I’m starting this off with a confession. I was not expecting much from Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. I mean I figured it would be pretty good because High Moon Studios makes good games, but Transformers: Fall of Cybertron far exceeds what I was expecting. Because the game is about the Transformers as a whole and not just one or two characters we get to see the final days of Cybertron from both the Autobot’s and the Decepticon’s point of view. In a lot of games this type of story telling is annoying as you constantly jump from one person’s perspective to another. Yet, in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron because of how the story is told with one missing leading into the next chronologically it works nicely. This type of story telling also allows the game to give you the change to play as a lot of the famous Transformers. There are sections where you play as Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Grimlock, Bruticus, Jazz, Cliffjumper, Shockwave and more.
Because nearly every level features a different Transformer you get to play a lot of different styles of game play as well. The larger characters play as a more standard shooter, but then you might have a stealth level or a section of air combat. Some levels you just want to power through, others you sit back and solve simple puzzles, and still others you control from an overhead commander’s view point directing turret attacks from above. While each mission plays a little differently they all still used the same general control set and fit together with the overall story really well. As you’re playing you can switch from robot to vehicle as any point. Because this actual transformation happens quickly I found myself often jumping between forms depending on the situation. All of the Transformers also share the same upgrades that you purchase with the credits you get during the game. I really like that it is one universal upgrade system since you play so many different characters. Upgrading one and then not seeing them again for half the game would have been frustrating and pointless. The structure of the missions was well setup as well with the final mission moving back and forth between different characters at each checkpoint as the final battle approaches. Then, for the very end you,as the gamer, get to choose who you want to finish the game as. Even though this was the only spot where you had such a choice I found it fitting for the way the story was going.
In addition to the great single player campaign there are solid multiplayer and co-op modes. Playing them with your friends though might be hard because firth you’ll have to stop working with the character creator. I probably spent as much time building and tweaking my character as I did actually playing matches. Not because verses mode was not fun, but because creating your own transformer is great. You can customize every part of your character including their individual body parts, colors, vehicle shapes, weapons and abilities. Once you have created that perfect Transformer that you imagined as a kid you then get to play with him in Autobot verse Decepiton matches. Seeing your creating in regular multiplayer modes is a real treat.
The games take place across a wide variety of environments on Cybertron and yet they all were full of detail and really great looking graphically. The voice acting is also really spot on. Many of the cartoon’s voice actors worked on the game in their original roles. High Moon Studios has put a real level of polish on Transformers: Fall of Cybertron that is often missing in games based of licensed properties. Fans of the Transformers have a real treat with Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, but even those new to Transformers will enjoy a high quality game like this.
A copy of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron for Xbox 360 was provided to us for this review from Activision
