THE GAMER REPORT REVIEW: TRANFORMERS 2: RISE OF THE FALLEN

Once again, Guest Contributer “DIGGITY” is back with another review.

Here is the deal. If I hear one more person tell me they did not like the Transformers movies because they had bad acting, or bad directing, or blah blah blah, I might have to administer them a DBBS, (Double-Backhanded-Bitch-Slap). My point is, if you went in to Transformers 1 or 2 looking for amazing acting or writing, you should probably stick to chasing parked cars instead. These movies were not intended to be Academy Award winners; these movies are about giant shape-changing robots doing battle for crying out loud! Why can’t people just enjoy a movie experience for what it is anymore? This same concept ties perfectly into the Transformers: Rise of the Fallen video game. If you go into it looking for some artsy, whimsical experience like Bioshock, (most overrated game ever by the way) you will most likely be disappointed. However if you want to do some battle with Transformers, then dig into this one for sure.

Before I delve further into this short but sweet review, I will warn you about some serious spoilers. If you have not seen the movie and you plan to, do not play the game! There are some parts of the movie that will provide a nice chub to true Transformers fans that would otherwise be digitally blue-balled by the sub-par graphics of the video game. Graphics are really the biggest downfall of this enjoyable game. They are at often times fuzzy and PS2-esque. Same with what I said in my Prototype review though. Who is stopping to admire how pretty a building is when you are wreaking so much havoc? It’s not a huge deal, but more attention to the textures would have been nice, particularly the actual transformation of some of the characters.

The game has a ton of positives, including the full roster of bots from both movies. Being able to transform on the fly is very satisfying, and never really seems to get old, especially with the flying transformers like Starscream and Grindor. Each bot has two weapons with unlimited ammo, which can overheat if fired for too long. There is also a very simple melee system, which you will rarely use as it’s extremely ineffective compared to the artillery. Single-player campaign is a bit repetitive for the most part, playing out with several generic missions spanning from killing a bunch of bots, to checkpoint races and protecting areas from damage while fighting off waves of enemies. There are a couple really cool boss fights (especially Devastator) that keep it fresh, and also a campaign for both Autobots and Decepticons.

This game was obviously intended for online multiplayer, as that’s where it really ends up shining. The campaign seemed more like a training session for the multiplayer. It offers several modes including Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, and my personal favorite, One Shall Stand where each team switches off a leader (Optimus or Megatron) in a VIP style “kill the leader.” There is also your standard Capture the Flag (Shard) and Control Points. The robust lineup transfers well to the multiplayer. Each has a different style of play from transformation to weaponry. Some are small and quick, some are big and slow, some have sniper rifles, and others have locking missiles or grenade launchers. This works out rather well as the multiplayer plays like a team-based third person shooter, so everybody is sure to find a player that fits their style. Each character also has a special ability. These range from overheating other players weapons, temporary invincibility and even the ability to deploy a turret. Couple the addictive shooting and gunplay with the aforementioned ability to transform on the fly, and you have one nicely put together multiplayer experience. I had no trouble finding games, and no lag to speak of.

All in all this game was really surprising for me. I enjoyed the nostalgia of the movies and the attention to detail of making each Transformer feel different and unique both in their robot-like state, and their vehicle transformation. If you’re looking for a nice tie-over from your usual online shooter, give this one a go for sure!

–DIGGITY OUT