Transformers: Devastation: Difference between revisions
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===Trivia=== | ===Trivia=== | ||
* [[FIRRIB|Frenzy is blue, Rumble is red]]. | * [[FIRRIB|Frenzy is blue, Rumble is red]]. | ||
* Despite not appearing in game, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] has a fully functional model in the game data. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 18:19, 23 October 2015
| The name or term "Devastation" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Devastation (disambiguation). |
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| File:Transformers Devastation Xbox One cover.jpg Like I said, kids are cruel, Jack. And I'm very in touch with my inner child. | |||||||
| Developer | PlatinumGames | ||||||
| Publisher | Activision | ||||||
| Writer | Andy Schmidt[1] | ||||||
| Platform | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC | ||||||
| Release date | October 6, 2015 | ||||||
| Ratings | ESRB: T PEGI: 7+ | ||||||
Transformers: Devastation is a video game by PlatinumGames, announced at E3 2015. It is based in the Generation 1 continuity family (drawing inspiration from the original cartoon, the IDW comics, the Combiner Wars toyline and others), and features the return of some of the surviving voice actors from the original cartoon. The game's soundtrack was composed by Satoshi Igarashi, with contributions by Vince DiCola and Kenny Meriedeth.[2]
Plot
 Spoiler warning: Plot details for Transformers: Devastation follow. |
Chapter 1: City of Steel
In a human city on Earth, a large explosion heralds the appearance of several giant mechanical claws emerging from the ground, causing mass destruction. Megatron and his Decepticons land downtown and observe the swarm of Insecticons that has filled the air, with Soundwave also detecting traces of plasma energy. Starscream is hesitant, as no one has been able to control plasma energy since the Golden Age, but Megatron rebukes him, intent on using the gift that they have been given. With the humans successfully evacuated from the city, Optimus Prime and his team of Autobots arrive to assess the threat and stop the Decepticons. After a brief run-in with Devastator, Optimus and Bumblebee come face to face with Megatron himself. Optimus demands Megatron cease his attack on the city, but Megatron only laughs, saying that Optimus doesn't even realize the truth of who is really behind the attack, and declaring he only wants to make "improvements" to the city. Optimus and Bumblebee defeat Megatron, but he slips away as the two are distracted by the sudden appearance of a giant Steel Tower. The Autobots pursue Megatron to the tower, where he declares that it is somehow directing the Insecticons before receiving a stream of data encoded in Cybertronix from the tower. He rides away on Long Haul, with the Autobots giving chase, and after Sideswipe briefly battles Megatron, a hatch emerges from the ground leading below. Megatron enters, activating the security system to ensure the Autobots cannot follow. Teletraan-1 reveals that the hatch leads to the interior of an unknown ship buried below the city, requiring the shutdown of three sub-generators and a primary generator to gain access. With no other choice, the Autobots reach the sub-generators, each guarded by two of the Constructicons, and shut them down. They return to the primary generator, but the Constructicons have beaten them there and reform Devastator. The team defeat the combiner, but a hologram of Megatron appears to reveal his plan: he now controls the Cybertronian ship known as the Proudstar, and is using it to control the Insecticons, allowing him to Cyberform the Earth into a new Cybertron within mere days at the cost of all native life.
Chapter 2: The Proudstar
After chasing down a Sentry-Bot containing the key-code to enter, the Autobots enter the Proudstar. Optimus explains that the ship is of Autobot origin, and was once captained by Nova Prime. Its mission was to preserve Cybertronian culture via the Colonnade of Cybertron placed aboard the ship's super computer, the Ferrotaxis, which controls both the Plasma Core and the Insecticons. With so much of Cybertron's culture having been lost over the course of the Great War, the Autobots make it their mission to retrieve the Ferrotaxis intact and shut down the Plasma Core, stopping the Cyberforming. As they split up to explore, Optimus notes a feeling of darkness permeating the ship. The group briefly gets locked into a battle with Soundwave, but he is called away by Megatron for other matters, leaving them to be swarmed by Insecticons bursting from the many pods housed within the ship. The Autobots battle through the swarms, including several giant-sized Ancient Insecticons, as the voice of Teletraan Alpha cryptically hints at the dark future events each Autobot will face, including prophesying that the Great War will come to an end without Optimus Prime there to see it. They reach the Plasma Core, but due to plasma energy's unpredictability, Wheeljack predicts blowing up the Core will cause an explosion that will take half the Earth with it. Defeating the Insecticon guards, they break the shielding protecting the Core, but the security system envelops the core in a protective casing and fires it away from the ship.
