Transformers: War for Cybertron: Difference between revisions

The player has the opportunity to play as both the Autobots and the Decepticons. Unlike previous ''Transformers'' games to do this, however, the plot for both factions will be entirely linear in nature, as opposed to [[Multiple Endings|Multiple Ending]] scenarios, with the Decepticon campaign taking place shortly before the Autobots. The game not only gives an idea of the events that led to both the Autobots' and Decepticons' exodus from Cybertron to Earth, it also shows up close how unflinchingly brutal the fighting was.

 

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[Action Girl]]: Arcee. Being the ONLY female Autobot and up against enemy robots that turn into tanks and jet planes, she holds her own as a small car and does so in style.

* [[Adaptation Distillation]]: The game combines the best aspects of many prior ''Transformers'' franchises, and is one of the few franchises to avoid both [[camp]]iness and [[Internet Backdraft|fan backlash]].

** Well, not completely, but with [[Fan Dumb|this fandom]], it's as close as we're gonna get.

* [[Always Over the Shoulder]]

* [[An Adventurer Is You]]: Four classes - [[Mighty Glacier|Soldiers]], [[Fragile Speedster|Scouts]], [[Glass Cannon|Scientists]] and [[Jack of All Stats|Leaders]].

** Soldier-type characters have an attribute to enhance their [[Spin Attack|Whirlwind ability]] called "P.O.K.E. Alpha".

* [[Asskicking Equals Authority]]: Here's a hint: his name starts with "M" and ends with "-egatron". Challenge his authority when you're miles away, or he'll tear you apart with his bare hands.

* [[Attack Its Weak Point]]: Several examples, but the final Decepticon fight against Omega Supreme stands out the most. First you have to attack his turrets (which are explicitly stated to be outside his shields), damaging him enough to (somehow) make his chest a weak point for you to attack.

* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: {{spoiler|Trypticon}} is this for the Decepticons; it has incredibly destructive capabilities as a super weapon, but the excessive heat build up proves to be its undoing. Noted by {{spoiler|Ironhide}} and exploited by {{spoiler|your three Autobots in the final battle}} However, it ''is'' a thorough pain to exploit, and the Autobots have the fight of their lives to take him down.

** The overheating might have been due to some of his cooling systems getting wrecked in the previous level.

* [[Bad Boss]]: Sort of. Megatron certainly shows far less concern for his troops than, say, Optimus does, and he's not above blasting nameless minions who disobey or even question his orders, but he doesn't sacrifice them unnecessarily. And say what you want about him, but Megatron leads from the ''front'', and he'll make sure you don't forget it. He actually spends almost as much time on the frontlines as the local version of Optimus due to both being playable characters.

** And depending on how well you follow orders and/or your usefulness, he'll be pretty flexible. Breakdown gets away with comments that lesser Decepticons would get shot over (as one does early on). Half of Megatron's barked orders to him are irritated but not quite angry calls to shut it.

** Starscream has shades of this with his subordinates.

'''Skywarp''': That's ''exactly'' what I'm talking about! }}

* [[Beware My Stinger Tail]]: {{spoiler|Trypticon}}

** Zeta's also pretty merciless with any prisoners he takes.

* [[Blood Knight]]: Many. Megatron is the most flagrant example, but Brawl and Sideswipe certainly qualify. Heck, even Optimus seems to enjoy smashing up the bad guys a little too much:

'''Optimus''': It's purely a matter of ''perspective''. }}

* [[Boisterous Bruiser]]: Damn near ALL of them, with a few exceptions, Optimus being the most obvious one (he's much too humble for it). Megatron will CERTAINLY let you know you're in for a world of hurt.

* [[Bond One-Liner]]: The characters frequently exalt their own abilities or congratulate each other after kills, though only a few are puns. For example, if Optimus headshots someone, he might rumble:

** If he doesn't say anything, Bumblebee might say:

** Meanwhile, for a proper pun, Ratchet might snark:

* [[Bond Villain Stupidity]]: The reason why Megatron doesn't just kill Starscream, despite the fact he knows full well what a traitor he is, is that apparently Megatron finds Starscream to be cunning and useful—even though the idiot tries to take over the Decepticons whenever Megatron disappears for more than thirty seconds. That and Starscream is apparently the planet's best expert on how to process [[Unobtainium|Dark Energon]], and was originally assigned to protect it.

* [[Boom! Headshot!]]: Instant kill on any trooper weaker than a Brute. Can be performed with any weapon with or without Fine Aim, meaning it's possible to get a headshot with a shotgun, or even a grenade launcher.

* [[Breath Weapon]]: {{spoiler|Trypticon}} combines this with [[Frickin' Laser Beams]].

** The boss battle even has this line related to the laser beam that is just such a big G1 throwback it makes one giddy with nostalgia.

