Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 666

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 671

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 684

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 689

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/strateg1/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/functions/media.php on line 694
League of Legends: Anivia Skins’ Review – StrategyZero
Mar 122013
 
Anivia, the Cryophoenix
Anivia, the Cryophoenix

Anivia, the Cryophoenix is a unique champion in all aspects. Her skins don’t always follow such an exceptional path as some simply play with her avian physiognomy. Nonetheless, some skins do re-interpret her under a different and original light. The time of the Cryophoenix has come, let the storm rage while this review analyses her icy facets.

Team Spirit Anivia
Team Spirit Anivia Splash Art Team Spirit Anivia Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Anivia painted white, blue and red.
Model: New textures for Anivia.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The background of this piece is extensive but actually doesn’t amount to much. There are sparks over a clear sky and a platform made or covered by ruby and sapphire crystals yet it all seems to tell nothing. Anivia is depicted as if just landing or about to take flight while paying attention to something not depicted; a mere pose. The outline isn’t very precise as her body seems too wide and her wings too narrow. Moreover her breast displays wide ice shards with an icon that aren’t present in her three-dimensional model. On top of that, the contrast between the purely white body and her red legs is missing. Still, the shading is good and does an acceptable job at depicting sparkling ice; even if the reflections seem forced and dim. All in all, it’s a splash art that catches the eye but that has some inconsistencies.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Team Spirit Anivia is a capricious re-texture that restricts itself to simply being Anivia painted in three simple colours. Sure, blue fits her ice body but it’s the same colour used for her classic look. The others are a definite stretch that doesn’t fit her; they don’t even pass for ruby or sapphire crystal references. To sum up, Team Spirit Anivia is a forced re-colour that may only be of interest to collectors.

Bird of Prey Anivia
Bird of Prey Anivia Splash Art Bird of Prey Anivia Model
Category: Regular
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Anivia as a bald eagle.
Model: New textures for Anivia.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The background is a natural but still unimpressive setting; it’s suitable but doesn’t say much. The foam looks good, the waves are glassy and the sky is covered in a diffuse fog. As a setting it works but doesn’t astound with neither its display nor its quality. Anivia appears as a crystal bald eagle carrying a philosopher’s stone; presumably for her nest. The depiction of the shards is uneven: great in certain parts and sporadic in others; just compare the head to her right wing. Furthermore, the shards’ shading focuses too much on reflections which contrast the matte finish of her three-dimensional model. Besides, her breast also exhibits large shards with an icon that doesn’t correspond to her model. The fact that the right colours aren’t used for her body, especially on her legs, is just another straw. In the end, it’s a splash art that doesn’t look bad at all but that doesn’t serve as a faithful portrayal of Anivia’s look.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Bird of Prey Anivia may be just a re-texture but it’s a very effective one. Her crystalline body is evident and doesn’t match the physiognomy of an actual bald eagle well. However, it’s not necessary to look twice to realize what she looks like. The re-texture is simple but also unambiguous and distinct. In the end, Bird of Prey Anivia delivers what it promises; even if that makes little sense with her ice abilities. It could be improved with a better model and smoother integration with her ice but, for its price, it’s a great purchase.

Noxus Hunter Anivia
Noxus Hunter Anivia Splash Art Noxus Hunter Anivia Model
Category: Legacy
Price: 520 RP
Concept: Anivia as an armoured cryophoenix.
Model: Moderate model changes for Anivia.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: The blurry background gives an idea of the power of the blizzard. It makes the whole scenery diffuse but there isn’t much to see anyway. There’s a lot of ice and a mute palace; not to mention the almost solid gusts. Anivia somehow manages to escape from the storm and is clearly visible. That’s not all good though: while the shading is reasonable the proportions are wrong. For example, her legs are thick and even human-like while her body seems incredibly wide judging from the top and bottom armour plates. Therefore, the piece becomes very disappointing as it does give an idea of Anivia’s armoured look but hardly contributes to generate any excitement about it.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Noxus Hunter Anivia offers a classic concept: the armoured battle bird. While the changes to Anivia aren’t extensive, as it’s heavily based on her classic model, the result is rather good. The armour is reasonable as it covers important parts of her front and back but without hindering movement; essential for flying. The armour looks lustreless but also sturdy and attractive; due to its multilayered design. In practice, Noxus Hunter Anivia can be considered an interesting battle-focused alternative to her classic skin or even a more developed interpretation of the Cryophoenix. All things considered, it’s a simple but appealing skin with a sensible price; a good choice for Cryopheonix fans.

