Transformers: Prime - The Game
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| Developers | Altron NOW Production | ||||||
| Publisher | Activision | ||||||
| Written by | Dan Jolley | ||||||
| Platforms | Nintendo DS Nintendo 3DS Wii Wii U | ||||||
| Release date | NDS, N3DS, Wii: October 30, 2012 WiiU: November 18, 2012 | ||||||
| Rating | ESRB: E10+ | ||||||
Transformers: Prime - The Game is a video game developed by Altron and NOW Production for the Wii, Wii U, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS.[1] platforms.[2] The game takes place alongside the events of the second season of the Transformers: Prime cartoon, and involves the Autobots and Decepticons battling over a mysterious meteor made of Dark Energon.[3] It is published by Activision, and was released on October 30, 2012 for the DS, 3DS, and Nintendo Wii, and was released on November 18, 2012 for the Nintendo Wii U, the first Transformers game on that console. [4]
Synopsis
Stage 1
The Decepticons have discovered a gigantic asteroid composed entirely of Dark Energon, and the Nemesis has traveled into Earth's orbit to obtain it. Once the Autobots became aware of this development, Ratchet sends Optimus Prime, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead onto the surface of the Nemesis via GroundBridge to stop them. After Optimus Prime disables the machinery tethering the Nemesis to the asteroid, he and the Autobots leap onto the asteroid itself. As Optimus Prime and Megatron battle, the asteroid breaks apart, seemingly due to some kind of creature within the asteroid, and the Autobots fall from orbit to Earth's surface.
Megatron escapes to the Nemesis, where he orders Starscream to find the Autobots and destroy them. Meanwhile, at Autobot Outpost Omega-1, Ratchet cannot detect the Autobots' life signatures. He travels through the GroundBridge to ascertain their location for himself. But once Ratchet leaves, the life signatures pop up. Ratchet is unresponsive, so Jack, Raf, and Miko decide to retrieve the missing Autobots themselves.
Stage 2
Arcee awakens outside Jasper, Nevada. As she radios her position, she is suddenly attacked by Insecticons. Once she dispatches them, Arcee meets their master, Airachnid. Though Arcee nearly defeats her longtime adversary, the arrival of Jack tips the scales. Airachnid webs Jack and flees in helicopter mode. After a motorcycle chase, Arcee rescues Jack and Airachnid flees.
Stage 3
Bulkhead awakens in a rocky wilderness with Miko. He tells Miko to stay out of the way as he battles through Vehicons and their commander, Starscream, and she does, mostly, until Starscream makes off with her.
Stage 4
Bumblebee awakens in an Energon mine, suspended from the ceiling by energy restraints. Raf contacts him through his laptop, disables the restraints, and guides Bumblebee through the mine to his location. However, as Raf waits in an elevator while Bumblebee destroys three security generators, he finds himself attacked by Vehicons and Bumblebee races back to the elevator to save him. Once the elevator reaches ground level, Raf believes the two are finally safe, but the appearance of Knock Out changes his mind.
Bumblebee and Knock Out fight, and just as Bumblebee has Knock Out dead-to-rights, Bulkhead interrupts over the radio, allowing Knock Out to escape. Bulkhead tells Bumblebee that the Decepticons have kidnapped Miko and asks him if he knows where Raf is. When Bumblebee returns to the elevator where Raf had been hiding during the fight, he discovers that Raf is gone.
Stage 5
Optimus Prime awakens, with the help of Ratchet, and finds himself under the body of a massive Transformer lodged in ancient ruins. As Ratchet wonders how this giant is related to the Dark Energon asteroid, Optimus Prime warns him that the giant is awakening also. Ratchet is swatted away, and Optimus Prime realizes he must deal with the giant despite being buried in Dark Energon. The giant announces his name is Thunderwing and that he's here for the Matrix. As Optimus Prime fights back, he asks Thunderwing if he's an agent of Unicron, and if so, his master has already been destroyed. The battle is interrupted by the Nemesis, distracting Thunderwing from Optimus Prime. Arcee opens a GroundBridge portal on the other side of the ruins, and Ratchet and Optimus Prime try to reach it. A stray blast from Thunderwing knocks Optimus Prime through the GroundBridge portal, but leaves Ratchet behind.
Stage 6
Thunderwing is brought aboard the Nemesis, and Knock Out explains that the giant Transformer is still missing parts of his body, perhaps embedded within other parts of the asteroid which fell to Earth. When Thunderwing comes online, he says that he must return to his mission to destroy the Matrix, a mission given to him by his master, Unicron. Megatron offers repairs in exchange for Thunderwing's pledged loyalty to the Decepticons, and that this alliance would would give him the opportunity to complete his mission, but Thunderwing scoffs. He claims that he is amazingly old, and doubts that the Decepticons had the medical know-how to repair him. Megatron presents to Thunderwing the captured Autobot Ratchet, who would be forced to repair Thunderwing if he wants to keep fellow captives Miko and Raf alive.
