Strengths: A TRUE Transformers game that captures the essence and feeling of the recent "Armada" animated TV series and toyline. Great, solid, gameplay with lots of exploration bits for high replay value.
Weakness: The fact that the game was released AFTER the original "Armada" storyline had ended, forcing fans to literally 'play' what they had already watched unfold in the "Armada" storyline.
From the moment that you pop this game disc into your PS2 console, you'll be treated to some really high-quality CG cutscenes with beautiful and stunning visuals that feature your favorite Transformers "Armada" storyline characters. Great care was taken to insure that the FULL Transformers "Armada" experience is as accurate as possible when compared to the animated TV series as well as the toyline.
Gameplay - This game pretty much comes out in the following increments, which allow game players to experience something different, all in one convenient game; 60% 3rd Person Action Platformer with some keen exploration elements, 20% 3rd Person Action Driving and 20% First Person Shooter (aka FPS). You'll find yourself immersed in the well designed and massive stages which allow your chosen character to traverse in a fully non-linear environment. There are some instances where the game will sometimes 'force' the player to perform some speed-based driving sequences, but those segments only add excitement to the overall experience. One of the other unique aspects of this game is the "Mini-Con" upgrade feature. During the various stages of the game, the player is tasked with finding miniature robots known as "Mini-Cons". After successfully finding and 'awakening' them from their long 'slumber' ("Armada" fans know what this is about), new weapons and abilities are now available for the heroic Autobots to use as they see fit. From "Homing Missle" weapon Mini-Cons to "Energy Shield" inducing Mini-Cons, this game offers true variety in terms of how you can outfit your favorite Autobots to make sure they are victorious in driving back the evil Decepticon Forces. Players will want to do their best to find ALL of the Mini-Cons so they can outfit their favorite Autobot with the latest and most powerful weapons and ability enhancements.
Controls - It takes a bit getting used to at first, but once you've played the game for about 30 minutes to an hour, you'll pretty much have the control scheme down well enough to make sure you have full control over your chosen character. Considering that each of the PS2 control pad's main buttons (save for the 'select' and 'start' buttons) are vital to the player's success or failure in each stage, the developers did an excellent job of mapping the buttons so they're easy to figure out, at least with a bit of practice.
Sound - This is one of the high-quality aspects of the game. From the crisp and clear sound effects of the robots' movements, whether it be a simple step, jump or even the infamous "Transformation" sound effect, to the sometimes orchestral and sometimes techno/industrial/rock soundtrack, you'll feel as if you're watching one of the episodes of "Transformers Armada". To top things off, even the original voice actors from the animated TV series have recorded original lines and dialogue for their respective characters, exclusively for this game.
Graphics - Pure eye candy, especially for Transformers Fans. Finally, you can get to see for yourself exactly how Transformers, well.... Transform, all at the push of a button. The animation for each character in the game (enemy or otherwise), especially the main characters (the Autobots) are super sharp and well animated. The environments are vast and extrememly colorful. From the green rainforests and jungles, to the snowy regions of Antarctica, background and environmental visuals definitely do not fall short in terms of being pretty. Unfortunately, there can sometimes be too much going on in terms of action on the screen, so there may be occasional bits of slowdown, but not enough to detract from the fun experience of playing the game.
Overall - Transformers Fans will buy this game in a heartbeat and probably enjoy it for the hours of gameplay it will provide, not to mention the unlockable 'secrets' such as the vintage Transformers 1980's PSA (Public Service Announcement) collection as well as the various production artwork for the game, and even production images of the "Armada" toy line by Hasbro. Veteran gamers will either think that the game is a bit on the 'slow' side in terms of action, but they really can't expect Transformers to be turbo-charged and super fast like "Sonic" do they? The "Robots In Disguise" move, act and ultimately look just like they're supposed to; Giant, 20-40 foot tall robots that also Transform into vehicles that are big enough to accomodate human-sized beings in. If you're a game player that's willing to take a chance on a title that will provide you with a unique experience, than by all means, "Transformers" by Atari, if for you. If you're not a game player who wants to explore vast levels, find secret weapons, prizes and play some entertaining scenarios set in the "Transformers" Universe, then by all means, this game is not for you.
Now is your time to experience what the Transformers craze is all about.
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As a fan of the original 80's cartoon series, I was thrilled when I found out that a Transformers game was being made. Playing Transformers is a nostalgic treat. Boss battles are thrilling, and there is a ton of unlockable content scattered around levels in the form of "data-cons". Visually, the game is great. The lack of a story, and the use of the current Armada series setting, are both unfortunate. I would have loved to see a faithful recreation of the original series, myself. However, these short comings are overshadowed by the simple fact that the game is fun. Since it is currently selling at bargain prices at many retailers, I recommend picking up a copy.
