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Activision's next summer blockbuster arrives with a bang. Transformers fans weren't eager to embrace the movie when it was first announced but subsequent trailers have warmed them up to the idea. It's gone from "Why bother?" to one of the summer's most anticipated movies. But it wouldn't be a summer blockbuster without a big game attached. Thankfully, Activision and Traveller's Tales have filled the void.
Transformers' story is apparently loosely based on the movie, which is in turned based on the Transformers universe. It tells the battle between two transforming machines, the Autobots (good) and Decepticons (bad). Their battle has moved on to Earth where something called Allspark is now found. Both groups anxiously want to take control of the device and desperately want to make sure it doesn't fall in the hands of the other side. The story works out well and begins with an excellent CGI introduction by Blur Studios and manages to hold your attention.
Transformers lets you choose which side you want to play as, either the Autobots or the Decepticons. The game lets you switch between both sides easily and has a separate storyline, written by the movie's author, for each side. If you play as the Autobots, you’ll take control of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and company as you try to find the AllSpark and save humanity. The Decepticons simply want to destroy the Autobots and take control of the AllSpark. The game lets you roam around the city looking for new missions. Transformers doesn't break new ground with its mission design. The missions are generally simple. You're trying to find or collect something, rescue someone, destroy a particular enemy, or compete in a race. As with other movie licenses, Traveller's Tales included a number of new characters to beef up the storyline. The Wii version of the game uses the Wiimote and Nunchuk’s motion sensitivity for controls and since they are generally simple, end up working fine.
Transformers does include a good amount of unlockable, bonus content. By completing certain objectives and chapters, you'll be able to unlock playable characters, movie trailers, and artwork. The core storylines take four-to-five hours a piece, but the unlockable content does a good job at increasing the replay value of the game.
The game's graphics are pretty good for a Wii game. Traveller's Tales worked with CGI house Industrial Light & Magic, which worked on the film, and was granted access to the character models used in the movie. The Wii can’t handle the same level of detail found in the other new-gen consoles, but the character models still hold up compared to other games on the platform. The environments look pretty good, although again sport significantly less detail. The Wii version does experience a few more framerate drops than the other version but nothing deal-breaking.
The sound package is even more impressive. Activision managed to get the key cast members like Megan Fox, Keith David and Shia Lebeouf in the game, in addition to Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, who were the original voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron. The soundtrack is mostly comprised of modern rock songs, which is in sync with what we expect from the movie. The game's various sound effects, especially the explosions, are all good.
Transformers doesn't make any radical changes to the classic action game genre, but it does have likeable characters and top-notch production values, coupled with enjoyable gameplay. For a Transformers fan, that's more than enough. Your new summer blockbuster has arrived. -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Jun 27, 2007
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