Arcee and Bumblebee attack a Decepticon outpost in the hopes of learning the location of the Nemesis so they can rescue their captured friends. After fighting Vehicons, they encounter Dreadwing, and between the two of them, they are able to disable the Decepticon's flight mode (very similarly to how Bumblebee disabled Skyquake's jet mode, actually), forcing him to fight them on foot. Ultimately, Dreadwing was defeated and covered in rubble, but Soundwave grabbed the recovered piece of Thunderwing and quickly escaped.
Stage 7
Bulkhead and Optimus Prime had closed in on Starscream and Megatron, who had located another piece of Thunderwing. Bulkhead's clumsiness alerts the Decepticons to their presence, and the four square off -- Bulkhead runs after Starscream, and Optimus Prime stays to battle Megatron. After beating Megatron (surprise!), Optimus fights his way up a steep temple to help Bulkhead. In the end, Bulkhead beats Starscream, while Megatron buries Prime in a bunch of rocks and makes off with said piece of Thunderwing.
Stage 8
On the Nemesis, Megatron delivers the component he took to Ratchet. He is informed Starscream has returned, who he sees is being forced to lead Bulkhead to Ratchet. Ratchet then uses the distraction to escape and lock Megatron in the cell (who gets out in two punches). Ratchet then rescues the kids, and they get on a lift that leads to the warship's central computer room. After fighting to keep the lift functional, Ratchet battles Soundwave, who escapes, leaving Ratchet and the kids alone. Ratchet then attempts contact with Bulkhead.
Stage 9
Arcee and Bumblebee GroundBridge on the warship. They split up, and Arcee is ambushed by Airachnid. After battling Airachnid and her Insecticons, Airachnid uses a couple more Insecticons to distract Arcee long enough to escape.
Stage 10
Bumblebee is driving through the Nemesis, and is met by Knock Out, who nearly knocks 'Bee off the warship. Bumblebee then uses Knock Out's back to jump off of to safer ground. They start fighting, with Knock Out throwing the best he has at Bumblebee. In the end, Bumblebee scratches Knock Out's paintjob. Knock Out then attempts to ram Bumblebee off the warship, only to launch himself off the warship.
Stage 11
Starscream is still leading Bulkhead through the Nemesis, and leads him into a trap. Bulkhead is surprised, to which Starscream is amused that Bulkhead expected differently. After Bulkhead beats Starscream, the coward runs off to repair Thunderwing fully and get payback on the Autobots. Thunderwing then betrays the Decepticons, much to Megatron's dismay. Megatron then uses Starscream as a shield from Thunderwing's mouth laser, and Thunderwing blasts a giant hole in the warship, escaping. Ratchet contacts Bulkhead, telling him that the ship is shaking itself apart. Bulkhead fights his way out of the room's rubble, presumably escaping into a GroundBridge.
Stage 12
At the Autobot base, Ratchet tries to locate Optimus's signal, while Raf tracks Thunderwings position. They decide they cannot wait for Optimus, and move to intercept Thunderwing while Ratchet builds a device to weaken Thunderwing. They are met there by Megatron, but Optimus comes through the GroundBridge, engaging Megatron. Guess what? Optimus wins.
Stage 13
Thunderwing arrives, shooting his mouth laser at Optimus, hitting Megatron instead. Optimus then engages Thunderwing. When it seems as though they almost have him beat, he heals himself with even more power. Ratchet then arrives with his device built and ready, although they have to get it inside Thunderwing. Jack convinces them to let Arcee bring him to Thunderwing's chest and place the device. Optimus uses the power of the Matrix to defeat Thunderwing. The volcano they are at then erupts Dark Energon From Thunderwing. Later, Optimus sends out a message warning all hostiles seeking to attack Earth that they will defend their home
Featured characters
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
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Gameplay
According to the developers, the game mostly features third-person melee combat, although some shooter sections are included. Occasional driving sections are also included. The Wii version includes full voice acting and uses motion controls, while the 3DS version takes advantage of the 3D capabilities of the system and uses touch-based controls. The DS version features exclusive content. [3]
Multiplayer
The 3DS, Wii, and Wii U versions of the will feature multiplayer with eleven playable characters. Multiplayer modes include "Brawl", "Energon Battle", and "Emblem Match". The Wii U version of the game makes extensive use of the GamePad controller during multiplayer. [5]
Reception
Notes
- At BotCon 2012, concept art for a Tank Vehicon and a Helicopter Vehicon was released.
- According to a producer at Activision, the game takes place alongside the second season of the cartoon, but could be "wedged in" anywhere in the season. [3] Considering the game presents a Decepticon team that includes Starscream, Airachnid, Dreadwing, and Insecticons concurrently, and Breakdown being completely absent, that would be a real tough wedge.
- Unlike other Transformers games, the differences in the versions of Prime - The Game mostly involve presentation, not story.
- This could be considered the first game to have a playable human, yet it depends on your viewpoint.
- The "Cybertronian Artifacts" hidden throughout the levels bear great resemblance to the Spark extractor from Prime
Footnotes
