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] It is published by Activision, and was released on October 30, 2012 for the DS, 3DS, and Nintendo Wii, and on November 18, 2012 for the Nintendo Wii U, the first Transformers game on that console. [3]
The game takes place alongside the events of the second season of the Transformers: Prime cartoon (sorta, see below), and involves the Autobots and Decepticons battling over a mysterious meteor made of Dark Energon and its legendary contents.[4]
Gameplay
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. [4]
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]
Story Mode Synopsis
Stage 01: Into the Breach
| Player character: | Optimus Prime |
| S-Rank time max: | 6:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 6 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2000 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Optimus Prime (behind ship's tether) |
| Emblems: | #8 Optimus Prime the Victor (S or A rank) |
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.
As the other Autobots take care of incoming Vehicon Jets, Optimus fights his way along the Nemesis deck to the machinery tethering the asteroid. He quickly destroys the generator and the asteroid lags behind... until the Decepticon ship fires three more tethers from underneath. Unable to get a good firing angle on the tethers, the four Autobots leap to the rock in vehicle mode. Facing down a few more Vehicon Jets, Optimus destroys all three tethers quickly using a vehicle-mode ramming attack, but finds himself facing down Megatron. The vehicle-ram move breaks through Megatron's defenses, and by charging up his energy, his upgraded attacks send Megatron reeling.
Just as Optimus gain the upper hand, the asteroid begins to crumble. As Optimus stares into a deep fissure opening at his feet, two yellow dots look back... and the asteroid shatters, its pieces, and the Autobots, plummeting to Earth. Starscream gloats, mocking their inability to fly, but Megatron quickly rebukes him, demanding his minions hunt down both the Autobots to make certain they perished in the fall, as well as recover as many of the meteorites as possible.
Stage 02: Homecoming
| Player character: | Arcee |
| S-Rank time max: | 6:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 15 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2000 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Arcee (on factory roof) Characters: Insecticon (over highway pit) |
| Emblems: | #9 Arcee the Victor (S or A rank) #26 Partners Arcee and Jack (No damage in highway chase) |
Meanwhile, at Autobot Outpost Omega-1, Ratchet tries to contact the team. A single lifesign pops up, and he sets out via GroundBridge in the hopes of finding his teammates. But once Ratchet leaves, three more life signatures pop up. Unable to reach Ratchet, Jack, Raf, and Miko decide to retrieve the missing Autobots themselves.
Arcee awakens in a factory outside Jasper, Nevada, but is quickly set upon by a swarm of Insecticons. Arcee manages to dispatch them, only to face down Airachnid. The Decepticon tries to stick to the rooftops and launch blaster-bolts and webbing, but Arcee's long-range blasters bring her down. Unfortunately, both bots notice Jack, giving Airachnid the chance to break free and kidnap the human, bolting in copter mode.
Arcee gives chase in cycle mode, dodging blaster fire and blasting fallen highway signs. The chase continues into an unfinished section of road, with Airachnid detonating inconveniently-placed barrels to put big holes in the concrete. She even manages to collapse a section of road, but Arcee performs a vehicle jump and is able to free Jack.
Stage 03: Deserted
| Player character: | Bulkhead |
| S-Rank time max: | 10:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 54 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2000 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Bulkhead (temple side-tunnel) Characters: Miko (high canyon bridge) Characters: Vehicon (Tank) (Tank side of canyon) |
| Emblems: | #10 Bulkhead the Victor (S or A Rank) #27 Partners Bulkhead and Miko (No damage in ruins escape) |
Bulkhead wakes up to Miko's voice. He's fallen through the ceiling of an underground temple, and unfortunately, Starscream has found him mere moments after Miko did. Starscream's missile barrage sets the temple crumbling, and Bulkhead is forced to race through collapsing tunnels and over thin bridges while blasting fallen rocks to clear his path before the entire place can bury them forever.
