As soon as Transformers fans see this score, the hate mail will begin. To them I say: "Save it." You guys will absolutely adore this game. So don't waste your time telling me how much I suck (I already know), and go play this game. You'll be glad you did. Those who aren't hopelessly devoted to this franchise, on the other hand, won't be quite as enamored. It's certainly not a bad game – in fact, I'd say this could be the start of what is potentially a very good series – but it makes too many missteps to truly appeal to a wider audience.But before I get into what this title does wrong, let's talk about what it does right. First off, the graphics simply rock. The stages are incredible to look at, and the Transformers themselves are just as impressive. The first stage, the Amazon, is one of the best-looking environments I've ever seen on the PS2, and the others are nearly as good. There are a few bland elements, such as the Decepticlones, but none of the visuals are at all bad. The look is great all around.I also really liked…well, the graphics are the only thing I really liked. Having only three playable Autobots was a bummer, especially since I found no reason to play as anyone except Optimus Prime, as he felt the most balanced. The gameplay let me down in just about every way possible. Combat is repetitive and boring, the controls are goofy, and the rewards you earn simply aren't that rewarding.In each stage, you'll face the same generic robots (who are actually pretty tough – even on the lowest difficulty level, this is a pretty hard game) in some very familiar third-person action. Run around, shoot the bad guys, and pick up the health power-ups they drop. It's standard stuff, and it would be second nature to play if the control scheme weren't so weird. It uses all four of the shoulder buttons, but the face buttons are virtually forgotten. Even on the last stage, I still hadn't completely adjusted to hitting L1 to jump.Finally, the Mini-Con system, which is the basis of the entire game, also left a lot to be desired. As you progress through the stages, you'll discover Mini-Cons: little robots that can be equipped for additional powers. Only four can be equipped at one time, and they all have different power requirements, so your best (and most power-consuming) Mini-Cons can never all be equipped at the same time, and certain ones can only be used in particular slots. I would have liked to have had certain Mini-Cons grant permanent attribute bonuses; the enemies you face (especially the bosses) get tougher and tougher, and you really don't. Those that do increase your defenses typically have to be left behind in order to equip those that are essential to completing your mission.Every time I started to enjoy Transformers, it did something to let me down. But I still have a lot of faith that it could grow into a great series. This title has plenty of flaws, but the main issue is that it's simply too typical and too clunky. By embracing what is so cool about the franchise, this series could really grow into something special. Consider this not a failed game, just a rocky start.Concept:Everyone's favorite shape-shifting robots are back in an adventure that ties into the recent Armada cartoonGraphics:The environments are amazing, and the character models are sharp and detailedSound:Meh. Not even the once-cool transforming sound is that impressive herePlayability:The wacky default control scheme cannot be remapped and is hard to get used to no matter how long you playEntertainment:The cool license isn't enough to overcome the so-so gameplay, making this one for fans onlyReplay:LowRated:7 out of 10Editor:Jeremy ZossIssue:June 20042nd Opinion:I had hoped that in my lifetime I would never have occasion to say "Optimus Prime is a fragile pansy." Unfortunately, I found myself repeating this phrase time and time again as he was blasted, punched, and hammer-thrown across all creation. Even without this inherent conceptual flaw, there are still some serious problems in the gameplay department that keep Transformers from reaching its potential. The controls are clunky, the objectives unclear, and the boss battles frustrating, making this nothing more than your average action title. However, I was amazed by how great the game looked — the cutscenes in particular are gorgeous. Plus, the ability to transform at will between vehicle and robot form lends itself to some cool moments. Maybe I even whispered "transform and roll out" to myself once or twice. Maybe.Rated:7 out of 10Editor:Joe JubaSubscribe to Game Informer--Game Informer Review