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Strengths: Nice graphics, classic feel, nostalgia effect, fun gameplay
Weakness: Relatively short, not much to it.
Let me start off by saying I had a lot of fun with Transformer. It is an awesome game. The game has a nice, cool graphical style and aims to please any Transformers fan. It accomplishes this task by offering intense boss battles with many famous Decepticon villains such as: Cyclonus, Starscream, and of course Megatron. It does end too quickly and there isn’t as much gameplay to the levels as I would like. Your main objective is to just get to the end of the level and kill the boss, and along the way you are encourages to collect Mini-con units (which offer upgrades such as better weapons and armor) you can equip. There is also a ton of bonus content any fan of the classic Transformer series will love such as TV Spots and Toys – to get this collect the Data Con discs spread about the levels.
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Strengths: It's the transformers... how awesome is that?
Weakness: A little hard to control the robots sometimes
If you watched the transformers as a kid, you'll enjoy this game thoroughly. Transformers were cool then, and they still are. The controls can get you a little bogged down sometimes, but other than that, I think you'll have a blast playing this game. Enjoy everyone!
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Strengths: Lots of extra goodies, graphics are very well done, action is well done
Weakness: Can be repetative, Story isn't much to write home about
Transformers Armada is a 3rd person action game and while it's lacking in some area it's still a very fun game as it does a great job of dilivering the action. The story in Transformers Armada is almost non exsistant so depending on how you feel about that it may affect how you enjoy the game to some degree also it can get repetative but you could also say that about a game like Champions of Norrath so if you like it you like it and may not get sick of it very easily as the action is well done in Transformers much as the case is with Champions of Norrath. The Transforming aspect also is cool but isn't as big a part of the game as one could have hoped for. You can also explore the huge levels in order to find Mini-Cons and Data-Cons. Mini-Cons will power you up while Data-Cons will unlock extras for you to view suchs as comic books and even the old "Knowing is half the battle" clips. I would recommend giving Transformers a try to anyone that likes 3rd person action games and isn't to dependent on having a story in their games.
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Atari sure knows how to handle games. Featuring an impressive amount of autobots, awesome graphics and pretty good gameplay Transformers is a fan's dream come true. Great for kids and adult fans alike.
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Strengths: Good graphics, short load times, great nostalgic value. Great powerup system.
Weakness: Respective gameplay. No lock on or auto aim feature.
Transformers is a fast paced game with wide open levels. There are 3 characters to choose from to play as. Each one is unique with regards to speed and strength. I would highly recommend to any fan of Transformers and recommend to any fan of 3rd person shooters.
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Strengths: Awesome action, tons of unlockable Mini-Cons (weapons, abilities, art/video galleries), big areas to explore
Weakness: Only 3 playable characters, easy to get surrounded and bombarded by enemies, boss fights aren't very hard, overall game is short if you don't get the unlockable stuff
Transformers is a really fun game, it just sweet to drive up to a group of enemies then transform and start blasting away. The levels are big and massive, allowing you plenty of room to drive and explore. My only gripe is that you only get 3 transformers to pick from, I'd like it if I could choose from all the ones I knew of and remembered. The ones included are cool, but there really isn't much to separate them from each other. Its like speed vs strength is all. As a complete package I would definitely recommend Tranformers to anyone interested in it. I think its worth it alone just for the old classic public service announcements available as unlockables. Remember, knowing is half the battle!
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Strengths: Good graphics & sound, great nostalgia, good action
Weakness: Clunky controls, repetive gameplay
Transformers is a very good game, hearkening back to the cartoon of the 1980's. Numerous Autobots can be played, with different types of missions and gameplay, working up to multiple battles with the Decepticons. The game looks good with good graphics and sounds equally as well. The controls are a bit clunky at times, though they could be worse. Gameplay is a bit repetitive sometimes, though the fun outweighs it.
Strengths: Transformers! Unlockable upgrades. good graphics. cheap
Weakness: Can be repetitive at times. A bit difficult for young kids. Not many characters to choose from.
I got this for my nephrew as a present. At the time, it was really cheap. I paid about $10 for it. For the price, it was definitely worth getting. He was really excited when he first got it, but lost interest when he couldn't beat this boss after repeated tries. So this may not be appropriate for those really young.
Strengths: Based on Transformers - a great license and screamed to be made into a video game, the levels are huge, lots of stuff to unlock.
Weakness: only 3 autobots, generic enemies; you'll see the same ones over and over, the intro and cg cutscenes weren't very impressive.
Remember the tagline "Transformers - More than meets the eye", well this game is actually pretty straight forward. It's an action/shooter but just with the Transformer license.
