Transformers: War for Cybertron Review

Kubinator

July 19, 2010

s Transformers: War for Cybertron a Fan Favorite or Another Dud?

"Transformers . . . more than meets the eye!" Like He-Man and GI Joes, Transformers was a staple of the 1980s and early 1990s. Gamers of that era grew up worshiping Transformers--the cartoons, the toys, and the stories. For some fans, Transformers: War for Cybertron might have been the game that completed the Transformers legacy. Most gamers will tell you early attempts at Transformers games were disappointing, or in other words, "terrible." Fans don't want Beast Wars! They wanted Generation 1 Transformers, complete with bad dance offs, crummy voiceovers, and Dinobots.

Transformers_War_for_Cybertron (123K) There are numerous AI issues in the new Transformers: War for Cybertron. I swear, the Autobots and Decepticons have been drinking. Fellow gamers will soon realize their AI-controlled teammates can't shoot or drive in a straight line, and are about as helpful as a kitten stuck in a box. Furthermore, there's an annoying lack of ammo throughout the game. And the story and plot are rough; the War for Cybertron takes place before Generation 1, and is solely played out on Cybertron. Despite these issues, I feel the game plays well to fans. Even though the original voice of Optimus and Starscream is dead, the new voice is enough to send chills down my spine.

The multiplayer bits are fun and were much better than the last Transformers game. War for Cybertron splits the campaign in half, so you can play one side at time instead of alternating back and forth. But don't expect more than 6 to 8 hours of game play. The levels' are well done visually, and there is a good amount of detail in the Transformers, but this doesn't stop the levels from feeling repetitive. And, I'm sure fans would much rather see the game take place on earth.

So what makes the game worth your cash? The Transformers' animations and sounds were enough to keep me interested for a little while. There's a secret thrill to transforming from Megatron into his tank form and blasting bits of Autobots, or zipping around the ground as Bumblebee, who is no longer confined to a 1980s VW Bug. Transforming, using Starscream, and hearing him howl from the sky is a blast. What else can I say about Starscream and Megatron--the theme of the bitter employee [AKA Starscream] and angry Megatron play as well as they do in the original series. Starscream plays his part well for fans, as the self-centered (excuse my language) asshole we know and love.

For fans of the 1980s series whose memory hasn't been tainted by the movies and Beast War, this game fills a void nicely. It has all the elements that made the series popular, so it falls somewhere between success and dud. Dud because the game play needs tweaking, especially the flight controls, which are about as responsive as a RROD 360. War for Cybertron is not worth the $60 price tag, even for the super fan. Trust me--wait till it drops to $20 to $30. Then, it would be a great budget title to pick up and play with your friends or your elementary-age children, to introduce them to something you loved as a kid. If I were to give the game a score, as a fan, I'd say B+ for the ideas and fan service and a C for the game play. Overall, Transformers: War for Cybertron receives a B.