Once outside, Bulkhead finds himself in a ravine. He fights off squads of Vehicon Cars and Jets, until a Vehicon Tank shows up, forcing Bulkhead to use a vehicle-mode bash-attack to break through its shields. Bulkhead makes his way through the ravine until he's forced to vehicle-mode jump a crevice to tackle another Tank. With the Vehicons in retreat, Bulkhead reconnoiters with Miko, who is proving very agile and adept at finding shortcuts.
Starscream attacks Bulkhead again as he enters an open-aired temple. Starscream launches missiles from atop several pillars, but Bulkhead's charged-up blaster knocks the Decepticon to the ground. Starscream cowers behind a shield, but a vehicle-mode charge breaks that handily. Even being backed up by more Vehicon Jets doesn't keep Bulkhead from stomping all over Starscream.
However, Miko's been taking phone pictures, leaving her open to getting captured by a Vehicon Jet. Now with a hostage, Starscream can fly away with at least a partial victory....
Stage 04: Captured!
| Player character: | Bumblebee |
| S-Rank time max: | 12:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 124 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2800 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Bumblebee (ledge near elevator) Characters: Raf (Hidden room near 2nd tower) |
| Emblems: | #11 Bumblebee the Victor (S or A Rank) #28 Partners Bumblebee and Raf (>50% elevator door health left) |
Bumblebee awakens suspended by energy shackles deep in a Decepticon energon mine. Raf has managed to GroundBridge his way in, and uses his laptop to free Bee and open up locked doors in their way. Bee tackles Vehicon Cars and Jets until he reaches a main shaft, where he meets a new breed of Vehicon, the laser-sniping Vehicon Helicopter. A few blaster bolts make the raw energon in carts into improv bombs to clear out hiding foes, and Bee charges up the ramp to an elevator that Raf has prepared.
The elevator stops short of ground level, thanks to security protocols. Rav can't hack the security server, forcing Bumblebee to explore the current floor and hunt down two separate computer towers that are blocking Raf's hacking attempts. Once each tower is destroyed, the hall to the security server is open, but guarded by laser beams. Bee's vehicle mode allows him to slip under and through most of them, with some well-timed car jumps to get over low beams. After fighting through swarm of Vehicon Cars, Jets and Helicopters in the server room, Bee is finally able to smash the server itself.
Unfortunately, just as he does, the Vehicons raise the alarm—they've found Raf! Bee charges back to the elevator in vehicle mode, dodging a mass of security lasers and quickly dispatching the Vehicons before they can break through the elevator shield.
Once at ground level, Bee cautions Raf to stay back as he scouts ahead, which proves prudent as Knock Out attempets to run the pair over. Raf shuts the elevator door as Bee takes on the Decepticon medic. Knock Out makes ample use of his vehicle mode attempting to dodge Bee's cannons, but skillful dodging and shooting lets Bumblebee take advantage of openings in Knock Out's attacks. After a while Knock Out reveals a new ability; creating pulsing energy spheres in the hall that do incredible damage when Bee runs into them. Knock Out tries to close the gap and attack at close-rnage, but throws up a shield as Bee pelts him with blaster fire, giving the Autobot an opening for shield-breaking moves that lead into vicious melee combos.
As Knock Out goes down, Bulkhead gets in radio contact with Bumblebee, alerting him to Miko's kidnapping and asking if Raf is all right. Knock Out runs for it, and Bee wrenches open the elevator blast door... but Raf is gone.
Stage 05: Dark Envoy
| Player character: | Optimus Prime |
| S-Rank time max: | 4:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 4 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2000 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Vehicon (Fighter Jet) (high ledge near Thunderwing) Characters: Vehicon (Car) (breakable wall at collapsed bridge) |
| Emblems: | #12 Optimus Prime the Victor (S or A Rank) #29 Threat From Space (No damage in Thunderwing fight) #30 Quick Retreat (>20 sec left on timer) |
Ratchet has located Optimus... under the claw of a monstrously huge robot half-buried in the Dark Energon meteorite. The beast awakens and swats Ratchet away, bellowing "Death to Matrix!" as he tries to smash Optimus. Optimus recognizes the robot as Thunderwing, agent of Unicron, and tries to convince him that his master has fallen, thus he should give up his mission... which works about as well as you'd expect. Thunderwing uses his one free arm to hurl explosive bolts at Optimus, as well as cause energy shockwaves by smashing his fist into the ground. Optimus weakens Thunderwing by blasting away at his head, and pummeling his arm cannon with melee attacks when it's within range, until the cannon explodes.
