Transformers multiplayer details

Today’s multiplayer trailer for Transformers: War for Cybertron brings it.

I was at T:WfC developer High Moon Studios last week (if you heard last week’s podcast, you know we got to talk to the head of the studio, Peter Della Penna) and I got to play a few rounds of Team Deathmatch and Conquest (capture and hold points on the map — similar to what Unreal Tournament and MW2 call “Domination” — or what World of Warcraft players call “Arathi Basin“).

There are four classes: Scout (fast and light cars), Scientist (medic jets), Leader (trucks with group buffs), and Soldier (tough tanks). Each comes with core skills and abilities, but also the opportunity to be customized by the player — you choose the weapons and the abilities that match your play style or the game type. One of the things you’ll spot at 1:05 in this video is a great sentry gun; Scientists can choose that as part of their loadout and drop one at any time. It was epic for defense. (Oh, yeah — and at 1:21…OMG a Transfemale! I don’t remember seeing that in any of the screens or trailers so far, but I know they exist in the Transformers universe. If Fembots are an option for multiplayer, Kat will be happy.)

The action was fast, frustration was low, and best of all, the classes and strategies felt balanced to me. The best thing I can say about the game is that I forgot to blink. When the last Conquest match ended, my eyes were suddenly very sore, and I realized I’ve had that problem on other games in the past — Gears of War and Twisted Metal both did it to me too. So your personal signs may be different, but that was my indication that this is something I want to play. Unfortunately I have to wait until June 22.