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Strangely enough, gaming seems to be on a roll when it comes down to working with licenses. Last year, Rocksteady Games surprised everyone by not only making Batman: Arkham Asylum one of the few games that were great for a comic book license but it was a great game period, license or not. It doesn't stop there as later this year, developer Beenox is will release Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions which looks to be quite promising with its unique approach by having 4 different art styles with 4 unique gameplay styles and could look to be another solid entry in a franchise that has been very hit or miss. Now we have Transformers: WFC done by High Moon Studios (Bourne Conspiracy) and it's again another surprising entry in a franchise that's just as bad as the previous 2 licenses and like Batman, your attitude will shift from "please be good, please be a good game" to "wait, this is a good game? wow, imagine that". In many ways you can tell this studio genuinely loves the Transformers universe and they took extra care in making everything fit the license from in-jokes to callbacks to designs that looks back towards G1 rather than Michael Bay (which is a really good thing) and with a campaign featuring co-op drop-in/drop-out for up to 3 players, a Horde mode variant called Escalation and a very frantic and addicting multiplayer, this is one of the biggest surprises this year and makes for a great summer game.
Story: Taking place on the planet of Cybertron, there's a huge war raging between the Autobots and the Decepticons as Megatron is trying to take over the planet and rule over everything with an unstable energy known as Dark Energon. Using the uneasy forces of sky commander Starscream, Megatron goes through Cybertron en route for the key to win the war. Meanwhile, after the leader of the Autobots is killed, their side is left without a leader so in comes Optimus Prime to lead the Autobots against the forces of Megatron. Like most installments that have accompanied the Transformers license, you play as both factions with your choice on which soldier to bring. Want to play as Bumblebee? Go for it or the badassness of Soundwave, even? And of course one nice thing is that the game has drop-in/drop-out co op so it's not like Lost Planet 2 which needed a lobby so if you see a friend playing, just join them.
Graphics: The game uses Unreal Engine 3 which occasionally means there's some odd textures but you'd have to look really hard because the game looks really cool. From the awesome character designs and the smooth-as-silk animations during the transformations, the game has a very futuristic look from neon and steel in bizarre architectural patterns and makes the game really feel alien. This has a downside however in that the game at times can get slightly repetitive and unlike games with a snow level, jungle level and desert level, WFC tends to be all metal hallways with the occasional differing locales. I did notice occasional some framerate issues here and there but it's actually a really good looking game otherwise.
Sound/Music: The voice acting is really stellar and when you hear that distorted voice of Soundwave and the awesome tones that is Peter Cullen's Optimus, you know you're back in the 80's again. But then again, when you don't hear that kind of weird high-pitched almost squealing voice of Starscream it kind of sticks out a little bit but the voice acting barely has any problems. Same with the sound design from the transformation sounds, the gun sounds and the game really makes the gameplay standout. It's the score I have a problem with in that it's kind of fine but a lot of times it felt like the music didn't elevate a lot of the firefights and most of the time it just blended into the background and not really take over.
Gameplay: The game is a 3rd person shooter but this is not Gears of War in that you don't take cover but rather this almost has a Lost Planet / Alan Wake feel where it helps to hide behind things so you don't get shot up but you don't take cover in the typical sense. Controls are very intuitive, especially when you're in your vehicle forms and while normally you'd think it would feel clunky and too strange to control, these ones feel remarkably comfortable. The game comes with the choice of 4 classes: scouts (cars, have cloaking abilities to sneak up on people), leaders (trucks that help buff out the party), scientists (jets which are weak but have a healing gun and a turret that reveals cloaked enemies) and the soldiers (the tanks with lots of health and big power melee moves but are slow). The class balance feels really well-tuned and like Aliens vs Predator, there doesn't seem to be that "god class" since tanks can still be taken down by a cloaked scout whereas that class can be found out by a scientist's turret. While they're all fun to use, you might find yourself excelling more in one class so I made a bad scientist yet I did really well as a scout. The game also has that ol familiar Call of Duty approach with challenges for completing certain tasks, XP rewards for accomplishing certain things during the match (such as stopping an enemy's killstreak, meleeing people twice in a row or killing someone with barely any health left). And of course that also means perks which can help you beef out your characters with abilities. The game comes with various modes which are really just renamed and "Transformers" versions of your favorite gametypes so we have Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Conquest, Countdown to Extinction (bomb planting at enemy base), and Power Struggle (CTF) though of course TDM was the landslide favorite.
