Review: Transformers: War For Cybertron (360, PS3)

From the start, WFC will impress with its dedication to the original animated series, called G1 by fans. At the same time, it’s clear that High Moon set out to make this their own property and not simply clone the source. The Cybertron you’ll see in this game is war-torn, and its inhabitants look damaged and worn down. They’re also not quite visually the Transformers you remember, though you’ll definitely be able to recognize each one. High Moon worked hard on this, and you can tell. The player can choose to start with the (rather easier) Decepticon campaign, which is chronologically the first; or the Autobot campaign, the closing chapter. From the start of each, the storyline is clearly much darker than that of most of the original Transformers material. You’ll see Autobot prisoners get shot down by a Decepticon firing squad, and captives getting tortured. Many of the fans of G1 Transformers were alive when it first aired, so this maturation should play very well with them. In both campaigns, there are some spectacular sights (though more so in the Autobot half), but what really makes each stand out is the wonderfully recorded dialog for each character. Unfortunately, the list of available characters for each mission (ten missions in total, five per side) is limited to three, but High Moon used this to make sure the conversations in each cutscene and pre-battle banter are spot-on in their homage to Transformers G1. Only Peter Cullen appears of the original cast, but everyone does a good job. This is surprisingly and delightfully true in the filler characters as well. As you might expect for a shooter campaign mode, you’re going to be fighting of guys, and – perhaps saving the inevitable repetition – all of them actually sound more or less as though they could have come straight out of the cartoon series. Autobot foes give heroic death-cries that actually sound like they hurt their throat (think about how little you really hear that in a game), while Decepticons croak their demise in a convincingly evil manner. On the minus side, there are only a few types of each opponent, and – damningly – they’re identical from one side to the other. You could rationalize this by saying that Autobots and Decepticons are brother beings, divided only by ideology, but it’s a stretch. This is particularly jarring in the case of Cloakers, an enemy type obviously designed to look, sound and feel evil – but which is represented just as much on the Autobot side as the Decepticon. High Moon clearly put great effort into the multiplayer (described shortly) and it shows, but the campaign may have suffered for it. Having distinct peons and demi-peons from one side to the other would have made an enormous difference in differentiating the two arcs from each other.

TRANSFORMERS G1 - SEASON 1, EP1 (1)

More Than Meets The Eye Part 1

Transformers G1 Black Megatron Exclusive Reissue

Transformers

Transformers: 25th Anniversary Matrix Of Leadership Edition [The Complete Series]

Shout! Factory

List Price: $169.99
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Product Description

The Complete Generation One series!


Four million years after crash landing on an unfamiliar planet, sentient robots with the ability to disguise themselves as common vehicles awaken on present day Earth. Engaged in a crucial race to find a new energy source for their home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime and the heroic Autobots must defend the innocent people of Earth against their archnemeses, Megatron and the power-hungry Decepticons.


In 1983 a fateful trip to a Japanese toy fair uncovered a phenomenon that would soon rule not only the world of toys, but also the realms of comics, airwaves and the silver screen as well. Since then, the war between the peaceful Autobots and the villainous Decepticons has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike, launching hundreds of collectible toys, comic books, animated series and feature films. Now Shout! Factory and Hasbro celebrate 25 years of Robots In Disguise with the 16-disc Transformers: The Complete Series 25th Anniversary Matrix Of Leagership Edition. This deluxe set includes all 98 restored episodes, new interviews, exclusive featurettes, concept art, archival Hasbro toy commercials, printable scripts and much more! This set also includes a collectible 60-page book and Autobot and Decepticon magnets.



Transformers Universe Deluxe Figure G1 Starscream

HASBRO

Product Details

  • Transforms from F-15 fighter to Decepticon robot
  • Hasbro Transformers Line
  • Generation 1 Deluxe