Chapter 3: The Core
With the ship and Insecticons rendered inactive due to the loss of their power source, the Autobots seek to retrieve the Plasma Core before Megatron, as well as shut it down due to the potentially dangerous leak sprung in the previous encounter. Knowing Megatron will need someone to retrieve the core, they encounter and defeat Thundercracker, who believes plasma energy is too dangerous to be controlled by anyone and tells them the Core's location on the promise that they get rid of it. Making their way to the island where the Core landed, the Autobots encounter Decepticon defenses at Liberty Bridge, stalling for time so that the leak may be patched before they move it. The team uses an explosive cube of Red Energon to clear the forces at the bridge's entrance, but Starscream arrives to replace them. The Autobots defeat him and begin to cross the bridge, only to come under fire by Blitzwing as they do so. They manage to hold him off until reaching the other side of the bridge, where they defeat him. Optimus approaches the badly-damaged Plasma Core container, but Starscream appears and carries it away before they have a chance to shut it down.
Chapter 4: Possession
Back at the tower, Soundwave reveals to Megatron that they were unable to patch the leak before Starscream took the Plasma Core, meaning its detonation is imminent. Only able to be repaired at a Plasma Energy Interface on Cybertron, Megatron orders Starscream to bring the unstable Core to the tower. The Autobots pursue him across the bridge, but the onset of a storm makes it difficult for Starscream to fly, causing him to lose his grip on the Core and drop it into the city. Optimus tracks Starscream's landing location, but Megatron sends Motormaster to the coordinates as well. The team race him to the crash site, barely beating him there, and fight him off. The Autobots follow the trail to the Plasma Core, and Wheeljack prepares to patch the leak while the others cover him. Just as he gets the case open, Motormaster and the rest of the Stunticons arrive and form Menasor. The Autobots defeat the combiner and, in a fit of rage, he throws the Plasma Core case all the way to the tower. Megatron activates the space bridge to Cybertron and takes the Core and his troops through, ordering Starscream to hold off the Autobots.
Chapter 5: To Cybertron
Optimus and his team follow the Decepticons through the space bridge, battling Starscream while in transit. They emerge on Cybertron just as Megatron leaves with the Plasma Core and Blitzwing appears for a rematch. The group defeat him and approach the Plasma Energy Interface, but before they can stop it, they are ambushed by Shockwave. While ultimately defeated, Shockwave manages to hold the Autobots off long enough for Megatron to finish repairing the Plasma Core and escape. Bumblebee points out the insanity of their plan, but Shockwave argues that Nova Prime was the one who saw the need to Cyberform populated planets, though Optimus refuses to believe it. Now back at the tower, Megatron orders the Plasma Core and the Ferrotaxis brought online, declaring the Cyberforming process will be complete in less than one Earth day.
Chapter 6: Ferrotaxis
Now patched and restored to the Proudstar, the Plasma Core is put into overdrive, causing the Insecticons to restart the Cyberforming process at a rapid rate, and the Autobots return to stop it. However, due to the poor repair job by the Constructicons, the Core ruptures and produces a gravitational anomaly that begins sucking the Autobots in. Retreating to a safe distance, Wheeljack deduces that if the core goes critical, it will lead to planetary extinction. Optimus decides that the only way to shut down both the Plasma Core and the Insecticons is by using the Ferrotaxis, which Grimlock points out is in Megatron's possession. However, Soundwave takes control of the ship's security systems, sabotaging their escape route. Barely evading his traps, the Autobots once again become aware of the darkness permeating the Proudstar. Prime posits that while Nova Prime's mission may have initially been noble, Cyberforming uninhabited planets to bring life to the galaxy, he and his crew were corrupted by some unknown entity along the way, seeding darkness within his spark and driving him to insanity. The entity sought the destruction of Cybertron and its people, and still searches for the planet to this day, destroying all it encounters along the way. The Autobots head to the control room, but are blocked by Soundwave. Defeating him, the team prepares to storm the control room and take Megatron down once and for all.