* [[Bullet Catch]]: the beginning cutscene has Optimus catching a missile with his hand after knocking another away. The one he catches explodes, but he survives anyways, despite the rough landing.

* [[The Call Knows Where You Live]]: Optimus had apparently turned down the title of Prime given by the Autobot high council in the past, but with Zeta Prime's death and every Autobot encouraging him he takes up the role.

* [[The Captain]]: Optimus ''is'' this trope.

* [[Captain Obvious]]: [[The Smart Guy|Thundercracker]], occasionally. This may be why Skywarp and Starscream sometimes neglect his advice, to their peril.

* [[Catch Phrase]]: Optimus Prime calls for the Autobots to "roll out!" in the newest trailer, just like he always does.

** Megatron '''''will not be denied'''''.

* [[Civil War]]: The eponymous War For Cybertron.

* [[Class and Level System]]

* [[Comic Trio]]: The Seekers form one with Starscream as the schemer, Skywarp as the follower, and Thundercracker as the complainer.

* [[Commander Contrarian]]: Breakdown, who spends most of the Decepticon campaign complaining, much to Megatron's annoyance.

** Barricade also questions Megatron a few times, but since he's only around for one mission, he doesn't get as much opportunity to snark.

* [[Composite Character]]: Barricade has a body design that seems to be more of a G1-ized version of his ''Movie'' form, rather than being based on the G1 Micromaster—though as a Scout, he is the smallest member of the party. The developers have also admitted that Barricade owes more to his movie "mecha bad cop" persona than the original G1 character.

* [[Cosmetically Different Sides]]: Other than in looks, the [[Mooks]] of both sides are completely identical in actual performance, all the way up to [[Boss in Mook Clothing|Brutes, Titans]] and [[Mini Boss|Destroyers]].

* [[The Corruption]]: Dark Energon's properties are ill-defined at best, but it seems mostly able to subvert programming and cause machines to go haywire. Stuff it affects usually starts sprouting black crystalline spikes that tear it apart, when it's not blown up outright. Megatron is the first Cybertronian ever to weaponize it without being destroyed by it; most of the other Transformers are so terrified of it that they only have a small amount of the stuff in storage and are prepared to destroy it before Megatron hijacks the production facility. The game centers around the discovery and weaponization of Dark Energon, while Megatron's personal plot revolves around using it to corrupt Cybertron itself and bring the planet under his control. {{spoiler|While Megatron succeeds, Cybertron does have a way to purge itself. However, the purging will require Cybertron to shut down and become uninhabitable for millions of years}}.

* [[Cutscene Power to the Max]]: So. Very. Much. ''Every'' named Transformer becomes exponentially more powerful whenever you're not controlling him.

* [[Darker and Edgier]]: This is a far more intense Transformers adaptation than is the usual fare, [[Beyond the Impossible|even more than]] [[Transformers (film)|Bayformers]]. For one thing, it's not just the Decepticons that have nameless legions of cannon fodder.

* [[The Dark Side Will Make You Forget]]: In the ''Exodus'' [[All There in the Manual|tie-in novel]], Megatron's goal for doing what he does is to free Cybertron from an oppressive caste system that stifles personal ambition and cultural development. By the time of ''War for Cybertron'', however, he's devolved into the megalomaniacal tyrant we all know and love, promising to relieve the population of Cybertron of "the burdens of freedom and choice."

** Although the view that Megatron was not always an evil bot is still popular—indeed, it seems to be canon in most modern continuities.

* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Most of the Autobots and Decepticons get a couple sarcastic lines off throughout the game, even the ones that were never that humorous. Like Megatron:

'''Megatron''': [[Sarcasm Mode|Yes, Breakdown. I'm well known for my sparkling sense of humour]]. }}

** Megatron gets another good one in at Breakdown's expense:

'''Megatron''': Yes, Breakdown. Your ''constant whining'' saw us through. }}

* [[The Determinator]]: This is Megatron's defining characteristic. The entire Decepticon campaign has various characters telling Megatron that he cannot do what he's trying to do (control Dark Energon, storm the gates of the Autobot capital, defeat Omega Supreme). Megatron's response is to give them all the finger and do it anyway.

* [[Disney Villain Death]]: Both subverted and played straight with {{spoiler|Trypticon. Subverted in that he survives a fall from ''orbit''; played straight in that Optimus, Bumblebee, and Ironhide manage to defeat him by blowing out his power cores and causing him to fall down a chasm. And even then, we [[Never Found the Body|can't be certain that actually killed him]]...}}

** {{spoiler|They didn't. He becomes the Nemesis according to Exodus. But his mind is out and out ''gone'', so he's running on a mixture of autonomous systems and the Decepticons working various stations and posts inside his body.}}

* [[Elite Mooks]]: [[Drop the Hammer|Brutes]], [[BFG|Titans]], and the aforementioned [[Heavily Armored Mook|overshield-equipped]] grenadiers.

