Transformers: The disappointing truth

It's all a bit messy
City levels are full of vehicles,which give them some life. But when combined with the destructible surroundings, this can result in some messily explosive moments. Charge into combat and you might scatter several cars. These will spang off you and crash into nearby buildings, destroying them and scattering bits - while at the same time you're being shot at by enemies as you try to blat a Decepticon up close with an uprooted tree.

For spectators, it looks thrilling. But when you're playing it can be confusing, which distances you from the action on screen. Are you being hit? Beyond your energy bar depleting, there are no obvious visual cues. Are you damaging your enemies? The only real way to tell is by reading your rival's energy bar, or by your target eventually exploding into bits.

This messiness and vagueness can sometimes create excitement, but more regularly it leaves you feeling uninvolved and removed from what should be a gripping encounter.

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.