Chapter 7: Legacy
As they approach the Proudstar's control room, the Autobots are beset by a legion of Decepticons seeking to defend it, including Motormaster, Thundercracker and Skywarp. The Autobots enter the control room, where Megatron mocks them before leaving with the Ferrotaxis, ordering the Constructicons to finish them off. After battling all six individually, the Constructicons merge into Devastator, prompting another battle. However, it isn't long before Menasor shows up as well, forcing them to fight both combiners at once. Eventually, both are knocked off the platform to their destruction, and the Autobots head for the surface. Emerging from below, the Autobots find Megatron watching in delight as the planet is ripped apart by the Cyberforming, declaring their home will live once more and noting how much he and Optimus could have accomplished together as allies. Optimus demands that Megatron hand over the Ferrotaxis so that their culture might continue to be preserved and shared, but Megatron throws it away, declaring that Optimus will have to defeat him to get it. The two engage in battle and Optimus emerges victorious, once again demanding the Ferrotaxis, but Megatron declares that if he can't have it, no one can, launching it high into the sky with his fusion cannon. A swarm of Insecticons follows the Ferrotaxis into the air, and Optimus grabs hold of one of them to catch up, with Megatron in hot pursuit.
Now in Earth's orbit as the Insecticons surround the Ferrotaxis, Optimus prepares to fire at the computer, only to be knocked from his perch by Megatron, forcing the two into a zero-gravity final battle. Megatron argues that he fights to restore Cybertron, the home that Optimus abandoned, and that life comes from servos, gyros and fuel, not flesh. Optimus rejects this, however, believing that destroying other worlds to keep Cybertron on life-support can't be the only way. With one final blow, Optimus manages to knock Megatron out long enough to retrieve the Ferrotaxis, but cannot shut down the Insecticons due to a failsafe activated by Megatron. Megatron declares the only way to stop the Ferrotaxis is to destroy it at the cost of Cybertron's culture and history, and that Cybertron's fate is now in Optimus's hands. Optimus replies that he has the courage to make the right decision and fires upon the Ferrotaxis, destroying it. As a result, the Plasma Core shuts down and the Insecticons all fall lifelessly back to Earth. Megatron is mortified, but Prime is resolute in his decision, believing humanity should decide its own fate. As he falls back to Earth, he tells the other Autobots that while they have lived on Earth for years, they have never truly accepted it as their home, holding out hope of returning to a re-forged Cybertron someday. While that may someday occur, Prime declares that as of that day, the Earth is their true home, and they are to protect it no matter the cost.
Later, back at the Ark, a recovered Optimus discusses with Wheeljack if he has found a way to strengthen their forces, with Wheeljack deeming the process risky. As he reflects on what Teletraan Alpha told him aboard the Proudstar, Teletraan-1 receives a transmission from Defensor and Superion, who throw their full support behind Optimus's plan. Deciding that this is the price he must pay to rid the world of the Decepticons, Optimus and Wheeljack examine schematics for the project. Unbeknownst to them, one of the pods on the Proudstar has broken open. Nova Prime awakens...
Featured Characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | Others |
|---|---|---|
|
|
- * Indicates character available only as downloadable content skin.
- † Indicates character who only appears in text-based log entries.
Gameplay
Devastation is a fast-paced hack-and-slash brawler, similar to many of Platinum's other titles like Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Players choose from five Autobots (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, and Grimlock) and battle Decepticons using a combination of light and heavy physical attacks, with players generally having to defeat an entire wave of enemies in order to proceed. Players can chain these attacks into a combo, as well as extend their combos and utilize new moves by strategically transforming back and forth between vehicle and robot modes during strings of attacks. Each of the Autobots is also equipped with a projectile-based weapon, allowing them to attack enemies they cannot normally reach, such as airborne Seekers. Players have multiple defensive options, being able to block, dodge, parry, and counterattack against enemy blows; similar to the Witch Time concept from Bayonetta, dodging at just the right moment will induce "Focus" and cause time to slow down for the surrounding environment, giving players a chance to move in close and counterattack. Certain gameplay segments will encourage the use of vehicle mode over robot mode, such as chasing down escaping Decepticons on a highway or transforming back to robot mode at maximum speed to break an enemy shield.
