Transformers: DOTM Stealth Edition (3DS/Wii Review) by Carl B.

Transformers: DOTM Stealth Edition
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Behaviour Interactive
System: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii
Release: June 14, 2011

June 30, 2011, by Carl B. - Transformers has seen a rise in popularity ever since the live action motion picture released in 2007, spawning two sequels and several video game adaptations. Last year's Transformers: War for Cybertron was met with relative critical acclaim for creating a unique experience from the well-known brand. Activision has come back in 2011 with new games based on the upcoming movie, Dark of the Moon, but do they expand on the ideas presented in War for Cybertron, or are they merely movie game cash-ins?

The story in Dark of the Moon isn't anything worth writing home about. The game takes place as a prologue to the events in the upcoming film, and it's portrayed through cut scenes and Optimus Prime monologues that take place before each of the game's many missions. Hardcore fans of the Transformers series might have some interest in the game's narrative, but ultimately, the game is all about the action – and there's plenty of that.

Dark of the Moon on Nintendo 3DS and Wii are vastly different products than their Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts. Dark of the Moon Stealth Edition is a vehicle combat game, similar to Spy Hunter on GameCube. Instead of transforming into robot mode, players take control of their transformers in either vehicle mode or the all-new stealth mode, which is a mixture between robot mode and vehicle mode.

The only problem with stealth mode is that it's incredibly lame. Not only is it hardly stealthy – seriously, they're cars with all sorts of guns attached to them – but none of the game's levels really make use of stealth. It's mostly just entering an area, guns blazing. Movement in stealth mode is also very awkward in the 3DS version. The circle pad controls the thruster, while the L and R buttons control steering. On the bright side, transformers in stealth mode don't move very fast at all.

That's where Dark of the Moon Stealth Edition really falters. When I read "Vehicle Combat Game" on the front of the game's box I was hoping for a Spy Hunter style experience, with fast paced levels and intense action. Instead, Dark of the Moon Stealth Edition is slow paced and just plain boring. Whose idea was it to remove the robot mode of the transformers? The entire point of the series is to transform from a car to a giant robot and blow things up.


The 3DS and Wii versions are sub-par visually, to make matters even worse. If not for the 3D effect of the 3DS version, as underwhelming as it is, the two versions look exactly the same. The Wii version does, however, have a slight edge over the 3DS version, as it sports a splitscreen multiplayer mode for added replay ability.

The Verdict

Sound
6/15- Same voice acting from the movie series, for what that's worth. The soundtrack is forgettable.

Graphics
8/20- poor visuals on both Wii and 3DS. 3D effect is unimpressive.

Appeal
13/25- Both games feature 18 missions, and the Wii version has a splitscreen multiplayer mode.

Gameplay
19/40- Slow paced, boring vehicular combat engulfs Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition.

Overall
46/100- Activision really missed the ball with Transformers: Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition on both Nintendo 3DS and Wii. Instead of creating a high intensity combat experience, they provided something that not even the most hardcore Transformers fans can enjoy. It's strange, too, because the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions aren't completely vehicular combat like the 3DS and Wii versions. One has to wonder if the developer and publisher just got lazy on Nintendo's platforms.