Developer(s)	Vicarious Visions
Publisher(s)	Activision
Composer(s)	Rod Abernethy Jason Graves
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	NA: June 19, 2007 AU: July 4, 2007 EU: July 20, 2007
Genre(s)	Action Adventure

Transformers Decepticons is a video game based on fictional alien robots, Transformers. This version follows an alternate plot of the 2007 live action film Transformers.^[1] Most prominently, while the Autobots version has missions in the Arctic, the Decepticons version contain desert missions taking place in a Qatar military base.^[2]

Gameplay

The game consists of four large virtual locations, semi-destructible environments and enemies in the form of local law enforcement and opposing Transformers. Only cars and other robots may be destroyed. "Hazard levels" denote the extent of attack the player character comes under based on how much destruction they perpetrate. Glowing spots on the map denote mission markers, which come in two varieties - twenty-three story missions, which further the game storyline, and thirty-four challenge missions, for players to test their skills. The game also features a slight RPG element in the form of XP, gained by destroying enemies and completing missions, which steadily increases players' levels (up to 20), unlocking new abilities and increasing stats.^[1] While a select number of missions allow players to take control of five of the Autobots or Decepticons featured in the movie, for the majority of the game, the player will control the "Create-A-Bot," a customizable generic Transformer whose alternate mode the player can determine by scanning any one of over thirty-seven vehicles found throughout the game locations.^[3]

The games utilizes the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the "AllSpark Wars" online campaign, which pits players of the two different versions of the game against each other. Players are able to download one new special single player challenge each day and earn points upon its completion. Their score is then uploaded to a server at the end of the challenge and the side with the most points at the end of the day (Autobots or Decepticons) wins the "battle". The first side to win seven battles wins the overall "war" and a new war begins.^[1] However, if the Autobots and Decepticons win at least one piece each, a "tiebreaker match" will be played until the whole Allspark is under control of either side. Players earn Wi-Fi tokens for their involvement, which will unlock additional vehicles and cheats for use while playing the main game. Despite the aforementioned Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support, multiplayer death-matches are limited to localized wireless play.^{[citation needed]}

Synopsis

Characters

• Create-A-Bot (voiced by Steven Blum) - the player's custom-made character, who serves as Starscream's protégé.
• Barricade (voiced by Keith David) - the leader of a Decepticon team investigating the Decepticon signal that originated from Earth. He serves as a mentor figure to the Create-A-Bot and wishes to find Megatron and remove Starscream from power. He transforms into a Ford Mustang Saleen S281E police/security Car.
• Blackout (voiced by Noah Nelson) - a polite member of Barricade's team who turns into a Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low helicopter.
• Brawl (voiced by David Sobolov) - a destructive, yet childish member of Barricade's team who turns into a modified M1 Abrams tank.
• Starscream (voiced by Daniel Ross) - the treacherous second-in-command of the Decepticons who seeks to find the AllSpark and become leader of the Decepticons. He transforms into a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor jet.
• Megatron (voiced by Frank Welker) - the true leader of the Decepticons, who was frozen in ice after tracking the AllSpark to Earth. He transforms into a Cybertronian jet.

Plot

At the start of the game, Starscream sends his protégé, the Create-A-Bot, to Earth to help Barricade investigate a faint Decepticon signal they received. Barricade runs the Create-A-Bot through a basic systems check before having him scan a vehicle form and eliminate all Autobots in the area, including the Create-A-Bot from Transformers Autobots. The Create-A-Bot is then called to Tranquility, where Barricade asks him to help find an Autobot who has information regarding Megatron. The two soon learn that the Autobot Bumblebee is investing an old human news article about a ship's captain who encountered a "giant metal man" frozen in the Arctic. The Create-A-Bot relays this information to Starscream, who encourages him to earn Barricade's trust. While the Create-A-Bot distracts the local police, Barricade finds and fights Bumblebee, defeating him and retrieving the information from him. It is revealed that a human military organization called Sector 7 had Megatron imprisoned at a base in the Arctic, but moved him to an unknown location, and that a file called "Project: Ice Man" has information regarding Megatron's current location.

Barricade has Blackout take the Create-A-Bot to the SOCCENT Military Base in Qatar to rendezvous with Brawl. There, the Create-A-Bot attacks the airfield to distract the US military while Brawl takes out the fleeing forces, all while Blackout cuts off communications and hacks into the humans' network to find the "Project: Ice Man" file. The Autobot Ratchet shows up with reinforcements, but is defeated and flees. The Create-A-Bot relays the information they found to Starscream, who informs him that Megatron and the AllSpark are on Earth, Megatron having followed it here years ago. Starscream encourages the Create-A-Bot not to tell anyone about the AllSpark being on Earth, claiming he wants to secure it to prevent everyone from fighting over it.

Back in Tranquility, Blackout discovers that Sector 7 has set up automated defenses made from Megatron's technology all over town, and Barricade dispatches the Create-A-Bot to destroy them while he uses the town's power plant to get enough energy to crack the file. After Brawl shields the plant's generators from Sector 7, Optimus Prime arrives on Earth with Autobot reinforcements. The Create-A-Bot distracts them to give Barricade more time, culminating with him attacking Bumblebee and leaving him to be captured by Sector 7. Barricade reports that the "ice man" described in the file is at the Hoover Dam and the Decepticons head there next.

At the Hoover Dam, Brawl takes out some communication satellites and plants bombs along the dam as a contingency plan. With the AllSpark so close to being found, Starscream orders the Create-A-Bot to kill Megatron before Barricade can revive him. Troubled by these orders, the Create-A-Bot relays them to the others, who realize that Starscream wants to secure the AllSpark to ensure that no one can challenge him. Barricade attacks a military base near the dam and finds a way inside after learning that Sector 7 has teamed up with the Autobots. With Blackout's help, Barricade infiltrates the dam and finds that Sector 7 has kept Megatron frozen to study his technology. He then starts the thawing sequence and sends the Create-A-Bot to protect Megatron from Sector 7 and the Autobots until Megatron is revived.

After Blackout retrieves Megatron's weapon chip, Megatron vows to destroy Starscream for his treachery and makes an impassioned speech to his followers. Brawl arrives with the news that the Autobots have taken the AllSpark to Tranquility and they follow them there. Megatron, however, is ambushed by Jazz, who disposed of the bombs Brawl planted earlier. After a long confrontation, Megatron kills Jazz and travels to Tranquility, ordering the Decepticons to destroy the city to find the AllSpark.

While Brawl fights and kills Ironhide, Starscream pursues and kills Bumblebee, taking the AllSpark from his corpse. Blackout and Barricade arrive to arrest Starscream, but both are killed. The Create-A-Bot tries to pursue Starscream to avenge his comrades, but he manages to escape. Meanwhile, Megatron fights and kills Optimus. Starscream shows up a moment later and challenges Megatron to one last battle to decide who will rule the Decepticons. Megatron and the Create-A-Bot pursue him to the casino strip where the Create-A-Bot first arrived on Earth.

The Create-A-Bot takes the AllSpark from Starscream and rams it into his chest, badly wounding himself. Unfortunately, the act has no effect on Starscream. Megatron pursues his traitorous lieutenant and kills him, destroying the AllSpark in the process. He then returns to the Create-A-Bot and kills him in his damaged state, saying that he was weak. With most of his troops dead (Brawl's fate is left ambiguous), Megatron transforms into his jet mode and flies off into the night sky, his destination unknown.

Reception

The game received "average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.^[5]

References

External links

• Transformers Decepticons at MobyGames