Transformers: The War for Cybertron - Gameplay Trailer pg3

Activision has announced that Transformers: War for Cybertron is in development at High Moon Studios (The Bourne Conspiracy).

The game takes players to the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron for a new look into the story of the civil war.

"Transformers: War for Cybertron is an origins story, taking players on a gripping, adrenaline-fuelled journey that precedes the Transformers characters' arrival on Earth," said Rob Kostich, head of marketing, licensed products, Activision Publishing, Inc. "The game transports players to a living, metallic planet where they will battle as giant converting robots."

Hasbro is working with Activision to drive the Transformers fiction forward into new story arcs.

"This remarkable video game helps us to tell a critical event in Transformers lore that will be used as canon for future storylines in a way we could have only dreamed of a few years ago," said Aaron Archer, Senior Design Director, Hasbro. "It is a testament to the success of the Transformers brand and a key element to the story we look forward to telling in 2010 and beyond."

Transformers: War for Cybertron features two distinct storylines: the Autobot campaign tells a story of heroism to save their home planet against overwhelming odds, and the Decepticon campaign tells a story of a thirst for power to control the universe.

For the first time in a Transformers title, fans will be able to play with their friends in team-based online co-op, or go head to head in a variety online multiplayer game modes.

TRANSFORMERS™: WAR FOR CYBERTRON EXPLORES A BRAND NEW, PIVOTAL CHAPTER IN TRANSFORMERS LORE

New Action Game Delves Deep into the TRANSFORMERS Universe, Introduces All-New Visualizations of Iconic Characters in 2010

Santa Monica, CA – December 16, 2009 – Experience the legendary battle between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS as Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that Transformers™: War for Cybertron is in development by award-winning High Moon Studios. Based on Hasbro’s legendary TRANSFORMERS property, the game takes players to the TRANSFORMERS characters’ home planet of CYBERTRON for a new look into the epic story of the grand civil war that spawned one of the most brutal rivalries of all time.

“Transformers: War for Cybertron is an origins story, taking players on a gripping, adrenaline-fueled journey that precedes the TRANSFORMERS characters’ arrival on Earth,” said Rob Kostich, head of marketing, licensed products, Activision Publishing, Inc. “The game transports players to a living, metallic planet where they will battle as giant converting robots in single player, online co-op or head-to-head multiplayer matches that are fully immersive from start to finish.”

“For the first time, Hasbro is working with Activision to drive the TRANSFORMERS fiction forward into new story arcs, demonstrating pivotal moments in Transformers history that defined who they are,” said Aaron Archer, Senior Design Director, Hasbro. “This remarkable video game helps us to tell a critical event in TRANSFORMERS lore that will be used as canon for future storylines in a way we could have only dreamed of a few years ago. It is a testament to the success of the TRANSFORMERS brand and a key element to the story we look forward to telling in 2010 and beyond.”

Transformers: War for Cybertron features two distinct storylines: the AUTOBOT campaign tells a story of heroism to save their home planet against overwhelming odds, and the DECEPTICON campaign tells a story of an unquenchable thirst for power to control the universe. For the first time in a TRANSFORMERS title, fans will be able to play the game with their friends through team-based online co-op, or go head to head in a variety of intense, online multiplayer game modes. The game features a sci-fi art style that introduces to fans the entire living, metallic world of CYBERTRON, as well as all-new visualizations of the iconic TRANSFORMERS characters in their original Cybertronian forms.

Transformers: War for Cybertron is in development for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Windows PC, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™, and is not yet rated by the ESRB.

For more information and to receive exclusive updates about the Transformers: War for Cybertron video game, visit Countdown to Transmission.

Hound wrote:New trailer
http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/54928/transformers-war-for-cybertron/videos/transformerscyber_trl_revealtrailer_10710.html;jsessionid=2jlgop7pc468j

Thongings wrote:That looks... pretty bloody good.

Why must you raise my hopes so?

The story spans two campaigns -- one for the Decepticons and another for the Autobots -- and strives to explain the relationship between the two factions without demonizing any of the so-called bad guys. Even the good guys are not exactly as they seem. For example, Optimus Prime begrudgingly takes on the role of Autobots leader after he realizes that nobody else is capable. And Megatron is not evil incarnate, but misguided -- he believes that Cybertron has fallen from grace and seeks to restore the planet to its former glory by any means possible, even a brutal war.

