Transformers: War For Cybertron

"...for fans of the Transformers, this is probably the best video game ever.  Andrew Bistak, ImpulseGamer.com
"This is the first Transformers game I've been excited about, and having played it I can say that my excitement was validated.  Mitch Youngblood, GamingTrend.com
"Transformers: War for Cybertron is an exciting game which allows you to experience the time before the films as one of three Decepticons or Autobots.  GamingXP.com

IGN.com 9 of 10
I've never been as consistently interrupted while playing a game at the office as I was while playing through High Moon's Transformers: War for Cybertron. I would put on headphones and play for ten or fifteen minutes, and I would suddenly feel a tingle in that weird lizard-brain proximity sense we've all got that says "someone is in my personal space bubble." I'd turn around and see another IGN editor standing behind my shoulder, staring at me with pleading eyes, and I always knew what they were going to ask before they asked it: "is it good?" It's the look of someone afraid of getting their hopes up...Which is why I was happy to report to those asking that Transformers: War for Cybertron is actually very good. Fantastic, even. High Moon has taken a fun, fast, third person shooter foundation, crafted a well thought out transformation mechanic on top of it, and designed combat situations around that. The end result is a shooter that has an identity all its own, and leverages its license to make something very cool for fans and newcomers alike...Is War for Cybertron perfect? No, of course not. The framerate can take a hit at a few points, and some boss battles occasionally devolve into exercises in avoiding instant or near-instant death to shoot the red flashy thing. Transformers nerds will love the character customization for each class with multiple chassis and customizable paint jobs in multiplayer while simultaneously lamenting its limitations. But these nitpicks are small in light of everything War for Cybertron does fantastically well...High Moon has been very good at saying all the right things with War for Cybertron leading up to its arrival in stores, but many licensed titles have talked a great game before falling apart when all was said and done. Thankfully, War for Cybertron impresses with an excellent single-player campaign with full co-op support, the included Horde-alike Escalation mode, and surprisingly deep and inventive online multiplayer component. Transformers: War for Cybertron has taken the magic of playing with plastic and metal toys that turn into cool s**t both alone and with friends and have distilled that into something pretty special. This is a surprise, dark horse contender for best way to spend your time online this summer. - Arthur Gies

VideoGamer.com 8 of 10
Every child of the 80s wants to play a brilliant Transformers video game. The dream would be something based on the amazing movie, complete with rock soundtrack, cheesy dialogue and classic robot designs. Hotrod would pull apart the Matrix and I'd shed a tear as Optimus Prime turns grey and dies. That doesn't really look likely, but then neither did ever seeing a great Transformers release. While it's got a few issues, some of which could have been easily avoided, War for Cybertron is without doubt the most impressive Transformers game I've ever played - and yes, that includes that PS2 game that no one bought despite being excellent. It makes smart use of the license and rekindles childhood memories long lost under a scruffy beard...Transformers fans know they should love the Autobots the most, but those goody two shoes can get a little righteous from time to time. Thankfully developer High Moon Studios has wisely created two separate, but chronological, campaigns in War for Cybertron. The first follows Decepticon leader and all-round megalomaniac Megatron as he tries to take control of the Transformers home planet, Cybertron, with the help of ultra powerful, corrupting Dark Energon. Energon, as all Transformers geeks know, is essentially robot petrol, and the dark variety gives the user enhanced abilities...I'm a huge Transformers fan, so take that into account, but I really enjoyed War for Cybertron. It's the first game I've played that nails the personality of the bots and it genuinely delivers a solid gaming experience alongside the nostalgia. When played alone the lack of ammo and punishing enemies can cause frustration, but get together with some friends, or go online and play as teams, and you'll want that Optimus Prime bed again - only this time hopefully your mum won't be able to say no. - Tom Orry