Transformers: Transformers: Hands On Company: Atari Life is full of strange anomalies that can't be explained; the origin of mankind, Earth's magnetic field, David Hasselhoff's continued success in Germany -- all of these things have baffled scientists for years. One such anomaly is that despite the sheer greatness of the license, there has never been a good Transformers game. Transformers on the NES was... well I'm still trying to figure out just what the hell was going on there. You guided a white Autobot that was either Optimus Prime or Ultra Magnus through a flat world populated with jets. You could only take one hit before you died while enemies took at least two. Next up was Takara's Generation One based (that's the series more remembered here in the states), Transformers: Tatakai, which was just as pointless. The game received heaps of praise due to its graphics, but turned out to be nothing more than unplayable lip service to fans - making it the Enter the Matrix of the Transformer's license. Given this history, I had a hard time accepting that Transformers might be a good thing. I have been proven wrong. Transformers looks incredible. The environments are large and teeming with details. It's really hard to accurately describe the size of the levels. When in the Amazon, you aren't held to following a single path, but instead have the option to push through the trees and use them for cover. Then, of course, there's the Transformers themselves, who look equally as impressive. Animations are fluid and smooth -- especially when switching between robot and vehicle modes. It is amazing how the simplest of things can be so damn cool. Other small things really help to push Transformer's visual package -- such as enemies communicating with each other during battle. Best of all, the only slowdown I encountered was during 'Power Link' mode -- and that was intentional. Transformers gives you the option to control the three main Autobots in the Armada series; Optimus Prime, Hotshot and Red Alert. Sure I would have liked the option to play as the Decepticons, or at least some of the Autobots added later on in the series, but I'll find a way to manage. Each 'bot has their own special skills and abilities (as well their own unique vehicle modes). Just as in the show, the main goal of the game is to keep the Minicons out of the hands of Megatron and the Decepticons. Minicons play an important role in the game and give the game an almost Metroid type feel. Minicons are scattered throughout the games enormous levels and can be equipped, granting your 'bot extra abilities. Some Minicons are easy to find, while others are found in hard to access areas which can only be reached once you find another Minicon. The trick is that you can only equip four Minicons at a time, lending a bit of strategy to the game. You don't have to find every Minicon to complete the game, but at the same time, not finding them all can deprive you of some helpful abilities. This structure should help to expand the replay value of the game considerably. Making off with Minicons isn't an easy task. Each is guarded by Decepticlones, one of Megatron's newest weapons of war. Although you will be able to face off against the big guys like Starscream and Megatron, most of the combat will be against the Decepticlones. Given the large numbers you'll have to face off against, strategy plays a huge part in battles. Running (or rolling) into a group might not always be the best way to handle situations. Instead you'll have to outmaneuver the incredibly smart AI, which will outflank you, outgun you and even call for reinforcements. You're not alone though. As your defeat enemies, they leave behind Energon, which you can collect to replenish health. In addition, once you find a special sidekick Minicon, Energon will allow you to 'Power Link', unleashing a host of powerful special moves. I'll be the first to admit that Transformers: Armada isn't my favorite line in the Transformers series. This series, for those who only remember the originals, takes place in an alternate universe where things are the same, yet really different. There's no connection to any of the previous series (Gen. 1, Beast Wars...) and the entire series revolves around the Autobots and Decepticons trying to capture a third race known as the Minicons. Turn the Minicons into electric field mice and you've got a horse of a different color. The attachment to Armada will probably come as a disappointment to many and is easily the biggest hurdle facing the game. However, those who can look past the premise will find that Transformers is really the game we've been wanting for years. Its fun, amazingly well polished and best of all, doesn't fall into the quagmire of suck that the rest of the Transformers games have. Transformers is scheduled to hit stores May 11 for the PS2. For an extra treat, click on these links to hear audio clips from the game. Special thanks to our friends at Electric Artists for providing us with these links. Hot Shot Audio Clips Hot Shot 1 Hot Shot 2 Hot Shot 3 Megatron Audio Clips Megatron 1 Megatron 2 Megatron 3 Optimus Audio Clips Optimus 1 Optimus 2 Optimus 3 Red Alert Audio Clips Red Alert 1 Red Alert 2 Red Alert 3 -Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker Related Links: Atari: Official Site Transformers (Game): Official Site Transformers: Official Site TF Archive