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Review: Transformers The Game (PSP)

With a team like Stephen Spielberg and Michael Bay combining their efforts, Transformers: The Movie was supposed to be the event action movie of the summer. While it did OK at the box office, however, other films from Spider-Man 3 to Live Free or Die Hard to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix all made similar or better impacts. Still, the Transformers franchise would be a lead-pipe cinch to do well on videogame consoles, right? Well, that depends on how the game is carried off.

Not well at all, is the short answer. First, it ought to be said that developer Savage Entertainment was behind the PSP version, and they simply don’t have the resume for quality development that Traveler’s Tales, the PS3 version developer, possesses. This game is an entirely different product from the PS3 version and anyone expecting differently will be disappointed by the quality of … well, virtually every element.

The graphics are right around mid-PSone standard, and show no signs of a creative spark. This is poorly complimented by uninspired level design, funky controls that rarely respond as one would expect, and a battle system that is somehow even shallower than the system employed on the PS3 version of the game. It’s almost painful to play, compounded by frequent, long load times.

Like the movie, the film centers around the battle between good robots and evil robots, which has spilled over to Earth as the two sides search for the AllSpark. The AllSpark is the life force for all Transformers, so naturally they want it back. Of course, the plot is more of a window dressing to this loud, exploding, event-packed action game that keeps a gamer on their toes … for as long as it lasts.

Mercifully, the PSP version of Transformers the Game is a brief affair, and you’ll brief with relief that it’s over if you’re made of strong enough stuff to stick it out. The slowness of the graphics takes any action-oriented excitement out of the mix, and one wonders if the team was simply pressured to release the game far too early in the development process. Something went seriously wrong somewhere, and it would not be surprising if most members of the team involved in this title left this game off their resumes when looking for their next gig.

While a hot 80s-nostalgia license like Transformers should be hard to screw up, somehow Transformers The Game PSP has managed to fall as an all-too-typical victim of movie-licensed games. While the PS3 version by Traveler’s Tales isn’t great, it is playable. Sadly, he PSP version is better left on store shelves, even if it is found in the $10 bargain bin with a bunch of advertising pens.

Review: Transformers The Game (PS3)

With a team like Stephen Spielberg and Michael Bay combining their efforts, Transformers: The Movie was supposed to be the event action movie of the summer. While it did OK at the box office, however, other films from Spider-Man 3 to Live Free or Die Hard to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix all made similar or better impacts. Still, the Transformers franchise would be a lead-pipe cinch to do well on videogame consoles, right? Well, that depends on how the game is carried off.

First, it ought to be said that developer Traveler’s Tales had a good pedigree coming into the game. As the developer behind Lego Star Wars and a Chronicles of Narnia game, among others, they know their way around action games, though their experience has been in games that skew just a bit younger.

The graphics show that the developer is ready for more than just Lego games based on LucasFilm franchises, though. While not quite measuring up to the top PlayStation 3 titles on the market, the graphics are a step above PlayStation 2; call it PlayStation 2.5-level graphics. While short of the near-photorealism the PS3 is capable of and a noticeable step down from the movie, Transformers The Game does look sharp and the smoothness and speed of the animations that display transforming characters from vehicle to robot are a nice achievement. They don’t get in the way of the action and yet contain an impressive amount of detail.

Like the movie, the film centers around the battle between good robots and evil robots, which has spilled over to Earth as the two sides search for the AllSpark. The AllSpark is the life force for all Transformers, so naturally they want it back. Of course, the plot is more of a window dressing to this loud, exploding, event-packed action game that keeps a gamer on their toes … for as long as it lasts.

One of the game’s strengths is its destructible environments, which are on full display on the PS3 version of the game. Nearly anything can be “blowed up real good,” which makes the settings for each chapter a lot of fun to play around in and destroy. Not that that really advances the game, but can be the source of some sadly sadistic fun for a while once the paper-thin plot begins to wear thin; those who love to test the limits of “what can I and can’t I do in this game” when they play videogames will find plenty to enjoy here.

However, ultimately the game is cut low by its relatively brief length. There’s a wide universe to explore in the Transformers franchise, but so much is left unexplored by this game it should have land for sale signs posted all around. By action game standards, it’s probably not too bad, but at $60 a pop for PS3 titles, it might seem a bit of a flirt-and-flee affair. What is present in the game is fun, but in the end a lack of significant length or depth may leave most gamers feeling unsatisfied, especially by the rather simplistic combat system, which could have been so much deeper. Optimus Prime out!