Hextech Anivia
Hextech Anivia Splash Art Hextech Anivia Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Anivia as a steam automaton.
Model: New model for Anivia.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: A city of tall and monolithic buildings is discernible behind the copper smog that makes it look like a city of brass. While Anivia manages to depart from that mishmash of tones she keeps a similar colour palette. Still, her portrayal is good if unspectacular: she looks extremely faithful to her in-game appearance. The perspective is simple, a plain side view, which makes her look a bit flat. Additionally, her body doesn’t seem to bend well so as to make the wings placement believable. The fact that her left wing and a bit of her left leg are practically sinking in the sea of bronze doesn’t help matters. Truth be told, considering the outline it seems like a low-polygon snapshot of her model. On the whole, it’s a faithful and useful portrayal but as a splash art it leaves much to be desired.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Hextech Anivia’s concept is nothing groundbreaking even if it’s interesting. Conversely, the execution is wonderful as it perfectly delivers the theme. The model is a pleasure to behold as it’s carefully crafted and detailed. The wings are a spectacle in motion as the metal blades make a great job as remiges. Besides, the multilayered body and head look artificially but suitably aerodynamic. In addition to this, the runes and lines used for decoration give a remarkable aesthetic. If one were to complain then the crest of simple pipes, empty hole on her back, exaggerated exhaust pipes as retrices and obvious leg articulations come to mind. Regardless, they help give the model an appealing steampunk feel. Therefore, it’s certainly a pity that her ice abilities make such a strong contrast with her design; steam escaping the pipes is also absent. To be fair, Hextech Anivia is a great looking skin and if you can forgive it’s strict re-model nature then you’ll get an amazing steampunk style for the Cryophoenix.

Blackfrost Anivia
Blackfrost Anivia Splash Art Blackfrost Anivia Model
Category: Legendary
Price: 1820 RP
Concept: Anivia after embracing the darkness.
Model: New model for Anivia and Rebirth as well as new reflections for her body.
Particles: New dark ice particles for her abilities and auto-attack.
Animations: New animations for her abilities, auto-attack, critical hits, flight, emotes, recall, tower channel, re-spawn and death.
Sounds: New voice-over and sounds for her abilities, auto-attack, joke, taunt, death and re-spawn.
Splash Art: The darkness of the night is disrupted by the glow of an aurora borealis and the iridescent presence of a magical being. The idea behind the piece is attractive but the setting is mostly sky and a summit for Anivia to stand. That’s not to say that the portrayal isn’t good as it seems fascinating. Although The wings tend to look a bit dull in the edges, especially in comparison with the rest of the body, Anivia still appears magnificent. The ice formations framed by polished metal give her an aspect that elicits both royalty and predatory images. Unfortunately, the posture doesn’t let her shine in all her glory and what a wing doesn’t cover is occluded by another body part. The piece still manages to provide an intensely attractive portrayal but only around Anivia’s head. In the end, it’s a rather polarized splash art: magnetic where it works and dull where it doesn’t.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Blackfrost Anivia aims to give the cryophoenix a more sinister nature but also adds some welcome royalty to her aspect. Her body being made of dark ice is lavishly decorated with polished metal which still shows a few dents. In fact, sometimes it’s difficult to differentiate between decorations and body as the remiges and retrices demonstrate. Her body seems a monolithic, hybrid construct with a subtle futuristic facet that essentially looks quite good and manages to mesh well in the fantasy setting.
The dark ice particles are good but don’t scream corrupted frost as much as they could’ve. They do look as tainted ice but not clearly frozen or dripping with decay. It’s something subtle and it may be just the shades. For instance, Crystallize makes a convincing wall with cold air around it yet seems delicate. On top of this, Glacial Storm doesn’t communicate the rage of a baleful blizzard. The falling shards are few and the cloudy vortex hardly equates to a vile tornado. It could be said that the blackfrost is darker ice with black air around it. The blackfrost itself doesn’t look bad at all but leaves the feeling that it could’ve been more visceral about its intentions.
The multiple animations are a good addition in that they help make the casting of abilities clear. Furthermore, they add many nice touches that make evident Anivia’s supernatural nature and wicked personality. Thanks to them she appears more magnificent and, thus, more appealing.
Furthermore, the new sounds work well even if they don’t stand out in any particular way; except for her cries in Glacial Storm and Rebirth. In general, they fit the theme and provide the expected dose of chilling evil. Regardless, her new voice-over reflects very well her malevolence with a pinch of misguided benign intent. Therefore, instead of sounding simply cruel she is relatable but distinctly malignant.
All things considered, Blackfrost Anivia is a great skin for Anivia’s fans and an option worth considering for those that enjoy champions with a vicious facet. The skin doesn’t make the frosted corruption entirely clear but manages to display it in an appealing way. When considered as the sum of its parts Blackfrost Anivia surely raises above its flaws and becomes a pleasing re-interpretation of the Cryophoenix.

