Dark of the Moon (video games)
 |
| |||||||||||||||
Transformers: Dark of the Moon will be published on various platforms by Activision on June 14, 2011. Following the success of War for Cybertron, High Moon Studios are developing the Xbox 360/PS3 versions, while Behaviour Interactive is working on the Wii and handheld games. The story takes place two years before the movie, and gameplay will utilize Stealth Force.
Plot
Three years after the events of Revenge of the Fallen, humanity believes the Decepticons have fled Earth. However, Optimus Prime knows better and is constantly searching for Megatron and his forces. Bumblebee is sent to upload a virus into Soundwave's network system so that the Autobots can track down all remaining Decepticons on Earth. Bumblebee succeeds but is discovered by a Decepticon party who flee in an attempt to alert their leader Megatron. Bumblebee tracks the Decepticons down to a small village where he destroys all the devices trying to contact Megatron. Waves of Decepticons land in the city hoping to destroy him, but Optimus and Sideswipe show up and help Bumblebee fight off the attackers.
The Decepticons attack the city of Detroit and Ratchet is ordered to help civilians evacuate while Ironhide goes off to wipe out the attackers in the city. Ironhide makes his way into the city's main construction zone where he receives transmission that Ratchet has been captured by Mixmaster. Ironhide battles his way to find Mixmaster who has knocked out and injured Ratchet. Ironhide's normal weapons are not strong enough to pierce Mixmaster's shields, so he uses his "Heavy Iron" ability to cause a large metal platform to land on Mixmaster trapping him underground. Realizing that Mixmaster would probably try to escape them, Ratchet reveals he placed a tracker on the Decepticon when he was captured. Ironhide continues his search for Mixmaster and receives the "Heavy Iron 2.0" upgrade from Wheeljack which can destroy Mixmaster's shields. Mixmaster is powerless against Ironhide's new weapon and falls.
Sideswipe is captured by Decepticon forces and Mirage is sent to find him. Along the way, Starscream tries to destroy Mirage with proximity mines and grabs the Autobot and throws him through a bridge into a deep ravine down below, believing he has killed the Autobot. Mirage's internal systems have been extensively damaged disabling his weapons and transformation system. He is only able to use his Active Camoflauge to sneak past patrols of Decepticons. He discovers the entrance to an ancient Mayan temple which has Decepticon markings all over it suggesting the Mayans built their temples on top of Decepticon technology. The NEST team sends weapons and repairs for Mirage deep within the jungle where he eventually meets up with Bumblebee. The two Autobots make their way through the ruins and battle a Decepticon Enforcer on top of a temple. After dispatching of the enemy, the two discover Sideswipe and hold off enemy forces until NEST reinforcements are able to arrive to help ward off the attack. The trio of Autobots make their way deeper into the ruins where Starscream is trying to launch a Decepticon device into space. The Autobots are unable to prevent the launch and Starscream retreats.
Soundwave lands on earth and takes on an alternate form of a SUV. He discovers NEST has a secret facility hidden in a volcano. Soundwave fights his wave through the jungle and into the volcano. He arrives at the entrance of the NEST base and is unable to enter, so he send Laserbeak to sneak inside. Laserbeak goes throughout the base scanning information regarding the human coverup of the Lunar Landing and activates the front doors for Soundwave to enter. Soundwave is seemingly caught in a laser grid prison but even so, the Decepticon is able to destroy all forces coming in to capture him. Soundwave discovers and destroys all 3 Volcanic Stabilizer devices and the Coolant system and escapes the base and volcano before it explodes.
The Decepticons learn that Autobots are about to transport their new MechTech weapons system to Optimus Prime and Starscream goes off the retrieve it. Starscream chases Air Raid through a canyon only to discover the Aerial Bots are escaping onboard Stratosphere with the MechTech systems onboard. Starscream is able to injure Stratosphere, forcing the Aerial Bots to deploys and try to destroy Starscream. However, he proves to be too strong for them and continues to shoot down all of Stratosphere's engines. Starscream boards the large Autobot and takes some of the MechTech weapons before using the rest to destroy Stratosphere from the inside.
Starscream returns to Megatron hoping to please his master with news that they can use the Autobots' technology against them. Megatron, however, is furious as he knows the Autobots have placed tracking devices in all their weapons leading them to Megatron's lair where he has been recuperating. Megatron rallies his Decepticon forces to hold off the Autobot attack while he makes his way through the tunnels to Shockwave's cryochamber. Megatron scans a truck rig and gains a new transformation form to travel quicker through the tunnels. As he nears Shockwave's chamber, he encounters Warpath who Megatron easily finishes off. Megatron disables the intense cryo system that has kept Shockwave frozen for so many year and waits for his assassin to awake. Optimus arrives intending to stop Megatron from finishing his plan and activates an energon shield that Megatron cannot penetrate. Soundwave informs Megatron that the spray from the cryo generators can weaken the shields. Megatron destroys the generators in the room until the shields on Optimus completely wear off. He knocks Optimus down a large hole in the ground and escapes.
Optimus awakens at the bottom of the cryo chamber to discover what Megatron has been after this whole time: to awaken his best soldier, Shockwave. Optimus knowing how powerful Shockwave truly is tries to find a way to reactivate the cryo system, but the Deception assassin has already been thawing too long and reawakens. Optimus and Shockwave battle and he discovers Shockwave's weakness are the energy cells on his back which power his hand blaster cannon. After dealing enough damage to Shockwave, the assassin retreats to the throne he was frozen on only for it to be revealed as Shockwave's pet, the Driller. The Driller tries to destroy Optimus with its tentacles but Optimus is able to disable them with his shoulder-mounted rockets. The Driller seems to retreat in defeat and Shockwave remains to try to finish off Optimus. Waves of Autobots land from above to help their leader in destroying Shockwave. Just as Optimus is about to deal the final blow to kill Shockwave, the Driller reappears and protects its master from the attack. It then retreats into the tunnels with its master.
The Autobots have won this battle but know the war with the Decepticons still wages on. Megatron, Soundwave, Starscream and Shockwave meet in South Africa where Megatron tells Shockwave to head to Chernobyl to search for a certain ancient Cybertronian artifact. Megatron gloats that "Operation Pillar" is underway and that the Autobots and humans have no idea what is in store for them, setting up the events of the 3rd movie.
Versions
- The standard version of the game developed by High Moon Studios, and the one most publicized, was made available for two out of three of the main consoles. Unlike previous Transformers games, there is no Windows PC version.
- The Wii and 3DS versions, titled Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Stealth Force Edition, were handled by Behaviour Interactive, and were developed as vehicle combat games with no ability to transform.
- Also developed by Behaviour Interactive. Just like the previous games, the DS version is available in Autobot and Decepticon incarnations.
Characters
Retailer pre-order exclusives
- All retailers: The Nintendo DS Autobot and Decepticon versions will come with Speed Stars Stealth Force Bumblebee and Lockdown respectively. The Wii version will come with a Stealth Force Mini Changers Bumblebee toy.
- Amazon.com: Ratchet multiplayer skin for Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3, as well as $10USD credit on Amazon.com.
- Best Buy: Free movie ticket upgrade to 3D.
- Gamestop: Sideswipe multiplayer skin for Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3.
- Sears/Kmart: Limited edition Dark of the Moon comic book.
- Target: Different Bumblebee skin Nintendo 3DS.
- Toys"R"Us: Different Bumblebee skin for DS Autobots and different Lockdown skin for DS Decepticons.
