Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

If you’re a fan of Michael Bay’s bombastic giant robots franchise, then the explosive action of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen might be right up your alley. Closely following the plot of the movie it’s based on, the game might offer almost no surprises for fans of the franchise, but its fun gameplay and cool character designs will undoubtedly appeal to all the mecha fans looking for a game to kill some time.

However, much like the film, this Transformer game suffers from a lack of direction in some parts that, ultimately, reduce the overall quality of the game. Are these problems too much for the game to be enjoyable? Let’s find out.

Fast Cars and Giant Robots

As we’ve said before, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is an adaptation of the movie of the same name. It makes sense that such an action-focused movie would be made into a third-person shooter like this. Interestingly, however, the game goes a step beyond the movie, showing both sides of the Transformers war and letting players play as both Autobots and Decepticons. Each faction has unique characters with somewhat exclusive skills. That said, most Transformers control similarly, with the exception being their vehicle mode capabilities. A neat addition to the game is its main hub, which allows players to progress somewhat non-linearly through the game’s missions.

If you’re worried that your favorite robot didn’t make it into the movie, fear not. Much like other movie games (like the fantastic X-Men Origins: Wolverine,) some characters from the Transformers franchise that don’t appear in the film are present in the game. Additionally, unlockable skins will let you play with Transformers from the original show and form the first animated movie.

Much Ado About Nothing

If there’s one area where Revenge of the Fallen falters, that would be its overall presentation. While the visuals – particularly those of the Transformer characters – aren’t half bad, the rest of the game’s world feels utterly lifeless. It might have something to do with the voice acting, as each actor gives their all, really bringing the characters to life. The same can’t be said of the stale stages and uninspired mission design. It’s not like the game is insultingly bad: the issue is that it can be impressively bland. That said, this being a movie game, that can be forgivable, as most games like this are usually quick cash grabs made to bank on a film’s popularity.

Closing Words

Revenge of the Fallen is a safe, inoffensive game that never veers too much into uncharted territory – and that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t expect anything too interesting from either the gameplay or the game in general, and you won’t be disappointed.

Playing as either an Autobot or a Decepticon can be fun, as the bombastic set pieces seen in the film are just as entertaining to play through in video game form. The controls are responsive, even if more commands, like a dedicated transform button, would have been immensely appreciated. The dull AI makes every encounter feel unfairly easy, even if the world’s geometry isn’t always working in your favor. The robots look great, though, and in a Transformers game, that’s everything that matters.

Pros:

• Great Transformers character models
• Good voice acting (except Megan Fox)
• Fun combat

Cons:

• Obnoxious transformation controls
• Terrible AI
• Repetitive missions