Not sure if it has been released in the states yet but here in New Zealand (and more than likely Australia) TRANSFORMERS ARMADA - PRELUDE TO ENERGON has hit the shelves.
Now I've only played the game for a couple of hours so my assertion can't be definate but for the time being I'm going out on a limb and saying that this game rocks, and that it is quite possibly one the best things to smash it's way onto the PS2.
A lot of us were annoyed when we heard that a new TF game was going to based on some bullshit "save the forest" iteration of one of the most hard hitting and well respected cartoons of our time, but rest assured, that sissy cartoon this is not. From the get go we see a brief and brutal battle between Megatron and Optimus on Cybertron which the cartoon would more than likely have illustrated with a game of Janken. The CG FMV's are breathtaking, a joy to behold. But the graphical bliss does not end there...
As soon as you jump into the first level in the Amazon (after choosing your Autobot, a small selection but hey, you were gonna choose Prime anyway!) you know you're in for something special. The draw distance and amount of folliage is incredibly impressive for the PS2 and not at one stage throughout the level did I see a drop in FPS below 60. It's a marvel, you've got these large detailed robots rampaging through a living breathing Forested area and everything runs beautifully and smoothly.
Sound too is incredible, the layers of effects is fantastic and gives the game a real-life atmosphere, and don't get me started on the score, when the original TF theme plays slightly remixed I'm a little kid all over again. Voice acting too is done very well, making good use of the original voice-overs from the cartoon.
Any great game needs to have memorable moments, and this one if FULL to the BRIM with them! In Antartica you must duke it out with Starscream whom can fly, slide and beat the shit out of you with his sword all the while the snow blows in your face and a human establishment is blown to pieces. You have to play it to believe how cool it is. Though I haven't reached the part yet, apparently one level has you facing off with a boss about 50 times your height, judging from the brief videos and screenshots I've seen, this will be a unforgettable gaming experience.
The most interesting aspect of this game however is that it was not made by the Japanese, nor the Americans or some odd European country, no, it was made by a bunch of simple folk in Australia! For a first time game you have to wonder how they got so good. Apparently they started the game out with close ties to the cartoon, whiny kids and overblown morals, thankfully they realised that when playing a TF game you don't care about morals, it's all about destroying that Decepticon scum and ridding the universe of all it's evil. And on that note MELBOURNE HOUSE in Aussie have delivered, ten-fold and I cannot wait to play the game through and revel in all it's TF glory.
Great Work, thus far (5/5).