Prehistoric Anivia
Prehistoric Anivia Splash Art Prehistoric Anivia Model
Category: Regular
Price: 750 RP
Concept: Anivia as an armoured cryo-pteranodon.
Model: New model for Anivia and Rebirth.
Particles: No new particles.
Animations: No new animations.
Sounds: No new sounds.
Splash Art: With only a yellow sky for background it’s the job of the dinosaurs to fill all the available space. There is a shaman and another person nearby but aside from making a small tribute to Primal Rage they add little. In spite of the three champions sharing the spotlight their interaction isn’t clear. Renekton and Cho’Gath battle each other as predators could reasonably do but then Anivia appears on the side freezing the land and Renekton’s leg. Adding the armour that they wear they seem like staging a fight for supremacy as if they were to become rulers of the Earth. It could be another reference to Primal Rage or the lack of context simply allows for as many wild guesses as one can venture.
What is evident is that the portrayals are an uneven affair: the three dinosaurs only have a clear upper body while the rest melts in a fog that merely fills space. When the depictions are clear they are vivid and detailed. They draw interest and make even the preposterous struggle of monster Tyrannosaurus, humanoid Dimetrodon and ice Pteranodon attractive. However, the intense blur doesn’t really convey their scale it instead diminishes the power of the portrayals by hiding more of what makes the dinosaurs interesting: their physiques.
Therefore, this is a splash art that sets up a nice scene but doesn’t exploit all the advantages that a fight of three dinosaurs has. There’s a lack of context and even if we just focus on the fight the characters aren’t fully depicted making the most of their primal designs.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: Thanks to its colourful aspect and dinosaur concept Prehistoric Anivia manages to be an interesting skin. The mentioned dinosaur aspect is the best part of the skin: it provides it with an attractive and familiar style. The armour is quite brief and adds little to the theme. It could be said that it shows that it’s no mere irrational creature but even as decoration it lacks meaning. The ice angle is a necessary evil so that the Pteranodon doesn’t suddenly unleash a shard of ice out of nowhere. This makes the ice-styled membranes for her wings and tail visually appealing but conceptually imposed. Additionally, the ice formations on her head and back can feel preposterous. The Pteranodon appearance is stylized but manages to be somewhat faithful to an actual fossil. The general feel is well conveyed despite conforming to a bird structure even if the colours are a bit extravagant. The new model for Rebirth is a nice touch that keeps the skin consistent and adds to the theme.
All things considered, Prehistoric Anivia is a nice dinosaur skin that falls victim to the classic ice magic. Had the particles been adapted into something more suitable then the model wouldn’t have needed to make some questionable concessions. Thus, the dinosaur concept would’ve surfaced in full force: it’s the main appeal of the skin. As it stands, it’s a fantastic rendition of a Pteranodon that is as implausible as it is visually pleasing.

