Intro This game may be the sleeper hit of the year.
Welcome to the Skilled Channel and today we're reviewing Transformers Devastation.
Forget about the Michael Bay movie and any other iterations.
This game brings back the classic generation 1 style Transformers from the 80s.
But it attempts to modernize it with fast action gameplay and effects.
It's also developed by PlatinumGames the Japanese developer known for extreme games like Metal
Gear Rising and Bayonetta.
So does Platinum deliver on this revitalization of an old franchise?
Let's find out in the Transformers Devastation Review.
Story The story starts off with the Decepticons
coming to earth to change it into the new Cybertron.
Megatron discovers a way to harness the power of Plasma Energy to Cyberform Earth.
The Autobots won't let this happen because they believe in harmony between Humans and
Robots.
It's not their choice to decide the fate of Earth.
So they choose to fight the Decepticons for the future of Earth.
Gameplay Transformers is fast and furious.
From the very start the gameplay rarely slows down except for cutscenes.
From the combos to the vehicle mode and the music, everything comes together to flow really
well.
The levels are fairly linear, but with open aspects and secrets to unlock.
You go through sections with small, but intense fights leading up to bigger boss fights.
The pacing kind of a resembles a boss rush because although the smaller fight are fun
and important, most of the emphasis is on the epic boss fights.
Each enemy requires a unique approach.
Some take to the skies while others are massive and controlling.
But there's also good variety to break up the levels.
There's a few big chase scenes that are unique and still take advantage of the same tactics
to keep you engaged.
The levels themselves are linear, but there is some openness for finding secrets and alternate
routes.
Each robot also plays differently too.
Optimus is the strong and high attack power character.
Sideswipe is swift and agile.
While Bumble Bee has fast acceleration in vehicle mode.
The Autobots have melee and ranged attacks that you combo together.
You start with these three available characters, but you also unlock Wheeljack and Grimlock
for a total of five playable characters.
R1 activates your evasion and your vehicle attack.
You have to perfectly time dodges when the enemy attacks and perfectly time your vehicle
attack in the middle of combos.
It's very skillful combat that's been made famous in games like Bayonetta.
On top of that, you have a special ability move which can deal high damage and get you
out of a jam.
Then a super attack which deals massive area of effect damage.
Combine all these tactics together and you have really tight combat.
If you're skilled you can rack up massive combos and take out bosses very quickly without
receiving damage.
But if you just button mash you will die fast, especially on higher difficulties.
Periodically you'll return to the Ark which is the place where you'll upgrade your weapons,
purchase new moves, and new perks.
Most of the weapons you receive as drops aren't great and you'll have to synthesize lower
quality weapons to increase their damage.
The T.E.C.H system allows you develop different gadgets for extra perks.
You can also manually increase your skill stats here with credits.
Platinum Style If you ever played any previous PlatinumGames
you've already realized that the combat is very similar.
But the direction and flow of the game also resembles Platinum.
Small touches like how the camera zooms in and identifys new enemies.
And the pacing of the fights is just perfectly timed.
Yet it doesn't over power the Transformers theme.
It's a perfect blend.
Authenticity
PlatinumGames worked with a lot of the original artists and actors involved in generation
1 Transformers.
They brought on many of the original actors from the show to voice the Autobots and Decepticons
including Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, Dan Gilvezan as Bumble Bee, Frank Welker as Megatron,
and many more.
They also brought on Andy Schimdt, a former writer from the transformers comics.
So the authenticity is definitely there.
Graphics The devs of this game worked really hard to
maintain the original art style and it works.
It looks like the old show, but with modern effects.
They've added metallic sheen and some nice combat effects.
The game looks very vibrant and smooth, it's nice to look at even though it's not the super
realistic style we're always looking for in modern games.
Sound The sound of Transformers is one of the big
highlights.
First off, it has a really rockin' soundtrack.
It's a mix of heavy metal and orchestral music which gets you pumped for fights.
The menus even have a bit of dubstep which I'm not really a fan of the genre but it works
well here.
On top of that, the game has a lot of careful audio cues for combat.
Replay Value The story mode on normal can be completed
in about 5 to 6 hours, so it's pretty short.
But the value comes from replaying the game in different iterations.
There's three different difficultly levels to play with three different characters in
the story mode.
Then the challenge mode has 50 missions with 5 different difficulty levels.
And the higher difficulty levels are tough.
You'll have to gear up your characters and also perfect your combat skills in order to
survive.
Negatives There are a few negatives to Transformers.
The story mode is only about 5 to 6 hours and is a pretty concise experience.
The loot system is really designed for end game and not so much for playing the story
on normal mode.
On normal mode, the drops are somewhat insignificant and they don't really have you chasing after
bigger and better weapons.
Once you start playing on hard, the drops get better.
And lastly there are a few very small sections of the game that have these awkward obstructions
that you must jump through.
It's kind of a pain in the neck to pass and just slows down the game.
Final Verdict Transformers is a wild ride, even though it's
a short one.
If you're a big fan of Transformers, PlatinumGames, or both, you definitely want to pick up this
game.
For everyone else, it's still a fun action ride.
This games gets my rating of 8.
It has great combat, and there's very little to stop the flow of fun.
The story mode is short, but there's replay value for people who enjoy a very precise
challenge.
What did you think of Transformers Devastation?
Are you going to pick it up or have you played it already?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
And subscribe to the Skilled channel for more game reviews and previews.
+Great Combat +Fun & Fast
+Faithful to Transformers
-Short Story Mode -Loot System
-Obstructions