Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (video game)

As with Transformers: The Game, Revenge of the Fallen features two separate campaigns; one depicting the actions of the Autobots, and the other the actions of the Decepticons. The game expands on the movie plot with additional missions and characters. Unlike its predecessor, Revenge of the Fallen features a hub-like, non-linear mission progression. This allows the player to choose what missions they would like to accomplish and where in order to further drive the story.[1]

Multiplayer features five different modes. "Deathmatch" allows players to choose any character in a free-for-all battle. "Team Deathmatch" features Autobots vs Decepticons. "Control Points" features gameplay with teams battling for control of specific areas to gain points. "One Shall Stand" is similar to Team Deathmatch; the difference is that the objective is for a player to take out the enemy leader (Optimus Prime or Megatron) while protecting their own. The final mode, "Battle for the Shards", features Capture the Flag-style gameplay; teams search for shards of the AllSpark and return them to their base to earn points.[1][2]

The PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of the game combine third person shooter elements with brawlers. In this version, there is only one linear campaign, with factions changing between some levels. Their ability to transform into vehicles is absent, and is instead used as a power-up that instantly defeats all enemies around the player, and costs Energon, which is displayed in the HUD, underneath the health bar. Energon is earned from defeating enemies, and can also be used to restore health. There are also several unlockables, such as concept arts and character models, and a local co-op multiplayer mode, where two players have to survive against waves of enemies for as long as possible.

Revenge of the Fallen is set a few years after the events of Transformers: The Game. The evil Decepticon leader Megatron has been killed, and the powerful AllSpark has been shattered into numerous fragments, scattered around Earth, to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Despite Megatron's death however, numerous Decepticons are still active in various places around the world, forcing the heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, to work with mankind to hunt them down. Unbeknownst to the Autobots, The Fallen, a former Prime and the first Decepticon, has returned, and is aiding the current Decepticons with their plan to revive Megatron and subjugate Earth; The Fallen also seeks to find and reactivate the ruins of an old machine known as the Sun Harvester, which will provide the Decepticons with enough Energon to finally defeat the Autobots, at the expense of destroying the Sun and all life on Earth. The PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game feature two different campaigns, one from the Autobots' perspective and the other from the Decepticons', which cross over on several occasions, while the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions feature only one campaign, which alternates between the two factions.

^a Character is available in their G1 design as downloadable content in campaign and multiplayer.
^b Character has an unlockable alternate livery.
^c Character is available in multiplayer only if the DLC was downloaded.
^d Character has alternate appearances if the DLC is brought.
^e Character is available in both campaign and multiplayer once the player downloaded the downloadable content in PS3 or Xbox 360.
^f Grindor looks identical to Blackout from Transformers: The Game, and they might be the same character.

The Autobots receive reports from NEST of Decepticon presence in Shanghai, China.[3] Upon arrival, they are alerted to numerous Decepticons in the area and fight them, with Ironhide defeating the Decepticon Sideways, though he soon goes missing. When Optimus Prime gets word of this, Ratchet is sent to investigate and soon finds Ironhide, recharging him and escorting him to safety.[4] Afterwards, the Decepticons attack one again, but the Autobots prevail, with Optimus defeating Demolishor, who states that "The Fallen shall rise again" before being killed.[5]

Ironhide battles Decepticon forces in Burbank, California.

The Autobots then head to Burbank, California where a previously unknown fragment of the AllSpark has surfaced in possession of Mikaela Banes. When the Decepticons detect the fragment, Bumblebee is sent to protect Mikaela.[6] Meanwhile, the Autobots learn that a second AllSpark fragment held by the Americans has been stolen, and the Decepticon Soundwave learns of Megatron's location in the Laurentian Abyss, informing his fellow Decepticons. Despite Breakaway being sent to defend the carrier fleet Deep-6 which guards Megatron's corpse, the Decepticons ultimately retrieve Megatron's body and manage to revive him.[7]

On the East Coast, Sam Witwicky is kidnapped by Decepticons and taken to an industrial park near his college.[8] Ratchet manages to locate Sam in an abandoned foundry and sends Bumblebee the coordinates, who rescues him, before being attacked by Grindor, whom Bumblebe defeats. Afterwards, Optimus decides to give the humans a Cybertronian weapon called the Axiom Gun to help combat the growing Decepticon threat. He personally escorts the Axiom Gun to NEST headquarters.[9] After getting the convoy to their destination, the Autobots escort Sam to meet with former Agent Simmons. With intel from Simmons, Sam has Bumblebee take him to a museum to seek out an old Transformer and former Decepticon named Jetfire. After Bumblebee thwarts a Decepticon attack on the museum,[10] Jetfire awakens and takes Sam through the trans-dimensional Space Bridge to Cairo, Egypt, with the Autobots not far behind.[11]

