Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is a video game jointly-created by both Hasbro and Activision, released on June 24, 2014 in Europe and North America, and June 25 in Australia[1]. Developed by Edge of Reality for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U and PC and by WayForward Technologies for the Nintendo 3DS[2], it incorporates elements of both the Transformers film franchise and the War for Cybertron / Fall of Cybertron games. The story will take place before the Ark is launched in the Aligned continuity, while it also occurs simultaneously with the events of Age of Extinction and its aftermath. The 3DS version has over 50 Transformers characters and epic 3D battle sequences, while the console version has over 40 playable characters. [3]
Synopsis
Chapter I: The Dark Spark
- Character: Drift
Above Earth, a strange object flies through space, destroying a satellite in orbit. The mysterious item flies past a ship, piloted by none other than the legendary mercenary Lockdown. One of his henchmen arrives in the cockpit and asks Lockdown what it was. He replies that it is "the past come calling." Drift, the Decepticon-turned-Autobot, arrives in a burning city to investigate. He notices that something crash-landed nearby. He contacts Optimus Prmime, leader of the Autobots, and tells him about the strange object. Prime instructs Drift to investigate the crash site, but while Drift is en route, Lockdown's goons attack the city. Recognizing that they are not Decepticons, Drift reports to Optimus, who correctly guesses that they are mercenaries (much to Drift's disdain). Drift takes out all three mercenaries and, at Optimus's instruction, equips himself with blasters to better fight with, he continues to the site of the crash, taking out mercenaries as he goes. Drift meets up with Optimus and Bumblebee, and the three arrive at the crash site. The Autobots discover an object that Drift does not recognize, but its appearance horrifies Optimus. To make things worse, Lockdown's henchman have arrived first. After another fight, the Autobots walk to the edge of the crater, and Optimus reveals to Drift that it is the Dark Spark. Before it can be retrieved, Lockdown arrives and steals the artifact for himself. The Dark Spark's power prevents him from intervening, and all he can do is furiously watch as Lockdown departs in his ship for parts unknown.
Chapter II: The Lost Vault
- Characters: Soundwave (WFC)/ Shockwave (WFC)
As Shockwave and Starscream fly through the an ancient, abandoned Cybertronian city, Starscream complains of Megatron sending him on a fool's errand to find a mystical relic that may or may not exist. As this sparks a discussion between Shockwave and Starscream, Soundwave chimes in over the com link, demanding "less talk". As the three 'cons make their way through the city and into an ancient vault, they are met with heavy resistance from feral cybernetic life forms Shockwave has dubbed "Insecticons". Upon destroying the Insecticons attacking them, Shockwave splits off from the group, hoping to find out more about the vault thy are in and what is hidden in it. He never gets the chance, however, as he is attacked by, to his surprise, three sentient insecticons. Inadvertently insulting them, (kind of) and incurring their wrath they all attack him, and are all soundly defeated. As Soundwave and Starscream come upon more Insecticons, they go about opening up the vault further so that they can keep moving. Upon defeating the attacking Insecticons, Starscream is alarmed at the appearance of Hardshell, and begins shooting at him, only to be stopped by Shockwave, who reveals Hardshell, along with Kickback and Sharpshot, to be "new recruits" to the Decepticon cause. Sharpshot points the Decepticons in the direction of the Dark Spark before departing with the other Insecticons. The Decepticons continue their trek further into the vault, they are met with resistance in the form of auto turrets and Crystal Guardians as they deactivate the chamber to the Dark Spark. While doing so, Soundwave begins to notice Autobot energy signatures on his scanners, but Shockwave passes them off as glitches. Soon, the Decepticons arrive, triumphant, at the entrance to the chamber holding the Dark Spark.
