Transformers is based off of the Transformers: Armada series rather than Generation One, which is the version most people remember from the 80's. As I stated in my preview of the game, Armada has never been one of my favorite versions of the series. Set in an alternate dimension, in which the Beast Wars and the Cybertron Wars didn't happen, Armada presents a completely different spin on the conflict between Autobots and Decepticons. Instead of battling over energy, battles are instead raged over a third race of Transformers known as the Minicons. It is because of this 'Gotta Catch 'em All' premise that series has earned the nickname 'Poke'mon: Armada'. This is the biggest thing going against Transformers.

Transformers is one of the more graphically impressive games on the PS2. Levels, called drop zones, are giant and feature an amazing draw distance. This is readily apparent during the Amazon drop zone when you can scale the side of a mountain and survey the entire drop zone. You can see Decepticon drop ships zooming around the area, the giant light columns indicating where Space Bridge portals are and even the glowing areas that show were Minicons rest. What makes this even better is that you can leave the mountain and reach anything you can see. The only drawback is that the detail comes at a price of frame rate. Though it is not a persistent, game-breaking problem there is some blur and slowdown that pops up when the action really picks up.

Character models are just as slick as the environments they play in. Animation if fluid, especially when transforming between vehicle and robot modes (a change that is accompanied by the satisfying 'transform' noise we all remember). There is also an amazing amount of detail on characters that are not centerpieces in the series or central to the game's story.

Sound is a coin flip. While the game features Gary Chalk and David Kaye, the actors who portray Optimus Prime and Megatron in the show, stand-ins supply all of the other voices. Not to knock the developers or the voice actors, both of which did a great job, but hearing the 'real' Optimus next to a 'fake' Red Alert just makes the stand-ins stick out like sore thumbs. Some of the stand-ins, like Red Alert, sound like they are trying a little too hard to sound like their cartoon counterpart.

Sound effects and music are great -- especially the music which features more than a few nods to the original Generation One theme song. Most of the time the game is eerily silent, but once the action starts so does the music. Music is accented by laser blasts, missiles firing and explosions of every type.

The overall structure of the game is very straightforward and easy to jump into. You choose one of three Autobots, Optimus Prime, Hotshot or Red Alert and travel the globe in search of Minicons. Each Autobot has his own special attributes. Optimus is the tougher, more powerful robot while Hotshot is a little quicker. Personally I would have liked the option to play as other characters from the series (especially the Decepticons), but that's out of my control.

Level layouts are absolutely huge. Each drop zone is completely open ended and doesn't lead you through certain paths. A few well-defined paths do lead through some levels, but these are more suggestions rather than the way you're 'supposed' to take. There are several times where it is better to cut through forests or ruins to reach your goal. Not only will this help you get the jump on Decepticons, but you'll also find more Minicons and data discs as well.

Missions follow a semi-set structure. After you are transported to an area, you are fed a brief outline of what your mission entails - which 90 percent of the time involves collecting Minicons. You don't have to collect all of Minicons in a level in order to complete it. While the added upgrades will certainly help you out, you only need to defeat the end level boss.

In addition to collecting Minicons, you will also find data discs scattered throughout each region which unlock bonus materials. Unlockables include selections from the soundtrack and production models for the Transformers toy line (which is rather interesting). The most interesting thing you can unlock is the old Transformers PSA's that used to play at the end of each show. You remember, the ones where Bumblebee would tell you to take you vitamins and say your prayers. oh wait, that was another 80's icon. But anyway - they're here, they're informative and are fun nostalgia trips.

Even on the easiest difficulty level, Transformers tends to lean towards the hard side of the spectrum, but more in the realm of challenging rather than that special place where you end up breaking controllers.

>From the minute you enter the first drop zone, the action is intense. Enemy AI is usually pretty smart, aggressive and can be hard to trick. If an enemy has an open shot at you and a big energy cannon, you better find cover fast. On that same note, a lot of how difficult the game is depends on how you play the game. Failing to use your surroundings, not equipping the right Minicons and not thinking strategically are all things that can ramp up the difficulty level considerably. Ignoring advice is also a fast pass to the 'Game Over' screen. While in the Arctic level, it was suggested that I avoid all the Decepticon seekers. I decided to use my newly acquired quad-missiles on the seekers and soon found myself surrounded by Decepticon dropships.

Minicons aren't just for collecting - they also play a major role within the game's mechanics. This element gives the game an almost Metroid-style spin. As you find Minicons, you are given the choice of either equipping them in the field or sending them back to base (to be equipped at the appropriate time). When equipped, Minicons grant special abilities and attacks. Equipping the Minicon Hawkeye grants night vision and Stronghold gives boosted armor. Some Minicons, like Highjump and Slipstream, will also grant abilities like flight and a boosted jump that let you reach previously inaccessible areas. Each character only has four slots to which Minicons can be assigned. This lends a strategic element to the game since you have to figure out what ability combos work best for each situation you enter.

After the first level, each Autobot is granted a special helper Minicon. These Minicons differ from the other 40 in the game since they can't be equipped. Instead, these helpers act as allies on the field by attacking whatever you attack and watching your back. Help Minicons also allow you to Powerlink, a mode that slows down time and increases your damage output. The downside is that Powerlinking drains health like crazy and can leave you vulnerable.

The actual transforming mechanic doesn't play too heavily into the game. There are no missions where you have to transform into vehicle mode to avoid detection or anything like that. Instead, transforming into vehicle mode roughly translates into two uses: getting extra distance during jumps and ramming into groups of enemies. The latter ability is just plain fun, but the former can get frustrating - especially in later levels where it is overused.

Though it has its problems, Transformers still manages to provide a fun experience. The Armada premise may turn off people, but those who can look past it might just find the Transformers game they've always wanted.