Though Thunderwing has been weakened further, Optimus is unable to continue the battle as the Nemesis arrives and opens fire on them both. Arcee gets back in radio contact, and opens a GroundBridge for Optimus and Ratchet's escape... unfortunately, on the other side of some hillside ruins from the pair, and will only be open for three minutes!
The normally-straightforward path is blocked by debris thanks to the Decepticon warship's cannons, forcing Optimus to smash through a wall to get around the rubble. Nemesis cannon-fire, collapsing ledges and a few Vehicon Jets get in the way, but Optimus barrels through, making the final jump in vehicle mode to the GroundBridge portal.
Ratchet is just behind, but more cannon-fire sends him flying backwards. Optimus runs to retrieve his friend, but a stray shot from Thunderwing sends Optimus sailing back into the GroundBridge, which closes immediately after...
An unconscious Thunderwing is brought aboard the Nemesis and extracted from the meteorite. Knock Out explains that the giant Transformer is still missing parts of his body, perhaps embedded within other chunks of Dark Energon that had fallen to Earth. Megatron has Thunderwing revived, and the giant immediately makes threats. Megatron convinces Thunderwing that he's in no condition to continue his mission, but should he swear his loyalty to Megatron, he can be fully repaired. Thunderwing doesn't buy it, claiming the technology that built him is beyond their scope, but Megatron assures Thunderwing that the captive medic Ratchet can do the job. Ratchet refuses, until Megatron shows him that they have Raf and Miko hostage. Thunderwing agrees to Megatron's deal, saying once the Matrix is destroyed, his loyalty will once again belong only to Unicron... to which Megatron merely smirks and muses "We shall see..."
Stage 06: Shock and Dread
| Player character: | Bumblebee |
| S-Rank time max: | 10:00 |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | 100 |
| S-Rank damage max: | 2500 |
| Artifacts: | Characters: Dreadwing (high ledge near start) Characters: Vehicon (Helicopter) (right-side ditch in canyon chase) |
| Emblems: | #01 Victory Over Dreadwing (beat Dreadwing) #13 Bumblebee the Victor (S or A Rank) #31 Persuer (No damage in Dreadwing chase) |
Bumblebee and Arcee converge on some Decepticon signals in hopes of discovering where their allies are held, with Bumblebee exploring a dark canyon. Bee quickly finds himself in the sights of several Vehicon Helicopters. Boulders strewn through the canyon floor provide cover from the snipers' blasts, allowing Bumblebee to pick them off from a distance. The two Autobots meet up and discover Dreadwing blasting open a chunk of Dark Energon, revealing a piece of Thunderwing.
Dreadwing blasts off in jet mode, and Bumblebee gives chase in car mode, blasting the proximity mines and fallen rocks Dreadwing leaves in his wake. Bee is forced to jump across a ravine, and the two Autobots finally manage to bring Dreadwing down, with Bee clinging to the Decepticon's jet mode in what must be a very familiar method for Bumblebee. Bee and Dreadwing fall into a deeper crevasse, and continue the battle on foot.
Dreadwing makes ample use of the valley's cover, attacking from a distance with his cannon. Shortly into the fight, he launches into the air, dropping a ton of proximity explosives into the field. His blaster cannon also grows progressively more powerful as the fight wears on, but thankfully he must frequently pause to adjust the weapon. The battle is largely a long-range one, as Dreadwing makes closing the gap between them tricky, and he is no slouch at hand-to hand combat either. Bumblebee's upgraded blaster attacks proving especially useful, and eventually, the Decepticon falls.
Dreadwing attempts a last-ditch attack that results in him being buried under several tons of rock. Arcee arrives, but both Autobots are too late as Soundwave arrives to take the Thunderwing component and fly away.