Chapter III: Getaway
- Character: Sideswipe (WFC)
Chapter IV: Possession
- Character: Sharpshot
Chapter V: Hustle
- Character: Swindle (FOC)
Chapter VI: Gates of Kaon
- Characters: Swindle (FOC)/ Bruticus (WFC)
Chapter VII: Infiltration
- Character: Optimus Prime (WFC)
Chapter VIII: A Desperate Plan
- Character: Jetfire (WFC)
Chapter IX: Ascension
- Character: Optimus Prime (WFC)
Chapter X: Hunted
- Character: Bumblebee (Movie)
Chapter XI: Investigation
- Characters: Bumblebee (Movie)/ Drift
Chapter XII: Ambushed
- Characters: Drift/ Grimlock (AOE)
Chapter XIII: Extinction
- Character: Grimlock (AOE)
Chapter XIII: Locked Down
- Character: Optimus Prime (Movie)
Featured characters
| Movie Autobots | Movie Decepticons | Aligned Autobots | Aligned Decepticons | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Quotes
"Soundwave, did Shockwave make a joke back there?
"AFFIRMATIVE."
"Was it intentional?
"AFFIRMATIVE"
"You know Soundwave, you've become quite the conversationalist."
"AFFIRMATIVE"
- -Starscream and Soundwave discuss Shockwave's brief moment of humor.
[A failed headshot prompts the Decepticon Titan to turn towards Bee and Drift]
Bumblebee: [Surprised beeps]
Drift: Bee, I have formed a plan: Run!
- -Drift, coming up with brilliant impromptu plans.
Swindle: "No sign of the bug [Sharpshot]. Oh well, can't say I'm sad to see him go."
Shockwave: "Are you implying that you two were not forming a long and lasting bond of friendship?"
Swindle: "You can't be serious?"
- -Shockwave discusses with Swindle about his
slash ficobservations of the two.
"The only future to master is one's own. The humans understand this. Yet they also understand that the past is the genesis of all things, and must be afforded proper deference."
- -Movie Optimus Prime is willing to segue into a Generation One epilogue...but he's going to be meta about it.
Notes
Continuity notes
- The Cybertron portion of the game occurs between War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron – the Ark is under construction, Trypticon still lies where he crashed, and we see Shockwave discover the Insecticons for the first time. However, there is one notable inconsistency – see 'Errors' below.
- The Age of Extinction story, meanwhile, is utterly irreconcilable with the events of the film – the Autobots have an existing alliance with the Dinobots, yet Lockdown is perfectly alive while Stinger serves as one of the Bounty Hunter's henchmen even though he should be serving Galvatron - and dead. Hound and Crosshairs are nowhere to be found.
- Audio logs speak of the Patterners and Galvatron indicating that studies of the Dark Spark took place during the Age of Origins in The Covenant of Primus
- Starscream sarcastically makes note of how Soundwave is becoming a "conversationalist", likely alluding to the vow of silence he takes and employs during the Prime cartoon.
- Like his namesake, Drift was once a Decepticon before switching allegiance to join the Autobots, as noted by Lockdown when the former was held captive. Whether this background also applies to the film is unknown, given the above differences in the continuity.
Errors
- Despite the game's script clearly positioning it before the events of Fall of Cybertron, Megatron is depicted in the new body he acquired only part-way through that game.
- The live-action film universe Matrix of Leadership uses the model from the Aligned games, rather than the very different Matrix design first seen in Revenge of the Fallen.
Trivia
- Rise of the Dark Spark marks a PlayStation 4 milestone by being the very first game to support the PlayStation Store pre-loading feature introduced in the console's 1.70 update.[4]
- As a shout-out, some of the playable characters quote their Generation 1 bios, notably Shockwave chiding Starscream with, "Clarity of thought before rashness of action." and Blast Off telling Swindle, "I destroy Autobots by choice, not command."
- The game notably features the return of the use of "slag" as a common expletive, having been replaced with "scrap" for the majority of the Aligned continuity thus far.
- In the first level of the game there's a billboard that reads, "Vote Berger for Mayor", an obvious reference to the Generation 1 cartoon character Shawn Berger, who expressed such mayoral desires in the two-part episode "Megatron's Master Plan".
- The Crystal Guardians the Decepticons face in chapter 2 are all generics with the body-type of Zeta Prime.
Foreign names
- Europe: Transformers: The Dark Spark
References
- ↑ http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/05/transformers-rise-of-the-dark-spark-release-date-revealed
- ↑ "Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark" announced; 3DS version to be Strategy RPG
- ↑ http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/video-games-17/new-rise-of-the-dark-spark-preview-from-game-informer-179722/
- ↑ PlayStation Blog: Pre-Order, Pre-Load Upcoming PS4 Games
