Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition takes transformers fans backward in visuals and gameplay along with controls and well that’s about the whole game that is not even good enough to use the Transformers branding.
Ratings:
Graphics & Audio: 14/25,
Gameplay: 8/25,
Creativity 8/25,
Fun 8/25
Total: 38/100
The newest Transformers game on the Wii, and the 3DS according to other reviews, is not even worth picking up so let me start there, skip this game even for a rental. Now to list the reasons for you: poor to terrible visuals, bad controls and a lather rinse, repeat gameplay that gets boring too quickly.
You start with terrible visuals in the opening cut scenes that do not get any better, only the same poor cartoon quality taken to the 3 dimensional views from the beginning 2D cartoons. The cuts scenes are 2D and very cartoonish but the gameplay is a very old 3D appearance that reminds me of games on the original Nintendo system.
According to other reviews, I do not own a 3DS, the Wii edition is exactly like the Nintendo 3DS so the game does not look very good on the larger screen of a TV with the Wii. Putting this same 3DS 320 x 240 pixel resolution onto a large 32″ TV makes things look pixelated and blocky.
The 3DS version was ported to the Wii, or at least it seems to have been so the gameplay, controls and even visuals are a bit off for the Wii version. The gameplay is also very outdated and not very fun to play with a lather, rinse, repeat boredom permeating the entire game.
You start as Bumblebee after a very quick tutorial and switch between characters but the game remains the same with levels being an arena fight, race to an objective then boss fight for all 18 levels. You have two, count them two, modes for each Transformer, Stealth Force and vehicle mode which means cars only in this console edition.
Simply put, you enter each area and race around gathering power ups until you can transform into Stealth Force mode then fight enemies until time runs out or their numbers do. When you run out of energy you drop back into vehicle mode and race around again to power up enough for fighting mode.
After a race to your next area you have a boss battle follows that is again a matter of running around gathering power ups, changing to Stealth mode and shooting till your energy drains or your enemy drops. Lather, rinse, repeat for eighteen levels and you have Stealth Force Edition for the Wii without much value at all, if any.
The Wii edition of this series of Dark of the Moon games for Transformers looks terrible, plays terrible and is not really worth the effort of trying to get to the end of eighteen levels. Did I mention the controls, in vehicle mode you steer with the Nunchuk control stick but in Stealth mode you steer with the D pad, yep, it is that bad.
In Stealth mode you drive sideways with the nunchuk control while the steering is the D pad which drastically changes the controls mid game all the time. Bad visuals, terrible control scheme and general uninventive gameplay leads the list so the game just does not add up to a decent game even worth buying even if your fan of the franchise.
You have a coop mode as well but finding a friend you want to torture is probably going to be a bit of a problem but again the game works but is just unimaginative so it is not fun. The coop gameplay means replaying levels from the single player but dragging a friend along for the help against the waves of enemies.
Leave Transformers Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition to the history books as a bad game not worthy of a rental, no need to even check this out as a game bad enough to be interesting.
Transformers Dark of the Moon Website
High Moon Studios Website