Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Review

The Autobots in the end have no choice but to evacuate Cybertron in an Ark, as the planet can no longer support life (due to the war) and the Autobots need to go into stasis to recover - which will take millions of years!

As they leave the system - heading towards a worm hole which leads to a planet rich with energy and capable of supporting life - the Decepticons attack in their devastating ship “The Nemesis”.

The story then jumps back six days before the attack when the Autobots were preparing the Ark for departure.

Well that’s enough of the story because I can really talk about this game all day! But I have to say with a big grin “OH MY GOD this game is amazing!” my inner child jumped into the driving seat for this review :-)

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron has improved loads from the original and the on-going story is amazing as it has brought all the old characters back - yes I know “War For Cybertron” had Bumblebee, Iron Hide, Sideswipe, Ratchet, Warpath and our hero Optimus Prime (plus a load more), but Fall of Cybertron brings more of the old G1 (generation one) characters with it like Jazz, Cliff Jumper and Jet Fire.

Plus the game also brings to the table the Dinobots and the mighty Titan that is METROPLEX (awesome!) and that’s only the Autobots! The Decepticons have the same characters as the first game but also the added bonus of the Combatacons - who become the mighty Bruteacus.

Control System & Graphics

The controls have not changed from the first game which is great because I didn’t have to spend time learning a whole new control system when there are Decepticons to be trounced (ha-ha).

Graphically, the Transformers are all rendered in exactly the way I remember them as a kid, including all the original voices – with the exception of Jet Fire, - when did he start sounding Australian?

The story is well written and it feels like you’re actually playing a movie because the detail in the game is amazing! In some of the FMV's there is also a freeze frame in the clips, so you can choose a side or press a control button to complete an action from the movie which I thought was pretty cool!

The game-play has also improved as well and now there is a point to destroying everything in sight as you can collect blueprints, audio cassettes and Energon shards which you can spend on improving your character with extras like max health and shields.

The Energon shards are also used when you interact with Telatran 1 (a repair/maintenance vessel under the command of Optimus Prime) so you can get your health/shields/ammo full again or you can unlock new weapons/upgrades – thus more bang for your buck (ha-ha).

Niggles!

With the previous “War for Cybertron” the game had a good story with great graphics and it had all the transforming sounds (the cartoon combined with a bit of the movie sound). Plus when you started the game you could start as either “Autobots” or the “Decepticons” and you got to choose what character to play as.

However in Fall of Cybertron they get rid of the above choices and you go straight into the action in chapter 1, which you play as the Autobot, Bumblebee.

Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but I do like to have a choice. The transforming sound is still there thankfully, but there is just so much action and firing going on that you can’t hear it which is a crying shame.

The game developers have also sped up the combat/melee so what you now get is a blur where in the first game when you went to use your melee weapon the action switched into a super slow-mo. For example if you were Optimus Prime you could see in his hand an axe forming before you smashed the enemy.

My last but one moan is with Grimlock. In the game all playable characters and non-playable can transform at will, but with Grimlock you can’t change into his T-Rex mode unless you have built up or collected enough rage to fill your meter. I know why the game developers did it but he is such a cool character it seems a shame to limit him – especially as they already took his duel blaster away and left you with your acid tipped sword/massive energy shield.

Again I know why they did this because in either mode Grimlock is a monster of a robot and can easily beat down anything in his path so he’s been hindered to make the game more of a challenge!

Mind you he still kicks butt with his flame and stomp attacks. He even has an instant kill grab which is awesome!

The last - I really do promise this time - moan is that the story of the Dinobots (without giving the game away) is a sad one and it does not fit in with the old G1 which is a shame. If you are a true fan like me then you will definitely feel the same way.