Stage 07: Into Ruin
| Player character: | Optimus Prime |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
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 08: The Escape!
| Player character: | Ratchet |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
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 09: The Spider's Web
| Player character: | Arcee |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
Arcee and Bumblebee GroundBridge on the warship. They split up, and Arcee is ambushed by Airachnid. Airachnid tries to throw Arcee off of the ship, but Arcee saves herself. After battling Airachnid and her Insecticons, Arcee is ambushed by two Insecticons and by the time she has blasted them away, Airachnid is already gone.
Stage 10: Dangerous Vantage
| Player character: | Bumblebee |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
Bumblebee is driving through the Nemesis, and is attacked by Knock Out, who nearly knocks him 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. Naturally, this enrages Knock Out, who then attempts to ram Bumblebee off the warship, only to launch himself over the edge.
Stage 11
| Player character: | Bulkhead |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
Back inside the Nemesis, Starscream leads Bulkhead into a trap. After Bulkhead beats Starscream, the coward runs off to repair Thunderwing fully and get payback on the Autobots. However, Thunderwing betrays the Decepticons, much to Megatron's dismay. Megatron then uses Starscream as a shield to protect himself from Thunderwing's mouth laser, and Thunderwing escapes. 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
| Player character: | |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
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. While waiting for Thunderwing, they are attacked by Megatron, but Optimus comes through the GroundBridge, having somehow freed himself from the rubble back on the mountain, and engages Megatron. Guess what? Optimus wins.
Stage 13
| Player character: | |
| S-Rank time max: | |
| S-Rank Shard minimum: | |
| S-Rank damage max: | |
| Artifacts: | |
| Emblems: |
As Optimus tries to kill Megatron, Thunderwing arrives, shooting his mouth laser at Optimus, who jumps out of the way and letting Megatron take the hit 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, who has secretly snuck onto the battlefield with Miko, convinces them to let Arcee bring him to Thunderwing's chest and place the device. When that's done, Optimus uses the power of the Matrix to defeat Thunderwing, who falls into the volcano. The volcano then erupts Dark Energon and the Autobots retreat. Later, Optimus sends out a message warning all hostiles seeking to attack Earth that they will defend their home. Again.
Featured characters
| Autobots | Decepticons | Humans | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
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Reception
Notes
Continuity headache
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. [4] However, this is impossible thanks to the makeup of the Decepticon team:
- Starscream is the main problem here. He became a rogue agent back in "Partners", a first-season episode, and did not re-join Megatron's forces until "Patch", the twenty-fourth episode out of season two's twenty-six-episode run. Yyyyyeah.
- Let's pretend that they kept Starscream in the game as a rogue agent like in the show, which would really only require some cutscene tweaking, right? Well... Starscream lost his T-cog, stripping him of his ability to transform, in "Operation Bumblebee, Part 2", the episode before "Loose Cannons" (Dreadwing's first appearance), and did not get it back until "Regeneration", the episode after "Patch"... and also the episode where Dreadwing dies. Oops. This lack of a T-cog is workable, but would severely strip his usefulness as a major "boss" character in a game.
- Even if you drop Starscream from the game roster altogether (which naturally they would never do), this still only allows the game to occur between the back-to-back episodes "Loose Cannons" and "Crossfire", where Airachnid bails on Megatron.
- Speaking of Airachnid, her Insecticon minions were only under her control while she too was an independent agent, and really only for the singular episode "Armada". This episode ends with her being locked in stasis (where she remained into season three) and losing control over the swarm to Megatron. And all this happened well before Starscream rejoined Megatron's forces. But if the Decepticons have some new Vehicons we've never seen before or since here, hey, a few smaller, lower-powered Insecticons from a different swarm aren't exactly a stretch.
- And just because we're pedantic like that, there's the lack of Smokescreen, thus it'd more or less have to happen before "New Recruit".
Other notes
- At BotCon 2012, concept art for a Tank Vehicon and a Helicopter Vehicon was released.
- 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 most likely is Arcee, considering Jack had a huge cylinder and lacks access to Arcee's guns.
- The "Cybertronian Artifacts" hidden throughout the levels bear great resemblance to the Spark extractor from Prime.
Footnotes
