There is a new Transformers game on the way in case you didn't know. And what's so exciting about this one is that, for once, it doesn't have to adhere to the Michael Bay film license. Developed by High Moon Studios, Transformers: War for Cybertron adheres to it's own rules, with heavy influence from the cartoon that started it all and setting all the action on the Transformer's home planet of Cybertron, long before the Autobots and Decepticons clashed in the cities and deserts of Earth, stepping on humans as if they were ants.
But before we blow our wad over this game (all we've seen is a pre-rendered cinematic), we have to face facts: Transformers games usually suck, whether based on the original cartoon, the new cartoons, or Michael Bay's action extravaganzas. However, we have some ideas that could help make War for Cybertron a kickass Transformers game if High Moon would listen to us. And as Batman: Arkham Asylum has proven; it is possible to make a great licensed product as long as you respect the mythology.
The Un-Bay Transferal
Like I mentioned previously, moving away from the Michael Bay universe is nothing but smart. While I enjoy those films for what they are, as do a lot of people, developing a game where you are forced to have X number of Megan Fox cameos is not the best creative freedom in the game-creating workspace. And to be honest, convincing people that dropping the movie universe in favor of the classic cartoon or comics is not a hard sell to most Transformers fans. Therefore, I don't really need to explain much further.
I Need Some Room to Dance
A major problem of all previous Transformers games is that they give you the ability to transform and roll out but then put up invisible barrier that you hit before ever reaching 50 miles per hour. Map areas as too confined to unleash the true potential of the Transformers license. What a Transformers game needs is an entire world to travel freely through. That way you can really tear ass with someone like Jazz or Bumblebee. A game based solely on Cybertron gives a perfect opportunity for this. While it might suck a lot of processor power to render an entire "planet," especially one like Cybertron which is one massive planet-wide city, it's still the best option to take advantage of the best gimmick in the Transformers arsenal.