* [[Escort Mission]]: Delightfully averted for the most part. Though you always travel in a squad of three, your squadmates are invincible. Even if they're auto-killed by an environmental effect (such as falling into a bottomless pit or {{spoiler|standing in front of Trypticon's laser breath}}), they respawn a moment later. In short, you are never punished for any [[Artificial Stupidity]].

** This also has a secondary effect: you'll NEVER use a medic during the campaign. Invincible medic = epic win for you.

* [[Everything's Better with Dinosaurs]]: Trypticon retains his Godzilla-like form—apparently, even alien robots just ''know'' how awesome dinosaurs are.

* [[Evil Laugh]]: Starscream and Megatron are the most common users of this. Though the latter only does it when he's either killed something big in a fight or achieved some important goal.

* [[Gatling Good]]: The X12 Scrapmaker minigun.

* [[Giant Space Flea From Nowhere]]: It's never explained where the hell Trypticon came from. There was no indication in the Decepticon campaign, for example, that {{spoiler|the transfer station was alive}}. (It should be noted that while Megatron is never put off by the sheer size and power of Omega Supreme, that might just be Megatron being Megatron...or it might hint of things to come...) It probably has something to do with how new Cybertronians are made, but since we don't know how that is it comes off as a bit odd.

* [[Gladiator Games]]: Megatron got his start (and name) in the equivalent of Cybertronian Fight Club. His desire to see a free Cybertron without a caste system where everyone is free to determine their own path sparks his rise to power as more and more Cybertronians (including the future Optimus Prime) come to his cause, leading eventually to a...

** [[Gladiator Revolt]]: Unfortunately, as Megatron's organization grows in power, some start to do less than moral things such as bombing an amusement park.

* [[Humongous Mecha]]: Omega Supreme and Trypticon. The tank mini-bosses also, to a lesser extent. Technically the whole cast is this, but since this game is on Cybertron, you don't notice this.

* [[Hyperspace Arsenal]]: Probably a ''literal'' one, given the franchise's common use of [[Pocket Dimension]]s. Every character carries a melee weapon and up to two ranged weapons, and only the currently-equipped weapon ever appears on their person. Acquiring a new weapon involves some sort of scanning procedure, and weapons transform out of the way and disappear when they're not being used. Furthermore, all of these weapons disappear when the character enters vehicle mode. However, there seems to be a limit to the size of the [[Hyperspace Arsenal]], as the characters can't carry [[BFG]]s taken from turrets around with them.

** And even in his backstory, before his rise to power, he was like this (charismatic and leading by example). See the Gladiator tropes above.

* [[I Will Show You X]]: Skywarp's belated response to Starscream's Not-So-[[Stealth Insult]].

'''Starscream''': You always do... }}

* [[Incoming Ham]]: Everyone spouts a line like this when they transform back into robot mode. Or out of robot mode, really.

* [[Legacy Character]]: Sort of. The post of Prime is when a society formalizes this trope. Zeta Prime, Optimus's predecessor, is a character in the story. {{spoiler|He is captured by the Decepticons and tortured. Soundwave kills him by draining the last of his life energy. Afterwards, [[Due to the Dead|Optimus brings his body home]] and is chosen by the Autobot High Council to succeed him as Prime}}.

* [[Macross Missile Massacre]]: If you face [[Airborne Mook|flyers]], expect these. Oh, and:

** {{spoiler|Trypticon}}. DEAR GOD, {{spoiler|Trypticon}}!

** Everybody has a rocket launcher that does this in the Wii game.

** He's hanging around with [[Bad Boss|Meg]][[Blood Knight|at]][[Leeroy Jenkins|ron]]. Of ''course'' he's nervous.

* [[Mechanical Lifeforms]]: Aside from the Transformers themselves, the depths of Cybertron have weird floating robot squids and other such things.

* [[The Men First]]: Optimus and Ratchet will constantly try to avoid any casualties on their side.

* [[Mini Boss]]: Destroyers. Also the Decepticon War Machines in the first mission of the Autobot campaign.

* [[Old Soldier]]: Ironhide's age and experience are commented upon during the game, especially on the mission he shared with Optimus and Warpath.

* [[Palette Swap]]: As expected, there are a few characters who essentially have the same appearance, but different colours (i.e. Starscream and the Seekers as usual). The game even gives you the option to do this yourself as part of multiplayer customization.

