TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Dennis' review of the Atari Transformers videogame for Playstation 2

This is a game that I was virtually prepared to die for; I actually got a Playstation 2 just for this game. And the 999 sek that I (actually, my mom) gave for it was not "money for nothing." At the time I was buying the game, I had hardly read anything about it; the fact that it was Transformers-based was enough to convince me. It's truly amazing what the Playstation 2, the oldest console still on the market, can actually manage in resolution.

The game itself is based on the Armada universe, but there are some things that differ. Obviously, there wouldn't be much action if there were only the normal setup of Decepticons. But, they've created a Decepti-clone army (mass-produced soldiers) in all shapes, sizes, and specialties that include: artillery; surveilance; espionage; command; scouting; sniping. They become harder to destroy as you move through the game.

The overall story is that the Decepticons have secretly taken over Earth and erased the human forces that stood in their way, instead of the Autobots. You play as one of three Autobots: Optimus Prime himself, Red Alert, and everybody's "favorite", Hotshot.

The game features seven different levels that range from the deep forests in the heat of the Amazon to the freezing snow-covered mountains of Alaska. You'll find yourself traveling from place to place on your mission to decimate the Decepti-clone army and hunt down Megatron and his henchemen, and also trying to rescue some Minicons while your at it.

The CGI movies in the game are amazing and say, "The PS2 still has something to say." When you arrive at the Amazon basin, a dropship will fly overhead, and the game runs surprisingly smoothly. The artwork doesn't lose steam in the Autobot HQ either, though the resolution drops a bit. Aside from the fancy graphics, the game controls are easy to learn, and you only need a minute to get the hang of them.

As for the gameplay, it's rather simple. You have a main goal of defeating Megatron, and need to collect Minicons on the way. The enemy garrisons will start simply with only a couple of light modules. But soon enough, the reinforcements will grow in number and become more adept in their environments. The use of strategy is limited to the Minicon loadout: use them wisely, padawan. You can't load all of your favorites, though: the poor Autobot's electrical systems will go haywire, so a limit has been set. Sometimes, the hundreds of enemies on screen may get confusing, but you can Powerlink with your Minicon and everything slows down.

As for the Transformers part of the game... Sometimes it's better to run than to fight, so every Autobot and Decepticon can transform at free will (the vehicle controls are also easy to learn). The game is easily recognizable as Transformers because it's not hard to identify the main characters from their cartoon counterparts. The clone army also has a very "Transformer-ish" design to them. This game is Transformers all the way through, in story, in looks, and in heart.

Extra bits
This game features not only 42 different minicons but also 40 datacons. Datacons are circular discs (not CDs, though) that unlock bonus features in the extras section. There are music themes by different groups, old TV spots from G1, artwork, and pictures of toy prototypes all hidden away.

Overall, the graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is fun, the controls are responsive, and it's a wonderful game to enjoy. Play it!

I give this game 10/10 in all categories !