Festival Queen Anivia
Festival Queen Anivia Splash Art Festival Queen Anivia Model
Category: Regular
Price: 975 RP
Concept: Anivia as a Carnival-decorated bird of paradise.
Model: New model for Anivia and Rebirth.
Particles: New confetti-styled particles for her abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for Rebirth and recall.
Splash Art: Inside a stadium a scola do samba parades with their float comprised of a live bird ornamented in gold and jewels. There’s much that has to be guessed as the few members around the float can’t really be identified though they probably belong to the comissão de frente as they appear to precede the float. Not only are people and float diffuse but the whole audience is only a blur and the stadium a mere silhouette. The sky barely shows what should be bright fireworks and its tone seems too dull and light. As a final note on the background, it’s surprising to see the parade on a stadium instead of the legendary Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí.
That said, Anivia enjoys much better colours as well as her egg form. Eggnivia, for short reference, is rather nicely shaded with a particularly interesting gem-like quality to the egg. The metal platform seems dull but the design is well conveyed. Anivia herself is also an uneven affair. Her right foot veers into the photorealistic while the left one is only a diffuse draft. The feathers appear sketchy halfway between wool and thread with the tail feathers looking more vivid being a great display of watercolours; despite most being diffuse. The body feather’s colour transitions seem particularly rough but the wing feathers have a much more appealing and convincing, even if stylised, feel.
The golden decorations appear nicely depicted with some extra detail given to the joints. Unfortunately, the shading is irregular often ending up as plain and sketchy. The embedded jewels look like cheap plastic decorations. The right wing fares a bit better than the dim left wing but both fail to convince. The head does a better job though the same complaints are valid to a lesser degree. The mask has a clean surface as does the gold and jewels but they don’t fully convince. The surfaces of gold and jewels don’t convey the richness of their surfaces given the abundance of light sources around. Even the beak seems simplistic and the head feathers summarised in few brushstrokes.
All added together, this is a splash art that gives the lingering feeling of a prototype. The basic idea is good but the context isn’t well displayed or set up. Anivia’s portrayal is acceptable but with uneven quality for both forms. While at large she’s rather attractive thanks to the variety of colours a closer look reveals many inconsistencies. Extra polish can help but, as it is, it’s a presentation card with problems.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: By and large, Festival Queen Anivia or, in its original Portuguese name, Carnanivia has a bit to owe to the 2011 film Rio. The colourful parrot idea is delivered through a kaleidoscope of feathers though the main concept steers closer to that of a bird of paradise; which aren’t actually to be found anywhere in America. The beak stays the same shape and is also covered by a white mask that says little. The jewel-embedded golden crown and wing guards add a good dose of the luxuriant style associated with a Carnival costume. They can strike as too much like jewellery but the idea suits a regal bird. The feathers have a nice transition of colour in the wings but the tail seems simple with its similar blue tones; the curled feathers add to the bird of paradise fantasy. The body is more colourful but the hues seem washed out and the transitions abrupt.
Particles are, strangely and unexplainably, a mix of coloured ice and confetti. Flash Frost starts with a glowing, reddish, spiky block of ice that explodes in a few coloured papers. Crystallize again sets a wall of dull-coloured ice blocks with only a stream of ribbon attached to one side to make the wall more interesting. Frostbite simply colours the shard of ice yellow and throws it into a small flurry of colourful swirls and paper; a bit like a larger more febrile auto-attack, which is red. Glacial Storm is a bit, but only a bit more ambitious. The storm is made up of flying confetti inside colourful swirls as blue shards fall to explode in small yellow glints of light. The effect doesn’t reach the celebratory mood expected but, at least, it offers a good selection of colours.
Rebirth, fortunately, stands out with falling confetti and a single feather over a golden egg in a jewel-embedded platform. A subtle explosion of confetti exposes Anivia back to the world in too subdued a way. The samba tune used to support the passive makes it all the more special despite the collected visual display.
The same happens with the recall. It surely is a fantastic representation of the skin’s concept: Anivia dances samba on a mini-float as lights and fireworks frame her performance. Of course, samba music can be heard as she makes her tribute to King Momo.
Given how relevant and effective the samba tunes are for Rebirth and recall it’s really puzzling to hear that the rest of the skin keeps the frosty sounds. Auto-attacks and abilities are especially notorious for the clash the ice makes with the celebratory expectations given by the confetti explosions. There’s more than enough unsuitable ice on display so it can be understandable but it’s certainly the worst aspect of the skin and one that affects it on the whole.
All added together, Festival Queen Anivia is a skin with lots of appeal brought down by a misguided execution that seems unwilling to give up the ice. Those classic remnants detract from the celebratory, party feel that the skin so well can convey as Rebirth and recall show; both high points in the implementation. Because of how high the potential of the skin’s concept is it’s an utter disappointment to see that the Carnival feel hasn’t been fully embraced to make a transformation relishing on happiness and bright colours backed by cheerful tunes. This missed opportunity doesn’t ruin the skin but severely tarnishes its appeal. For what it is, Festival Queen Anivia is a passable skin with more potential than kinetic energy.