Another mode the game included is Escalation which a lot of people will compare to Horde mode but really it seems more like Nazi Zombies from Call of Duty: World at War. As you gain kills and assists, you gain points which you put towards purchasing things for your character so since you ammo and health doesn't drop, you have to buy it and if you need access to better weaponry, open up doors and in a cool touch, you don't have to spend all your points at once so for example if you want as a team to have someone carry the healing gun but none of you can afford its high price tag, you can either periodically put points into it which accumulate or just split the difference. Here, you can play as the actual Transformers whereas normal multiplayer just as nameless ones you can paint and rename but if you want to play Escalation as Megatron then go for it. One thing you'll find however is that Escalation gets tough and frequently so in later waves. As the waves progress, more enemy types and just more of them in general show up which can range from big melee-dealing baddies to cloaked scouts to flying jets so it really helps if everyone plays as a different class but even then, health and ammo really start to drain fast and it becomes tough staying alive when your health can drop quite quickly. One slight gripe is that unlike Nazi Zombies which were instantaneous upgrades, you have to wait for a bar to fill before you can access your ammo, health or weapon and even then you have to hold X to acquire it which kind of gets annoying when you need that health drastically and you're filling up a stupid bar.
Edit: In my original review, I remarked that the DLC characters was kind of stupid when they're separated by retailers (with Enslaved and Fallout: New Vegas this fall being the biggest offenders) but the first DLC has been put out for the game with 2 multiplayer maps, 2 Escalation maps as well as 5 pre-order characters including the DLC ones (Jazz, Shockwave, Demolishor) but also adding 2 more (Scattershot, Onslaught) but the thing is unlike Call of Duty or Battlefield, the community for the game is somewhat...small and the chances other people have bought the DLC too might be small so it's kind of tough to recommend it. There's nothing "wrong" with it per se but if you felt annoyed by stuff like Resistance 2 or Bioshock 2 where you felt not everyone bought the map packs then the DLC might not be too favorable.
If you're a Transformers fan, it's hard to argue against the quality in War for Cybertron. But this isn't a case of putting with crap for so long only to find the one non-crap title and think it's the best thing ever because of it but rather this is a really well-made game through and through. From a stellar multiplayer, the addicting Escalation, the fanservice offered and the care and love the studio put into this game, this is definately a game to check out for the summer, provided you're going to be in your house at all, that is.
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If there was one period of time in Transformers lore that always teased fans with mystery and lack of details it would probably be the robots time on their beloved homeworld of Cybertron. Sure, there were references to Cybertron and in many medias some stories even took place there but the ultimate history remained unseen. Fortunately for the fans and gamers, that's not the such case anymore. Transformers: War for Cybertron, developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision is a third-person shooter that allows the player to play a role in the epic war for Cybertron by playing as the heroic Autobots or ruthless Decepticons. Who knew a robot war in space thousands of miles away could be so good?
To start off I think it's important to note in no way is this game associated with the Michael Bay Transformers film series. This game is its own, it's no quick cash-in, as Hasbro has kept on board to ensure the series is represented faithfully and expertly. If I had to describe this game in the simplest terms I'd probably say it's Gears of War but with Transformers. Both utilize the "over the shoulder" targeting and playing through WFC you just can't help being reminded me of it. Whether you're a diehard FPS guy or a casual fan that has hardly ever played a shooter, you can pick up on the shooting fairly quick. (It's one of those easy to pick up but long to master things) I won't lie, it's not the easiest game in the world; it was much harder than I expected it to be honestly. Whether you're a pro or not and you may find yourself on one of the lower difficulties because it is a challenging game, especially on your first run.
The story is split into two campaigns, one each for the Autobots and Decepticons and you are given the option to play through either faction's story first. Each level allows you to play as one of the iconic characters from the series and the game does support co-op (up to 3) but the co-op must be through Live, it is not local co-op. Might seem like a drag but I honestly think his game is too big and technical to support splitscreen so it's understandable. Regarding the length of the story, honestly I thought it was just right but many people have complained it's too short. It's true there aren't many levels in each chapter but the thing is these levels aren't short, you're not going to be in and out in 15 minutes doing them.
The true gem of this game, however, is not its story, the characters, or the incredibly awesome sounds your robot makes when it transforms as that honor goes to its multiplayer system. It's been forever since I've seen a multiplayer this rich in innovation and fun. With seven different games, everyone is bound to find something they like:
"Escalation" is pretty much like the "Horde" in Gears of War where you and your allies are pitted against unlimited waves of enemies until you die.
"Deathmatch" and "Team Deathmatch" are self-explanatory, you or a group of allies battle it out in a giant robot battle royale. For "Deathmatch" whoever has the most points wins and in "Team" whatever team hits 40 kills first wins.
In "Conquest" you and a team travel around a map capturing enemy points while defending yours at the same time. If you ever played any of the Star Wars: Battlefront games that's basically what this is.
"Code of Power" is this game's "capture the flag". You have a limited amount of time to steal the enemy team's Code and take it to your base to score.
"Countdown to Extinction" is a game that really tests your teamwork as you have to plant a bomb in your enemy's base while dealing with them trying to do the same thing to you. It's a multi-step process so working together is the big thing here if you want to win.
There is also a ranking system in this game, which allows you to pick a class of transformers and through playing games and gaining XP you can level it up. Leveling up will allow you to pick from new abilities and customization so you can play your custom character anyway you want to in the online modes. Sadly there is not too much you can to do to customize your look; you must pick from existing skins (called chassis in this game) and just add a primary/secondary color to it. Not much at all, which really does suck.
To conclude, I gave this game a 4 out of 5 because I honestly don't think it's lacking too much. The game's replayability isn't great if you don't include multiplayer as there is nothing extra to do in the campaign once you finish it. In multiplayer there is an obvious lack of customization for your character which is a downer and perhaps its biggest fault is the fact there's no host migration. Nothing can kill your fun quicker than having the game end instantly because the host quit. If they don't patch this I sincerely hope the sequel incorporates this because it's annoying and a big turn-off to gamers. Ultimately, if you're a huge Transformers fan I would recommend this in a heartbeat; if you're a casual fan or just a shooter fanatic whose looking for a new game I say rent it. It's worth playing regardless whether you buy or rent it, as it is a good game that's worth the experience.
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I loved every minute of this game! I'm a Transformers freak so this one did it for me. There was a very good Transformers game on PS2 by Atari that was FAR better than the last 2 movie games. This one still beats that one by far. The visuals, sound effects, music, and environments were excellent! They had an Autobot & Decepticon campaign. The Autobot campaign was a little tougher. I was suprised because I support the autobots, but I think I like the decepticon campaign slightly better...LoL. When I fired Megatron's fusion cannon, I felt powerful, LoL. Playing as Starscream was great as well as my decepticon favorite Soundwave. I am still an Optimus man at heart. Dialogue was great during firefights. I try not to spoil things in my reviews for games. The online play is excellent too! I am definitely going to keep this and purchase FALL OF CYBERTRON.
Honest reviews on Transformers: War for Cybertron - Xbox 360
It's a fun game. It can get old after a while, but it has enough unique qualities in campaign and multiplayer to make it a good alternative to halo, call of duty, and battlefield. Limiting multiplayer to online hurt the game a bit, but this is so far the best experience you can get in a faithful transformers game.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Transformers: War for Cybertron - Xbox 360
It's actually disheartening that it has taken this long for a delevoper to produce a competent Transformers game. This game basically does for Transformers what Arkham Asylum did for Batman. It restores credibility to the franchise, for the video game medium in particular. Developer High Moon devilvers immersive G1 nostalgia, coupled with classy fan service. It became clear early on during my playing of this game, that the development team grew up on Transformers, and knew how to accruateley portray these characters, and craft an intriguing "prequel" of sorts that would please genuine Transformers fans, and not Michael Bay's misrepresentation of the source material.
PROS:
1. Beautiful visuals really immerse the player in the world of Cybertron.
2. Voice acting and dialog are well performed, with few exceptions. There was
much of an emphasis placed on sound, and this carries over to all aspects of the game. From combat, voice overs, transformation, everything sounds as it should, very authentic.
3. The transformation mechanic is well implemented. At the end of the day, this particular feature will decide if this is a good game or not. Obviously, transformation is a big part of Transformers. If this isn't properly handled, then the quality of this game will suffer to no end. Thankfully, this is the highlight of War for Cybertron. The player can transform at will, and the motion is seamless and intuitive, not to mention just plain cool. The levels are specifically designed to incorperate transformation as a means of progression, so this isn't just a cheap gimmick laced novelty that wears off. It undoubtedly adds a layer of dynamic gameplay, that seperates itself from typical shooters.
4. Loyal fan service and proper character treatment make this a wonderful escape from the Michael Bay debacle.
CONS
1. This game offers no offline support outside of campaign mode. This is very disappointing, considering how plentiful online multiplayer is. There really should have been some "couch co-op", where you could play with your buddy in split screen. Instead, you are relegated to playing co-op with people you either don't know, or best case scenario... know but cannot play with them on the same system. This provides a far less intimate playing session, and ultimately less engaging. If there is a sequel, hopefully they can toss in at least one or two split screen modes! On a quick side note, there does seem to be a movement within the industry to focus solely on online multiplayer, and pretty much ignore offline. This really does suck, and i would like to go on record as saying so!
2. The third person shooter mechanics are half baked and under realized. The generic gunplay and limited weapon selection is tolerable, but the lack of a proper cover system is a huge oversight in my opinion.
3. While the levels are beautiful, the visuals can become rather repetitive, with little variation. I would have liked to have seen a more diverse color scheme. Although the character designs do redeem the "visuals" aspect of this game quite a bit.
Bottom Line:
If you are a gamer, and a Transformers fan. Then you should alreadly own this game, period.
This is by far the best Transformers game ever made.
