Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

 PC
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 75 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 75
  3. Negative: 42 out of 75

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  1. armada91
    Jun 27, 2014
    6
    To begin, this is an okay game. At best. If you're a Transformers fan from the War for Cybertron series by High Moon Studios, you may feel compelled to purchase this, as it is seemingly the same style. First and foremost, it is not done by the same studio, rather, Edge of Reality was in charge, with High Moon not attached whatsoever. To get to the grit of the review, this game was lackingTo begin, this is an okay game. At best. If you're a Transformers fan from the War for Cybertron series by High Moon Studios, you may feel compelled to purchase this, as it is seemingly the same style. First and foremost, it is not done by the same studio, rather, Edge of Reality was in charge, with High Moon not attached whatsoever. To get to the grit of the review, this game was lacking in all aspects. The story was short, boring, and felt much more like a chore than something truly worth playing. The story was cut up multiple times to tell the paths of both the Decepticons and Autobots while they fought on Cybertron and subsequently, on Earth. It was convoluted and dull to boot, giving you no real attachment to their plight, or really anything at all. As you could tell from the cover of the game, Michael Bay's universe inspires the Earth versions of the Transformers, with Grimlock of the Dinobots stealing the show and having the most truly joyful section of the game, albeit it was only 20 minutes long, tops. The graphics were something you'd expect from an early PS3 release (circa 10 years ago), aside from the top notch character models they took from High Moons work. The Earth levels were unbelievably barren, with noticeable lack of any real substance to the world around the corridors the game was forcing you in. You wanted to explore, given that there are collectibles, but the game was very adamant about pointing you in a direction and sticking you to it. The boring gameplay, on top of the almost jarring difficulty spikes, made the single-player very passable. However, the semi-redeeming factor to this game was the return of the co-op mode, Escalation. In this mode, you fight up to 15 waves of enemies, getting progressively harder, though consistently showing less and less balance and substance to the mode. Enemies would spawn in droves from one location across the map, only to be split up once you arrived to somewhere else. You unlock Gear Boxes as you play in Escalation, as well as campaign, to which you unlock different characters to play as in Escalation, new guns, upgrades, H.A.C.K.s (difficulty settings that altered specific game mechanics in exchange for an experience boost), and Techs (smaller, less powerful abilities that could help you out of a pinch in battle or even offer you up to 6x multiplier on experience), all used to increase the customization of your experience throughout single and multiplayer. While the collection aspect is fun at first, it quickly becomes frustrating after receiving dozens of duplicates, while coming to terms that your favorite Transformer is near crippled in Escalation if it cannot fly, given that you have the option to be whomever you wish. Trophy wise, I could give it a 3/10 difficulty, and as a game I would say it's about a 6.2. Nothing really pops out story wise, and the graphics leave much to be desired, but my nostalgia as a Transformers fan helped me enjoy the sheer site of these beasts back in action, as well as the arsenal from the Cybertron series coming back in full force to blast the enemy to scrap. Verdict: wait for pre-owned.… Expand
  2. Dunge
    Jun 28, 2014
    5
    First two games were simply amazing, I gave them 9/10. This one? Seems like they asked a few interns to create a new game using the old engine. It still have the same good action, but with bugs, bad level design, a story that makes more or less sense and bad difficulty tweaks. The "loot box" thing is awful. The sound levels are broken (voice are too low, when you reduce the sfx some soundsFirst two games were simply amazing, I gave them 9/10. This one? Seems like they asked a few interns to create a new game using the old engine. It still have the same good action, but with bugs, bad level design, a story that makes more or less sense and bad difficulty tweaks. The "loot box" thing is awful. The sound levels are broken (voice are too low, when you reduce the sfx some sounds don't reduce like grenades so it **** it up, cutscenes don't follow voice level).… Expand
  3. Trance
    Jun 25, 2014
    6
    The first game was amazing, the second was a bit of a step back, this is a leap back.

    The physics both in-game and scripted look horrible, the graphics are bland. I'v never generalised a game so much, Underneath all that rust are glimpses of what made the first game fantastic both off and online. Extra points for huge customisation but that's the only cool thing I can point out. The    The first game was amazing, the second was a bit of a step back, this is a leap back.

    The physics both in-game and scripted look horrible, the graphics are bland. I'v never generalised a game so much, Underneath all that rust are glimpses of what made the first game fantastic both off and online.

    Extra points for huge customisation but that's the only cool thing I can point out. The story, my god the Autobots are in twubble again. Kill me.    … Expand
  4. AdrianChan
    Jun 28, 2014
    5
    This game get totally ignored by the critic
    Transformer: Rise of the Dark Spark is a disappointment. It is not as good as the first game .but there is still have some good things about the game. It has a variety of characters and weapons in this game too. The immediate switching from a car to transformer is also very cool, but it is not something impressing because this is not something    This game get totally ignored by the critic
    Transformer: Rise of the Dark Spark is a disappointment. It is not as good as the first game .but there is still have some good things about the game. It has a variety of characters and weapons in this game too. The immediate switching from a car to transformer is also very cool, but it is not something impressing because this is not something new.
    But, the problems is that the campaign is not long enough, the graphics and the texture is very bad (If you are looking forward to a next-gen game then don't buy this one). I personally find the last one has even a better graphics. Conversation between character suddenly stop because it is interrupted by loading screen. Quite a lot of unnecessary checkpoint. It don't have a lot of new features. Most come from previous game.
    This game is $49.99 and it is absolutely overpriced in my opinion. It again show how greedy Activision is. If you want to try this game out wait until the price drops.    … Expand
  5. SandCharm17076
    Aug 2, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I haven´t really played the game but I watched a longplay on Youtube. I liked the game but I think the crossover of the movie and the previous game didn´t match. When I played the last level in Fall of Cybertron I wondered immediately of what was going to happen in the next game. For example if I didn´t watched the Transformers 4 I wouldn´t even know who is Lockdown, because it´s objective is different from the game to the movie. I think they should have made two different games, but I actually liked the game, despite some problems with the crossover.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
49

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 10
  3. Negative: 3 out of 10
  1. CD-Action
    Oct 22, 2014
    50
    What killed Rise of the Dark Spark is its repetitiveness. Variety of combat is illusory, because it actually doesn’t matter what weapons you use or how you move around the map. Every enemy is going down anyway and your only task is to proceed from one checkpoint to another. This game is simply boring. [Sept 2014, p.58]
  2. Softpedia
    Aug 6, 2014
    70
    Its design is uninspired and it feels pretty repetitive, like it was rushed instead of given time to grow into something good, but if you’re a big fan of the Autobots versus Decepticons conflict, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it.
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  3. XGN
    Jul 28, 2014
    50
    The only thing really enjoyable in Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is the Escalation Mode. The story is very bland and never manages to impress just like the dull missions.
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