Throwback Thursday: Transformers (PS2)

Transformers isn't that old, but its so damn good and was slept on this generation. Its available for less than $20 everywhere, and is the perfect game for any PS2 player who wants a taste of Halo. It rips pretty heavily on Halo, but the big free roaming levels and boss battles give it its own flavor. Here's my original review, posted on the old powet.com

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There has been much fuss about this being the first good Transformer game, but I would simply say this is a flat out GOOD game. 2004 marks the 20th anniversary for the franchise, and what better way to celebrate it than with the release of a massive shooter that more than captures the spirit of the recent Transformers Armada series. The game isn't directly based on the show or comic book, but the names and faces are there. Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, and Red Alert are the playable Autobot heroes, with Megatron, Cyclonus, Starscream, and Tidalwave comprising the Decepticon menace. While it would've been nice to see more playable Autobots or more Decepticon bosses, by sticking with a smaller cast, Australian developer Melbourne House was able to greatly expand on the characters that did make the cut and fine tune the gameplay. The game takes place on Earth, and Megatron has ordered a full scale invasion to search for the lost Minicons robots. Minicons are pint sized Transformers who can attach or "powerlink" to a larger Transformer and enhance his abilities with new defensive, offensive, or perceptive capabilities. Naturally, the Autobot mission from the get go is to beat Megatron to the punch, and with each Minicon you gain, you'll greatly improve your chances of survival. An addition exclusive to this game are Decepticlones. These drones make up the bulk of the enemies you'll encounter over the course of a level. They're simple robots that don't transform but more than make up for it by sheer numbers and weaponry. The levels are few, but gigantic. You'll be dropped into hostile territory immediately and it might be a while before you see the end. Transforming to vehicle mode and driving (or in later, flying with the assistance of a Minicon) is the best way to make it from checkpoint to checkpoint. Transforming will allow you to plow straight through small enemies and evade large ones you might not be in any condition to fight at that point. I found myself speeding across the Antarctic with Red Alert the other day with at least a dozen enemies on my tail in the air and on the ground, but since I was low on energy the best course of action for me was to just keep moving and grab as many Minicons and Datacons as I could find before they landed enough shots to throw me into stasis lock. You might come back to the same level a half dozen more times after a boss fight to clear out the remaining Minicons and Datacons. Whats a "Datacon" you ask? Another fine invention of the developers of the game. Datacons are also hidden throughout the levels of the game, but instead of giving you combat capabilities, they enable special features you can view from the games "Extra" menu. You'll find production art, toy prototype shots, music, and even 5 classic Transformer Public Service Announcements encouraging the children of the world to wear lifejackets on a boat and not steal cars. A GREAT incentive for an otherwise standard item hunt scenario. Atar's Melbourne House development team defintely knows their Transformers and their video games. Fans will easily spot dialog directly from "Transformers: The Movie" and sound effects a voices directly from the Armada cartoon series. But, I also spotted similarities to games like Metroid Prime (an elevator shaft, and crashed starship), and the game controls using both analog sticks and shoulder buttons, not unlke a first person shooter. Driving and flight physics are just what you'd expect out of a giant robot, including the tumbles you take when you're knocked down. On the easiest difficulty level, it should take an average gamer little more than 10 hours to complete the all the major goals and watch the credits. But the fun is going back to the levels and finding ALL there is to find and try out new stunts like flying up to and landing on Decepticon Dropships and using a sniper rifle to pick off enemies on the ground. As a Transformers fan, this title is not to be missed. If you don't have a Playstation 2, you owe it to yourself to find someone who does. But any gamer with a passing interest in shooters should also consider taking Transformers for spin. Its great fun and hopefully it'll do well enough to warrant more installments in the Transformers franchise to make it to game consoles.

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Transformers headed for Next-Gen