Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

Transformers: Rise of The Dark Spark has an extra mode called "Escalation". It is an online multiplayer mode where four players fend off waves of increasingly tough enemies, returned with the addition of upgradable defenses. The mode features over forty playable characters, and has levels based on both Cybertron and Earth.[4] The Escalation mode is absent in the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game.[5] In addition, experience points collected by players in both single and multiplayer will be shared.[2]

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is a crossover with the Transformers film series and the Cybertron video game series, consisting of Transformers: War for Cybertron and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.[6] The eponymous Dark Spark is a powerful artifact that is capable of ripping holes in dimensions, which brings two Transformers universes together. The Cybertron universe component of the game takes place before the events of Fall of Cybertron, while its film series universe component takes place on Earth in 2014, shortly before the events of the Transformers: Age of Extinction film. The story consists of 14 chapters, 6 of which are set on Earth and 8 on Cybertron.

^a Playable only in escalation
^b Playable only in campaign
^d Appears in campaign, but is non-playable
^e Slag was renamed Slug in the game due to Slag being a derogatory term in some cultures
^f Originally available via pre-order, later downloadable content

On Earth, in the film continuity, the Autobots Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Drift investigate the site of a mysterious crash in an abandoned city, encountering a large group of Cybertronian mercenaries led by Lockdown. At the crash site, they find an ancient Cybertronian relic known as the Dark Spark, but Lockdown retrieves it first and uses it to temporarily freeze the Autobots, allowing him to escape. Optimus says "I thought this day would never come..." and proceeds explain what the Dark Spark is, while the perspective changes to the Cybertron continuity. The Dark Spark is a dark relic, said to be the antithesis of the Matrix of Leadership: whereas the Matrix grants wisdom, the Dark Spark gives the user the power to bend the universe and its inhabitants to their own will.

On Cybertron, the Decepticons are nearly victorious in their war against the Autobots. To make sure their rivals are completely wiped out, Megatron orders Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave to find the Dark Spark in the abandoned Crystal City. There, the Decepticons are attacked by a large swarm of Insecticons led by Hardshell, Kickback, and Sharpshot, whom Shockwave defeats, earning their fealty and control of the Insecticons. The trio then make their way to the vault containing the Dark Spark, fighting through guards and obtaining the keys needed to unlock the vault. However, the Autobots Sideswipe and Ironhide are able to retrieve the Dark Spark first, and escape the pursuing Insecticons, regrouping with Optimus and Bumblebee at a train station. They fight off several hordes of Insecticons and Starscream, before boarding a train, though it is destroyed moments later by a bomb planted by Shockwave.

While investigating the train's ruins, the Decepticons see Optimus fleeing with the surviving Autobots, but Sharpshot informs Shockwave that the Dark Spark is in the possession of Ironhide, so they forcefully take it from him. The pair are then ambushed by Autobots, but manage to escape to the lower levels of Cybertron, where they land in a ruin that was once used to house the Dark Spark. After making their way out, they meet up with the Combaticons Onslaught, Vortex, and Swindle. The latter escorts Shockwave and Sharpshot to Megatron, along the way being ambushed by a group of Autobots, led by Cliffjumper, whom Swindle defeats, though he escapes afterward. The trio arrive at the gates of Kaon, the Decepticon capital city, which come under attack by Autobot forces, led by Jazz. The Combaticons combine to form Bruticus, thwarting the Autobot attack and capturing Cliffjumper.

With Megatron now in possession of the Dark Spark, Optimus and Jazz lead a secret mission to retrieve it and rescue Cliffjumper. Though they successfully infiltrate Kaon and free their fellow Autobot, they are caught in a nearly inescapable trap. Optimus contacts Perceptor, who sends Jetfire to infiltrate the ruins of the massive Decepticon Trypticon; despite an encounter with a Decepticon salvage team led by Starscream, Jetfire is able to use Trypticon's laser array to free Optimus, Jazz, and Cliffjumper, and then escape. While Jazz escorts the wounded Cliffjumper to safety, Optimus confronts Megatron, who uses the Dark Spark in combination with Dark Energon to revive several dead Autobots as mindless drones. Nevertheless, Optimus triumphs over Megatron and sends the Dark Spark flying into space using the Matrix. Both Megatron and Optimus are severely injured in the process, and, while the former is carried away by Shockwave, the latter contacts Jazz, stating that the Dark Spark is no longer an obstacle to them leaving Cybertron via the Ark.

Back on Earth, Bumblebee and Drift fight their way through canyons to reach Lockdown's stronghold. After Drift is captured, Bumblebee rescues him, but the pair are soon overwhelmed by enemy forces. They are saved by the sudden appearance of Grimlock, who helps them prevail, though Lockdown escapes with the Dark Spark once again. The Autobots track him down to another abandoned city, where Grimlock helps clear a path to Lockdown's bunker, allowing Optimus to confront him. Lockdown reveals a Time Bridge he built, which he intends to use to bring the Autobot-Decepticon war into the present so that he could profit off it, and then fights Optimus. With Drift's help, Optimus defeats Lockdown and retrieves the Dark Spark, which he then throws into the Time Bridge, moments before it explodes, though both the Autobots and Lockdown manage to escape, vowing to meet again.

In an epilogue scene, the G1 continuity Optimus sees the Dark Spark crashing on Earth, and, just like his film continuity counterpart, says "I thought this day would never come..."