The game industry is a lot like the film industry. More an more often, the fomula seems to boil down to taking existing intellectual property, adapting it to the medium and then cranking out as many sequels as possible. This has been done in video games for years, especially with superhero games, and thinking about these poorly-made, unoriginal disappointments gives the whole genre an overwhelming sense of dread. That's the feeling that comes when hearing that there's a new Tranformers game, but it will quickly dissipate this time around.
Transformers: War for Cybertron is a third-person shooter that plays like Halo had an unholy love child with Twisted Metal. The game mechanics allow players to transform in an out of vehicle mode at will, which lets players choose between speed and firepower on the fly.
Since War for Cybertron takes place before the Tranformers ever come to Earth, it automatically bypasses some of the problems that have plagued other Tranformers games - product placement, for example. The only things this game has in common with the movies are characters and a few voice actors.
Players will don the steel shoes of their favorite Autobot or Decepticon by playing through two separate and opposing storylines. These will take players all over the imaginative, automated planet called Cybertron, which is being ravaged by an ongoing war. Some of you might be thinking, "Oh, you can play as a Decepticon. Cool, now we can see their justification for being bad guys." Well, sorry to disappoint.
As it turns out, the Decepticons are just as one-dimensionally evil as they always were, and Megatron's over-the-top "victory at any cost" mentality is the driving force. At least the Decepticons' constant bickering is entertaining. Some of the Autobots' stoic do-gooder attitudes seem astonishingly bland by comparison.
While the campaign may shed some light on certain aspects of the Transformer's history, like how Optimus became a leader, the online multiplayer is the real attraction. In it, players can choose from four classes and earn experience points to unlock new abilities. There is also a level of personal customization online, like selecting a character's weapons abilities, chassis and colors. The different maps and game modes are well executed and offer a well-rounded experience.
Tranformers: War for Cybertron is a very surprising game. It's high quality graphics, voice work, plot and combat are unexpected, and it is exactly what games based on existing intellectual property should be. Though it's not a perfect game by any means, it surpasses its predecessors by leaps and bounds.
Transformers: War for Cybertron is a third-person shooter that plays like Halo had an unholy love child with Twisted Metal. The game mechanics allow players to transform in an out of vehicle mode at will, which lets players choose between speed and firepower on the fly.
Since War for Cybertron takes place before the Tranformers ever come to Earth, it automatically bypasses some of the problems that have plagued other Tranformers games - product placement, for example. The only things this game has in common with the movies are characters and a few voice actors.
Players will don the steel shoes of their favorite Autobot or Decepticon by playing through two separate and opposing storylines. These will take players all over the imaginative, automated planet called Cybertron, which is being ravaged by an ongoing war. Some of you might be thinking, "Oh, you can play as a Decepticon. Cool, now we can see their justification for being bad guys." Well, sorry to disappoint.
As it turns out, the Decepticons are just as one-dimensionally evil as they always were, and Megatron's over-the-top "victory at any cost" mentality is the driving force. At least the Decepticons' constant bickering is entertaining. Some of the Autobots' stoic do-gooder attitudes seem astonishingly bland by comparison.
While the campaign may shed some light on certain aspects of the Transformer's history, like how Optimus became a leader, the online multiplayer is the real attraction. In it, players can choose from four classes and earn experience points to unlock new abilities. There is also a level of personal customization online, like selecting a character's weapons abilities, chassis and colors. The different maps and game modes are well executed and offer a well-rounded experience.
Tranformers: War for Cybertron is a very surprising game. It's high quality graphics, voice work, plot and combat are unexpected, and it is exactly what games based on existing intellectual property should be. Though it's not a perfect game by any means, it surpasses its predecessors by leaps and bounds.
[This article was originally written for and published with Tiger Weekly magazine in Baton Rouge, LA]
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