User Reviews (1 - 11 of 49)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Big Disappointment

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 6 / 26
Date: May 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I was a huge Transformers fan when I was growing up and when I saw that this game was going to be released, I was very excited. The screen shots looked good but the intial reviews were mixed. I went ahead and rented the game first and I am soooo glad I did.
This game is TERRIBLE!!! First, the storyline is non-existant. Who are the minicons? Why do I care? How can the Autobots warp to Earth while the Decepticons have to fly? Does any of this make sense? Next, the playable characters.....who the heck are these guys? Everyone knows Optimus Prime but who's Hot Shot and Red Alert? Where's Bumblebee and Jazz? What happened to Megatron and why does he look so stupid now?

The voice acting is dismal....Optimus kind of sounds like the original but Megatron sounds ridiculous. Otherwise, there is no voice acting other than these 'useful' updates during the game.

Gameplay....wow, where to start here....it's just an abomination. First the game starts out in this little pit where it takes 5 minutes of running in circles just to find that you have to do some platform jumping to get out of there. Of course, the running in circles part is going to be the norm b/c the controls are dismal....they use the painful Max Payne set up where one pad controls strafe and forward while the other contols turning....why won't developers just realize that the Ratchet and Clank type one pad movement config is the best? Anyways, get ready for jumping puzzles, there's tons of them. Plus, your Autobots are really, really bad jumpers, so that makes things nice and extra annoying. Next, to go anywhere, you have to consult your radar to find your next objective....oh wait...there's no radar in this game because that would make sense....ok, just run around like a ninny and try to fight and find the objectives. Fighting is great, its a third person shooter with the aformentioned bad controls and toss in lots of environmental obsticals that you can run into and get stuck so your enemies can gang bang you for a few moments....loads of fun! If you are the patient type, eventually you make it to the first boss who is ridiculously strong and you have a lame blaster, strong but very slow to rearm missles, and a pathetic shield....toss in a mulitplatform arena to fight the boss (did i mention the horrible movement controls and your autobot is a bad jumper? I did?) and you go through getting knocked off the temple repeatedly, having to 'jump' back up there the whole time the boss is smacking you around. Joy.

If you're a real glutton for punishment, you'll continue to the second level where the second round of enemies can either shoot through glaciers or run around inside glaciers or something....I would love to know BUT THE GAME WON'T TELL ME WHATS GOING ON. Fortunately, you get a really useful 'energon vision' to see these invisible foes but its energy counts down and I spent my whole time trying to find the little buggers as they ran around inside the glacier shooting at me and of course I can't hit them back and then my energon vision runs out and now I'm back to being shot at by invisible people from inside a glacier. Fotunately, you can now combine powers with a little helper minicon but that drains your life force so you die quicker. Awesome.

Overall, this game is galactically lame and a miserable disappointment. I wouldn't even waste money renting the game even if you're a huge fan b/c you will be that much more annoyed and disappointed than the average sucker who rents this dog. The developers should be drug into the street and beaten for turning out a piece of junk like this.

Not G1

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 20
Date: April 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I was excited to hear a transformers game was being developed until I saw it was based on transformers:Armada which I have to say is a pitiful reflection of the former glory of generation 1. I've tried to get into it, but I can't. I love the gen 1 characters and the stories and I wanted to see those characters brought to the ps2. Classic megatron, starscream, Optimus Prime, Shockwave, Soundwave, Blaster, Tracks, Ultra Magnus...just to name a few of the excellent characters that are being ignored in this game. If you like Armada, go for it, but a true die hard fan would do well to hold out for the REAL transformers.

Big thumbs down

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

They could have done so much more with this game. For those who are fans of the franchise, you understand that it has a very cinematic feel which is missing from the game. The gameplay is clumsy and is difficult to get into without any backstory. Save your $$.

Very lackluster

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: May 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was very excited about this game and while it was neat to finally be able to run around and "transform and roll out" thegame play itself is a major disappointment. It's a essentially a shooter game with some amazing graphics. The controls are awful and the gameplay repetetive. I'm a life long Transformers fan and this game really disappointed.

Disappointed

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 30, 2007
Author: Amazon User

First let me start by saying that I was very excited to play this game when I cam across it - I have been a Transformers fan since I was a kid. But I had a feeling they wouldn't get it quite right, and unfortunately I think I was right.

Plain and simple, this game is hard even on the easier settings - I don't think I could have even come close to beating it without the invincibility code, which I didn't want to use because it detracts from the game play, in my mind. But I had no choice in the end.

Game play is not really all that intuitive, it took me a while to adjust to the controls. But once you get the hang of it, you can get by (i.e. they're not horrible, but expect a learning curve).

And the fact that you can only choose one of three Autobots was a letdown. You really don't have many opportunities to use vehicle mode (though there are a few times when it's really helpful in getting away from enemies) because more often than not, the terrain just isn't friendly enough. And when it is, you're better off in robot mode so you can actually shoot at targets and attackers.

Replay value is low, in my mind - I tried to beat the game on the next hardest setting but found myself getting bored and just stopped playing all together. Even now, a year plus later, it's not all that appealing to play.

