Transformers 2 Review. Falls Flat on Gameplay

Transformers 2, also known as the Revenge of the Fallen, hit both theatres and gaming stores around the same time. However, the two were vastly different regarding both quality and experience, and you couldn’t even tell that they had a common origin.

Graphics: 3.5

While director Michael Bay set new standards with the Transformers 2 visuals, I can’t say the same about the graphics on the game. They pass for playable graphics but lock you out of any exhilarating experience that you would normally associate with the movie. The visuals are flat, and most of the transformations just give you a bad headache if you have already watched the movie. The action scenes are also lackluster, and there’s no on-screen incentive to keep playing.

Gameplay: 3.5

Not much can be said about the gameplay either. I was hoping for some brilliant cutscenes between fast-paced robot action. Instead, I got a dull game in which the only thing that you get is shooting at vehicles and robots which are running away from you anyway. I thought an epic boss fight was in the offing, but I was wrong.

The game follows the plot of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. However, there is very little in the game to show that this is an Autobot-Decepticon fight. The lack of depth in the storyline does not do much to engage you. Also to note is that AI mechanics in this game are terrible. AI’s don’t defend themselves most of the time, which means you’ll get minimal action from the fights.

The missions are quite repetitive, and you’ll often find yourself in the same area killing off everything in the vicinity. Sam and Mikaela’s characters make very few appearances in the game as NPCs.

Controls: 3.0

The controls on Transformers 2 are clunky at best. Seeing how fast the scenes in the movie are and the unpredictability of the transformations made me think that I was going to get the same kind of control response. However, your movement is slowed down, and on occasion, the vehicle won’t even let you do what you want. I also had a problem with the fact that instead of letting you use one action button for your transformation, you have to hold down the fire button, which also happens to be your accelerate button.

Replay Value: 3.0

I’d consider replaying this game probably because you can play as either an Autobot or Decepticon. Each character has different moves and weapons, which is also a plus. You might not notice this from the gameplay though. The combat scenes are terrible. Half the time you are shooting an AI that does little to fight back or is running away. The other half, you’re trying to fumble through the clunky controls.

Conclusion

The game takes away from the entire Transformers experience. Luxoflux can be forgiven for not being able to replicate the Autobot and Decepticon transformation mechanics perfectly, but virtually every other aspect of this game falls short. I was hoping to see some brilliant cutscenes, but instead got a corny dialogue between Optimus and the other characters in one repetitive scene. I’m pretty sure Michael Bay was disappointed with this adaptation too.