hand — no surprises there, which is exactly what you want from a limited-edition skin. The gradient paint job is genuinely one of the nicer Xbox designs I’ve seen, shifting between warm oranges and blues depending on the light. It’s purely cosmetic, but paired with the Halo Infinite console it makes for a nice contrast on the shelf.

The Good

Vibrant, unique gradient design unlike any standard Xbox controller
Same comfortable, reliable feel as the base Xbox Wireless Controller
Good contrast piece next to other console/controller combos on display

The Bad

Purely cosmetic — no functional upgrades over the standard controller
Limited-edition pricing premium for what’s essentially a paint job

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. A great-looking controller if the design speaks to you, but don’t expect anything beyond the base experience.

Grab One Here

The Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition, a Launch-Day Console I Actually Got on Launch Day

Hardware | Bought November 15, 2021 | $725 CAD from Eb Games

Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition console — Photo credit: Xbox.com

Why I Bought It

After a full year of scalpers and restock chaos, I finally managed to walk into an Eb Games on Halo Infinite’s actual launch day and walk out with the Limited Edition Series X bundle. The console’s etched design and the matching controller were reason enough on their own, but pairing it with Halo’s long-awaited campaign launch made this the easiest console purchase I’ve made in years.

Living With It

The etched blue-and-gold finish looks fantastic in person and photographs even better than the press shots suggested. Performance-wise it’s the same excellent Series X under the hood — fast load times, quiet operation, no complaints there. The real story is finally having a current-gen Xbox after a year of scalped listings, and Halo Infinite running on it made the whole wait feel worth it.

The Good

Striking etched Halo-themed finish that stands out from the standard console
Same excellent Series X performance underneath the cosmetics
Matching controller is a great bonus for the bundle price

The Bad

A steep premium over the standard Series X for what’s mostly a cosmetic bundle
Took over a year of trying to actually find one at retail price

Final Call

Rating: 4.5/5. Worth the wait for the design alone, and a perfect excuse to finally jump to current-gen.

Grab One Here

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes, a Desert Horror That Digs Into Real Dread

Games | Bought October 24, 2021 | $40 CAD via PSN

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes cover art — Photo credit: PlayStation Store

Why I Bought It

I’d been calling this one “Ashes to Ashes” in my head for months based on some early buzz, but the actual game that released is House of Ashes, the third entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology. I grabbed it on PSN the week it launched — I’d enjoyed the earlier entries in the series enough that a Gulf War-era horror story set in a buried Sumerian temple was an easy sell.

Living With It

The claustrophobic underground setting is a genuine step up in atmosphere from the earlier games, and the branching choice system still does a great job of making every decision feel like it matters, even when some of it is smoke and mirrors. The cast is stronger than I expected, and the creature reveal midway through is one of the better horror beats the series has pulled off. It’s a shorter game than a full-priced release, but that fits the anthology’s bite-sized format.

The Good

Oppressive, claustrophobic underground setting works great for horror
Branching choices genuinely feel consequential
Stronger voice cast than the previous two entries

The Bad

Short runtime for the asking price if played solo, single-sitting
Some QTE sequences still feel dated compared to other narrative horror games

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. The strongest Dark Pictures entry yet, and worth it especially with a co-op partner.

Grab One Here

LEGO’s Santa’s Visit, a Christmas Set I Bought Way Too Early

Lego | Bought October 5, 2021 | $150 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO Santa's Visit set 10293 — Photo credit: LEGO.com

Why I Bought It

Santa’s Visit (10293) hit shelves in October, and I’ll admit I jumped on it the moment it was available rather than waiting for the actual holiday season. At 1,445 pieces, it’s a chunky seasonal display set, and I wanted enough runway to actually finish it before decorating for Christmas.

Living With It

The finished piece is genuinely charming — the rotating chimney mechanism that reveals Santa’s legs stuck inside is a clever little detail, and the color palette does a lot of work making it feel festive without being garish. It’s a set clearly designed to be displayed as a diorama rather than played with, and it succeeds at that in a way a lot of seasonal LEGO sets don’t quite manage.

The Good

Clever chimney mechanism with Santa’s legs sticking out is a great little touch
Festive without tipping into tacky
Doubles nicely as year-round shelf decor thanks to the warm color scheme

The Bad

Only really makes sense to display for a couple months a year
Pricey for a decoration piece with no real play function

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. A genuinely fun build and a great seasonal centerpiece, just don’t expect it to earn its shelf space year-round.

Grab One Here

PowerA’s Blood Moon Zelda Controller, the Closest Thing to an Official Zelda Pad

Hardware | Bought August 17, 2021 | $50 CAD from Walmart

PowerA Blood Moon Zelda Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch — Photo credit: Amazon listing photo

Why I Bought It

Nintendo has never actually made an official Zelda Pro Controller, which surprised me when I went looking for one. PowerA’s licensed “Blood Moon” Zelda Enhanced Wireless Controller is about as close as it gets — officially licensed, Breath of the Wild themed, and a fraction of the price of a real Pro Controller. I grabbed one at Walmart to go with my Switch setup.

Living With It

The Blood Moon art print on the front is genuinely striking, and the controller itself is comfortable for long sessions despite being a third-party product. It lacks the Pro Controller’s HD rumble and amiibo reader, and it’s wired rather than wireless despite the name on the box implying otherwise for some SKUs, but as a display piece and a backup controller it more than earns its spot.