Overall, I'd say wait for the sequel if you can (if there's going to be one)...

I've been waiting twenty years for this game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: August 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Let me start off by saying that I am 28 and therefore the Transformers have been a major spiritual influence in my life. I quote Optimus Prime the same way others quote scripture. So, needless to say when I saw this game coming out, my interest was more than I little peaked.

When I received the game (via Amazon), I did approximately what I would have done at 8 years old. I ripped the box open, ran to the den, kicked my family off the TV, and counted each agonizing second as the game booted on the PS2. The opening screen and control panel interface are frankly amazing, the best I have ever seen. Of the three Autobots you can pick from, I naturally chose Optimus and started into my adventure!!

Well, this is where the story goes a little off track. I usually start with listing the good then the bad, but to communicate the magnitude of my disappointment, I will start with the bad:

The Bad
- This is not Transformers like I remember them. Sure there are some of the old characters (Optimus, Megatron, Shockwave), but there is something really different about them as if you were looking at them through the distortion of a fun house mirror. Megatron is no longer the hand held gun fired by Soundwave, but rather this big tank looking thing. I understand that this is actually not the original Transformers, but rather an evolution called Armada. I know that I am biased in this, but the originals were just...well... better. They looked cooler and were more fun. Oh well, I guess they were close.

- The story really is not all that great. You are hunting down a group of littel autobots called the Minicons. I understand the story comes from an Armada comic series that people liked a lot. Truth be told, unless you have read the comic strip, there really is not much there. Again, I was just so disappointed, because there is so much potential.

- The characters are ok, but you can only choose one of three. They are not really very different. One goes faster than the others, another is more powerful, and the third is balanced. If I remember correctly, there are at least 30 or 40 characters that could have been used, but alas. Alos, there are no hidden characters to unlock. As an aside, if you could have somehow unlocked the old school characters, there is nothing that could have stopped me from playing 200 hours straight to get to them.

- I am not going to tell you what the last level is, but it is a major disappointment. I am surprised that they wanted to end on such a sour note. It is hard to control, tedious, and (at the end of the day) just not very fun

Ok... enough with the complaints, here are the good:

-Slick, slick, slick interface. It looked really good and it was obvious that a lot of time has gone into polishing the game.

- Graphics are very nice. There is really a strong sense that Atari wanted to make this the best looking (if no the most fun) game around.

- Gameplay was somewhat fun and worth spending time on. Levels and bad guys were different to an extent. I kept wondering why they used such a small cast from all of the potential characters.

- Bosses were a lot of fun. Tidal Wave was incredible.

- Upgrades were fun to get especially the glider. There was a free-flow feel to the game created by the ability to fly pretty much anywhere.

Conclusion
Would I recommend this game? Well, for people in my peer group (28 year olds who still play video games), I would probably say go rent it. You get the same nostalgic feel in the first hour of playing it that you would in the 40th. For people younger than me whose first experience with the Transformers was one of the later genrationas, I think the production values alone would qualify the game for a hearty recommendation.

Not too shabby for a licensed Atari game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: July 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Well, I was weary of this game because it's licensed, it's licensed for a series of Transformers cartoons that I have never seen, and it's by Atari. I basically had a free rental and this was the only thing that caught my eye. You know what, despite all that - it turned out to be pretty good.

My main gripe is that it's not based on the original Transformers (mid 80s) series, which is really the only Transformers series around in my opinion. Being based on Armada, the only characters that I recognized and that transformed to the same vehicle were Starscream and Optimus Prime. The fans of the mid 80s show are in their twenties now, with tons of disposable income. Where the heck is a decent game for that?

Anyway, it turned out to be pretty good. It's a third person shooter basically. You can change into a car, but it's really useless because of the terrain, so the expected blend of driving and third person shooter is really not there. There are about 7 short levels (2 jungles, 2 snow based, 1 outer space, 1 island based, and 1 ship based) that are mostly done linearly, but you can comeback to earlier ones to collect Datacons and Minicons. Datacons unlock extras (movies, etc.), while Minicons are little robots that give a certain power, whether it be extra shielding, regeneration, better weapons or something else. Searching for Minicons can be annoying (I started using a guide in about the second level and beyond), but are worth it because of the improved weaponry. Most of these are optional, but rewards the extra time to find them.

There are three difficulty settings and you can play as three different autobots at almost any time (Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, Red Alert). I found the easiest level to be somewhat challenging, especially some of the bosses, so I never ventured into the higher difficulty settings. Constant save points are littered throughout each level, so you'll find yourself rarely repeating fights.

The good thing about this game was that I couldn't put it down. I was out one day, and all I could think about was coming back home and destroying Megatron. Even though not spectacular, this game really grabs you. The Minicons add a new dimension to a very standard game, and CGI movies are pretty polished as well. Finally, I got to play Optimus Prime. How cool is that?

Now to the bad. The graphics are typical of early PS2 games, and the controls seem kind of jerky. With modern shooters (like TimeSplitters 2 or James Bond's latest), it seems kind of dated. The fact that there really is no driving in the game kind of defeats the purpose of "transforming." I was pretty frustrated on the second level in easy mode. They could have made a tad easier.

