Qualifications will do you no good here
The problem with reviewing Transformers is, essentially, the typical mindsets people have towards Transformers. The majority people I've talked to either love or hate Transformers. There are very few standing on the middle ground. Transformers fans are going to love this game, hands down. Non-Transfomers fans well... depends if they're the haters or not. I will tell you right now, this game is pretty good at distancing itself from Michael Bay and most of the cartoon series from the last 25 years. And I'll also tell you if you find giant robots that transform into vehicles boring and unoriginal you probably won't like this game.
Here's a simple quiz to determine if you'll like this game
1. Do you like playing as robots?
2. Do you like shooting things?
3. Do you like the option to travel faster at a whim?
4. Is the above enough for you to enjoy a video game?
If you answered yes to all of the above questions, you will like Transformers: War for Cybertron. A lot of enjoying this game is getting past whatever mentality it is preventing you from enjoying the gaming goodness that this video game represents.
Gameplay is composed on a refreshed take on a typical weapon set you'd find in a first person shooter combined with minimal platforming while being able to switch between robot and vehicle form at a whim.
Some reviewers have claimed this game to be a throwback to earlier times. I couldn't disagree more. This is a fast paced game IF YOU PLAY IT THAT WAY. The option is entirely there and to beat Trypticon, the final boss, you will have to play it that way to a degree. This game wants you to transform and dodge laser and emp blasts, not hide behind a piece of crap metal like a hunk of meat. My recommendation is to play a Scout class character first so you can get used to the idea of playing fast. Then once you get a hang of the controls go back and play as all your favorites.
A ton of people have trashed on this game for being unoriginal. I've come to the conclusion that this is because the game is what you'd expect but it doesn't exceed those expectations. Predictable, but original. Batman: Arkham Asylum raised the bar for comic/movie/tv series games and blew us all away. Now we all expect each game to rise above and beyond our expectations. Everyone expected Transformers to be filled with giant transforming robots and to be a good game. Well it was exactly that, the problem everyone is having is it didn't go beyond those expectations. We can't all be Assassin's Creed 2's and Mass Effect 2's and... Wait a minute, its that darn sequel trend again.
Transformers isn't as original as say, Deus Ex, Mirror's Edge, Flower, or something of the like, but it really has quite a lot to offer. I have hope you give in an honest chance and explore the controls thoroughly before dubbing it unoriginal. Also I challenge you to think of a game like this one. The closet I could come was Robotech, Zone of Enders, or Slave Zero. But really, its more like those three combined to an extent, although I would say I still like the ZOE games better.
EDIT:
Kind of embarrassing but it is my first review. I meant to give it 4 stars, not 4 1/2. I can't figure out how to change that. Oh well.