Jetfire reveals that the Dynasty of Primes have constructed a machine called the Sun Harvester hidden in an Egyptian pyramid, which Jetfire claims that can destroy stars to harvest their power, converting it into Energon.[12] Upon arrival in the outskirts of Cairo, the Autobots search for Sam while evading Decepticon troops. After locating Sam, Optimus Prime takes him to the Tomb of the Ancients and defends him when Megatron and Starscream attack. Upon defeating them, Jetfire is mortally wounded by Megatron, while The Fallen reveals himself and the Sun Harvester, activating it and begging the harvesting of the Earth's sun.[13] A dying Jetfire lends his wings and parts to Optimus, empowering him in order to stop The Fallen. While Bumblebee fights and kills the massive Decepticon Devastator, Optimus confronts The Fallen, defeating him and sending him falling into the Sun Harvester, which destroys them both. With the Ancient Transformers avenged, Optimus is informed by Ratchet that Megatron escaped on a ship to a distant galaxy, and salutes his men for their help in saving Earth and defeating the Decepticons, at least for now.[14]

In Shanghai, Sideways encounters a group of Autobots, whom he defeats, as he searches the area for fuel and power, as well as Megatron's lost body.[15] Learning that Grindor has gone missing, Sideways then finds and repairs him, before escorting him to safety. Afterwards, he attacks NEST arrays protected by Autobots, whom with a virus, giving the Decepticons access to NEST communications. Elsewhere, Long Haul destroys NEST bases around Shanghai, before being attacked by Ironhide, whom he defeats,[16] and Starscream proclaims the Decepticons' victory as a warning to Optimus Prime.[17]

The Decepticons next head to Burbank, where Soundwave has learned that Sam Witwicky had given a shard of the AllSpark to Mikaela.[18] Concluding that the shard can be used to revive Megatron, Long Haul is sent to capture several humans, who are then interrogated by Starscream on Mikaela's whereabouts. After finding out Mikaela's location, Long Haul is sent to retrieve her. However, Starscream then receives word that the Decepticon troops transporting Mikaela have been intercepted by the Autobots. In the wake of defeat, Starscream decides to kidnap NSA Chief Galloway. After destroying several buildings owned by the front corporation Massive Dynamics, Starscream captures Galloway and places him under Decepticon control, while Grindor fights and kills Breakaway when he attempts to stop the Decepticons.

The Decepticons learn from Galloway that another AllSpark shard is in NEST's custody and that Megatron is buried deep in the Laurentian Abyss.[19] After Ravage retrieves the shard, the Decepticons travel to the Atlantic, where Starscream disables the Deep-6 aircraft carriers that guard Megatron's remains, allowing the Decepticons to retrieve their former leader's body.[20] Megatron is then revived using the AllSpark shard, and the Decepticons return to the east coast.[21] There, Grindor kidnaps Sam, while Megatron defeats Optimus Prime. After Sam is rescued by the Autobots, the Decepticons learn he is headed to a museum, which Starscream destroys, though he fails to kill Sam.

Learnning he was transported to Cairo, Egypt via a Space Bridge created by Jetfire,[22] the Decepticons travel there. Megatron arrives on the outskirts of Cairo and engages Autobots in combat, defeating both Jetfire and Bumblebee.[23] Elsewhere, Long Haul destroys the Axion Gun that the Autobots gave to NEST. Megatron soon learns that The Fallen has betrayed him by promising to make him a Prime, as Primes are born, not made,[24] so he exacts revenge by killing him at his Sun Harvester before he can activate it. Megatron later learns from Starscream that Optimus Prime has destroyed the Harvester, and declares victory for the Decepticons, making plans to form a new army and defeat the Autobots in the future.[25]

The PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of the game feature stylized graphics.

