I’m thoroughly convinced that cartoons just aren’t what they used to be, but then again it’s most likely the nostalgia factor that has finally settled in hard-headed old age. But I can say that without a doubt that Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobots ushered in a new era of Saturday morning programming with the introduction of action-oriented animation. Our memories of the hardships endured by the Autobots have been cashed in on time and time again without pleasing the fan within. High Moon Studios has put a great deal of work into creating the first truly enjoyable Transformers video game, and for the most part it has finally been achieved. War for Cybertron follows Optimus, Megatron and pals as they tear up their home world, Cybertron in a prequel to the original cartoon that has created a cult following. The joys of the campaign blossom from the well implemented 3-player co-op to the 2 separate campaigns clocking in at around a combined total of 10 hours. Each campaign can be played from the start of the game, but it’s highly recommended that players start with the Decepticon campaign and follow it up with the Autobots as the narrative was woven to be told in this order. There are 5 chapters comprising each campaign with plenty of variety in locales, with the only real repetition being dealt in the enemy types. At the start of each chapter players are asked to choose between 1 of 3 bots, either land or air base, mission depending. The characters vary in starting weapons, transformations and perks.
Each is tailored to different strategies so you’ll most likely find one you’re comfortable with and stick with it. Each half of the game tells a different story, with the Decepticons, the message is creating order through chaos while the Autobots campaign displays the message of hope when all is lost. Both storylines are well told never really trying to throw anyone for a loop, but they do well in creating the back story that has never been fully explored. There are however some great set pieces sprinkled here and there in each campaign, one especially exciting air-based mission near the end of the Autobots campaign. Good stuff. There are also boss battles at the end of each chapter, topping off each level nicely. Overall, the campaign is an enjoyable ride filled with fan-service. It’s easy to see why Hasbro had no problem adopting this specific plight of the Autobots as the official prequel in the Transformers universe. Surprisingly, I found the multiplayer aspect greatly compliments WFC with a strong base built around other successful multiplayer formulas. It’s not by any means groundbreaking, but I found the multiplayer better utilized the gameplay than the campaign did in a few key areas, the biggest being complete customization. I was a little peeved that the campaign has absolutely no form of customization whether it is swapping weapon load outs or perks, something the campaign could have benefitted from. In the multiplayer, you can gain and swap out different perks, abilities and weapons as well as create your own Transformer.
It’s nothing that goes to in-depth, but it’s easy to use with plenty of different options and the ability to have 3 load-outs for each class. Which brings me to my next point, the classes are all well balanced and differ just enough for each to feel unique. You can fight from afar as the Scientist, barge in as the Leader or the Soldier, or take the stealth approach as the weak Scout. Each can be individually leveled up and then sent through “Prime” mode not dissimilar to “Prestiege” mode in COD. There is plenty of meat within the various multiplayer modes that range from Team Deathmatch to “capture the hill” style modes. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but you can change between a car and a massive robot. Come on, that’s amazing! The “transformation” mechanic really changes the gameplay from any multiplayer I’ve recently played, making it fresh enough to stand out in the myriad of lackluster multiplayer titles. We also have the Escalation mode that is more or less a “Horde” mode of sorts, with the only really difference being the ability to unlock new rooms in each level as you kill more enemies. I think Team Deathmatch will receive the most attention as it’s tried and true, but it brings gameplay reminiscent of Unreal Tournament in the best way possible. I would say that I’m a fan of the Transformers series, but I won’t allow that to cloud my views on the game’s visual department which is unfortunately the biggest flaw of the game. The design is excellent, with High Moon giving the game a gritty and dark look, but there are plenty of poor textures scattered throughout with a dash of dropped frames and a heavy dose of grey especially in the Decepticon campaign to boot.
It’s far from a bad looking game, as I mentioned earlier there are a few set pieces where the game shines, but for the most part WFC falls short in the good looks department. The audio on the other hand is stellar with most audio and voice actors pulled straight from the original cartoon. These essentially aid in bringing the game that much closer to the original cartoon we all have come to know and love. Transformers: War for Cybertron is a strong showing in a flood of poorly handled games based on a franchise. It’s no godsend for fans, but I can say that we finally have a good Transformers game. The essence of the cartoon is almost captured aside from the visuals that aren’t striking in any manner, but stay away from being a complete detractor. Instead of receiving a full-on trip through “nostalgia land” the masses will at least be treated to the missing origins of the Cybertronians. Most importantly, the multiplayer is a strong showing that can be appreciated as a fun experience and an enjoyable 3rd-person shooter. War for Cybertron isn’t going to make fans foam at the mouth, but it’s another showing that games based off franchises can actually be well-developed and exceptionally fun. High Moon Studios deserves a pat on the back for taking on a challenge and delivering a great game in War for Cybertron that no Transformers fan should miss.
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