October 23, 2020
Coatsink

Transformers: Battlegrounds

Take charge of the mighty Autobots and stop the evil Megatron from getting his hands on the Allspark.

70%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

graphics, music

74% User Score Based on 105 reviews

Critic Score 65%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $4.22

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About

Transformers: Battlegrounds is a turn-based strategy game set in the Transformers universe. Players control Autobots and Decepticons in battles, using unique abilities and teamwork to defeat opponents. The game features a variety of environments and modes, including a local multiplayer mode for up to four players. Explore, strategize, and fight as your favorite Transformers characters in this exciting game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 116 reviews

story9 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

The game features engaging turn-based tactics gameplay that is fun and accessible, making it a great introduction to the genre for younger players.
The visuals and character designs are colorful and appealing, capturing the essence of the Transformers: Cyberverse series well.
The voice acting is solid, with many characters voiced by the original cast from the show, adding authenticity to the experience.

The game suffers from a lack of depth and challenge, often feeling too simplistic and repetitive, which may not satisfy more experienced strategy gamers.
Graphics and overall presentation are subpar, resembling a mobile game rather than a polished console title, which detracts from the overall experience.
There are significant issues with the user interface and controls, including a lack of key rebinding options and clunky menu navigation.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
9%
The story in "Transformers: Battlegrounds" features a variety of missions and a campaign mode that allows players to choose characters and abilities, providing an engaging experience for fans of the franchise. However, many reviewers noted a lack of backstory and depth, with some describing the narrative as simplistic and generic, while others appreciated its charm and character interactions. Overall, the campaign is enjoyable but may feel repetitive and lacks the complexity found in previous Transformers titles.
- “The story is cute, and engaging enough to finish the campaign mode.”
- “Very nice story, set in the Cyberverse animated line.”
- “I'm not a fan of the cartoon that this game is based on since I grew up in the 90s and loved the original series, but despite that, this game has a fun little story and the gameplay had some fun and unique strategy elements.”
- “The story is kind of tacky and cheesy.”
- “This feels like a mobile game without the ads and a very short story.”
- “The writing is trite and generic, and the performance is disappointing.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
76%
12%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant art style that captures the essence of the "Cyberverse" series, while others criticize the visuals as subpar and reminiscent of outdated technology, likening them to PS2-era graphics. Many users noted the simplistic and low production values, which detracted from the overall experience, despite some enjoyment of the game's aesthetic. Overall, the graphics seem to be a significant point of contention among players, with a clear divide in opinion.
- “The art style is based on the 'cyberverse' series, which is not that far off from the original, and I liked it.”
- “Graphically, the game looks great and takes place in the Transformers: Cyberverse universe.”
- “The game is nice with nice graphics.”
- “Even the graphics, which should be one of the highlights of the game, are subpar.”
- “The graphics look like they are from a mobile game or from two generations before, with blocky and crude animations. There is no proper intro, just in-game scenes reminiscent of the Warcraft 3 era.”
- “The only knock against this game would be the graphics; they look like PS2 era graphics that would be seen in a mobile game now.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The gameplay of "Transformers: Battlegrounds" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its tactical elements and character action points that encourage strategic decision-making, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. The game offers a simplified version of X-com style mechanics, which can be enjoyable, especially on higher difficulty levels, but is marred by basic graphics and a lack of variety in early missions. Overall, it appeals primarily to fans of the Transformers series, though it may not meet the expectations set by previous titles like "War for Cybertron."
- “I love the idea of this gameplay loop and the hard mode difficulty is perfect outside of the respawn system.”
- “The mechanic of each character having action points to spend on a turn adds so much strategy to the game, weighing decisions to make a weaker attack and run for cover, or put more power into an attack and hope for the best.”
- “Gameplay is pretty solid - the first missions are a bit lackluster due to lack of options, but once you get more bots and more abilities on the bots it starts getting pretty fun.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and predictable, leaving little room for strategic thinking.”
- “Graphics look like they belong to a mobile game or from two generations before, with blocky and crude animations. The gameplay feels like a dumbed-down version of X-COM, and the world is based on the newer animated show, not G1.”
- “Terrible gameplay.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly enjoyable and packed with replay value, particularly in its arcade mode and DLC content, others express concerns about the mission structure potentially limiting long-term engagement. The inclusion of rogue-lite elements and the hope for future expansions could enhance its replayability further.
- “Tons of replayability and fun in it.”
- “This game is good and definitely replayable.”
- “+ lots of replayability in the arcade.”
- “On top of that, I question the overall replay value due to the mission instance structure.”
- “If that mode offers enough replayability (apparently it's kind of a rogue-lite), I could see value in rebuying on sale.”
- “I hope more people notice and buy this game so perhaps one day they add a Decepticon DLC or more playable Autobots, maybe even an HD update.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its contribution to the atmosphere, others find it generic and lacking in memorability compared to iconic scores from the Transformers franchise. Overall, it seems to lack standout compositions and feels like a missed opportunity for a more impactful musical experience.
- “I personally loved the music very much; it added a lot to the atmosphere.”
- “The music enhances the overall experience, contributing positively to the game's ambiance.”
- “The soundtrack complements the gameplay well, creating an engaging environment.”
- “The music doesn't really scream 'Transformers' and sounds somewhat generic, so there's really nothing that sticks out to me as impressive composition-wise.”
- “Flat, bright colors, generic sounds, generic music, just very little effort all around for people that were given the license to make Transformers games when so many other studios are capable of it.”
- “Lacking music.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is highly praised, with particular appreciation for the music, which, while not as memorable as iconic scores like that of "Transformers," significantly enhances the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is great.”
- “I personally loved the music very much; even though it's not as memorable as 'Transformers' music, it added a lot to the atmosphere.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its strong voice acting and accurate designs that reflect the original series, particularly highlighting Grimlock's intelligent portrayal in robot mode. The vibrant visuals further enhance the characters, contributing to a well-rounded development experience.
- “The voice acting is on point for the characters, and the character designs are accurate to G1. They finally did Grimlock justice by portraying him as intelligent in bot mode and less so in dino mode.”
- “The game features very colorful visuals with great character designs.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy is criticized for resembling that of a mobile game, lacking ads but offering a brief experience, leading some users to perceive it as a rushed cash grab rather than a fully developed title.
- “This feels like a mobile game without the ads and a very short story.”
- “I wish they would make a version that was not made in a basement in 3 days for a cash grab.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received criticism for its disappointing performance and lack of challenge, with many players finding the gameplay simplistic and repetitive. Additionally, issues with clumsy writing and voice acting further detract from the overall experience.
- “Lacks challenge; can be a bit too simplistic; repetitive mission design; clumsy writing and voice acting; performance issues.”
- “Not remotely challenging until the final few missions; writing is trite and generic; performance is disappointing.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report occasional issues with buggy controls, indicating that stability may be a concern in gameplay.
- “Sometimes buggy controls.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the immersion.”

65%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

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