TRANSFORMERS: War For Cybertron Review

Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong! The War For Cybertron has started, and the TRANSFORMERS have once again rolled onto our game consoles. Is Cybertron worth fighting for? Or, does this title end up on the junk planet? Read our review, and you’ll find out if this game is the true calling for Transformers fans. Transform, and roll out!

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Developed by High Moon Studios, and published by Activision, TRANSFORMERS: War For Cybertron brings players 10 chapters of intense action where you can play through two campaigns. Chapters one through five place you in the role of the Decepticons, whereas chapters six through ten put you in control of the Autobots.  The campaign is playable in solo, or you can blast your way to victory with up to 3 friends over Xbox LIVE.  In addition to the two campaigns, War For Cybertron features various multiplayer modes and Escalation Mode in which up to 3 players can battle through waves of enemies.

If you wish, you can start the game from either the Autobot or Decepticon campaign, though I highly suggest you begin with the Decepticon portion for storyline purposes. Most chapters allow you to choose from up to 4 playable characters in various classes. Classes include Soldier, Leader, Scout, and Scientist. Each class has it pros and cons ranging from attribute boosts to different playable forms. For example, players using the Scientist class will usually have the ability to transform into a jet, rather than a tank or car form which limits your ability to reach certain areas. Chapters are mostly broken into 10 parts, and each of the 10 checkpoints can be loaded from the main menu at any time, once you’ve reached those points of course.

The gameplay is very straightforward and the game uses a clear and simple digital marker system that always gives you the distance to your next point of interest.  Most of your time will be spent clearing rooms full of enemies, comprised mostly of generic  Transformers, while the well-known and much-loved Decepticons and Autobots are saved until the end of each chapter. Beyond the hordes of normal enemies, you’ll battle against automated turrets, large brute Transformers and a few other enemies which we’ll leave out as a surprise. Brutes add a particular challenge depending on where you encounter them. They carry a massive shield, and can only be defeated by destroying a pack on their back. Often, you want to have your A.I teammates grab the attention of the brute, while you quickly get behind them for the kill.

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As the whole game is set in Cybertron, a general worry about the game was in regards to variation in the levels and the gameplay throughout the campaign. Players can easily set their worries aside surrounding this matter. The level design in War For Cybertron is fantastic, and nearly every level feels unique in its design. You’ll spend time in skywalk-styled tunnels, maze-like prisons, and you’ll even travels into Cybertrons’ depths where its core power resides. You’ll take part in some basic protection and escort missions, but they make up only pieces of various chapters. The tone of the levels often makes you feel like an ant in comparison to some of the massive areas you’ll be visiting. Granted, some areas and objectives will seem repetitive, but I can assure you it’s a minimum level, and the game will never feel stale. Each chapter features an intense boss battle, typically placing your against popular Autobots and Decepticons, and if you listen closely, you’ll hear many recognizable pieces of dialogue from both the G1 cartoon and the 1986 hit, Transformers the Movie!

Each character can use two weapon attachments, swappable at any time if you come across the pick-ups during the game. You can see which ones you’re using by viewing your HUD, which features standard info including your Energon level (Life Bar), remaining ammo, grenades, and more. There’s a large variety of weapons, including various machine gun style weapons, the wonderful Null Ray featuring an extremely helpful scope, and the effective Scrapmaker mini-gun. Beyond the standard weapons, you can detach turrets, giving you a powerful blaster to carry around, though it disables your double jump and slows your walking speed. If you transform while carrying one, you’ll drop it and leave it behind. Also, once you kill the brutes and other large enemies, you can use their weapons, and while they’re extremely powerful, they do have very limited ammo. A variety of grenades featuring defensive and offensive perks can be used as well, often helping out when you’re surrounded by numerous enemies. On a final note regarding the weaponry, every character features a powerful melee attack – most noteworthy being the massive axe swing by Optimus Prime. The attack is quick and effective, and you can launch it by pressing the right analogue stick in. Most enemies can be defeated in a single melee attack, though shielded ones will require a second hit. In addition to the attacks, each character features two extra skills which vary between classes and characters. Some characters have a limited hover feature, or you can use a War Cry that increases nearby strength or other attributes.

