Product Description
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Gamers who love the Transformers on TV can rejoice. Transformers
for PlayStation 2 now brings the heroic autobots and evil
decepticons fully into the video game arena. This 3rd person,
action-shooter lets you battle your way through stunning visual
environments like the jungle and Mesoamerican temple to save
planet Cybertron. Characters transform on the go and can collect
minicons to gain special powers like additional weapons, shields,
and the ability to fly.
Review
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As soon as Transformers fans see this score, the hate mail will
begin. To them I say: "Save it." You guys will absolutely adore
this game. So don't waste your time telling me how much I suck (I
already know), and go play this game. You'll be glad you did.
Those who aren't hopelessly devoted to this franchise, on the
other hand, won't be quite as enamored. It's certainly not a bad
game – in fact, I'd say this could be the start of what is
potentially a very good series – but it makes too many missteps
to truly appeal to a wider audience.
But before I get into what this title does wrong, let's talk
about what it does right. First off, the graphics simply rock.
The stages are incredible to look at, and the Transformers
themselves are just as impressive. The first stage, the , is one
of the best-looking environments I've ever seen on the PS2, and
the others are nearly as good. There are a few bland elements,
such as the Decepticlones, but none of the visuals are at all
bad. The look is great all around.
I also really liked…well, the graphics are the only thing I
really liked. Having only three playable Autobots was a bummer,
especially since I found no reason to play as anyone except
Optimus Prime, as he felt the most balanced. The gameplay let me
down in just about every way possible. Combat is repetitive and
boring, the controls are goofy, and the rewards you earn simply
aren't that rewarding.
In each stage, you'll face the same generic robots (who are
actually pretty tough – even on the lowest difficulty level, this
is a pretty hard game) in some very familiar third-person action.
Run around, shoot the bad guys, and pick up the power-ups
they drop. It's standard stuff, and it would be second nature to
play if the control scheme weren't so weird. It uses all four of
the shoulder buttons, but the face buttons are virtually
forgotten. Even on the last stage, I still hadn't completely
adjusted to hitting L1 to jump.
Finally, the Mini-Con system, which is the basis of the entire
game, also left a lot to be desired. As you progress through the
stages, you'll discover Mini-Cons: little robots that can be
equipped for additional powers. Only four can be equipped at one
time, and they all have different power requirements, so your
best (and most power-consuming) Mini-Cons can never all be
equipped at the same time, and certain ones can only be used in
particular slots. I would have liked to have had certain
Mini-Cons grant permanent attribute bonuses; the enemies you face
(especially the bosses) get tougher and tougher, and you really
don't. Those that do increase your defenses typically have to be
left behind in order to equip those that are essential to
completing your mission.
Every time I started to enjoy Transformers, it did something to
let me down. But I still have a lot of faith that it could grow
into a great series. This title has plenty of flaws, but the main
issue is that it's simply too typical and too clunky. By
embracing what is so cool about the franchise, this series could
really grow into something special. Consider this not a failed
game, just a rocky start.
Concept:
Everyone's favorite shape-shifting robots are back in an
adventure that ties into the recent Armada cartoon
Graphics:
The environments are amazing, and the character models are sharp
and detailed
Sound:
Meh. Not even the once-cool transforming sound is that impressive
here
Playability:
The wacky default control scheme cannot be reped and is hard
to get used to no matter how long you play
Entertainment:
The cool license isn't enough to overcome the so-so gameplay,
making this one for fans only
Replay:
Low
Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Jeremy Zoss
Issue: June 2004
2nd Opinion:
I had hoped that in my lifetime I would never have occasion to
say "Optimus Prime is a fragile pansy." Unfortunately, I found
myself repeating this phrase time and time again as he was
blasted, punched, and hammer-thrown across all creation. Even
without this inherent conceptual flaw, there are still some
serious problems in the gameplay department that keep
Transformers from reaching its potential. The controls are
clunky, the objectives unclear, and the boss battles frustrating,
making this nothing more than your average action title. However,
I was amazed by how great the game looked — the cutscenes in
particular are gorgeous. Plus, the ability to transform at will
between vehicle and robot form lends itself to some cool moments.
Maybe I even whispered "transform and roll out" to myself once or
twice. Maybe.
Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Joe Juba
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Review
- Play as one of three heroic Autobot leaders - Optimus Prime, Red Alert or Hot .
- Convert from robot to vehicle mode on the battlefield, as you collect countless power-ups.
- Build up your combat abilities with rocket launchers, homing missiles, stealth options and tractor beams.
- Countless enemies to fight through, for hours of wild Transformers action -- destroy all-new enemies like Decepticlone Soldiers, Spider Tanks, Sentry Drones and Drop Ships.
- Fight against the most powerful Decepticon leaders - Starscream, Cyclonus, Tidal Wave, and finally Megatron himself!.