The main problem with this game are the plain objectives. The levels are huge but there isn't much to do, enemies are scattered here and there in groups but after you dispatch one group you have to make a lengthy drive to the next area where another group (of the same robots) await. Also another flaw in the design is that the Transformers are supposedly giant robots yet the environments are scaled so that it feels like your miniature in size.
Strengths: Solid graphics for a PS2 title.
Big open areas to explore (some destructible!)
Weakness: Little variety of enemies.
controls are clunky.
Only three 'bots to choose from.
Game isn't based on classic Generation 1 Transformers.
I have to admit that I was actually very skeptical when I heard of a Transformer's game finally being made. I was very happy when I read the semi favorable pro reviews on the game after release. But how do I feel is the real question?
I have to say I am initially disappointed with the game. I don't like the fact that it is the same gameplay throughout. So regardless of which 'bot you choose, you have the same mission goals and areas to explore. It would have been better to have different mission scenarios for each of the 'bots you can choose to be. The mini-cons are a nice way to handle weapon upgrades and power ups, but the control scheme ruins a lot of the fun for me here. It was stated in another review that the controls play as a 1st person perspective game but from a 3rd person perspective. This is largely true. The game controls your character with the left analog controller, and your firing direction with the right. However, for some unknown reason, I kept trying to turn in the wrong direction when trying to fire and find enemies. In addition the variety of the enemies isn't very good. You will usually fight many of the exact same looking bad guys on each level until you come across the bosses. As for any nostalgia factor, this isn't based on the generation 1 Transformers I grew up with, so it really seemed like a different breed of 'bots to me. Megatron used to be a transforming pistol, whatever happened to that?
I would recommend that if your curious about this game, pick up as a rental and see what you think. Personally, I am glad to have it for my collection of games, but don't know how much actual "play" it will get from me. The unlockables are a nice feature, but many seem to have some unrealistic goals in order to obtain them.
Strengths: Some of the best graphics on the PS2. Huge explorable levels.
Weakness: Sluggish controls and limited player character choices.
This is a very fun game. The graphics are second to none on the PS2, and huge worlds and levels and extremely well detailed. Wow! It is disappointing that only 3 playable characters are available. Also the control scheme is a bit odd, as the use of the shoulder buttons on the controller could be better. The game does offer a very good variety of motions and weapons plus the game has some of the coolest cinematics and the sounds and voice acting is done very well. Overall the game seems a bit short, I looking forward to a sequel where more autobots are playable and/or being able to play as Decepticons!
Strengths: Great graphics and sound, good for nostalgic purposes, lots of bonus content to unlock.
Weakness: Shallow gameplay, could use more variety, short legnth.
Transformers brings back great memories of the old 1980s cartoon series (even though it's based more on the current series and has a different storyline). To my recollection, this is first Transformers game that is actually fun to play (not that there are that many to choose from). The transforming aspects are very fun and the game is full of action, enemies and explosions. The worlds are quite large but the game itself can get repetitive at times; however, there is a ton of content to unlock (art galleries, weapons, etc.) so you'll probably end up playing this game time and time again. Gamers who aren't familiar with Transformers may want to rent this game before buying but for fans of Transformers, this game is a no brain purchase.
Strengths: + It's based on Transformers!
+ Solid action and graphics
Weakness: - Can be difficult
- The characters move like giant robots!
- level design
Transformers is a fun shooter and should be enjoyed by fans of the cartoon and gamers in the genre.
This is one of the best licensed games ever. The action is fast paced and it's just so cool to be able to play as Optimus Prime and see him transform. Like the other reviews, I just wished there were more characters, even if they're not playable. The levels were huge and expansive but it felt like there wasn't anything to do.
One thing I'd like to point out is that even though it's a 3rd person shooter, the controls play like a first person shooter i.e. the left analog stick controls movement and the right stick controls which way you face and shoot. This may take a while to get used to and definitely can be confusing for younger gamers.
Another weakness is that the characters move like giant robots! (I know it's a game about giant robots but it still felt a bit awkward and had to get some use to) The characters require time to get into a steady running pace and like running giant robots they require a lot of space to actually come to a complete stop. Add to that a clunky jumping mechanic and the platforming parts (like jumping over a gap) became extremely frustrating.
Strengths: This game has a lot of nostalgic value, smooth controls, good voice work
Weakness: Gameplay gets a little stale
Transformers for the Playstation 2 is a pretty good action/3rd person title. The best things about this game are the short load times, nice graphics, smooth controls, nostalgic value, the good voice work (complements the nostalgic factor) and all the extras. The bad things about the game are the boring background music and the repetitive nature of this game. If you are easily bored with repetition, then this game is probably not for you. However, this is a solid rental for fans of action games and a must-buy for fans of the original Transformers cartoon.
