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Some quick updates: A new Trailer for DC Universe Online is up, talking about Super Speed and all its features in the game. See it here! DCUO is scheduled to hit the PS3 and PC in November.

Spider-Man 2099 has been confirmed as one of the many versions of Spider-Man playable for the upcoming Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions video game. You can see the special E3 trailer featuring the Spider-Man of 2099 here!

Speaking of E3, there will be a lot of news and updates on a lot of new games, but only The Comics Console is bringing you the updates for the games featuring your favorite comic book characters! Look for our E3 wrap up next week when the expo concludes!

The Comics Console’s countdown to Transformers: War for Cybertron continues! As of this posting we are 12 days away from the release of the the summer’s biggest games, and what looks to be the greatest Transformers game ever made.

For those of you who can’t wait until the 22nd, all throughout June we’re playing some of Transformers’ best games to get pumped for War for Cybertron. Last week we played Beast Wars, the Transformers’ radical 1990s reinvention. Though Beast Wars was a great breath of fresh air for the Robots in Disguise, it wasn’t long until the fans called for the original Autobots and Decepticons that so many of us grew up with.

In the mid 2000s the original G1 Transformers were given new life with a new animated series (Transformers: Armada, and Transformers: Energon), a new toy line, and a new comics series by IDW!

Of course a video game was inevitable, and in 2004, a new game based off of the Transformers reboot was released, and named simply, Transformers.

Transformers

Publisher: Atari
Developer: Melburne House
Platforms: Playstation 2
Released: May 11, 2004
ESRB: Teen

Transformers fans rejoice! Finally fans are treated to the first big budget action game featuring their favorite robots, and better yet, the game is actually good!

The story in Transformers is simple. Autobots vs. Decepticons. While the story isn’t one of the game’s brightest qualities, it gets the job done, and trust me, you’re not going to give a flip about the story after you blow up your first horde of enemy drones.

Transformers is a third-person-shooter with tons of action, and although the game’s license keep the animated series in mind, it doesn’t dumb anything down for the kids, hence the ‘Teen’ rating.

You start off as one of three Autobots: Hot Rod, Red Alert, or, of course, Optimus Prime. As one of these three you’re able to run, jump, shoot your giant cannons, and transform. Transforming is an easy touch of a button and a blast to use in battle. While you’ll mainly use your Vehicle Mode for moving across levels at a faster pace than walking, I like to spot my enemies from a distance and plow right into them, destroying them instantly. You’ll also be using Vehicle Mode for things like jumping gaps and getting to special areas.

But for more close quartered combat situations, you’ll definitely be using Robot Mode to blast away Decepticon dregs. Your weapons options are limited at first, but as you progress through each level you’ll find Mini-Cons. Mini-Cons are a race of miniature Transformers that can attach to your body for special weapons like a sniper rifle or a stronger blaster, and upgrades for health and special add-ons like a Transformers version of thermal goggles.

A lot of the fun in Transformers is playing with the different combos, but the most satisfying part of the game is the satisfaction of destroying so many enemies! It’s magic watching your rocket drop onto a group of Decepticon drones and seeing all the debris fly.

The game also has a great sense of scale which you’ll notice during boss fights against familiar enemies like Megatron, the 900 foot Title Wave, and the transforming planet Unicron.

Each level is huge and offers a decent amount of exploration, especially when playing through the game a second time to capture any Mini-Cons that were previously unattainable, or extras like toy and concept art.

Over all, the graphics are sharp and bright, although the music is forgettable and some of the voice acting is a little silly. The game does has a few issues like falling down animations that take too long, or slightly sluggish controls at times, but nothing that’s going to frustrate you throughout the experience.

Transformers is really fun game, especially for anyone who has ever been a Transformers fan, and the perfect way to get your Transformers fix while waiting for War for Cybertron.

Transformers gets a 5/5.

Checkout The Comics Console next week when we play Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen!

Andrew Hurst
andrewhurst@comicattack.net