The Decepticon campaign is a prequel to the Autobots one, but they can be played out of order if you prefer. According to Tieger, the setup works perfectly because you first wreak havoc as the Decepticons, unsettling the balance of power, and then you come in as the Autobots when all seems lost and fight to undo the damage. "The bad guy hatches an evil plot to take over universe. Then the good guy resets balance of power back to neutral," he says.

It also plays a lot like a Gears of War variation -- with some notable exceptions, of course.

You control the Transformers with the left analog stick and aim with right. They move as you might imagine the big robots would -- they're heavy, but they've also got speed, especially with regard to transformations. "We needed to make sure he game felt tighter, snappier, and that you're transforming more as a combat strategy," says Tieger. And you can transform at any time and anywhere by pressing the L3 button. If you want to run down a forever-stretching hallway instead of race through it on wheels, you can do that, but it'll take a lot longer. Although the transformations are incredibly fast -- really, really zippy, in fact -- you can interrupt them with melee or shooting if necessary, at which point the animation blends perfectly into your chosen action.

"The foundation about everything we put together was about controls feeling tight and snappy and even where we put the transformation button," says Tieger.

You can carry two different weapons and up to three grenades, assigned to a button, at ay time. And you've got two skills -- the cool down and the resource. For example, Optimus can slide into foes and also execute a war cry, which will power him up, layer a new reticule on-screen and then enable him to target away. Melee combat is assigned to R3 button like the Call of Duty series. It seems a little weird to push in the thumbstick to trigger an energon blade attack, but it works and the controls are customizable if that's simply not for you.

Here is where War for Cybertron is nothing like Gears of War, though. There's no cover system whatsoever. And there's not much of a lock-on mechanic, either. Certain weapons like the rocket launcher allow for auto-targeting, but for the most part you'll be aiming on your own as you make your way through the war torn and battle-scarred universe -- not necessarily a bad thing given the controls appear to be tight and responsive. You can also jack into turret systems, which is really well done. As you do, your Autobot or Decepticon becomes the turret -- a literal extension of the gun. If you prefer, you can rip the massive weapon from its station and carry it around until the bullets run dry.

In lieu of taking cover, High Moon wants gamers to transform and there are all kinds of vehicle types at your disposal. Cars, trucks, tanks and of course jets. To answer your next question, yes, Jetfire and Starscream are in the game and fully playable. So are the impressive likes of Skywarp and Thundercracker, for that matter. All the craft -- even the cars -- can hover when necessary. High Moon felt it pertinent to implement this feature so that gamers could easily get around the environments, effortlessly strafing left and right. As soon as players drive forward, though, the vehicles drop back to the pavement, their wheels lock into place and they drive as normal.

The cars are exceptionally fast on the ground floor, allowing for drifts and big air over jumps. All of the characters have been completely redesigned compared to either the Bay movies or previous Transformer cartoons or games. The Autobots all look like concept cars -- smooth, sleek. Meanwhile, the Decepticon models have more on common with big, menacing muscle cars. Controlling the jets looks particularly fun as you can float in the air, then zoom forward toward a platform, transform mid-flight, land on area, jack into a turret and shoot down some enemies, disengage and then take off into the air again. It's seamless and incredibly quick.

War for Cybertron is not a single-player-only affair. The entire game can be played cooperatively by up to three players. Indeed, even in the solo campaign, the artificial intelligence controls your two remaining party members as you run, drive, fly and gun you way through missions. "I believe the campaign level reaches its zenith when you're playing with real people," says Tieger of the cooperative play.

And then, yes, there is a multiplayer mode. And of this, High Moon Studios is staying fairly quiet. What it will say is this. "We have been all about multiplayer since the first minute we started. It's not tacked on. It's one of the pillars. A full chunk of what we've put together here. A serious hardcore gamer multiplayer experience that people will playing long after it ships."

suzzopher wrote:

Thongings wrote:That looks... pretty bloody good.

Why must you raise my hopes so?

Kottick is changing......believe.

TheTurnipKing wrote:

suzzopher wrote:

Thongings wrote:That looks... pretty bloody good.

Why must you raise my hopes so?

Kottick is changing......believe.

He's not changing, he's just too busy crushing the rebellion of Infinity Ward at the moment.

I posted that before he turned heel again