Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - Chapter XIII: Till All Are One
14Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is a third-person shooter video game based on the Transformers franchise, developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision. It is the sequel to the 2010 video game Transformers: War for Cybertron, and directly follows the events of that game, as the Autobots struggle to defeat their Decepticon foes in a civil war for their home planet of Cybertron. The game was released on August 21, 2012, in North America and on August 24, 2012, in Europe for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. In 2016, it was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on August 8, in Australia and on August 9, in North America. Mercenary Technology developed the game's Windows version, while Fun Labs developed the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.
Set as the prequel to Transformers: Prime, the game tells the story of the Transformers, fictional robotic life forms, and the final days of conflict on their home planet of Cybertron. An origins subplot for the Dinobots is also told, reimagined from the Transformers: Generation 1 continuity. Other subplots also tell an adapted story for several characters. Some of the voice cast from the 1984 series The Transformers return to reprise their roles, including Peter Cullen as Autobot leader Optimus Prime and Gregg Berger as Grimlock. Other actors return to reprise their roles from Transformers: War for Cybertron.
Fall of Cybertron received generally favorable reviews from critics. Critics generally felt that the game was true to the Transformers franchise and provided good fan service, but some thought that the story pace slowed at times. Gameplay was mostly praised, but some reviewers cited the removal of War for Cybertron's cooperative campaign as a low point. Graphics and audio also received broadly positive comments. A spin-off, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark, which is partially set between War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron, was released in June 2014. Later, following the expiration of the licensing deal between Activision and Hasbro, the game title was delisted from digital storefronts.
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, like its predecessor Transformers: War for Cybertron, is a third-person shooter. Players can control each transformer in both its robot and vehicle forms. Instead of a traditional health system, the game features a system similar to the Halo series of video games. The player character has both a regenerating shield and health, the latter of which can be replenished by a health pack. The weapon selection in Fall of Cybertron is expanded, with new weapons that can take on very significant upgrades, including one that allows a weapon to fire up to 75% faster. These are purchased through Teletran 1 kiosks found throughout the game.
Every character has been given their own unique ability. For example, Jazz can fire a grappling hook to reach high or distant places, Optimus Prime can command the massive Metroplex, and the Combaticons have the ability to combine into the Decepticon Bruticus. Segments in which players control Bruticus are designed to accommodate its larger size. Scale is maintained so the character towers over enemies. The Autobot Grimlock, who transforms into a robotic Tyrannosaurus, is controlled differently than other characters. Carrying only a sword and shield, Grimlock cannot transform at will, instead accumulating rage as he battles opponents. When he gains enough rage, Grimlock is able to transform and inflict massive damage. The online cooperative campaign play featured in the first game has been removed in favor of levels that utilize each character's specific abilities.
The survival mode Escalation from War for Cybertron returns. In this mode players must defend against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. As gameplay progresses, new sections of the level open, which give players access to upgraded weapons and abilities. Franchise characters are used in Escalation, while players can customize one of four character classes (Scientist, Infiltrator, Destroyer, and Titan) on 9 different maps (Sewers, Spire, Abandoned, Bowels, Array, Corrosion, Tempest, Convoy, Desolation) in competitive multiplayer. Autobot and Decepticon Transformers can be customized with parts earned through a ranking system or purchased through the game's marketplace. Several parts from famous Transformers can be used, such as heads, torsos, legs, and arms. Hundreds of pieces and color options are available. Players can also buy and upgrade their gear.
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is a direct continuation of Transformers: War for Cybertron. Giant robotic life forms known as Transformers are at civil war. Two factions, the Autobots and the Decepticons, vie for control of their home world, Cybertron. The events of the previous game have left the planet unable to sustain life, and the Autobots, desperate to ensure the continued existence of the Transformer race, seek to flee the planet.