I was sent a copy of Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark for the Wii U so that I could play it and review it. Opinions of the game are 100% my own.

I have played many Transformers video games in the past. Most of them were based on the movies and one based on the Transformers Prime cartoon. They were pretty decent but lacked something. They were rigid in that the characters couldn’t transform at will and the worlds weren’t immersive enough. While past games felt repetitive this game takes you through Earth and Cyberton and it feels like you can go on forever and around each corner it will be different. Plus you can transform at any time. I love being a flyer character and leaping off the side of a structure and transforming mid fall. that is how you should be able to play a Transformers game, transform at any time for different situations. It is awesome!

I’ve played through many levels so far and I have to say that the only way I was able to do that was to switch the game to Easy mode because it was dang hard for me. I’m starting to get the feel for this third-person shooter now so I may bump things up to normal soon. The game uses a ton of buttons and I really wished that it had taken advantage of the Wii U gamepad. I pretty much only play on the gamepad because the Wii U is in the family room so other people are watching TV while I play. I guess if the gamepad was used to its full potential as an extension of the game rather than just a smaller version of it I’d miss out on that extension of the game aspect because I pretty much only play on that little screen. Only when the kids are in bed or out of the house do I switch to the full TV Screen to play.

I’ve had the opportunity to play as many different characters so far. I’ve played as Drift, Sideswipe, Soundwave and Shockwave among others. While the gameplay for each is the same the characters all have their own special abilities. For instance, Soundwave can make use of his tapes to help out in a jam and Drift can plow into the bad guys and slice them up. I’m eager to play as Grimlock, Optimus and Megatron among others.

There is a huge arsenal of weapons that characters can choose to use. Some are laying out in the open and you can switch out your current weapon for a new one. Some you obtain through Gear Boxes. Gear Boxes have weapons, hack and upgrades. There are heavy weapons and regular weapons and they each can be upgraded for more devastating results.

There is an online multiplayer aspect to this game called Escalation mode. I have not played this feature but here is a description.

“Players will also see the return of the fan-favorite multiplayer mode, Escalation, which delivers wave-based, survival-style gameplay for up to four players online cooperatively. It features new, upgradeable defense systems, recognizable adversaries from the lore, and an expanded roster of playable characters from past and present. Additionally, an exciting new leveling system transforms single-player and multiplayer into one unified, persistent character development path. Experience earned in any part of the game unlocks potent awards and tactical loadout choices – including new characters, stronger weapons, special abilities and consumable bonuses – for use throughout the entire game.”

I’ve barely scratched the surface of the game but have played for hours. I’m looking forward to where the story takes me and what else is in store. I hope to find some people to play with during multiplayer mode so I can check that out as well. This is a solid game that is fun to play, it is a challenge and it can be frustrating at times but just keep plugging away at it and you’ll be rewarded.