The Decepticon Soundwave hacks onto a satellite and finds a piece of Cybertronian technology on a NEST truck in Shanghai, China. Sideways and Demolishor are sent to steal the technology,[26] while the Autobots attempt to stop them. As Ironhinde battles and kills Demolishor, Bumblebee pursues Sideways through the streets and rooftops,[27] but he ultimately escapes with assistance from Starscream. Shortly after, Starscream reports the success of the mission to their new leader, The Fallen, who seeks to reactivate his old Sun Harvester to harvest the power of the Sun and transform into Energon, destroying the Sun and all life on Earth in the process; the piece of technology that Sideways stole is part of the Harvester, which also requires the Autobot Matrix of Leadership to work, whose whereabouts The Fallen's former servant Jetfire - who has been captured by Starscream - might know. The Fallen then orders Starscream and Sideways to retrieve Megatron's body from the Laurentian Abyss. While Starscream attacks the navy ships, Sideways fights his way through the Autobots guarding Megatron's body, ultimately retrieving it.[28] The pair then return with it to The Fallen, who resurrects Megatron and makes him his servant.[29]

Megatron unleashes the colossal Decepticon Devastator in Shanghai to retrieve the final piece of Cybertronian technology needed for the Sun Harvester, but he is defeated by Optimus, who claims the piece of technology instead,[30] only to then discover that Bumblebee has been captured by the Decepticons during the battle. At The Fallen's base, he orders Megatron to bring Optimus, who has the Matrix in his possession, to him, so Megatron challenges the Autobot leader to come and face him. While an Autobot team led by Optimus assaults the base, Bumblebee is freed by Jetfire, who informs him of The Fallen's plans and advises him to escape quickly. As Bumblebee fights his way to the base's hangar in order to escape via a pod, Megatron slaughters the Autobots attacking the base, ultimately challenging Optimus to a final battle in the hangar, while Bumblebee and Jetfire watch.[31] Megatron prevails over Optimus, leaving him close to death and claiming the Matrix from his body; he is then found by Bumblebee and Jetfire, who place him in an escape pod that takes him to Cairo, Egypt. Elsewhere, Megatron and Starscream attack the NEST base holding the Cybertronian technology they failed to retrieve earlier, and steal it.

Jetfire attempts to stop them and pursues them to Egypt, where he is shot down by Megatron. Though wounded, he makes his way to a still-living Optimus, just as he was about to be killed by Starscream.[32] Jetfire takes the blow instead and, mortally wounded, gives his wings and parts to Optimus, empowering him in order to stop The Fallen, just as he activates the Sun Harvester.[33] The other Autobots rendezvous with Optimus and attempt to foil The Fallen, with Ironhide destroying the turrets protecting the machine, while Optimus fights and defeats Megatron. He then goes to face The Fallen and prevails, destroying both him and the Harvester.[34] With The Fallen defeated, Megatron and Starscream make their escape, and get sucked into a Space Bridge, which transports them back to his base. The game ends with the Autobots rebuilding the destroyed pyramid where the Sun Harvester was located, as it was their war that led to its destruction, while Megatron and Starscream observe the creation of a massive Decepticon army under their control.[35]

Mark Ryan returns to for voice acting, despite not return to voice Ironhide, he instead voices Bumblebee. Jess Harnell replaces Mark Ryan as the voice of Ironhide, Peter Cullen reprised his role as Optimus Prime, Robert Foxworth as Ratchet, and Charlie Adler voices Starscream in the game. Although Revenge of the Fallen retains most of the cast from its film counterpart, there are a few exceptions. The movie's titular villain, The Fallen, is voiced by James Arnold Taylor who replaces Tony Todd from the film. Peter Jessop replaces Frank Welker as the voice of Soundwave. Hugo Weaving, who voices Megatron in the live action films, does not voice Megatron in the game. Instead Frank Welker, who voiced Megatron in The Transformers animated series returns to voice the character.[42] Devastator, who was voiced by Welker in the film, is voiced by Fred Tatasciore in the game. Tatasciore also voices Demolisher and Grindor. Clive Revill, who voices Kickback in The Transformers (TV series), voices Jetfire replacing Mark Ryan. The game features Neil Kaplan, the voice of Optimus Prime in the series Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Kaplan does not voice Prime, but instead voices the character Long Haul as well as additional minor characters.[43] Electronic rock band Julien-K, who contributed one track to the first movie's soundtrack, provided the score with Steve Jablonsky.[44] John DiMaggio, who later go on to voice Leadfoot in Dark of the Moon, voices Sideways and Maj. Lennox. Andrew Kishino, who originally voiced Jazz in Transformers: The Game, would voice an autobot flyer who was cut from the film, Breakaway. Kishino also reprises Jazz in the DLC, and Nolan North replaces Andre Sogliuzzo as the voice of Sideswipe in the DLC as well.

As of 2020, the multiplayer servers for Revenge of the Fallen, like other games published by Activision, have been shut down.[45]