Papercraft Anivia
Papercraft Anivia Splash Art Papercraft Anivia Model
Category: Regular
Price: 1350 RP
Concept: Anivia as a bird made of folded paper.
Model: New model for Anivia and Rebirth plus new glow for her paper feathers. New paper birds for her recall.
Particles: New particles for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Animations: New recall animation.
Sounds: New sounds for his abilities, auto-attack and recall.
Splash Art: Very blurred the background aims to show a world made of folded paper which it does in the foreground yet, the message isn’t as effective in the background. There’s quite a bit of empty sky and the texture of paper is lost through the fog. The rather simple shapes don’t help, which is a pity as the foreground shows a bit of complexity in the designs. The plainness of the Sun is an eloquent example.
Something similar ails Anivia. Her complex design doesn’t come through. There’s the perspective which shows her unlike she would appear in-game. That way, her wings and back are mostly omitted. The rest of her body isn’t as richly designed, understandably so, but also disappointing for a spotlight. The textures of Anivia’s body barely show the expected feel of paper; barely her torso does. Besides, the magic surrounding her wing feathers is practically lost in intent and purpose. Her head shows a glimpse of potential in the portrayal and that’s the best there is.
Overall, there’s a degree success in the splash art which manages to communicate the basic style of the skin and its context. Unfortunately, it’s far from a proper success. The piece, in a few areas, shows the grandeur that the concept had for a splash art but most of what it shows is a letdown.
Rating: Star clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZeroStar clip art used in skin reviews at StrategyZero
Conclusion: With a complex design, Papercraft Anivia’s model is eloquent about the folded paper bird idea. The many folds, lines and vertices don’t make clear how Anivia has been formed from a single sheet of paper; which most complex origami can be accused of. Still, there’s the feeling that the paper bird is more of a complicated construct of paper than a fine arrangement of folds. In any case, the look is quite appealing. The problem is that its complexity doesn’t add to the theme, it seems complex for its own sake.
Particles try to rely on paper with different approaches. Trails and glows change colour and style giving a noticeable magical touch to the paper bird. Projectiles of folded paper fit in yet don’t stand out and seem too preoccupied with respecting the classic design. Even Rebirth does that. In particular, the idea of Rebirth’s egg unfolding into a sheet of paper and then folding into Anivia is a real lost opportunity. The abilities which don’t follow this homogeneous approach are those that stand out. Crystallize’s wall of books and notebooks as well as Glacial Storm’s whirlwind of pages are an attractive representation of the theme even if somewhat simplistic in design; especially the ultimate. The turning pages used for the slow are a really nice addition, though.
Sounds tend to reflect some frosty touches which are simply out of place. For the most part, the sound of paper seems mixed with a touch of frost diluting the whole effect; it doesn’t even pass for added magic. Glacial Storm seems like the most prominent example of ruffled paper. It’s a simple sound, still, but effective nonetheless.
The new recall is rather nice with a flock of paper birds surrounding Anivia in flight. The folded aspect isn’t even present but the avian side of Anivia given by the flock in flight is appealing.
All in all, Papercraft Anivia is an adequate skin with some highlights. The paper angle is clear all around but not always as strong as in the best areas. At its best, it’s quite good but the chain of the classic design ties several aspects. With more focus on the paper theme the skin would be a great exponent of its concept yet it’s far from bad anyway. It’s far from the potential it has, too.

Conclusion

In general, Anivia’s skins are rather good. In many cases the concepts directly clash with her frosty nature, especially the more original ones, but the results tend to be good enough that it can be overlooked; with some effort.

The recommended skin is Hextech Anivia: it’s neither a flawless skin nor an achievement of originality but it’s certainly a fantastic looking one. If you are going to get only one skin for Anivia then this is the best option.

An alternative that shouldn’t be ignored is Prehistoric Anivia, due to its appealing dinosaur concept. The necessary ice parts don’t mesh well with the main idea behind the skin though they add colour to the aspect. All in all, it’s an interesting re-model that fans of dinosaurs can enjoy; provided they accept the fantastic ice magic.

