Title: Transformers: Fall of CybertronFormat: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: August 21, 2012 (UK August 24, 2012)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: High Moon Studios
Price: $59.99
ESRB Rating: T
The Transformers games haven't really had a great track record when it comes to games, but War for Cybertron and the newly released Fall of Cybertron have really broken the stigma surrounding the nearly 30 year old franchise.
Presentation and Story:If you haven't played War for Cybertron, your experience with the Fall of Cybertron won't be hindered in any way, even though the story picks up directly where the first game ended. The Autobots have lost the war on Cybertron and now they're making their great escape. The game features 13 action packed chapters where you'll be playing as the Autobots and the menacing Decepticons, the complex narrative is woven beautifully together and proves to take advantage of the nostalgia-filled source material. Even though the game doesn't go the same route as Michael Bay, as far as story, but the team definitely takes some cues from his great action prowess. The game definitely looks great, with a lot of impressive explosions. The Decepticons and Autobots are very similar to the old school versions of Transformers, the models are really close to the old popular toys. The game's wide open environments offer up a lot of diversity and color, but it sometimes can be hindered by weird bugs. When the game is at its high point, the truly open spaces can cause you to marvel at the amount of effort that went into crafting this alien world. The voice acting is spectacular, with a lot of familiar voices that lead the way. Peter Cullen's iconic role as Optimus Prime stands out from the pack, with Nolan North, Steve Blum and Troy Baker backing him up. An action fueled soundtrack compliments the game's great presentation.
Core Gameplay and Multiplayer:At its robotic core, fall of Cybertron is a third person shooter, just with giant robots. There is a lot of action in the game, as soon as you start your campaign playthrough you're instantly thrown into the game with only a quick tutorial. You don't have the option of choosing a specific robot before each mission, you'll just be controlling one specific Autobot or Decepticon. The game is generally more linear than War, often sending you down a corridor battling through waves of enemies while trying to reach your goal. The game does a great job of continuously changing up the gameplay though, vehicular combat, huge set pieces, and quicktime events are mixed in perfectly. Even though controlling the larger than life Autobot Metroplex, could have been a lot better, I'm just glad that they actually included the behemoth. When the game gives you the giant battlefields, where you have the the open space to transform into vehicular form and reign death from above. Switching from grounded to vehicular is smooth and fluid, and proves to advantageous of you. You'll be needing to mix up your combat strategy quite a bit down the road, as the game really ramps up towards the end of the game. The multiplayer features, you guessed it, a horde style game mode. Its a fun mode, but lets be honest, the wave after wave style mode is getting really old. Competitive multiplayer is surprisingly deep, offering tons of customization options for your won custom built transformer.
Final Thoughts:Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is a must play for any fan of the long running franchise. The action packed campaign is a trill ride from beginning to end, constantly keeping you on your toes throughout. S&S Rating: 8.5/10 @whatsPlay
