As Optimus Prime says “One shall stand, One shall fall”. In terms of rise of the dark spark it sets itself perfectly in the middle. The game is essentially two halves, but which half stands while the other falls.
It was to be expected that a Transformers game would be released to tie in with the latest film installment ‘Age of extinction’. Transformers games in the passed have been a mixed variation of good and bad, with the main promise of an enjoyable experience is to have a wide variation of characters and action, and for it to be fun to transform. However Rise of the dark spark fails to deliver on some of the key aspects that previous games in the franchise have thrived on.
Story
The game indeed has two halves. One half set on Cybertron and the other set on earth. Now this would have been an interesting concept, yet it has failed to deliver on the plot adding to a confusing story. Undoubtedly the McGuffin of the game is the dark spark. The Decepticons want it for power where as the Autobots don’t wont it to fall into the wrong hands. Sounds interesting right? Well.. The game starts off on earth with Optimus and crew battling their way through a chaotic debris ridden city straight out of mind of Michael Bays! They come under attack by Lockdown’s (Main villain in age of extinction) minions as he sets a path of destruction to acquire the fabled ‘dark spark’ After a brief all be it confusing cut scene demonstrating what the dark spark does in the hands of lockdown, the game then lands you in Cybertron, presumably before these events took place, which starts the confusion as the information isn’t provided. From here it feels like a completely different game. One that’s story is enjoyable to play and is on par with the likes of ‘War for Cybertron’ and ‘Fall of Cybertron’. The story is interesting, the transformations are fun and the character variation is vast.
Gameplay
As with any transformers game the fun novelty is the ability to transform between robot and vehicle form. The game delivers on fun transformations during the Cybertron portion of the game, but feels clunky and disjointed while back on earth. The transformation aren’t as fluid and as sleek between the two halves.
The story is effectively told between the bad guys trying to acquire the dark spark and the good guys trying to stop them. There are 14 missions in total on the game, within these you constantly switch the perspective of Autobot and Decepticon. This becomes an annoyance after a while as you begin to complete one mission as a Decepticon then immediately become an Autobot until it reaches the point where it stops switching sides all together putting you as the Autobots and leaves the Decepticon story dwindling in the distance.
Again the game borrows ties to the movie giving the Transformers that Michael Bay look which makes it hard to distinguish who is who apart from a little team badge. Half the times you are fighting in a level then all of a sudden are killed because the robot you weren’t shooting at turns out to be on the opposite side. This becomes jarring and frustrating over time, departing away from the aspect of fun and enjoyment.
There are over 20 different guns in the game each with their own distinct style. From a semi automatic rifle shot gun and a full automatic rail gun, to a particle laser beam and an energon harvester, the weapon variation is vast. You can collect and unlock upgrades by acquiring points, which will make each weapon more powerful. Along with weapons you have unlockable gearboxes to add to your characters progression. However half the time when opening them, you feel like you are given too much, making it a pain to sift through.
Graphics & Sound
When it comes to the graphics, here is really where the game falls flat. The graphics feel outdated. For next gen consoles it feels like current gen and for current gen it doesn’t fit the look of the current style of graphics. The character models look clunky and pixilated, the locations of Cybertron feel like a labyrinth upon labyrinth where as earth looks like a bland unfinished model.
Along with the graphics the sound design is in the lacking. The electronic feel to the music detracts from the style of the transformers roots. The only redeeming factor is that of Peter Cullen reprising his voice as Optimus Prime.
In conclusion Transformers Rise of the Dark Spark is essentially yet another movie game tie in that tries to be different like ‘fall of Cybertron’ but fails by feeling rushed and by having a confusing story that leads to a forgettable resolution. To state the opening quote “One shall stand, one shall fall” The Cybertron portion of the game stands as being the most enjoyable, where as the earth section falls for feeling the same as every other transformers movie game in the past.
For this the game gets a 3 out of 5. If you’re a fan of transformers it is worth a play through, however beyond that it is just another movie game tie in.
Transformers rise of the Dark Spark is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC and Nintendo 3ds.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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