Fortunately, Bird of Prey and Noxus Hunter Anivia are also great choices. Neither of them can certainly match the implementation of more recent skins. Nevertheless, they offer attractive concepts backed by satisfactory executions, considering their price.

For Anivia fans, Blackfrost Anivia is a choice worth pondering on. The skin isn’t visceral and explicit about either the frost or the taint but accomplishes an appealing aesthetic. Regardless, her personality is definitely attractive so if you also like a shade of evil in your champions then Blackfrost Anivia is a great option.

Unfortunately, Festival Queen Anivia is a skin with a great appeal squandered by a refusal to let go of the ice aspect and embrace the celebrations in earnest. The lack of cohesion is notorious and prevents the skin from realising all the celebratory spirit its can offer. For what is done, it’s a passable skin that gives only a taste of the tip of the iceberg of Carnival.

Papercraft Anivia has an interesting concept which is eloquently presented by the model. Even if the design can feel a bit overly complicated the idea is clear and appealing. Particles aren’t always clear and sounds seem even less focused on the theme. In spite of areas tied to Classic the result is a nice skin with some attractive highlights but without much ambition.

  52 Responses to “League of Legends: Anivia Skins’ Review”

  1. Thank you.I’ve been waiting to see Anivia’s skins reviewed for quite a while,now my wish is granted. 🙂

  2. Is there gonna be a new anivia skin. I have heard this rumour, but i just wanted to confirm it.

    • Dear Doppelgänger,

      Battlecast Anivia was hinted at during the release of Battlecast Prime Cho’Gath; just like Battlecast Skarner and Kog’Maw. However, there is no further information on the matter and when they would become a reality is completely unknown.

  3. Hey, I just want your opinion on which do you think is the best 1820 RP skin?

    • Dear heroic alter ego,

      It’s difficult to simply point one skin as superior to others as recent legendary skins are quite well done. Specifically speaking, Battlecast Prime Cho’Gath, Eternum Nocturne, Aether Wing Kayle, Blackfrost Anivia and even Zombie Brand show a marked improvement with regards to older legendaries. All of these skins are good and it could just be a matter of personal preference which one you like more.

  4. With the new Texture Updates on the horizon for our favorite avian champion, will they warrant a new review for each skin? The textures have been very vastly improved in my opinion, and the skins even appear to not entirely use the base model. Team Spirit And Bird of Prey both have new wing models, separate from that of the new classic skin. It would seem some of the models have been slightly touched up. In my additional opinion, the armor on Noxus Hunter looks slightly improved some how.

    • If it is a proper visual upgrade we’ll surely review Anivia again. However, if it’s only a texture update we don’t think much will be different because, in essence, the amount of features would remain the same. The overall look may improve but it’s not as significant as an actual visual upgrade. Still, we’ll give a look at the skins after the change to see if the review needs some adjustments. Let’s hope it’s all for the better.

  5. i just bought the team spirit anivia with my last refund credit. I made a horrible choice

    • It’s a pity but at least you have the most difficult skin to catch for Anivia. Still, have you considered contacting player support? They may not be able to help but you lose nothing in trying.

  6. I dont know which one to buy.. hextech anivia or noxus hunter anivia… any suggestions? thanks!

    • Well, to start with there’s a difference in price between the two. Additionally, Hextech is more original with its steampunk aesthetic but Noxus Hunter is a natural evolution of a battle bird.

      If you want something different yet attractive then Hextech would be the one. Noxus Hunter is more of the same but with a fitting addition. The price also reflects how conventional each skin is, so that the more you pay the less of Classic Anivia in the skin.

  7. With blackfrost it says that there is a new “tower channel,” what is this?

    • That means that when capturing a point or a Greater Relic in Dominion the animation is different to the classic one. That also applied to Ascension’s relics.

      Maybe it’s not very clear so we welcome suggestions about how to name it.

  8. Ugh I love Hextech Anivia so much because I’m super pumped about steampunk in general but the inconsistency is making me want to cry. It would have been really awesome if it was Legendary with a processed voice-over, sounds of metal when she flaps her wings and some steam particles for her abilities. What you get now is just some machine spewing ice whilst looking like it runs on steam. What?? I wish they would at least partially rework the skin. I would prefer for the price to rise and to have a nice skin than buying this confused mess of ice and machinery.

    • Completely agreed, the potential to make Hextech Anivia awesome is past the boiling point. Sadly a skin rework seldom happens alone and in such an extent it’s something that probably hasn’t happened yet. One can hope though as it’s a skin that could be great. At least the model for Steam-fridge Anivia is nice…

  9. Blackfrost Anivia also has new sounds for her autoattacks, her taunt and her recall.

    • We also wrote ‘abilites’ as part of the new sounds. Legendary skins are packed full of changes so sometimes we forget to note chantes that we actually are aware of. Thanks for the correction.

      The recall seems to be rather silent though and didn’t notice any new sounds. We’ll check more if necessary with legendary and ultimate skins there’s no end to the changes they can have.

  10. Hello!

    I was wondering what your opinion on the fact that non of Anivia’s skins (excluding her legendary) have matching particles, animations or sounds. Personally, it kinda puts me off buying any skins for her. 🙁

    • Completely agreed. For instance, Hextech Anivia has ice coming out of nowhere and doesn’t make any sense. If at least she were designed with a freezing device or something that suggests ice in hextech style it would be reasonable. However, the re-models have a severe contrast between what they propose and what remains of the classic core.

  11. I would like to point out that Hextech Anivia is a highly probable reference to Clockwerk from the Sly Cooper series (which I absolutely adore), rather than a purely steampunk quasi-Piltover themed skin. I would definitely go for Hextech Anivia when it goes on sale 🙂

    • There are similarities, perhaps it’s a tribute or just inspired on Clockwerk. It doesn’t really change the review but it’s always good to know. Thanks for the information.

  12. When are you gonna preview prehistoric anivia?

  13. The ice particles on Anivia’s head and back do look a bit silly. Still, I like the unusual colors for her body, since we don’t know what color dinosaurs were long ago, so it’s entirely possible that they were brightly colored rather than the drab browns, greys, and greens that we usually see in books.

    Overall this is my favorite of Anivia’s non-legendary skins. Blackfrost still rules though.

    • Completely agreed, dinosaurs being colourful is a possibility and we do think that is an aspect that works to Prehistoric Anivia’s benefit. The ice feels a bit forced but the result is certainly attractive. As long as one can excuse the fictional elements it’s a good skin.

      Blackfrost is at another level so a comparison is unfair but, at least, it manages to justify its legendary label.

  14. Hola zero bought blackfrost its awesome the way you join the Summoners rift you see a broken anivia back into one body. ♥ it. =)

    • There are some beginning of match or respawning animations that are rather well done. Blackfrost Anivia has quite a good one as it suits her ice nature so well.

  15. Hi, what are your initial thought about Festival Queen Anivia? It’s a 975rp skin with a great recall and re-spawn (with cool music included!) :).

    • We agree, Festival Queen Anivia is a rather nice skin on paper but it only shines on Rebirth and recall. It’s biggest problem is the refusal to let go of the ice and embrace confetti and samba in full as it should. Those two instances are a good example of the squandered potential of the skin.

  16. Hey zero i was wondering if the festival queen skin is a legacy skin?

    • Not as far as we know. Nothing says on the release post and it doesn’t appear in the store when filtering by limited content. As far as we know, it’s a regular skin. It may be legacy on the Brazilian server, though, but we don’t really know about that.

  17. I see just afraid i might not be able to buy the skin before its too late. Thanks for the info, best thing to do is get info from you Zero.

    • Not at all, we appreciate the vote of confidence. Just be aware that we are human, for the most part, and make mistakes; in fact we are constantly improving reviews with the help of readers. We do and will continue to try to be as accurate and helpful as possible, though.

  18. How are these old skins with old splash arts and minimalistic design getting 4/5 and the skin with the most detailed particles, splash art, and changed recall getting a 3/5? YOu tend to rate things mostly off of their price, but this is only 975 RP, not the 1820 that Blackfrost is. You talk of squandered potential so much that you fail to see the skin as it is. You look for what isn’t there over what actually is.

    • It’s a matter of what expectations can be had according to each price tier. Each tier allows for a certain amount of technical resources to be used on the skin. For example a skin at 750 RP with new particles would be unusual but perfectly fitting at 975 RP and basic in a higher tier. It’s not just the price, though it does matter, but what the each skin accomplishes with the resources it has available.

      Sometimes a skin can do a lot with little like Bird of Prey Anivia and sometimes the do just little like Team Spirit. Nowadays skins tend to cover the basic expectations for each tier without care for how effective the changes are. That’s one of the places where we see squandered potential. For example, keeping the ice on Festival Queen Anivia when the skin doesn’t really have a place for it.

      In the end, it’s only our view of the skins. You should assess skins based on your personal preferences because you should play what you enjoy. Our opinion is only that and it’s no better than any others. We mainly aim to advice and guide in purchases based on how we see the skins.

  19. I am deciding between prehistoric and festival queen, what is your suggestion?
    I feel that prehistoric is just a change of texture and nothing else, whereas festival queen is a complete remake of everything except the voice over.

    • Prehistoric Anivia is actually a re-model with lots of personality that doesn’t know what to do with the Cryophoenix’s ice; that’s what it remains intact. Festival Queen is a celebration of Carnival that tries to realise a new identity but ends up with a similar problem: unable to do something relevant with the ice. In that regard, both skins share a problem.

      The former is more modest as it doesn’t have any other changes besides the new model. The higher price of Festival Queen allows for more changes but the real stars are Rebirth and recall. The particles aren’t bad but they don’t embrace the celebrations in full.

      In summary, Prehistoric does less but what it does it does well. It should still do a bit more to be all that it could be. Festival Queen is supposed to be more ambitious but that’s cut short by the inconsistencies that leave an unfinished taste to the identity. In any case, neither is a bad skin but Prehistoric is a more cohesive package if you can live with the classic ice. Festival Queen aims higher but ends up not living up to its potential.

  20. Hey man, when are you gonna do a Papaercraft Anivia and Papaercraft Nunu review

    • As soon as possible. We’ve been having to take care of quite a few things we have neglected for far too long. Sorry for the inconvenience.

      • No worries, I just really wanna see a review of the Papercraft Anivia skin (as I’m an anivia otp i bought it the first day and am enjoying the skin) but am curious to see your opinion on the skin.

        • No problem, we can say that the idea is rather good. We wonder if the execution makes the most of it, though. We’ll have to analyse the skin to find out.

  21. Still no papercraft anivia?

  22. Sorry for saying it again, but maybe you forgot or were busy(due to being caught up in other matters) but please release the Papercraft Anivia review.
    Many thanks, Zero!

  23. I’m trying to choose between Papercraft and Festival Queen. I know they aren’t the highly reccommended ones, but they have different recalls, SFX, and a different movement animation. (When you move around for a bit as Papercraft or Festival queen, you spread your wings and “soar” for a bit, unlike most of the anivia skins. Blackfrost does this too, but with a different animation.) I cannot afford Blackfrost, so between Festival Queen and Papercraft, which should I go with?

    • It depends on whether you prefer the flare of Festival Anivia or the, comparatively, more serious yet also playful Papercraft style. Festival isn’t a joke skin but it’s certainly not very serious either. While the style is eye-catching it’s also somewhat straightforward. We like the Papercraft identity but we find the implementation too shy. It’s too simple in designs to show all the allure of paper but there’s a base which is rather nice.

      If we recall correctly, the soar animation should be part of Classic Anivia so all skins should have it. We could be wrong but that shouldn’t be the only feature that helps your decision because it may not be exclusive to any skin.

      Which skin is better for you depends on what you want from the skin. Still, we’d recommend not to buy a skin you don’t really like. Better to wait and buy a skin you would really enjoy. That said, Festival is about impressing with looks while Papercraft is about the feel of the theme. Both have an adaptation that doesn’t fully take advantage of the concept but there are things to like in both.

      • Alright, thanks. Also by “soar” I didn’t mean the idle animation, I meant when you move around on the map, rather than flapping her wings continually, Anivia ‘soars’ or ‘glides’ for a few seconds. Only Papercraft and Festival Queen (and Blackfrost, but differently) do this, which is why I asked between those two. Thanks for helping.

        • We understood soar exactly as you described. We thought that it was an animation shared by all skins as it’s part of Classic Anivia but we could be wrong and perhaps only newer skin have it. It’s not something very important but certainly a nice touch.

 Leave a Reply

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

(required)

(required)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.