Transformers: Cybertron Adventures

Gameplay

Transformers: Cybertron Adventures features separate campaigns for the Autobots and Decepticons, but instead of being a third person shooter like War for Cybertron, this game is a rail shooter, utilizing a gameplay similar to Time Crisis series. Players must defeat a group of enemies in one area from a cover point. After all enemies are defeated, the character will move along a pre-defined path to another area, and so on.

Occasionally during gameplay the character will transform into vehicle, and the player must control them to reach one point, destroying obstacles on the way. Offline co-op is also featured. Each campaign has 8 levels and a challenge mode allows player to replay campaign missions with four extra objectives in each mission.

The player is given four main weapons that are common to all twelve of the game's playable characters. If a player destroys several enemies, the player receives a combo that ranges from X2 to X5. Combos will not only increase the player's score, but will also dramatically increase the strength of the player's weapons while active. Taking cover will cause the player's combo to be drained rapidly.

Synopsis

Both campaigns open with Trypticon attacking the Autobot Capital City of Iacon. The Autobot Campaign begins with Sideswipe scouring the blast site for Autobot survivors, rescuing an injured Ratchet in the process. Bumblebee and Ironhide are sent to the Decepticon city of Kaon to retrieve intel on Trypticon. Both are captured and imprisoned, but they escape the Decepticon prison with assistance from Air Raid. Ironhide reports that Trypticon is spreading Dark Energon- a substance poisonous to Autobots but not Decepticons- through Cybertron's core, and that the planet will soon be uninhabitable for the Autobots. Optimus decides to evacuate the planet. Air Raid is sent into the planet's core to sabotage the Energon Bridge that feeds energy to Trypticon, which he does. The Decepticons lead a new attack against Iacon as Bumblebee escorts supply convoys and Air Raid fights Decepticon Seekers led by Skywarp and Thundercracker. Eventually Trypticon is repaired and begins destroying the escaping Autobot ships, and Jetfire is sent to attack relay stations that transfer energon into Trypticon. Jetfire is successful, and Trypticon crashes down to Iacon. Optimus leads a final assault against Trypticon, resulting in Trypticon's destruction. With the spread of Dark Energon halted, the Autobots are able to remain on Cybertron.

The Decepticon campaign begins with Megatron scouring Ground Zero of Trypticon's blast and hunting down Autobot survivors. He eventually chases down and defeats Ratchet. Starscream is sent to protect the Energon relay stations from orbital debris- a task which Starscream despises. While Megatron is busy in Iacon, Autobots infiltrate Kaon, and Soundwave and Barricade intercept the intruders. Bumblebee and Ironhide are captured, and the Decepticons use neural scanners to interrogate Bumblebee for key strategical sites in Iacon. Megatron plans to attack Iacon to drive the Autobots out of their stronghold, and he sends Skywarp to attack various key locations within Iacon so that a full assault can take place. Starscream is sent to the core to repair Trypticon's damaged Energon Bridge, only to be scolded by Megatron. Fed up with Megatron's constant scolding and disdain, Starscream attempts to attack Megatron, and is placed in the front line of the invasion force as punishment. The Decepticons launch a full attack on Iacon, only to discover the Autobots are evacuating- rather than fighting or surrendering as Megatron expected. Thundercracker is sent to place homing devices on escaping Autobot ships so that Trypticon can shoot them down, but Trypticon fails to shoot down the Autobot Council Ship before being sabotaged and rendered vulnerable by the Autobots. With the rest of the Decepticons scattered throughout Iacon, Megatron is left alone to fend off the Autobot siege against Trypticon. Megatron realizes that Trypticon will be destroyed, and salvages Trypticon's data core before Trypticon is destroyed. The Decepticon campaign ends with Megatron revealing that the salvaged data core contains the secrets of Dark Energon, and thus the Decepticons still have the advantage in the war.

The Autobot Campaign's playable characters are Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Air Raid, Jetfire, and Optimus Prime. Ratchet appears in the game and is fought as a boss, but is not a playable character. The Decepticon Campaign's playable characters are Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Skywarp, Barricade, and Thundercracker.

Reception

Unlike the well-received PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, Cybertron Adventures received mostly negative reviews, averaging only 39% at Metacritic. It scored 3.5/10 in IGN, with the reviewer citing bad textures, poor animations, boring environments, miserable gameplay experience that even "co-op cannot save". The reviewer however praised the music and in particular, Peter Cullen's performance as Optimus Prime, calling it "the single saving grace of Cybertron Adventures." Destructoid was the only reviewer to give a positive review, giving Cybertron Adventures a 7.0. Reviewer Jim Sterling said it was "definitely not as great in the gameplay department as War for Cybertron" but that it had a "superior narrative and decent arcade action."