Transformers: The disappointing truth

Wednesday 20 June 2007
Dear Traveller's Tales,

We need to talk. We loved Lego Star Wars, of course we did, and there's no doubt that we're going to adore Lego Batman. But we need to talk about Transformers: The Game. We've tried, honest we have. We've tried to love it, to be excited by it, to relive all those fantastic childhood memories. But it just isn't working. It's not you, it's us.

Well, actually, it is you. But we can explain. So here's five reasons why we just can't bring ourselves to go wild with excitement for Transformers: The Game...

It's pretty, but dumb
Our recent playtest did bring one positive point - Transformers: The Game looks lush. Explosions, environments and especially the big bots themselves, all look solid and pleasing. But beneath the surface is a game that's dimmer than a single watt bulb.

The majority of our hands-on test consisted of completing baby-simple tasks - kill these enemies, then kill these other enemies - and were regularly bookended by some awkwardly staged cut-scenes.

The levels we played were early on in the game. But we can't be certain that this stop-start setup will get any better as you progress. Which will turn what should be an Autobot actionfest or Decepticon destruction romp into a stiff and unappealing objective-hunt.

Example: Bumblebee fights Barricade. There's three separate staging grounds for three seperate battles, split by terribly weary CGI clips. Had this been a continuous, flowing clash without needless and irritating interruptions, the impact - and our enjoyment - would have been far stronger.