 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Action/Adventure Developer: A2M Publisher: Activision |
There are plenty of gamers in the world that are fans of the Transformers, as well as the television shows, toys and movies that have
been created about them. However, many fans have become more and more disappointed with the latest generation of the machines
that are more than meets the eye. The contrast between the original Transformers and the new version of the machines that are
presented in “Transformers Animated: The Game” is a fairly extreme difference for many to handle. The new game created by
Activision for the Nintendo DS which is based on the Transformer Animated television cartoon series is quite a treat for many gamers to
play. Though it isn’t extremely creative or very original, it is just a well developed game that keeps in mind that its target audience really
is, those who are fans of the Transformers Animated television show. Many gamers will be left wishing that the actual transforming
aspect of the game didn’t feel so separate from the rest of the experience that the game offers.
“Transformers Animated: The Game” puts players in control of three different Autobot transforming robots, including Optimus Prime,
Bumblebee and Bulkhead, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The developers of the game, Artificial Mind And
Move, or A2M, have created a series of side scrolling challenges that have players put to the task of making their way through factory
locations by using each characters individual capabilities together. Bumblebee can jump very well, Optimus Prime can grapple up and
down from girder like surfaces in the levels and Bulkhead has a great deal of strength, allowing him to smash down specific walls and
shove creates around the environment. Each of the abilities of the three different characters comes into play in each of the levels, and
players will need to constantly be switching back and forth between the three robots, and sometimes only using two of the robots
depending on how far into the game they get, in order to get all three of the transforming robots to the exit of the level.
As challenging as many of the side scrolling platform puzzles in the game can get to be at times, it is unfortunate that the big deal about
Transformers, the whole idea of a variety of robot changing in cars and other vehicles and transforming back again, feels like it a bit of a
side addition to the game, appearing to be rushed, boring events that come off completely disjointed from the rest of the game. Luckily
for gamers, these levels are few and far between, most of the focus of the game is on the much more superior platform game that is
offered to players.
The game’s developer, A2M puts its side scrolling three dimensional engine to use for “Transformers Animated: The Game.” This is
the same side scrolling three dimensional engine that the developer used for games like Kim Possible, The Suite Life of Zack and
Cody, Scooby Doo, Teen Titans and the list goes on and on. The last Transformer game to hit the shelves, Vicarious Visions open
world adventure based on the movie turned out to be a little bit too ambitious with its design and the engine just couldn’t keep up with
all the things that the designers offered the players to do in the game. The A2M design is admittedly much more restrictive but the
restrictions turn “Transformers Animated: The Game” into a much well defined, tighter and much more enjoyable experience and it
doesn’t look too bad either. IT is fairly obvious that there are a few awkward elements in this game, requiring the gamer to poke at the
touch screen of the Nintendo DS with the stylus while also using both the D-Pad and buttons to control the three gigantic robotic
machines that can get to be quite a bit cumbersome at times.
Although many gamers who have grown up with the original Transformers and are sickened by the look and feel of the latest generation
of Transformers, will probably like this game brought to the Nintendo DS. It is very difficult to not like “Transformers Animated: The
Game” because of the fact that it is honestly a solid action game that offers players a great amount of challenge. It is a shame that the
transforming part of the game, which should be the most important part of a game that is based on robot that turn into vehicles and turn
back into robots, seems to be a bit of an afterthought in the game. However, the developers put more attention to the personality more
than their transforming capabilities.
Of course this game wouldn’t be recommended to those that are hardcore gamers or hardcore fans of the Transformers franchise.
However, those that are looking for a great game that is based off of a great franchise that has done well over the years, even with a bit
of a transformation itself, this is a great game that offers players a bit of a challenge. Besides the minor flaws that are offered in the
game with the transforming aspect of the game, this would be recommended to almost any gamer that like robots, like side scrolling
video games or the Transformers series, hopefully this will transform into an even greater game in the future.
been created about them. However, many fans have become more and more disappointed with the latest generation of the machines
that are more than meets the eye. The contrast between the original Transformers and the new version of the machines that are
presented in “Transformers Animated: The Game” is a fairly extreme difference for many to handle. The new game created by
Activision for the Nintendo DS which is based on the Transformer Animated television cartoon series is quite a treat for many gamers to
play. Though it isn’t extremely creative or very original, it is just a well developed game that keeps in mind that its target audience really
is, those who are fans of the Transformers Animated television show. Many gamers will be left wishing that the actual transforming
aspect of the game didn’t feel so separate from the rest of the experience that the game offers.
“Transformers Animated: The Game” puts players in control of three different Autobot transforming robots, including Optimus Prime,
Bumblebee and Bulkhead, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The developers of the game, Artificial Mind And
Move, or A2M, have created a series of side scrolling challenges that have players put to the task of making their way through factory
locations by using each characters individual capabilities together. Bumblebee can jump very well, Optimus Prime can grapple up and
down from girder like surfaces in the levels and Bulkhead has a great deal of strength, allowing him to smash down specific walls and
shove creates around the environment. Each of the abilities of the three different characters comes into play in each of the levels, and
players will need to constantly be switching back and forth between the three robots, and sometimes only using two of the robots
depending on how far into the game they get, in order to get all three of the transforming robots to the exit of the level.
As challenging as many of the side scrolling platform puzzles in the game can get to be at times, it is unfortunate that the big deal about
Transformers, the whole idea of a variety of robot changing in cars and other vehicles and transforming back again, feels like it a bit of a
side addition to the game, appearing to be rushed, boring events that come off completely disjointed from the rest of the game. Luckily
for gamers, these levels are few and far between, most of the focus of the game is on the much more superior platform game that is
offered to players.
The game’s developer, A2M puts its side scrolling three dimensional engine to use for “Transformers Animated: The Game.” This is
the same side scrolling three dimensional engine that the developer used for games like Kim Possible, The Suite Life of Zack and
Cody, Scooby Doo, Teen Titans and the list goes on and on. The last Transformer game to hit the shelves, Vicarious Visions open
world adventure based on the movie turned out to be a little bit too ambitious with its design and the engine just couldn’t keep up with
all the things that the designers offered the players to do in the game. The A2M design is admittedly much more restrictive but the
restrictions turn “Transformers Animated: The Game” into a much well defined, tighter and much more enjoyable experience and it
doesn’t look too bad either. IT is fairly obvious that there are a few awkward elements in this game, requiring the gamer to poke at the
touch screen of the Nintendo DS with the stylus while also using both the D-Pad and buttons to control the three gigantic robotic
machines that can get to be quite a bit cumbersome at times.
Although many gamers who have grown up with the original Transformers and are sickened by the look and feel of the latest generation
of Transformers, will probably like this game brought to the Nintendo DS. It is very difficult to not like “Transformers Animated: The
Game” because of the fact that it is honestly a solid action game that offers players a great amount of challenge. It is a shame that the
transforming part of the game, which should be the most important part of a game that is based on robot that turn into vehicles and turn
back into robots, seems to be a bit of an afterthought in the game. However, the developers put more attention to the personality more
than their transforming capabilities.
Of course this game wouldn’t be recommended to those that are hardcore gamers or hardcore fans of the Transformers franchise.
However, those that are looking for a great game that is based off of a great franchise that has done well over the years, even with a bit
of a transformation itself, this is a great game that offers players a bit of a challenge. Besides the minor flaws that are offered in the
game with the transforming aspect of the game, this would be recommended to almost any gamer that like robots, like side scrolling
video games or the Transformers series, hopefully this will transform into an even greater game in the future.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