'''[[Anti-Villain|Thundercracker:]]''' Ugly? You and I look the SAME! }}

* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: One of the powers of the Scientist class, basically a [[Palette Swap]]. It's even more paper thin to other scientists, who can see the health gauges of all actual allies, but not disguised enemy Scientists, and even more so when someone tries this as Shockwave who has a very unique character model which involves a big purple glowing chest which when using this ability becomes a big red glowing chest. The lack of these obvious distinctions, however, makes it possible to fool an enemy who isn't a fellow Scientist long enough to club them with a melee attack, usually.

* [[Ruined FOREVER]]: Well, with the fanbase, this was a guarantee.

* [[Scenery Porn]]: Cybertron looks damned good in many of the overhead shots. But then again...

*** The design team was actually very careful about these tropes. The Autobot cities, whilst heavily damaged from civil war, are perfect symbols of the once proud civilization Cybertron must have been before the war, whereas Kaon, the Decepticon city, is purposefully rusty and grimy, with the idea that the Decepticons aren't out to build a functioning society. Or at the very least, a society based more around function, power, and making others do the grunt work. Whereas the Autobots are a cooperative utopia, the Decepticons are a competitive utopia.

* [[Sequel Hook]]: {{spoiler|After ordering the evacuation of Cybertron, Optimus also commisions the building of the Ark, a ship massive enough to much of Cybertron with them as they search for a new home}}.

* [[Sniper Pistol]]: All weapons except for the [[Short-Range Shotgun|Scatter Blaster and EMP Shotgun]] can be used for semi-effective sniping with Precision Aim mode on. The Energon Battle Pistol takes this literally, with a 5x scope in Precision Aim mode—the only weapon that zooms in farther is the Null Ray, a dedicated sniper rifle with a 10x scope.

* [[Sociopathic Soldier]]: Obviously a Decepticon trait, with Brawl being the biggest example, but Warpath also shows very little reluctance about blowing a keghole into someone.

* [[Soul Jar]]: {{spoiler|The Autobot Matrix of Leadership is a portion of the soul of Primus, given to Optimus by Primus himself. This is the most comprehensive origin story ever given to the mythology concept}}.

* [[Spin Attack]]: The ability called Whirlwind.

* [[The Unfought]]: The Autobots and Decepticons only get to fight the opposite faction's leader in multiplayer due to their stories being sequential rather than parallel. The only duel between the leaders that is in any way related to the storyline occurs in the intro.

* [[Up to Eleven]]: Parodied near the end of the Autobot campaign.

'''Jetfire''': No, that's the ''point!'' It's about to blow! }}

* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: After Megatron loses the Core of Cybertron, his most prized asset in the war, he starts using his [[Kill Sat]] to destroy the evacuation ships. What makes this a breakdown? Earlier in the game, he actually wanted the Autobots to leave the planet. And given that Cybertron was currently dying, those ships held some of the last living members of his race.

* The vid-screen shows the station's weapon destroying all the escaping ships*

'''Ratchet''': He's... insane. }}

** [[Epic Flail]]: Megatron's weapon.

** Melee weapons aside, while most characters can equip any two guns they come across, Optimus and Megatron are unable to drop their signature Ion Cannon and Fusion Cannon.

* [[What Could Possibly Go Wrong?]]: {{spoiler|The Aerialbots decide to take out Trypticon's conversion cog and revert him back to his natural Cybertronian form}}.

'''Silverbolt''': Maybe not, but anything is better than this. }}

* [[What the Hell Is That Accent?]]: [[Troy Baker]]'s Jetfire clearly has ''some'' sort of accent compared to his [[American Accents|American-accented]] comrades, but there is some debate as to whether that accent is meant to be [[British Accents|British]] or [[Australian Accent|Australian]]. The fact that incarnations of Jetfire have had both accents in previous ''Transformers'' fiction<ref>(''[[Transformers (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Jetfire had a Yorkshire accent, while ''[[Transformers Cybertron]]'' Jetfire sounded Aussie)</ref> doesn't help. ([[Word of God|According to Baker]], Jetfire's accent is a "standard" English accent that has been intentionally mutated to sound less "posh"—so more British than Australian, but not really either.)

* [[Wing Man]]: The Aerialbots to one another. While the Seekers have the "chatter in the middle of battle" part down, they don't really care enough for each other for the "watch my six" part. [[Anti-Villain|Thundercracker might]], if the others weren't jackholes.

* [[X Meets Y|W Meets X Meets Y Meets Z...]]: Seriously, it's kinda tough to pin down what it exactly took ideas from to mix together.

* [[You Are in Command Now]]: When Zeta Prime is defeated, Optimus is forced to take command of the Autobot army in his place. [[Time to Step Up Commander|Not a single Autobot sees this as a bad thing]], except ''maybe'' Optimus himself. Starscream also tries to invoke this trope many times during the game, but, well, Megatron has a pesky tendency to not die.

* [[You Fool!]]: Used mostly by Starscream, though Megatron says it once.

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