Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark PC

1. hboscoe

   Jul 11, 2014

   10

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm somewhat of an immense Transformers geek, and lover, so the idea of playing in both Cybertronian and Earth forms made this a must buy for me. The story is strong, (yet admittedly somewhat not expressed that way in the cutscenes) and moments such as playing as an almost youthful Jetfire and seeing the evolution of Prime throughout the ages (not to mention playing as Grimlock, that was very cool)
   
   This game sits nicely in style half way between War for Cybertron and Dark of the Moon, yet does feel significantly more like a shooting gallery than previous Transformers titles by the same company. But still, I believe this is a must buy for any Transformers fan, young or old.… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
2. SandCharm17076

   Aug 2, 2014

   7

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I haven´t really played the game but I watched a longplay on Youtube. I liked the game but I think the crossover of the movie and the previous game didn´t match. When I played the last level in Fall of Cybertron I wondered immediately of what was going to happen in the next game. For example if I didn´t watched the Transformers 4 I wouldn´t even know who is Lockdown, because it´s objective is different from the game to the movie. I think they should have made two different games, but I actually liked the game, despite some problems with the crossover.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. armada91

   Jun 27, 2014

   6

   To begin, this is an okay game. At best. If you're a Transformers fan from the War for Cybertron series by High Moon Studios, you may feelTo begin, this is an okay game. At best. If you're a Transformers fan from the War for Cybertron series by High Moon Studios, you may feel compelled to purchase this, as it is seemingly the same style. First and foremost, it is not done by the same studio, rather, Edge of Reality was in charge, with High Moon not attached whatsoever. To get to the grit of the review, this game was lacking in all aspects. The story was short, boring, and felt much more like a chore than something truly worth playing. The story was cut up multiple times to tell the paths of both the Decepticons and Autobots while they fought on Cybertron and subsequently, on Earth. It was convoluted and dull to boot, giving you no real attachment to their plight, or really anything at all. As you could tell from the cover of the game, Michael Bay's universe inspires the Earth versions of the Transformers, with Grimlock of the Dinobots stealing the show and having the most truly joyful section of the game, albeit it was only 20 minutes long, tops. The graphics were something you'd expect from an early PS3 release (circa 10 years ago), aside from the top notch character models they took from High Moons work. The Earth levels were unbelievably barren, with noticeable lack of any real substance to the world around the corridors the game was forcing you in. You wanted to explore, given that there are collectibles, but the game was very adamant about pointing you in a direction and sticking you to it. The boring gameplay, on top of the almost jarring difficulty spikes, made the single-player very passable. However, the semi-redeeming factor to this game was the return of the co-op mode, Escalation. In this mode, you fight up to 15 waves of enemies, getting progressively harder, though consistently showing less and less balance and substance to the mode. Enemies would spawn in droves from one location across the map, only to be split up once you arrived to somewhere else. You unlock Gear Boxes as you play in Escalation, as well as campaign, to which you unlock different characters to play as in Escalation, new guns, upgrades, H.A.C.K.s (difficulty settings that altered specific game mechanics in exchange for an experience boost), and Techs (smaller, less powerful abilities that could help you out of a pinch in battle or even offer you up to 6x multiplier on experience), all used to increase the customization of your experience throughout single and multiplayer. While the collection aspect is fun at first, it quickly becomes frustrating after receiving dozens of duplicates, while coming to terms that your favorite Transformer is near crippled in Escalation if it cannot fly, given that you have the option to be whomever you wish. Trophy wise, I could give it a 3/10 difficulty, and as a game I would say it's about a 6.2. Nothing really pops out story wise, and the graphics leave much to be desired, but my nostalgia as a Transformers fan helped me enjoy the sheer site of these beasts back in action, as well as the arsenal from the Cybertron series coming back in full force to blast the enemy to scrap. Verdict: wait for pre-owned.… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
5. shamon

   Jun 26, 2014

   4

   this game was such a disappointment
   
   the gameplay was weaker, the story short and boring and the ending made me feel like i just finishedthis game was such a disappointment
   
   the gameplay was weaker, the story short and boring and the ending made me feel like i just finished
   playing a demo... from the previous cybertron games this is the worst one.… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful
6. HiGPS

   Jun 25, 2014

   3

   Do not buy this game
   
   This game is nowhere near as good as the first one. This game on PC is a poor console port. Where most of the promtsDo not buy this game
   
   This game is nowhere near as good as the first one. This game on PC is a poor console port. Where most of the promts showing as Xbox 360 buttons and not as keys. Options menu is poor, no customizable keys, so pretty lackluster in that regard.
   
   The good:
   The game models looks as expected from a title like this
   
   The bad:
   On hard difficulty the game is nearly unplayable, Poor design choice when it comes to map and enemies can make it hard to spot enemies, even at longer range there is pop-in of enemies of the smaller variety, as you will often find yourself dying to seemingly nothing a bunch of times, without any warning or ability to tell where the damage came from as the enemies spawn behind you and give you no indication of them doing so. This is the only game I have ever quit out of frustration, as the harder difficulty can not have been playtested at all. This seems rushed and there was no reason for the game to come out in this state. Some animations in-game are at what looks like 30 fps. So you will be following a AI companion and they will jitterly move forward as a result of only running at a peasant frame rate while as you run as a masterrace frame rate.
   
   The game overall feels rushed and unfinnished, some cutscenes are in nice ingame render while others are in what looks like 2002 video renders of the game in terrible low quality all pixelated and grainy. It has some charm, but previous titles in the series were better. This is not one of Edge of Reality's stronger titles unfortunately.
   
   I would suggest Edge of Reality stick to what they know best and that is growing potatoes for peasants.… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
7. hein

   Jun 29, 2014

   3

   This particular franchise was doing amazing. I still get goosebumps watching Transformers: Fall of Cybertron E3 trailer (Developed by HighThis particular franchise was doing amazing. I still get goosebumps watching Transformers: Fall of Cybertron E3 trailer (Developed by High Moon Studios). And then there is this game. Activision most likely thought that this series was doing to well. Must make it crap...and make it crap they did. Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is nothing like its predecessors. The game itself for a lack of a better word is crap...and the PC port is even worse. This game feels like the type that gets tacked onto a movie released. Everyone knows it will be bad but they just tack it on to make more money. Consider Fall of Cybertron the last good game and just assume this POS never got made. Avoid like the PLAGUE!… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
8. Nahemah

   Jul 4, 2014

   0

   Controls are pool, xbox360 buttons are all over the screen, some options are completely hidden without telling you how to access them untilControls are pool, xbox360 buttons are all over the screen, some options are completely hidden without telling you how to access them until you device to try to click the text with your mouse out of sheer frustration.
   
   Now for the car... LOL. What an epic disaster. I feel like my air hockey puck finally got wheels and got turned into a hovercraft... that transforms. What the fail.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful

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