Transformers The Game (PS3)
If you've been to this blog before, or my stream, you know that the one thing I tend to despise most in gaming, is games based off movies. The movies are generally filled with all the story-telling mechanics and action necessary to progress things over the course of the film. In my experience, the games tend to drop most of that, leaving you with gameplay mechanics that don't do any justice. In the United States, the live action Transformers movie dropped in theaters July 3rd, 2007. This game that's based on that exact movie? Well, the game came out first. Can it be any good, being on gaming shelves before the movie is even released?
Transformers : The Game
Transformers : The Game
(PS3)
Ironically enough, if you've seen the movie (which most people have, it's been over ten years) you already know how the game rolls. It's surprising that, being released beforehand, the game actually follows the movie pretty well. If you're one of the few that hasn't seen it and (miraculously) hasn't had it spoiled : the Autobots and Decepticons are war in their search for the All Spark, or The Cube, an ancient device that is responsible for the creation of the Transformers. While the Decepticons seek to use it selfishly, the Autobots are only hunting for it to stop their foes.
Now, what's actually really cool about the campaign, is there's two of them. One which focuses on letting you play as the Autobots, and another for the Decepticons. What I liked most about this aspect of the game is, when I dove into the second campaign it dawned on me that there really were two somewhat separate storylines in the movie. One that focuses on Sam Witwicky and the Autobots, and one where Armed Forces are dealing with the Decepticons.
Each campaign takes place in four areas, and each of those contains four levels which must be completed in order to progress to the next. The culmination of the entire game is a boss fight between one Autobot and one Decepticon in particular (I won't name them even though it should be fairly obvious) allowing you to control each side of the fight in turn.
The areas are locations pulled straight from the movie and are completely free roam. Chapters that need to played are denoted by colored cones : green for the next one you need to play for progression, and yellow for ones that you've already completed and can replay. For the most part, the levels cover events in the movies, with some tweaks here and there to make it something that's more playable.
While the levels can be easy most of the time, they're frustrating at others which can make the simplest task seem so difficult. Some chapters can move fast and be over in less time than it took to load them, and others can require handfuls of replays because an enemy finds a way to bone you against a wall.
Outside of the levels, wandering the areas doesn't yield much action for the player. There are small energy cubes to collect (100 in each area), and a certain number of these will unlock separate challenges for you to complete as well. The last thing for you to do are to fulfill six different challenges, including Speed challenges where you'll need to maintain a high speed for a certain amount of time in your car form. Destruction challenges where you'll need to just flatten enough of the city to fulfill the challenge. Each of these pops up automatically when you start doing something that meets the requirement, along with five "empty" logos. Fill them all up and you're good to go.
Overall, the game actually isn't that bad. Gameplay is pretty fun
Now, what's actually really cool about the campaign, is there's two of them. One which focuses on letting you play as the Autobots, and another for the Decepticons. What I liked most about this aspect of the game is, when I dove into the second campaign it dawned on me that there really were two somewhat separate storylines in the movie. One that focuses on Sam Witwicky and the Autobots, and one where Armed Forces are dealing with the Decepticons.
Each campaign takes place in four areas, and each of those contains four levels which must be completed in order to progress to the next. The culmination of the entire game is a boss fight between one Autobot and one Decepticon in particular (I won't name them even though it should be fairly obvious) allowing you to control each side of the fight in turn.
The areas are locations pulled straight from the movie and are completely free roam. Chapters that need to played are denoted by colored cones : green for the next one you need to play for progression, and yellow for ones that you've already completed and can replay. For the most part, the levels cover events in the movies, with some tweaks here and there to make it something that's more playable.
While the levels can be easy most of the time, they're frustrating at others which can make the simplest task seem so difficult. Some chapters can move fast and be over in less time than it took to load them, and others can require handfuls of replays because an enemy finds a way to bone you against a wall.
Outside of the levels, wandering the areas doesn't yield much action for the player. There are small energy cubes to collect (100 in each area), and a certain number of these will unlock separate challenges for you to complete as well. The last thing for you to do are to fulfill six different challenges, including Speed challenges where you'll need to maintain a high speed for a certain amount of time in your car form. Destruction challenges where you'll need to just flatten enough of the city to fulfill the challenge. Each of these pops up automatically when you start doing something that meets the requirement, along with five "empty" logos. Fill them all up and you're good to go.
Overall, the game actually isn't that bad. Gameplay is pretty fun
