Transformers Devastation is quite the surprise in a great many respects. It’s a Transformers game, but it’s based on Generation 1 and not the Michael Bay series of films as well as handled by Platinum Games, a top notch developer. It’s the sort of thing that just doesn’t really happen anymore, and yet here it is. Not only that, but Transformers Devastation is a joy to play, not only for classic Transformers fans, but for fans of old-school action games as well.
Transformers Devastation is classic in not only it’s style, but its gameplay as well. This isn’t a deep experience as you only get a couple of moves and a few combos, but what it does, it does well and offers up enough variety to keep you engaged in a story that feels pulled right from the original cartoon. Playing as the Autobots, you’ll be on a mission to retrieve the Ferrotaxis, a sort of backup of all the culture and history of the planet Cybertron. Along with the Ferrotaxis is a plasma core of incredible power that could easily destroy the entire human population. This leads to the main conflict of the game as Megatron and the Decepticons want this power core to Cyberform the earth. It’s a great story that feels like it could be lifted right from the original television series.
Transformers Devastation is at its core a hack-and-slash beat-em-up game. As it was developed by Platinum Games it shares some similarities to their other high profile projects including Metal Gear Rising and Bayonetta. While not as deep as either of those games, Devastation offers enough to be a really rewarding experience. You won’t have access the the plethora of Autobts in this outing –sorry not sorry Rodimus– but you do get the fan favorites from the show. These five (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, and mother fucking Grimlock baby) all have their own special playstyles and offer something different depending on how you want to play. Combat isn’t a complicated system with only a light and heavy attack, but will be able to rack up various combos that are different for each Autobot. Grimlock is the tank and can dish out some serious damage while sacrificing speed, while Bumblebee is small agile and can get around quickly even when not in car form. The others float about the spectrum, with Optimus Prime being the most well-rounded character.
That’s another thing that makes Transformers Devastation really special; the transformations. You are going to be switching back and forth on the fly and even during long combos. These transformations never get old as Platinum Games have gone a long way at nailing the little details and sounds from the show. Autobots and Decepticons both transform in the same way their toys did, and that transforming audio never gets old. Vehicle mode also is more than just cosmetic as getting around the games world becomes a breeze in this manner as well as it having a number of tactical benefits in battle. The game is always moving, always flowing well from mission to mission and there was never really a point where the game hit a lull. The story, gameplay, and constant appearances from classic Decepticons makes the game a joy to play from start to finish.
As the game progresses so to will the difficulty of the enemies you face off against. There is a fair bit of backtracking over a small world (this isn’t GTA) but new threats will constantly be thrown at you to keep things pretty interesting. There is a sort of RPG system in play, but it feels more tacked on than really needed for the most part. You’ll be able to upgrade your Autobot from the Ark in a number of traditional ways. Dumping credits into skills will level them up faster, but as you’ll automatically upgrade while playing this isn’t really all that necessary. The same goes for the weapons system that the game employs. You can equip four weapons (melee and ranged) to the directional pad and the Ark even allows you to do some crafting, but I never once took advantage of this as the game drops loot on a near constant basis, and even the rare drops happen quite a bit. Where you will be spending your credits is in the in-game store where you can by items and upgrades. These items vary from health kits (no regenerating health here) and stat temporary boosts to new combo moves, both of which are important in the later stages.
Where the gameplay gets interesting is in the Focus mode. It’s very similar to how Witch Time worked in Bayonetta with you pressing the right trigger just before a blow lands to dodge and activate your focus. From here time slows down for a brief period and you can lay a serious beat-down on your enemy that can be quickly followed up by a vehicle mode combo finisher. It takes a little practice, but once you get it down the game becomes a lot of fun, especially in the later levels when you get swarmed by enemies and bosses and you string up some wild combos, bouncing from enemy to enemy.
But where the game really shines is with the graphics. Transformers Devastation gets its distinctive look form the cell-shaded graphics it employs. Everything looks amazing, so much so that I for one wouldn’t mind seeing a new Transformers TV show done simply using this games engine. It is hands down the best use of cell-shading any game has ever employed and is a visual feast for anyone that watches. Transformers Devastation is the kind of game that gets people gathered around simply to stare at all the pretty colors. In an age where video game color swatches consist of various shades of brown, Transformers Devastation is a godsend of color.
Sound is also excellent, and some of the best I’ve heard in a long time. Most of the original television voice cast returns for this game and it’s so much better because of it. These people clearly love the characters that they are playing and approach things in such a way that you’d never know this was a video game. While playing, I had a buddy say that Transformers Devastation is like the best episode of the Transformers G1 series, and I can’t really argue with that. Music is also solid and its use of 80s style metal is a masterful touch. I’m not a fan of any metal, but when a Decepticon boss drops down to face you and a bitchin’ guitar solo bursts out backed by a band going full-bore, its an experience like no other. Transformers Devastation just gets so much of what makes the original series special right, but it isn’t without its issues.
The world itself is pretty small and you’ll be seeing a lot of the same places over and over again. There are also only five Autobots to play with, but even worse is that at no point of the story do you get to play as the Decepticons to see their side of things. The game is also pretty sort with and can be completed by most in an afternoon or two. Still, these are minor gripes with a game that is running for only $50 (ten dollars under a full release) and still manages to give you a lot of content for your money. There is a lot of stuff to collect and a number of challenge missions to get you to come back and play, as well as a handful of in-game side missions to find. In the end Transformers Devastation may not be the best game in the world, but it’s the best damn Transformers game ever made. It also leaves the door open for a sequel that I really hope gets made.
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