The Good

Striking Blood Moon Breath of the Wild artwork
Comfortable grip for a budget third-party controller
Officially licensed, so it doesn’t feel like a knockoff

The Bad

No HD rumble or amiibo reader like the real Pro Controller
Still no actual official Nintendo Zelda controller exists, which is a shame

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A solid stand-in for a controller Nintendo should have made themselves by now.

Grab One Here

LEGO’s UCS Republic Gunship, the Prequel Set I Waited Way Too Long to Get

Lego | Bought August 3, 2021 | $300 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO UCS Republic Gunship 75309 — Photo credit: LEGO.com

Why I Bought It

I’d had the UCS Republic Gunship (75309) on my wishlist since it launched, but the price kept scaring me off. A points redemption through the LEGO VIP program finally closed the gap in early August, bringing it down to something I could actually justify. At over 3,000 pieces and roughly 23 inches long, it’s easily the biggest single build I’ve tackled for this collection.

Living With It

This thing took the better part of a week of evenings to finish, and it’s worth every hour. The gunship’s iconic gull-wing design translates beautifully into brick form, the cockpit fits two minifigures with room to spare, and the side doors open to reveal a fully detailed troop bay. It’s a genuine display centerpiece — the kind of set that makes casual visitors stop and ask what it is.

The Good

Massive, screen-accurate silhouette that dominates any shelf
Fully detailed troop bay and cockpit interior
Genuinely satisfying multi-day build

The Bad

Full retail price is steep even by UCS standards
Needs a lot of shelf real estate — this is not a subtle display piece

Final Call

Rating: 5/5. The best Star Wars set I’ve built for this collection, full stop. Worth chasing a discount for.

Grab One Here

The Fifth Element Flying Taxi MOC, a Genuinely Weird Left-Field Pickup

Vonado | Bought July 24, 2021 | $150 CAD from Vonado

Fifth Element flying taxi MOC brick model — Photo credit: lesdiy.com

Why I Bought It

Two weeks after the Ebon Hawk, I was still in a MOC-browsing mood and stumbled on a build of Korben Dallas’s flying taxi from The Fifth Element. It’s about as off-the-wall a choice as I’ve made for this collection, but the movie’s one of my all-time favorites and I’d never seen anyone build the taxi in brick form before, official or otherwise.

Living With It

It’s a smaller, faster build than the Ebon Hawk, and the designer did a great job capturing the taxi’s chunky, battered-future-noir look with a clever use of angled plating. It doesn’t get the same double-take from guests that a Star Wars ship does — most people just ask what it is — but for anyone who knows the movie, it’s an instant grin.

The Good

A genuinely unique build you won’t find anywhere else
Captures the taxi’s distinctive battered, boxy shape well
Quicker build than the larger Vonado ships

The Bad

Niche enough that most visitors won’t recognize what it is
Smaller scale makes it easy to overlook next to bigger builds on the shelf

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A fun oddball pickup for fans of the movie, less essential if you’re not.

Grab One Here

A Vonado Ebon Hawk MOC, a Fan Build That Outdoes What LEGO Never Made

Vonado | Bought July 10, 2021 | $350 CAD from Vonado

Ebon Hawk MOC brick model — Photo credit: lesdiy.com

Why I Bought It

LEGO has never made an official Ebon Hawk set, which is honestly baffling given how iconic the ship is to anyone who played Knights of the Old Republic. Vonado fills exactly that kind of gap with fan-designed MOCs (my own custom creations, essentially, just professionally kitted and sold), and their Ebon Hawk build had been on my watch list for months before I finally pulled the trigger this July.

Living With It

The build is a multi-day project, not a weekend one, and the instructions are noticeably less polished than an official LEGO manual — a few steps needed a second look to figure out. But the finished ship nails the asymmetrical, cobbled-together silhouette that makes the Ebon Hawk instantly recognizable, right down to the boarding ramp. For a ship LEGO has ignored for two decades, this is about as good as it gets.

The Good

Fills a real gap in official LEGO Star Wars offerings
Accurate, distinctive silhouette that’s unmistakably the Ebon Hawk
Opening boarding ramp and cockpit detail add real play value

The Bad

Instructions are rougher than an official set and require patience
Not cheap for a third-party build without official LEGO backing

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. If you want an Ebon Hawk on your shelf, this is currently the only real way to get one.

Grab One Here

Borderlands 3 on Sale, a Late-to-the-Party Loot Shooter That Still Delivers

Games | Bought June 20, 2021 | $40 CAD via PSN

Borderlands 3 cover art — Photo credit: PlayStation Store

Why I Bought It

Borderlands 3 had been out since 2019 and I’d somehow never gotten around to it, mostly because I burned out hard on the second game years ago. A deep PSN sale in June finally got me over that hump for $40 CAD, and with a DualSense fresh out of the box I figured a loot shooter was as good an excuse as any to put it through its paces.

Living With It

The gunplay is noticeably tighter than I remember from Borderlands 2, and the sheer volume of weapon variety still scratches the same itch it always has. The humor is a mixed bag — some of it lands, a lot of it is trying way too hard — but the moment-to-moment loop of shoot things, get slightly better gun, repeat is as addictive as ever. Coming to it two years late meant no launch bugs to deal with, which was a nice change of pace.

The Good

Gunplay feels tighter and more responsive than its predecessor
Absurd amount of weapon variety keeps the loot loop fresh
Co-op friendly, which made it an easy pick for couch sessions

The Bad

The humor swings hard and misses often
Story is forgettable and mostly an excuse to move between shooting galleries

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. Better late than never — a genuinely great loot shooter once you tune out the jokes.