Developer: FunLabs, High Moon Studios
Publisher: Activision
Platform: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4
Tested on: Xbox One
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron – Review
Remastering, Rebooting, and Remaking seem to be the three keywords of our current generation of games, as there are seemingly fewer and fewer ‘new’ titles on our new spiffy consoles. Of course, we know there are still more than enough new titles to pick from, but the aforementioned formulas are on the rise ever since the release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Many popular games are being rereleased with a few updates, a complete graphic overhaul, or even a reboot, which might actually be ‘new’, as it’s simply restarting the series from scratch. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron was initially released in 2012 and has now been updated to suit our more modern needs.
Story
The plot of Fall of Cybertron is actually extremely simple, as it simply revolves around the dying breath of the planet Cybertron, seeing it no longer produces Energon, which is the key to all life on the planet. Of course, the scarcer this much-needed material becomes, the more the tensions start to rise and civil wars break loose. There are pockets of robots who wish to flee the planet, hoping to find life elsewhere, while there are those who are gunning at the ones trying to leave.
Just like pretty much all Transformers stories, the plot revolves around the eternal struggle between Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, and Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. The story is rather captivating even in its simplicity. The mood this game tends to go for is pretty much in sync with the live-action films that have been released over the course of the last few years. If you’re a fan of the movies, this game will share certain similarities.
Graphics
Fall of Cybertron doesn’t immediately push our Xbox One to the limit, but it does look very suitable for our current generation of games. The characters all have very nice textures, and the environments are coated in the same grim, dark, yet glossy textures to make you feel as if you’re truly on a planet that’s been created out of metal. A small honorable mention goes to the fact that many parts of the obstacles show damage after being fired upon, which is still an uncommon sight even in games that only recently have been developed.
There’s only one annoyance in the pretty picture that defines Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, namely frame drops that are caused by the frequent short loading times. Instead of fully loading a level, the game does frequent small loading sessions, which make the game freeze often for a second or two, in the midst of certain scenes.
Sound
A game can’t be any more authentic than Transformers: Fall of Cybertron with Peter Cullen voicing Optimus Prime, and others from the 80’s series cast joining the fray. You’ll be treated to rather movie-worthy voice acting and this is what gives you that real Transformers kind of vibe.
The music is also rather impressive, as you’re bombarded with a rather adventurous action-packed soundtrack, that also feels like it was created for a Transformers movie. Nonetheless, sometimes the music might be a bit too much in the foreground to properly process everything that is going on.
Gameplay
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is, just like on its initial release in 2012, a third-person shooter, where you’ll commandeer both the good as well as the evil side in this battle for Cybertron. Run, drive and gun is the motto of this game, and that’s pretty much the global picture of this game, safe for a few quirks and mechanics.
Overall the gameplay is very straightforward and rather linear, all but a few skills that are unique for certain characters. You’ll always be able to carry around two weapons, one light, one heavy, and a few consumable items, such as health packs, grenades, attack drones, and so on. The game doesn’t really bother with difficult or complex mechanics, as you can run around, aim and shoot. There is no real cover system intact, except for simply standing behind rubble or walls. That being said, the game allows you to shift your weapon’s position, making it easier to target enemies from behind a wall. The system is pretty much the same as the one used in Army of Two, for those who have ever played the game.
Other than the few weapons lying around, you can find new weapons or simply upgrade your existing ones, albeit in a rather subtle fashion. Cash is given by destroying objects and enemies, and this will serve to open certain weapon containers or to upgrade your weapons.
It wouldn’t be a proper Transformers game if you couldn’t transform in a vehicle mode, thus the developers could not skip including this mode. That being said, this area is pretty much the part of the game that feels clunky, underwhelming, and pretty much unfinished. The vehicles all feel like they’re simply gliding over the ground, with fairly unbearable controls that give you no sense of control. Most of the time the vehicle mode is a quirk to cover bigger distances faster, while blowing up some obstacles, or even to become compacter and hide in passageways. Overall, it’s a fun addition, but not properly fleshed out.
Multiplayer modes are of course a thing in the current generation of games, but Fall of Cybertron is at its best when plowing through the campaign mode, which will give you a few hours of pleasure. If you still want to discover new content and destroy some other robots, then multiplayer will give you something extra to chew on.
If all of the above sounds simplistic to you, you’re pretty much right. Nonetheless, the game is quite solid and does offer you a great gameplay experience, in the sense where ‘less is more’. If you don’t like that many whistles and bells, but still have some variation thanks to the different robots you’ll control during the campaign, you’ll find your pick of the litter in this one.
Conclusion
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is one of those successful next-gen ports of a title that was well received in the day, but pretty much forgotten by a big part of the gamer community. Nonetheless, Fall of Cybertron is certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of the Transformers universe, haven’t played this title yet, or simply want to see an updated, smoothened-out version of the original title.
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