Transformers Dark of the Moon Review

---

High Moon Studios has already proven it is capable of making a very good Transformers game. A year ago this month High Moon’s Transformers: War for Cybertron was released and proved to be the best Transformer title to date. This year’s Transformers: Dark of The Moon, on the other hand, remains an unpolished stone.

The rush to market of movie tie-in titles has long been the downfall of promising games. That less than stellar movie tie-in games have become the norm has many gamers jaded. The practice has made skeptics of us all, yet the studios behind the movie have not concerned themselves with a serious evaluation of bringing a game to market. The game, for the studio, seems to be another marketing tool with the hopes of a quick windfall of cash in the vein of action figures and t-shirts.

Transformers: Dark of The Moon is a third person action game which takes place between the Revenge of The Fallen and Dark of The Moon movies. The cover based shooting can be fun as you switch between vehicle and robot form. I found myself remaining in vehicle form much of the time, as I felt less vulnerable. The controls, however, can be frustrating at times. The ammo issues of War for Cybertron do not exist here as your weapons regenerate their own ammunition. Vehicle mode defaults to stealth (this is by far the easiest mode for combat) with a different set of weapons from being on foot. While driving the lack of tight game controls can really rear its ugly head.

---

---

Graphics

Graphically, Transformers: Dark of The Moon is middle of the road, but watching some of the transformations is still cool. In different missions you will be controlling different Transformers with their own unique abilities. The campaign does not distinguish itself. It can be a bit repetitive at times, but never just boring. There is a heavy reliance on facing waves of the enemy at integral moments as a way to stretch the story. Fans of last year’s game will miss Escalation Mode. The online multiplayer feels as though it was just tossed in the mix because it was expected to be included. Finding matches can be spotty at times as well.

I have no doubt, given the time; High Moon could have delivered a game meeting the expectations of the very good War for Cybertron. Transformers: Dark of The Moon is undoubtedly a victim of too short of a development cycle. Hardcore fans of the movies might find this worth buying, but I would suggest it as a rental. Not enough value for those who do not live and breath Transformers. Get High Moon Studios working on an old school Transformers story arc and I would easily forgive this title and jump right back on board.