What happens when a beloved franchise from the 1980s gets a reboot in the attempt of pulling in nostalgic value for young adults while also drawing in a new generation of fans? You get a passable CGI action movie with a pussy and the worst actress in Hollywood today with a spattering of testicle gags and humping jokes.
What do you get, though, if you take the aesthetics of that movie and apply it to the original incarnations of these characters as they should have been?
You get Transformers: War For Cybertron for the XBox 360.
Hasbro and Activision, two companies who know more than a thing or two about 80s pop culture, unite once again to give the Transformers franchise the treatment it deserves in this third person action shooter.
Story Rewind back to 1984. You’re a kid sitting in front of the television on a Saturday morning and watching the first episode of a new show where two factions of alien robots are in the heat of battle. One faction is desperately trying to escape the pursuit of another faction, and after a tooth and nail battle, the robots crash land on Earth.
Transformers was born.
But what were the Autobots running from? Why were they escaping Cybertron? Why were the Decepticons after them? After two and a half decades, finally we get the origin story told to us, and we don’t just hear it, we live it.
Transformers: War For Cybertron is the prequel to that famous cartoon show. Beginning in the early stages of a civil war on Cybertron, where a cruel and ambitious warrior named Megatron is looking to take full control of his world in hopes of bringing a new “golden age” to Cybertron.
The game opens with two available campaigns, Autobot and Decepticon, set in a timeline. The layout shows that the Decepticon campaign comes first, as the story opens with the rise of Megatron. Upon completion of the Decepticon campaign, you are then put into the shows of a small rebel faction, the Autobots, and the story begins of a young warrior looking to take a stand; a warrior named Optimus.
Graphics Like seemingly every game tat comes out these days, Transformers is built on the Unreal engine, a graphics engine usually synonymous with excellent graphics.
The environment and characters are well built, with an added artistic effect to give the game that comic book feel. The game’s graphics are hardly photo-realistic, but it was clear that wasn’t the intention of the developers, as it feels like you’re bringing a comic book to life, but still maintaining just enough realism so that is doesn’t feel cartoony like Borderlands (another shooter built on the Unreal engine). Sound The musical score of the game is very nice. It captures much of the epic, sweeping orchestral pieces of the movies while also pulling in some of the electronic sounds we remember from the 80s, as well as some of the hard rock flavour we got in the original animated movie.
The environmental sound effects, lasers blasting, explosions going off, are all quite nicely handled, but are kept tasteful so as not to wake the entire neighborhood.
The real audio masterpiece, however, is the voice acting. With many of the original voice actors of the 80s cartoon, with an added helping of voice actors of the movies and an assortment of other voice actors you’ll recognize from games such as Left 4 Dead and Dragon age, The voice cast is filled with A listers and experienced actors who know the characters because they were those characters 25 years ago; even the original narrator makes a return, his voice sounding a bit gruffer and obviously aged, but it still is immediately recognizable and instills goosebumps for long term fans.
Gameplay For the most part, the game controls very smoothly. In an action game where the player is running, jumping, strafing, shooting, transforming and so much more, this is a game that needs quick and responsive controls, and in single player you can not find more responsive controls; there are some issues with online mode’s controls responding as quickly all the time, but that could also be attributed to internet lag.
The game essentially is a run-n-gun action shooter that at times feels dumbed down as elements that are common in many shooters (cover systems, dive-dodging etc) aren’t in this release; but there are good arguments as why they were left out that I will touch on in a bit.
The main draw to this title is the transformations. Players seamlessly can transform from robot form, into vehicle mode, and back at the push of a button, and most of the time the vehicles handle very well; sometimes there are some bumping issues if you are too close to other transformers, and both will lose their momentum and stop or jiggle around, but this is hardly a common occurrence.
Online I had a lot of hopes for the online mode of this game. With grand promises of being able to create my own Transformers, making them look how I want, suiting them up with abilities as I see fit, I was stoked that I could finally bring to life the characters I used to dream up as a child. Plus an arsenal of the usual online game modes: death match, assault and defend, capture the flag etc etc it seemed that this game would cover all the bases; but there also was concern that online multiplayer might just feel tacked on.
A cool feature borrowed from many online games is the multiple classes feature. Player select from a scout, a soldier, a scientist and a leader class type, each with their own specific skills, abilities, weapons and vehicle modes and then they hit the playing field. These multiple class types lead to strategy forming situations and team balancing.
Fortunately the online modes are all quite enjoyable and can really make you feel immersed in the Transformers universe. With very fast action, no game mode ever feels boring as there is almost always a highlight reel moment every few minutes: In one of my first rounds, I was playing as a scout class (faster but weaker) and was treated to a truly epic moment as I transformed into my little car mode, zoomed towards the Decepticons on the other team, hit a ramp, transformed mid air, dispatched an enemy players with my energon sword, then transformed back into car mode before hitting the ground and zooming off before the bigger and slower characters could gun me down; sadly I was outshone as an enemy player a few minutes later took out all six of us in a very impressive display of ariel acrobatics, shooting and transforming in a fluidity that was sheer poetry in motion. The game gives players those epic moments that make you feel like you’re a part of the Transformers story.
The customization is where I have some issues. I’m likely knit-picking, but as a sometimes overly creative kind of person, I like create-a-character modes in games to be full and detailed. I had hopes of being able to customize my Transformers from head to toe as I saw fit. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out the player can just choose from a handful of presets (with more available to unlock) and a limited colour palette; it felt hollow and a little disappointing as most of the presets were simply modified models of characters we already know; you can colour him and name him whatever you want, but people know when you’re using the Optimus Prime or Soundwave skins. Customization clearly is focused more on skills and abilities, but having a deeper selection of visual appearances, as well as a deeper choice in vehicle modes, would have been nice.
Complaints A flimsy complai
nt from many gamers can be the lack of a cover system, as I mentioned before. I think that aspect was left out to keep the action fast and furious; when you play Gears of War online for example, the pace is slow and steady and sometimes can be dragged on as everyone is hiding behind their cover. This game makes the player keep moving and keep the action at a frantic pace from beginning to end, so it’s more than forgivable to exclude a cover system; it also cuts down on campers big time.
My biggest complaint, again, is the customization aspect; I was just hoping for more. It gets the job done, but it didn’t leave me feeling as fulfilled as I had hoped. Hopefully this game will lead to a new franchise of games down the road, and this feature can be expanded on; it’s a good start but with a deeper customization of your character and a wider selection of choices for what that character can transform into (and even customize those) this could become a very fun and immersive franchise for that feature alone. If a future game for Transformers implemented these in-depth character creation options, and then opened a community to online gamers so that they can preview and download other gamers’ creations, that could lead to a very thriving online community for this franchise.
Final Thoughts This game is a lot of fun. the solo campaign will log a good amount of hours, but the real draw is the fast-action of the online mode. With a very large amount of possibilities for downloadable content, this game’s replay value can potentially be one of the best we’ve had in a few years.
Smooth controls, fun graphics and a stellar story with beloved and celebrated characters, this is the throwback to Transformers that we’ve been waiting for and I completely recommend it.
I’m out
written by Lee Clifford
What happens when a beloved franchise from the 1980s gets a reboot in the attempt of pulling in nostalgic value for young adults while also drawing in a new generation of fans? You get a passable CGI action movie with a pussy and the worst actress in Hollywood today with a spattering of testicle gags and humping jokes.
What do you get, though, if you take the aesthetics of that movie and apply it to the original incarnations of these characters as they should have been?
You get Transformers: War For Cybertron for the XBox 360.
Hasbro and Activision, two companies who know more than a thing or two about 80s pop culture, unite once again to give the Transformers franchise the treatment it deserves in this third person action shooter.
Story Rewind back to 1984. You’re a kid sitting in front of the television on a Saturday morning and watching the first episode of a new show where two factions of alien robots are in the heat of battle. One faction is desperately trying to escape the pursuit of another faction, and after a tooth and nail battle, the robots crash land on Earth.
Transformers was born.
But what were the Autobots running from? Why were they escaping Cybertron? Why were the Decepticons after them? After two and a half decades, finally we get the origin story told to us, and we don’t just hear it, we live it.
Transformers: War For Cybertron is the prequel to that famous cartoon show. Beginning in the early stages of a civil war on Cybertron, where a cruel and ambitious warrior named Megatron is looking to take full control of his world in hopes of bringing a new “golden age” to Cybertron.
The game opens with two available campaigns, Autobot and Decepticon, set in a timeline. The layout shows that the Decepticon campaign comes first, as the story opens with the rise of Megatron. Upon completion of the Decepticon campaign, you are then put into the shows of a small rebel faction, the Autobots, and the story begins of a young warrior looking to take a stand; a warrior named Optimus.
Graphics Like seemingly every game tat comes out these days, Transformers is built on the Unreal engine, a graphics engine usually synonymous with excellent graphics.
The environment and characters are well built, with an added artistic effect to give the game that comic book feel. The game’s graphics are hardly photo-realistic, but it was clear that wasn’t the intention of the developers, as it feels like you’re bringing a comic book to life, but still maintaining just enough realism so that is doesn’t feel cartoony like Borderlands (another shooter built on the Unreal engine). Sound The musical score of the game is very nice. It captures much of the epic, sweeping orchestral pieces of the movies while also pulling in some of the electronic sounds we remember from the 80s, as well as some of the hard rock flavour we got in the original animated movie.
The environmental sound effects, lasers blasting, explosions going off, are all quite nicely handled, but are kept tasteful so as not to wake the entire neighborhood.
The real audio masterpiece, however, is the voice acting. With many of the original voice actors of the 80s cartoon, with an added helping of voice actors of the movies and an assortment of other voice actors you’ll recognize from games such as Left 4 Dead and Dragon age, The voice cast is filled with A listers and experienced actors who know the characters because they were those characters 25 years ago; even the original narrator makes a return, his voice sounding a bit gruffer and obviously aged, but it still is immediately recognizable and instills goosebumps for long term fans.
Gameplay For the most part, the game controls very smoothly. In an action game where the player is running, jumping, strafing, shooting, transforming and so much more, this is a game that needs quick and responsive controls, and in single player you can not find more responsive controls; there are some issues with online mode’s controls responding as quickly all the time, but that could also be attributed to internet lag.
The game essentially is a run-n-gun action shooter that at times feels dumbed down as elements that are common in many shooters (cover systems, dive-dodging etc) aren’t in this release; but there are good arguments as why they were left out that I will touch on in a bit.
The main draw to this title is the transformations. Players seamlessly can transform from robot form, into vehicle mode, and back at the push of a button, and most of the time the vehicles handle very well; sometimes there are some bumping issues if you are too close to other transformers, and both will lose their momentum and stop or jiggle around, but this is hardly a common occurrence.
Online I had a lot of hopes for the online mode of this game. With grand promises of being able to create my own Transformers, making them look how I want, suiting them up with abilities as I see fit, I was stoked that I could finally bring to life the characters I used to dream up as a child. Plus an arsenal of the usual online game modes: death match, assault and defend, capture the flag etc etc it seemed that this game would cover all the bases; but there also was concern that online multiplayer might just feel tacked on.
A cool feature borrowed from many online games is the multiple classes feature. Player select from a scout, a soldier, a scientist and a leader class type, each with their own specific skills, abilities, weapons and vehicle modes and then they hit the playing field. These multiple class types lead to strategy forming situations and team balancing.
Fortunately the online modes are all quite enjoyable and can really make you feel immersed in the Transformers universe. With very fast action, no game mode ever feels boring as there is almost always a highlight reel moment every few minutes: In one of my first rounds, I was playing as a scout class (faster but weaker) and was treated to a truly epic moment as I transformed into my little car mode, zoomed towards the Decepticons on the other team, hit a ramp, transformed mid air, dispatched an enemy players with my energon sword, then transformed back into car mode before hitting the ground and zooming off before the bigger and slower characters could gun me down; sadly I was outshone as an enemy player a few minutes later took out all six of us in a very impressive display of ariel acrobatics, shooting and transforming in a fluidity that was sheer poetry in motion. The game gives players those epic moments that make you feel like you’re a part of the Transformers story.
The customization is where I have some issues. I’m likely knit-picking, but as a sometimes overly creative kind of person, I like create-a-character modes in games to be full and detailed. I had hopes of being able to customize my Transformers from head to toe as I saw fit. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out the player can just choose from a handful of presets (with more available to unlock) and a limited colour palette; it felt hollow and a little disappointing as most of the presets were simply modified models of characters we already know; you can colour him and name him whatever you want, but people know when you’re using the Optimus Prime or Soundwave skins. Customization clearly is focused more on skills and abilities, but having a deeper selection of visual appearances, as well as a deeper choice in vehicle modes, would have been nice.
Complaints A flimsy complai
nt from many gamers can be the lack of a cover system, as I mentioned before. I think that aspect was left out to keep the action fast and furious; when you play Gears of War online for example, the pace is slow and steady and sometimes can be dragged on as everyone is hiding behind their cover. This game makes the player keep moving and keep the action at a frantic pace from beginning to end, so it’s more than forgivable to exclude a cover system; it also cuts down on campers big time.
My biggest complaint, again, is the customization aspect; I was just hoping for more. It gets the job done, but it didn’t leave me feeling as fulfilled as I had hoped. Hopefully this game will lead to a new franchise of games down the road, and this feature can be expanded on; it’s a good start but with a deeper customization of your character and a wider selection of choices for what that character can transform into (and even customize those) this could become a very fun and immersive franchise for that feature alone. If a future game for Transformers implemented these in-depth character creation options, and then opened a community to online gamers so that they can preview and download other gamers’ creations, that could lead to a very thriving online community for this franchise.
Final Thoughts This game is a lot of fun. the solo campaign will log a good amount of hours, but the real draw is the fast-action of the online mode. With a very large amount of possibilities for downloadable content, this game’s replay value can potentially be one of the best we’ve had in a few years.
Smooth controls, fun graphics and a stellar story with beloved and celebrated characters, this is the throwback to Transformers that we’ve been waiting for and I completely recommend it.
I’m out
written by Lee Clifford
What happens when a beloved franchise from the 1980s gets a reboot in the attempt of pulling in nostalgic value for young adults while also drawing in a new generation of fans? You get a passable CGI action movie with a pussy and the worst actress in Hollywood today with a spattering of testicle gags and humping jokes.
What do you get, though, if you take the aesthetics of that movie and apply it to the original incarnations of these characters as they should have been?
You get Transformers: War For Cybertron for the XBox 360.
Hasbro and Activision, two companies who know more than a thing or two about 80s pop culture, unite once again to give the Transformers franchise the treatment it deserves in this third person action shooter.
Story Rewind back to 1984. You’re a kid sitting in front of the television on a Saturday morning and watching the first episode of a new show where two factions of alien robots are in the heat of battle. One faction is desperately trying to escape the pursuit of another faction, and after a tooth and nail battle, the robots crash land on Earth.
Transformers was born.
But what were the Autobots running from? Why were they escaping Cybertron? Why were the Decepticons after them? After two and a half decades, finally we get the origin story told to us, and we don’t just hear it, we live it.
Transformers: War For Cybertron is the prequel to that famous cartoon show. Beginning in the early stages of a civil war on Cybertron, where a cruel and ambitious warrior named Megatron is looking to take full control of his world in hopes of bringing a new “golden age” to Cybertron.
The game opens with two available campaigns, Autobot and Decepticon, set in a timeline. The layout shows that the Decepticon campaign comes first, as the story opens with the rise of Megatron. Upon completion of the Decepticon campaign, you are then put into the shows of a small rebel faction, the Autobots, and the story begins of a young warrior looking to take a stand; a warrior named Optimus.
Graphics Like seemingly every game tat comes out these days, Transformers is built on the Unreal engine, a graphics engine usually synonymous with excellent graphics.
The environment and characters are well built, with an added artistic effect to give the game that comic book feel. The game’s graphics are hardly photo-realistic, but it was clear that wasn’t the intention of the developers, as it feels like you’re bringing a comic book to life, but still maintaining just enough realism so that is doesn’t feel cartoony like Borderlands (another shooter built on the Unreal engine). Sound The musical score of the game is very nice. It captures much of the epic, sweeping orchestral pieces of the movies while also pulling in some of the electronic sounds we remember from the 80s, as well as some of the hard rock flavour we got in the original animated movie.
The environmental sound effects, lasers blasting, explosions going off, are all quite nicely handled, but are kept tasteful so as not to wake the entire neighborhood.
The real audio masterpiece, however, is the voice acting. With many of the original voice actors of the 80s cartoon, with an added helping of voice actors of the movies and an assortment of other voice actors you’ll recognize from games such as Left 4 Dead and Dragon age, The voice cast is filled with A listers and experienced actors who know the characters because they were those characters 25 years ago; even the original narrator makes a return, his voice sounding a bit gruffer and obviously aged, but it still is immediately recognizable and instills goosebumps for long term fans.
Gameplay For the most part, the game controls very smoothly. In an action game where the player is running, jumping, strafing, shooting, transforming and so much more, this is a game that needs quick and responsive controls, and in single player you can not find more responsive controls; there are some issues with online mode’s controls responding as quickly all the time, but that could also be attributed to internet lag.
The game essentially is a run-n-gun action shooter that at times feels dumbed down as elements that are common in many shooters (cover systems, dive-dodging etc) aren’t in this release; but there are good arguments as why they were left out that I will touch on in a bit.
The main draw to this title is the transformations. Players seamlessly can transform from robot form, into vehicle mode, and back at the push of a button, and most of the time the vehicles handle very well; sometimes there are some bumping issues if you are too close to other transformers, and both will lose their momentum and stop or jiggle around, but this is hardly a common occurrence.
Online I had a lot of hopes for the online mode of this game. With grand promises of being able to create my own Transformers, making them look how I want, suiting them up with abilities as I see fit, I was stoked that I could finally bring to life the characters I used to dream up as a child. Plus an arsenal of the usual online game modes: death match, assault and defend, capture the flag etc etc it seemed that this game would cover all the bases; but there also was concern that online multiplayer might just feel tacked on.
A cool feature borrowed from many online games is the multiple classes feature. Player select from a scout, a soldier, a scientist and a leader class type, each with their own specific skills, abilities, weapons and vehicle modes and then they hit the playing field. These multiple class types lead to strategy forming situations and team balancing.
Fortunately the online modes are all quite enjoyable and can really make you feel immersed in the Transformers universe. With very fast action, no game mode ever feels boring as there is almost always a highlight reel moment every few minutes: In one of my first rounds, I was playing as a scout class (faster but weaker) and was treated to a truly epic moment as I transformed into my little car mode, zoomed towards the Decepticons on the other team, hit a ramp, transformed mid air, dispatched an enemy players with my energon sword, then transformed back into car mode before hitting the ground and zooming off before the bigger and slower characters could gun me down; sadly I was outshone as an enemy player a few minutes later took out all six of us in a very impressive display of ariel acrobatics, shooting and transforming in a fluidity that was sheer poetry in motion. The game gives players those epic moments that make you feel like you’re a part of the Transformers story.
The customization is where I have some issues. I’m likely knit-picking, but as a sometimes overly creative kind of person, I like create-a-character modes in games to be full and detailed. I had hopes of being able to customize my Transformers from head to toe as I saw fit. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out the player can just choose from a handful of presets (with more available to unlock) and a limited colour palette; it felt hollow and a little disappointing as most of the presets were simply modified models of characters we already know; you can colour him and name him whatever you want, but people know when you’re using the Optimus Prime or Soundwave skins. Customization clearly is focused more on skills and abilities, but having a deeper selection of visual appearances, as well as a deeper choice in vehicle modes, would have been nice.
Complaints A flimsy complain
t from many gamers can be the lack of a cover system, as I mentioned before. I think that aspect was left out to keep the action fast and furious; when you play Gears of War online for example, the pace is slow and steady and sometimes can be dragged on as everyone is hiding behind their cover. This game makes the player keep moving and keep the action at a frantic pace from beginning to end, so it’s more than forgivable to exclude a cover system; it also cuts down on campers big time.
My biggest complaint, again, is the customization aspect; I was just hoping for more. It gets the job done, but it didn’t leave me feeling as fulfilled as I had hoped. Hopefully this game will lead to a new franchise of games down the road, and this feature can be expanded on; it’s a good start but with a deeper customization of your character and a wider selection of choices for what that character can transform into (and even customize those) this could become a very fun and immersive franchise for that feature alone. If a future game for Transformers implemented these in-depth character creation options, and then opened a community to online gamers so that they can preview and download other gamers’ creations, that could lead to a very thriving online community for this franchise.
Final Thoughts This game is a lot of fun. the solo campaign will log a good amount of hours, but the real draw is the fast-action of the online mode. With a very large amount of possibilities for downloadable content, this game’s replay value can potentially be one of the best we’ve had in a few years.
Smooth controls, fun graphics and a stellar story with beloved and celebrated characters, this is the throwback to Transformers that we’ve been waiting for and I completely recommend it.
I’m out
written by Lee Clifford
What happens when a beloved franchise from the 1980s gets a reboot in the attempt of pulling in nostalgic value for young adults while also drawing in a new generation of fans? You get a passable CGI action movie with a pussy and the worst actress in Hollywood today with a spattering of testicle gags and humping jokes.
What do you get, though, if you take the aesthetics of that movie and apply it to the original incarnations of these characters as they should have been?
You get Transformers: War For Cybertron for the XBox 360.
Hasbro and Activision, two companies who know more than a thing or two about 80s pop culture, unite once again to give the Transformers franchise the treatment it deserves in this third person action shooter.
Story Rewind back to 1984. You’re a kid sitting in front of the television on a Saturday morning and watching the first episode of a new show where two factions of alien robots are in the heat of battle. One faction is desperately trying to escape the pursuit of another faction, and after a tooth and nail battle, the robots crash land on Earth.
Transformers was born.
But what were the Autobots running from? Why were they escaping Cybertron? Why were the Decepticons after them? After two and a half decades, finally we get the origin story told to us, and we don’t just hear it, we live it.
Transformers: War For Cybertron is the prequel to that famous cartoon show. Beginning in the early stages of a civil war on Cybertron, where a cruel and ambitious warrior named Megatron is looking to take full control of his world in hopes of bringing a new “golden age” to Cybertron.
The game opens with two available campaigns, Autobot and Decepticon, set in a timeline. The layout shows that the Decepticon campaign comes first, as the story opens with the rise of Megatron. Upon completion of the Decepticon campaign, you are then put into the shows of a small rebel faction, the Autobots, and the story begins of a young warrior looking to take a stand; a warrior named Optimus.
Graphics Like seemingly every game tat comes out these days, Transformers is built on the Unreal engine, a graphics engine usually synonymous with excellent graphics.
The environment and characters are well built, with an added artistic effect to give the game that comic book feel. The game’s graphics are hardly photo-realistic, but it was clear that wasn’t the intention of the developers, as it feels like you’re bringing a comic book to life, but still maintaining just enough realism so that is doesn’t feel cartoony like Borderlands (another shooter built on the Unreal engine). Sound The musical score of the game is very nice. It captures much of the epic, sweeping orchestral pieces of the movies while also pulling in some of the electronic sounds we remember from the 80s, as well as some of the hard rock flavour we got in the original animated movie.
The environmental sound effects, lasers blasting, explosions going off, are all quite nicely handled, but are kept tasteful so as not to wake the entire neighborhood.
The real audio masterpiece, however, is the voice acting. With many of the original voice actors of the 80s cartoon, with an added helping of voice actors of the movies and an assortment of other voice actors you’ll recognize from games such as Left 4 Dead and Dragon age, The voice cast is filled with A listers and experienced actors who know the characters because they were those characters 25 years ago; even the original narrator makes a return, his voice sounding a bit gruffer and obviously aged, but it still is immediately recognizable and instills goosebumps for long term fans.
