I know what you’re thinking. The Transformers games need a change of pace. How about a Transformers game that takes out all the frustration and hassle of transforming? Sound fun? No! It doesn’t! But that’s exactly what Activision gives Wii owners.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Behaviour Interactive
Released: June 14, 2011
Platforms: Nintendo Wii
ESRB: Everyone
Usually I don’t bother with the Wii version of multi-console release games like Transformers: Dark of the Moon, but this particular Wii adaption of the movie tie-in stands out in a very special way. It’s the worst Transformers game ever made!
What makes a great comic book/superhero video game is the experience of stepping into the character’s shoes and actually becoming that character. Awesome examples of this are Batman: Arkham Asylum, Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and Spider-Man 2; but Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition takes a giant leap backwards and deprives us of the one thing Transformers are known for: Transforming. And you’re not even in robot mode. You spend the whole game in vehicle mode with your “Stealth Force” ability. Stealth Force allows you to use guns and cannons while still in vehicle mode…and we all know how stealthy a Camaro with artillery hanging out of every window is.
Adding insult to injury is just how bad the game is. It would be one thing if this were a fun confused Transformers game, but it’s not. The combat is not the least bit engaging or interesting, nor are the missions. It’s like the developers made a list of every over used mission in video games and tried to make them as boring as possible. In this game you get to race from point A to point B against the clock, protect objects from enemies, and collect items and shoot at other vehicles. All things that wouldn’t be so bad if the gameplay was the least bit interesting.
I’m not sure if it’s a slap-in-the-face or blessing that the game’s campaign is only two hours long. Such a short story mode is completely unacceptable for any game, but it’s so boring it seems to drag on forever. Even boss battles aren’t fun. You can literally drive away from the fight, collect health Energon, and return to the battle to slowly and easily take out your big foes. Even playing as all the different Autobots and Decepticons is lame, because they all play exactly the same. Not even the game’s split-screen multiplayer can make things any better.
The desolate, empty environments are just as dull as the “action,” and the graphics meet the standard of a mediocrely designed GameCube title. The sound is all forgettable, except for Peter Cullen reprising his role as Optimus Prime.
As an added bonus, depending on where you bought the game, you likely got either a special Bumble Bee in-game skin, or a cheap plastic Bumble Bee Camaro figure.
Obviously, this game is one that you want to avoid at all costs, and, sadly, even the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version of Dark of the Moon isn’t as good as Transformers: War for Cybertron, or even Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but it’s leaps and bounds better than Stealth Force Edition. And I only recommend the PS3/360 version for those hardcore fans dying for some kind of decent Transformers game.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition joins the ranks of Superman Returns and Catwoman as the worst of the superhero movie tie-in games, and actually makes a great case for the title of worst of all time. And that’s about the most this game will ever accomplish.
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Andrew Hurst
andrewhurst@comicattack.net
@andrewEhurst
