10 Things To Know About Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron

The big new Transformers game is out today. What should you know before you play, and to help decide if the game is for you?

Storytelling is Paramount

Players will be surprised just how much Fall of Cybertron is rooted in story and characters. High Moon Studios uses a wide variety of classic Transformers characters to explore the final days of the conflict on Cybertron before most of the Transformers departed into deep space. The game includes extensive voicework throughout the campaign that helps to build the story and establish personality. In addition, you can expect several short sequences that take a break from the action for dedicated storytelling moments.

Crazy Weapons

While a few of the weapons in Fall of Cybertron are classic machine gun or shotgun analogues, many of the armaments branch in strange and exciting directions. One weapon corrupts enemy soldiers to fight on your side. Another sends a bouncing metal disc skittering about the environment. A third fires an arcing bolt of electricity that slowly overwhelms your robotic enemies. In addition, these varied weapons have a compelling upgrade mechanic attached. Money (energon shards) found throughout the world can be spent to increase the power of every weapon available in the game, including a final unlockable upgrade for each device that dramatically increases its destructive potential.

What Came Before 

If you haven’t played War for Cybertron, you shouldn’t disregard Fall of Cybertron. While the new game builds on the events of the previous installment, High Moon has done a great job of keeping things understandable even to new fans. That said, if you’re curious, here’s the basic rundown. In War for Cybertron, we witness the Decepticon Megatron as he leads his army against the Autobots, and in so doing he unleashes a powerful and destructive force called dark energon. The Autobot’s previous leader is killed, and Optimus Prime is forced to rise to the call for leadership. As dark energon continues to corrupt the planet, Optimus Prime makes the devastating decision to shut down the core of the planet so that it has time to repair itself. As this new game begins, energon reserves on the planet are running dangerously low, and Optimus Prime and his Autobots are making one desperate final gamble to escape the planet aboard their starship, the Ark. 

Changes

Plenty of gameplay features set Fall of Cybertron apart from its predecessor. One significant absence is cooperative campaign play. Instead, Fall of Cybertron offers a more crafted single-player experience, but you’ll be playing it by yourself. The game also abandons the two separate, shorter campaigns seen in War for Cybertron, and instead tells a single, longer, unified tale that includes both Autobot and Decepticon protagonists. In addition, keep an eye out for some major improvements in less visible but important gameplay systems, including more enemy variety, increased availability of ammunition, and a focus on changing up environments so things remain fresh throughout the game.

[NEXT UP: Cooperative and competitive multiplayer]

Legacy 

If you’re not a Transformers fan, nothing about Fall of Cybertron should be inaccessible. All the characters are introduced clearly and it’s easy to get up to speed. However, if you are a Transformers fan, you’re in for a treat. Fall of Cybertron is chock full of inside jokes, secrets, and nods to previous versions of the fiction, especially the G1 cartoon. Watch for cameos from a bunch of characters that haven’t yet been announced for the game, and listen closely to some of the character’s lines, some of which are lifted directly from previous Transformers incarnations.

Go Big

Fall of Cybertron is all about big moments, big robots, and big explosions. High Moon has bet on the potential of huge events and situations in the game, and it’s one of the ways that the game sets itself apart. The scale of conflicts is often extremely large, and the entire thing plays like a thrill ride that goes from one oversized and overpowered situation to the next. In general, it’s a great way to get across what is fun about the franchise, but it may not appeal to players looking for dramatic choice and non-linearity in their gameplay. 

Variety 

Fall of Cybertron’s best feature is also its biggest limitation. The game changes perspective constantly, and each character plays differently. From a hulking melee juggernaut to a sneaky stealth spy robot, you’re always trying something new. The other side of that coin is that no one gameplay mechanic ever grows incredibly complex or has a very long time to develop. For example, flying is fun, but since you’ll only be flying with a few characters, there’s a limit to how involved or complicated those flying sequences will be. The reward of getting to play all these different excellently realized characters is worth the loss. 

Production Quality

Fall of Cybertron looks and sounds great. High Moon’s intense focus on small details, like the different varieties of metal that might exist on Cybertron, has paid dividends. Movement and transformation animations are entrancing to watch, and the game regularly zooms in to offer an up-close look at the detailed character models. In addition, a riotous soundtrack is accompanied by voice talent from some of the best voice actors in the business, including Peter Cullen, Fred Tatasciore, Steve Blum, Nolan North, and Greg Berger. 

Multiplayer

Fall of Cybertron is embracing the potential of multiplayer, and is finally offering something Transformers fans something they’ve wanted for years – the chance to make their own Transformer characters. While War for Cybertron had a limited character customization option, Fall of Cybertron dives in and allows players to change every body part and color they want. Once into the game, varied maps and tightly tuned action combine with battlefields built for highly mobile combat. The result is a lot of fun that should give players plenty of reason to come back after the campaign is done. 

Escalation

If blasting your buddies in competitive multiplayer isn’t your thing, Fall of Cybertron has also dramatically expanded upon its wave-based cooperative multiplayer. Rather than play your customized characters, Escalation is your chance to play as one of several iconic Transformers characters, including a few that aren't playable in the main campaign. The new Escalation mode offers a greater sense of progression than before as you gain new energon shards to spend in a given map. In addition, difficulty settings let you customize to the ability level of the group you’re playing with. 

Keep an eye out for more coverage of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron in the coming weeks, including our upcoming review. In the meantime, if you want to play catch up, don’t miss our dedicated cover story hub for the game.