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The storyline was a large focus during the development of Transformers: War For Cybertron, and general fans of the brand will likely agree that it feels authentic and that it fits in the TRANSFORMERS universe. Starting out with Megatron in the Decepticon campaign, your aim to obtain the power of Dark Energon and use it to destroy the leader of the Autobots, and take over Cybertron. Without giving away too many details, we can tell you the story is paced well, and it tells of how Optimus rose forth as a Prime, and the Autobots’ fight against the Deceptions and the Dark Energon.

For the multiplayer gamers out there, Transformers: War For Cybertron features character customization, and the ability to play in six multiplayer game modes, plus the co-operative Escalation mode. There’s only a few maps to start, but with DLC already in the works, we’re hoping to see it expand nicely. You can play in the standard deathmatch and team deathmatch modes, and you’ve also got Power Struggle, Conquest, Code of Power, and Countdown to Extinction. While the names may be different, each game mode has been seen in other multiplayer hits like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. You’ll capture and hold control points, pick up a centralized bomb and destroy your opponents base, or play the classic King of the Hill style and hold specified points for as long as possible. While the campaign always felt unique, the multiplayer levels don’t have the same level of polish. They’re all relatively similar, and there’s nothing extremely unique about them. You’ll find weapon and Energon pick-ups scattered throughout, and they feature various nooks and crannies to explore, but they do feel generic. If you’ve got a good group of friends, the game is going to be a lot of fun, but the multiplayer clearly falls short with its lack of available maps and the basic designs.

The Escalation Mode plays off the famous Horde mode from Gears of War 2, allowing up to 3 players to work co-cooperatively to defeat waves of enemies. As you progress through the waves, the enemies become increasingly more difficult. The game currently features two playable maps in this mode, though new maps have already been confirmed as upcoming DLC, as well as all three pre-order exclusive characters. Maps are built in a similar fashion to the Nazi zombie maps in World at War, meaning you can unlock new sections of the map using the points you earn from your kills. Also, should you be running low on ammo, you can purchase more at dedicated kiosks in the levels. If you’re disabled during the battle, you have a few seconds to live, where you can take down 1-2 enemies while you’re down, and hope that a teammate can revive you. If you die, you’ll have to wait until the next wave to re-spawn.  With a team that’s willing to work together, you can expect to have a lot of fun in Escalation. Proper communication is the key requirement here though, so if you don’t have a microphone, don’t expect people to play with you for long.

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The overall level of presentation in War For Cybertron is impressive, and the game truly was made ‘for the fans’. With its fun and witty dialogue, featuring the voice of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, and many new yet talented voices for Soundwave, Iron Hide, Megatron, and others, players are sure to appreciate the level of nostalgia, clearly giving a nod to G1 Transformers fans. Achievements also play a part, with many being named from pieces of the script of the 1986 animated feature, Transformers the Movie. Character designs are excellent and very similar G1 yet they also adopt a modern identity.

The authentic sounding voices and sound effects set the tone, often accompanied by heavy background music in large-scale battles. When damaged in battle, your audio fades, and your screen often flickers temporarily but regains stability if you go undamaged for a few seconds.  The graphics in the game are well-polished, often featuring impressive reflections and astonishing lighting effects. Battles  are impressive with various laser and bullet trails flying across the screen, as well as various explosions, clouds of smoke, and scattered Energon fragments left by your foes.

Transformers: War For Cybertron is the game that the fans have been waiting for. We all knew that one day it would come along. One shall stand, and the rest shall fall – just so we’re clear, this is the title that stands. The fantastic, action-packed single player experience is sure to last you at least 10 hours, and based upon your thoughts of the multiplayer and Escalation, you can add to that total hours played. Stunning level designs featuring great visuals and extremely fun gameplay help to enforce the fact that War For Cybertron is seriously the best use of the TRANSFORMERS license we’ve seen yet. If you’re even remotely a fan of the brand, check this title out – and don’t be afraid to spend $60 on it – it’s worth it!

This review is based off an Xbox 360 review copy of TRANSFORMERS: War For Cybertron provided by Activision.