All in all, if you're an Armada fan, this is a great game. If you're not, you'll still find it to be decent.

Pros:
In the end, I could not put it down.
Optimus Prime!
Minicons enhance abilities.
Numerous save points.

Cons:
It's not the "real" Transformers, so not as fun.
Graphics are subpar.
Pretty difficult in the beginner level.
Hardly ever use the automobile.
Controls are kind of clunky.

Time to complete (with FAQ guide, easiest level): 12 hours

Difficulty level (easiest level): Medium

Frustration level: Medium

wow

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 34
Date: April 23, 2004
Author: Amazon User

now i dont like trans formers and in a kid but i think this game would be fun i mean i hope they put more effort into the game then they did with the show. ya sure little kids watch the show and they like it and us big kids hate it and the big kids even most grownups might even like it. its a shooting game without any blood. and my parents hate games with blood so what im saying is its a game that you can shoot and kill robots a drive,fly,ect. and most likley most parents will aprove of it so im kind of lookin forward to it.

Ok game could have been better.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

It's not quite following the original story of the Transformers but for diehard fans it should be fun.

The Decepticons and Autobots are still fighting but this time they decide to bring in robots called Minicons to sizzle the story. In reality they don't provide that much entertaining but the rest of the game is good. As the Autobots you travel all over the world and you get to transform into the vehicle of your choosing.

On the downside you really don't get many characters to pick from but they did provide a lot of the more popular characters like Optimus Prime and Rodimus. Atari could have made this better allowing gamers to choose more character and maybe playing as the Decepticons themselves.

The graphics are good much of what you expect the characters do look semi-close to their real counterparts. The music was passable. The one thing they did do a nice job off is providing voices for the Autobots and Decepticons. They aren't the voices from the old series but the new one. Ah well it was still kind of them to do that.

The controls were a mixed bag. On some levels it became more clear than others that perhaps they should have added more You initially just have a gun but when you collect the minicons you're able to add more to your inventory. This I found annoying because well the Autobots have a ton of weapons of their own and this sort of took part of the mystique away.

This explains why this game got mixed reviews. On one hand, it's a Transformers game, on the other hand they only got half of the game right.

The game itself with the bosses will hold your attention span for the end. While the early bots are fairly easy to get through, the game gets tough as you go through it.

One thing that does save the game from being a total dud is the amount of extras that they threw in. You get tv spots, Transformers comic art, and other revealing footage about the game.

The game ain't too shabby. It could have been much better but as I say if you're a diehard fan you'll want to play it.

Not quite Prime

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The biggest problem I have with the game isn't that it is not based upon G1 (and by the way, the TV spots were never aired in some areas due to how overwhelmingly foolish it was to try to make TransFormers seem like G.I.Joe's patriotic propaganda program.).Armada has a story that better lends itself to a Super Mario/Tomb Raider-type exploration game. I just want a fun game. Unfortunately, it feels as if the TransFormers were dropped into the wrong game or that the wrong TransFormers were selected. The driving felt about right, but the environment was always too cramped to cut loose or the surface areas were too car-unfriendly.This made the vehicle modes seem like a gimmick, for the most part.If it had at least one city scene or some good wide open farm land to race down as in an off-road rally, it would rate higher with me. As for the robot modes, they're too clunky for their own good, unnecessarily limiting the characters' manuverability and access to areas. The requirement of a High-Jump minicon was excessive but I guess they felt they had to pad the scavenger hunt a bit more. Enemy A.I. is surprisingly good and their targeting precise, strange considering the source material.That's all fine and good as the Decepticons are too weak in any of the cartoon series to be suspenseful or truly exciting, anyway. The game length is problematic,though. Don't expect to see more than 4 Decepticons.I won on my first day within hours with all of the mincons though not all of the datacons.Set aside a free afternoon and you should complete it. After seeing the TV Spots and comics and hearing the theme music tracks(not even good for nostalgia's sake), I doubt that all of the other extras are worth another go-round. Beyond that, there isn't much replay value.Once you find all of the minicons and defeat Unicron the first time, it's more than enough. There aren't even special 'New-Game+' minicons to collect for superpower-ups,new Decepticons to fight against, a Decepticon scenario to play through or anything. The fact that I'm not a big time TransFormers fan(TransFan) might actually be the biggest problem. However,I've always liked the idea of a game about transforming robots who aren't piloted by humans mainly because of the fact that the robot should be able to move fluidly without the need to simulate the stiff gait and interface delay of a battle mech (see Armored Core or RoboTech). Instead the Jehuty in Zone of the Enders moves with more grace than someone issuing a simple motor-control circuit impulse to a part of their own body. They don't come across as very formidible warriors. Then again, it was always the Decepticons who were the war machines, wasn't it? Buy it if you're crazy about TransFormers, but if you just want to check it out for old-times' sake,are a giant robot game enthusiast or a curious action fan, you still will probably have fun...short lived fun, yet still fun.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 Next 

Actions