Gameplay For the most part, the game controls very smoothly. In an action game where the player is running, jumping, strafing, shooting, transforming and so much more, this is a game that needs quick and responsive controls, and in single player you can not find more responsive controls; there are some issues with online mode’s controls responding as quickly all the time, but that could also be attributed to internet lag.
The game essentially is a run-n-gun action shooter that at times feels dumbed down as elements that are common in many shooters (cover systems, dive-dodging etc) aren’t in this release; but there are good arguments as why they were left out that I will touch on in a bit.
The main draw to this title is the transformations. Players seamlessly can transform from robot form, into vehicle mode, and back at the push of a button, and most of the time the vehicles handle very well; sometimes there are some bumping issues if you are too close to other transformers, and both will lose their momentum and stop or jiggle around, but this is hardly a common occurrence.
Online I had a lot of hopes for the online mode of this game. With grand promises of being able to create my own Transformers, making them look how I want, suiting them up with abilities as I see fit, I was stoked that I could finally bring to life the characters I used to dream up as a child. Plus an arsenal of the usual online game modes: death match, assault and defend, capture the flag etc etc it seemed that this game would cover all the bases; but there also was concern that online multiplayer might just feel tacked on.
A cool feature borrowed from many online games is the multiple classes feature. Player select from a scout, a soldier, a scientist and a leader class type, each with their own specific skills, abilities, weapons and vehicle modes and then they hit the playing field. These multiple class types lead to strategy forming situations and team balancing.
Fortunately the online modes are all quite enjoyable and can really make you feel immersed in the Transformers universe. With very fast action, no game mode ever feels boring as there is almost always a highlight reel moment every few minutes: In one of my first rounds, I was playing as a scout class (faster but weaker) and was treated to a truly epic moment as I transformed into my little car mode, zoomed towards the Decepticons on the other team, hit a ramp, transformed mid air, dispatched an enemy players with my energon sword, then transformed back into car mode before hitting the ground and zooming off before the bigger and slower characters could gun me down; sadly I was outshone as an enemy player a few minutes later took out all six of us in a very impressive display of ariel acrobatics, shooting and transforming in a fluidity that was sheer poetry in motion. The game gives players those epic moments that make you feel like you’re a part of the Transformers story.
The customization is where I have some issues. I’m likely knit-picking, but as a sometimes overly creative kind of person, I like create-a-character modes in games to be full and detailed. I had hopes of being able to customize my Transformers from head to toe as I saw fit. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out the player can just choose from a handful of presets (with more available to unlock) and a limited colour palette; it felt hollow and a little disappointing as most of the presets were simply modified models of characters we already know; you can colour him and name him whatever you want, but people know when you’re using the Optimus Prime or Soundwave skins. Customization clearly is focused more on skills and abilities, but having a deeper selection of visual appearances, as well as a deeper choice in vehicle modes, would have been nice.
Complaints A flimsy complai
nt from many gamers can be the lack of a cover system, as I mentioned before. I think that aspect was left out to keep the action fast and furious; when you play Gears of War online for example, the pace is slow and steady and sometimes can be dragged on as everyone is hiding behind their cover. This game makes the player keep moving and keep the action at a frantic pace from beginning to end, so it’s more than forgivable to exclude a cover system; it also cuts down on campers big time.
My biggest complaint, again, is the customization aspect; I was just hoping for more. It gets the job done, but it didn’t leave me feeling as fulfilled as I had hoped. Hopefully this game will lead to a new franchise of games down the road, and this feature can be expanded on; it’s a good start but with a deeper customization of your character and a wider selection of choices for what that character can transform into (and even customize those) this could become a very fun and immersive franchise for that feature alone. If a future game for Transformers implemented these in-depth character creation options, and then opened a community to online gamers so that they can preview and download other gamers’ creations, that could lead to a very thriving online community for this franchise.
Final Thoughts This game is a lot of fun. the solo campaign will log a good amount of hours, but the real draw is the fast-action of the online mode. With a very large amount of possibilities for downloadable content, this game’s replay value can potentially be one of the best we’ve had in a few years.
Smooth controls, fun graphics and a stellar story with beloved and celebrated characters, this is the throwback to Transformers that we’ve been waiting for and I completely recommend it.