Each of the five Autobots has a different set of moves and properties; Optimus is the most equally-balanced, Bumblebee focuses on quickness over attack strength, Sideswipe uses a hit-and-run attack style, Wheeljack is largely based around ranged combat and defense, and Grimlock deals in slow but powerful close-range strikes. Each character also possesses unique ability that they can trigger in battle, such as Wheeljack's shield or Grimlock's grapple; this depletes energy from their Ability Gauge, which automatically refills over time. Attacking enemies will also fill the Ultimate Gauge; when full, this will allow players to use their character-specific Ultimate Attack, doing heavy damage to multiple foes.
The game also includes a player-customization system. Several different weapon types can be potentially dropped by enemies or found in weapons caches. Each type of weapon, such as axes, swords, or hammers, can only be used by certain characters, and new weapons can be synthesized by using the old ones as materials, allowing players to create stronger weapons of different types. Players can also spend in-game credits to develop T.E.C.H. that grants passive boosts to their characters, giving them bonuses such as auto-recovery or an increased credit drop rate; the strength of the T.E.C.H. developed varies depending on the amount of credits spent, as well as the player's success at a quicktime event during the synthesis process. Characters' individual stats can also be improved either through combat or by purchasing upgrades with credits. The Lab acts as the in-game store, allowing players to purchase additional weapons, temporary power-ups, and new moves for all five Autobots.
The game features seven Story chapters. At the beginning, three difficulty levels are accessible ("Scout", "Warrior", and "Commander"), while two higher difficulties ("Magnus" and "Prime") are unlocked after completing the lower ones. Players who go off the beaten path in the story chapters may find side missions scattered about; completing these will reward players with additional weapons. In addition to the primary Story Mode, the game also includes a Challenge Mode with 50 stand-alone missions.
A Gallery mode allows players to view assorted art pieces, such as stage concept art and Generations character art. New art can be unlocked in each stage by finding bouncing Kremzeeks and Mystery Objects, or shooting down Decepticon Flags and Spy Ops. Completing the game will add the credits sequence to the gallery, viewable with or without the credits themselves, as well as a model viewer that allows players to view all of the 3D character models, accompanied by their respective themes. The model viewer includes a "Transform" command that lets you view both of their modes, and a "Try Me" button that plays one of their voice samples.
Players who pre-ordered the game received a downloadable content bundle that includes character skins for Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Sideswipe based on Nemesis Prime, Goldfire, and Red Alert respectively, as well as three new weapons: the Dark Star Saber, the Photon Disruptor, and the twin Golden Hunters.
Notes
Errors
- At the beginning of the game, Soundwave is not shown flying in the sky despite landing alongside Starscream, Blitzwing, and Megatron a moment later.
- In Chapter 1, when Megatron enters the hatch leading underground, Optimus mispronounces Teletraan-1 as "Teltraan-1", omitting the second syllable.
Transformers references
- Several unlockable weapons are from Transformers: Prime, such as the Star Saber and the Forge of Solus Prime.
- The attempted Cyberforming of Earth by the Decepticons has been used as a plot point in several past Transformers stories.
- One of Kranix's logs makes mention of Ore-13.
- Teletraan Alpha alludes to Wheeljack and Optimus's unfortunate demises in The Transformers: The Movie.
- Teletraan Alpha also tells Bumblebee that he will eventually be known as "The World's Bridge", "Goldbug", "Race-Welder", and "Goldfire".
- Red Energon appears. Only here it's a volatile explosive, not a speed enhancer.
- Blitzwing uses ice in his jet mode and fire in his tank mode, in the vein of his Animated counterpart.
- Shockwave has the ability to generate duplicates of himself, in an insanely specific reference to a power mentioned in the original animated series production bible, which was never used in the cartoon itself. The duplicates have the grey color scheme of the original "Astro Magnum" toy Shockwave was based on.
- Optimus defeats Megatron with the same haymaker he used in their final battle in the Battle of Autobot City.
- The end credits theme features segments borrowed from the Transformers: The Movie musical score.
Trivia
- Frenzy is blue, Rumble is red.
- Despite not appearing in game, Ratbat has a fully functional model in the game data.
