Transformers: Devastation

Transformers: Devastation wears its namesake well, and Platinum Games has managed to produce not only the finest video game the Transformers franchise has ever seen, but also iterated on their own signature design in a way that feels every bit as fresh as the unassailable masterpiece they already created with Bayonetta 2. Sure it’s short and it carries some awkward baggage with it, but Devastation went from a planned trade-in to a definitive keeper for me in a matter of hours – and that’s something that only the very best of this genre has managed without testing my patience to the absolute br...

Transformers Devastation is the most epic Transformers game.

I’m not even sure if there are G1 fans out there anymore. It shouldn’t be a deciding factor when picking up Transformers: Devastation though, as it’s a great action romp by any right. Just be ready to deal with a few nitpicky issues.

A brief but engaging character action game, Transformers: Devastation succeeds mostly as a nostalgic treat for Generation 1 fans and anyone who can appreciate a little giant robot action.

All this being said, Devastation isn't just an '80s throwback in the character designs that it uses. Higher difficulty levels can get punishing, and the focus on core gameplay mechanics might put off some players. It's a rewarding experience for anyone who can get into the groove, but the combat and the franchise are the game's two biggest selling points. If neither appeals, there won't be all that much to enjoy here.

Transformers Devastation’s nostalgia-fueled fisticuffs are a fun way to revisit the classic TV show. Sophisticated combo-based combat delivers a fast and furious barrage of action, but the gear and perks systems left me wondering why they were there at all in a game all about over-the-top boss fights and robot dinosaur beatdowns.

Transformers: Devastation isn't just a good Transformers game, it's a good game period. More depth and environments would benefit the game tremendously, but as it stands right now, it's one title for both Transformers and Platinum fans alike.

Platinum Games' take on Transformers is an interesting and welcome change of pace for the property. The developer's brand of polished, fast-paced, flowing combat feels right at home in the Transformers universe. For fans of the original cartoon series, this is a can't miss title even if its beauty is only skin-deep.

If you're a fan of Bayonetta, Vanquish, or even The Wonderful 101, Transformers: Devastation is for you. If you're an adult that grew up on G1 Transformers, and if you can handle a demanding action experience, Devastation is for you. The problem is that it's not a game you should spend more than $20-30 on. While the combat is undoubtedly satisfying and rewarding, the sense of repetition, the last-gen visuals, and the brevity of the adventure feel more matched for a budget price. We suggest waiting for a sale and a nostalgic craving for Saturday morning cartoons. That's when you have our full p...

I'm happy Transformers Devastation exists and thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with it, but it's not quite the game I imagined as an idealistic child. And it's four hours long.

"It's not great, but fans will love it" has become a deservedly maligned critical trope, so I'm sort of hesitant to employ it here. But I'm not sure I've come across a game that so perfectly fits the label as Transformers: Devastation. This is a love letter to Transformers G1, and fans left cold by grittier takes on the robots in disguise are going to be delighted, even if the rest of the world can't figure out what the fuss is all about.

Devastation's too throwaway to be a game many of us will still be talking about beyond this month, but it's a blast, and not simply on a guilty pleasure basis. As well as being the most unabashed Transformers fan-service games have given us yet, it's also a slick, exciting, hyper-fast punchy-shooty game in its own right. It's dumb as a box of Dinobots of course, but it's not even trying to be otherwise - and that's why its simple, colourful enthusiasm for robot-bashing is so infectious.