Transformers receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS rating of 3.16 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #1,908 game of all time, #72 game of 2004 for the PlayStation 2 and #387 PlayStation 2 game of all time. The rating and ranking is based on an average of 82 critic scores, awards and other criteria. To see a breakdown of the game ranking, read individual critic reviews, or see how other games ranked, click...
Ah, the sweet smell of nostalgia. There have been a ton of toy remakes and re-issues that are starting to make a second go around that originally came out back when I was a kid. Since I now have two younger ones myself, I have quickly seen my house get strewn with a litter of Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and older Transformer re-makes stuff. Honestly, Transformers never really died out, it...
Finally, a domestic Transformers title that is a lot...
Strengths: A TRUE Transformers game that captures the essence and feeling of the recent "Armada" animated TV series and toyline. Great, solid, gameplay with lots of exploration bits for high replay value.
Weakness: The fact that the game was released AFTER the original "Armada" storyline had ended, forcing fans to literally 'play' what they had already watched unfold in the "Armada" storyline.
From the moment that you pop this game disc into your PS2 console, you'll be treated to some really high-quality CG cutscenes with beautiful and stunning visuals that feature your favorite Transformers "Armada" storyline characters. Great care was taken to insure that the FULL Transformers "Armada" experience is as accurate as possible when compared to the animated TV series as well as the toyline.
Gameplay - This game pretty much comes out in the following increments, which allow game players to experience something different, all in one convenient game; 60% 3rd Person Action Platformer with some keen exploration elements, 20% 3rd Person Action Driving and 20% First Person Shooter (aka FPS). You'll find yourself immersed in the well designed and massive stages which allow your chosen character to traverse in a fully non-linear environment. There are some instances where the game will sometimes 'force' the player to perform some speed-based driving sequences, but those segments only add excitement to the overall experience. One of the other unique aspects of this game is the "Mini-Con" upgrade feature. During the various stages of the game, the player is tasked with finding miniature robots known as "Mini-Cons". After successfully finding and 'awakening' them from their long 'slumber' ("Armada" fans know what this is about), new weapons and abilities are now available for the heroic Autobots to use as they see fit. From "Homing Missle" weapon Mini-Cons to "Energy Shield" inducing Mini-Cons, this game offers true variety in terms of how you can outfit your favorite Autobots to make sure they are victorious in driving back the evil Decepticon Forces. Players will want to do their best to find ALL of the Mini-Cons so they can outfit their favorite Autobot with the latest and most powerful weapons and ability enhancements.
Controls - It takes a bit getting used to at first, but once you've played the game for about 30 minutes to an hour, you'll pretty much have the control scheme down well enough to make sure you have full control over your chosen character. Considering that each of the PS2 control pad's main buttons (save for the 'select' and 'start' buttons) are vital to the player's success or failure in each stage, the developers did an excellent job of mapping the buttons so they're easy to figure out, at least with a bit of practice.
Sound - This is one of the high-quality aspects of the game. From the crisp and clear sound effects of the robots' movements, whether it be a simple step, jump or even the infamous "Transformation" sound effect, to the sometimes orchestral and sometimes techno/industrial/rock soundtrack, you'll feel as if you're watching one of the episodes of "Transformers Armada". To top things off, even the original voice actors from the animated TV series have recorded original lines and dialogue for their respective characters, exclusively for this game.
Graphics - Pure eye candy, especially for Transformers Fans. Finally, you can get to see for yourself exactly how Transformers, well.... Transform, all at the push of a button. The animation for each character in the game (enemy or otherwise), especially the main characters (the Autobots) are super sharp and well animated. The environments are vast and extrememly colorful. From the green rainforests and jungles, to the snowy regions of Antarctica, background and environmental visuals definitely do not fall short in terms of being pretty. Unfortunately, there can sometimes be too much going on in terms of action on the screen, so there may be occasional bits of slowdown, but not enough to detract from the fun experience of playing the game.
Overall - Transformers Fans will buy this game in a heartbeat and probably enjoy it for the hours of gameplay it will provide, not to mention the unlockable 'secrets' such as the vintage Transformers 1980's PSA (Public Service Announcement) collection as well as the various production artwork for the game, and even production images of the "Armada" toy line by Hasbro. Veteran gamers will either think that the game is a bit on the 'slow' side in terms of action, but they really can't expect Transformers to be turbo-charged and super fast like "Sonic" do they? The "Robots In Disguise" move, act and ultimately look just like they're supposed to; Giant, 20-40 foot tall robots that also Transform into vehicles that are big enough to accomodate human-sized beings in. If you're a game player that's willing to take a chance on a title that will provide you with a unique experience, than by all means, "Transformers" by Atari, if for you. If you're not a game player who wants to explore vast levels, find secret weapons, prizes and play some entertaining scenarios set in the "Transformers" Universe, then by all means, this game is not for you.
Now is your time to experience what the Transformers craze is all about.
100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful?