IT’S amazing that despite the almost perfect video-game source material no developer has ever produced a quality Transformers game.
Huge robots, good and evil, which change into vehicles and fight with suitably large and impressive guns are ready made for the video game world. That and a ready made fan base amount to a title that on paper looks like a world beater
So the question is, has this latest release from High Moon Studios managed to succeed where all others have failed? Well the answer to that is yes and no.
Starting from the top, War for Cybertron’s single player campaign allows you to play through the same storyline with either the Autobots or the Decepticons.
The gameplay is straight forward blast-em-up material, with all the usual pick-ups, mixed with vehicle sections designed to make use of the Transformers handy ability to change into vehicles.
Although a touch simplistic, it’s definitely fun. The backgrounds can be overly repetitive and the lack of a ‘cover system’ like Unchartered 2 or Gears of War is certainly a missed trick.
The problem is that it looks dated when compared to titles like that. It really is old school gaming - linear shoot-em-up levels where you’ll occasionally encounter the fabled end of level boss - but that’s no bad thing as long as you’re not looking for some cerebral adventure game (if you are then surely something branded Transformers would surely not be high on your list of priorities).
What longstanding Transformers fans will love is the ability to play as characters featured in the original cartoon series, who not only look almost perfect but are also voiced incredibly well.
I have to admit to being a fan of Transformers myself, so more than anything I wanted War for Cybertron to be a success.
The use of well known characters such a Megatron, Optimus Prime, Starscream, Jazz, Barricade, Ironhide and Jetfire, show the developers have done their research and will do more than anything to suck fans (like me) in.
Visually the Transformers themselves are awesome with the animations for their ‘transformations’ smooth and highly impressive.
As said previously the backgrounds can become repetitive but compared to previous Transformers games this stands head and shoulders above.
Don’t expect a world beater, this isn’t in the same league as Unchartered 2 but it genuinely is an enjoyable step in the right direction for the Transformers franchise.
What High Moon have done is manage to use the existing source material to craft an interesting game that will certainly be only the first of many. Hopefully with a solid start under their belt the future of the franchise is finally looking up.