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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Moderately fun actioner with relentless robot violence.

In this game kids can:   battle others, improve hand-eye coordination, kill humans (without blood), kill non-humans (without blood), play in a virtual world, play multiplayer games, play with others

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

The good stuff

  • Ease of play:

    Attack and navigation controls are surprisingly nuanced and reward players who practice. That said, rookie players can simply mash the attack button and get by just fine.
  • Messages:

    In the role of the Autobots, players will fight to save the Earth and humanity, and work to keep civilians safe when possible. Playing as the Decepticons, players’ fight for the forces of evil, and humans become a target.
  • Role models:

    The Autobots strive for peace and a safe world for humanity, making them decent role models (if such a thing can be said of robots). The Decepticons, however, simply destroy and kill and want to destroy the Earth.
 

What to watch out for

  • Online interaction:

    There are several competitive team-based online multiplayer modes that support voice chat. Depending on the players, these modes can either create a sense of cooperation and teamwork among players or result in bullying and name-calling. Common Sense Media does not recommend this sort of online play for anyone under age 12.
  • Violence:

    The violence is constant and intense, but there is no blood or gore. In addition to hitting each other with their giant metal fists, the robots attack using guns, missiles, lasers, energy balls, and other ballistic weaponry. Innocent civilians fleeing the combat area are often killed during battle, by accident, or, if the player chooses, on purpose. These tiny people fly through the air and then disappear when hit. Environmental objects, including telephone poles, parked cars, and billboards, often get destroyed in the fracas.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Infrequent, mildly coarse language (“damn” and “hell”) can be heard within the spoken dialogue.
  • Consumerism:

    This game is a clear case of movie merchandising. It is based on the film of the same name and its release was timed to make the most of the marketing machine supporting the movie.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was written by Chad Sapieha

Parents need to know that this action game is based on the film of the same name, and that, like the film, it is suitable for teens and up. Be prepared, however, for younger children swayed by the glut of advertising surrounding the movie to be interested in giving it a go. The action, which involves ballistic weaponry and melee combat, is constant and intense, but it is mostly robots fighting robots, which means no blood or gore. Note, though, that innocent civilians are sometimes caught in the combat zone, and that they can be killed by players -- by accident or with intent. A modicum of mildly coarse language can be heard, but it’s nothing worse than what kids might hear watching evening television programming.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about violence as it concerns robots. Is a game that features robots being destroyed rather than people being killed somehow less disturbing? Does your opinion change when the robots are depicted as sentient and capable of emotion and creative thought? If you think violence against intelligent robots isn’t as disquieting as violence against humans, does it follow that the most upsetting facet of violence is blood and gore? Should it be so?
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More on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

What’s the Story?

Based on the Michael Bay film, TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN is a straightforward action game starring enormous robots that fight each other and in the process lay waste to the cities around them, usually in spectacular fashion. Players can choose to play as either the good guys (Autobots) or bad guys (Decepticons) in two separate campaigns, each composed of about two dozen missions around the globe. Over the course of the game they'll get to step into the metal skin of the most recognizable robots from the film and upgrade their abilities as they earn energon, the mysterious energy that fuels the Transformers. They can also fight online in a variety of traditional multiplayer modes, ranging from deathmatches to control point challenges to capture the flag games.

 

Close

Is It Any Good?

Revenge of the Fallen is pretty standard movie-based fare. The action is fluid and multifaceted -- it can be quite satisfying to drive along in vehicle mode, then transform into a robot, leap onto the side of a building, and begin pounding enemies with a pair of massive metal mitts -- but the environments are small and bland and the mission objectives, which are essentially limited to being ordered to destroy enemies over here then over there, become repetitive before long. And while there’s the façade of an impressive upgrade system, when it comes right down to it all we’re doing is simply increasing health bars and the power of existing attacks. Fans of non-stop action may be appeased by the game's reasonably fun mechanics, but players looking for a little depth and substance in their games ought to look elsewhere.

Platform Notes:

Xbox 360/PlayStation3/Windows PC:
This is the version reviewed above. It is essentially the same on all platforms, save minor differences in graphics and control layout.

Wii/PlayStation 2:
This version of the game is substantially different from the one reviewed. It follows the story of the films more closely, levels are more linear, there is but a single campaign, and, in the case of the Wii, attacks are carried out by swiping the remote vertically and side to side. Note, too, that this version of the game is slightly less violent in that human civilians do not become casualties of the robot battles. They are rated Teen for Violence.

Nintendo DS:
There are two DS games; one with a story that takes place from the perspective of the Autobots and another that tells a similar tale but from the viewpoint of the Decepticons. The latter has players fighting on the side of evil. Both are 3-D action games that take place in the same locations. They are less violent than the console games only in that the destruction is slightly less graphic. It’s rated E10+ for fantasy violence.

PSP:
This game is different than all the rest. Common Sense Media has yet to evaluate it. It is rated E10+ for fantasy violence.

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Publisher’s Details

Released on 6/23/2009, price $29.99 - $59.99, online enabled
ESRB rating: T (for Mild Language, Violence)

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See all 9 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Safety is an issue

    Movie is good, but the game is alright....

  2. I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Easy to play

    TRANSFORMERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Great game love the multiplayer, controls, and single, player i love how u can be autobots, and desepticons, the game sysu=em i got mine for is for x box360! (best version!)

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    The Best Movie Based Game I've Ever Played.

    This Game Is The Best For The PS3 & XBOX 360 (I Bought The XBOX 360 Version). When I First Got It For My Birthday, I Was Startled In Surprise Because I Thought I Wouldn't Have Gotten It. It Was Pretty Expensive, $60 Expensive. But When I Got The Chance To Play It, Not Only Did It Have Amazing Graphics, The Game Itself Was Incredible. I Got So Hooked. And The Story Was Well Tied To The Movie. It's A Whole Lot Better Than The First Transformers Game. Though At First, The Game Play Is A Little Confusing, But Once You Get The Hang Of It, It's Really Fun To Play. The Only Downside Is That You Can Accidentally Kill Innocent People When Your Walking Or Driving By Them. I Wish That They At Least Made It So You Could Run Them Over And Not Actually Kill Them. But Anyway, If You Liked The Movie, You'll LOVE The Game For The PS3 Or XBOX 360.

  4. I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Easy to play

    Well Done Movie Game

    This game has no foul content.I let my kids play Rated M games pretty much all the time.This game is way better than the original.The story follows the basic movie.There is lots of fighting.Graphics are okay but man is this game good for a game based on a movie.Almost everything is this game is amazing no dought.You can play as the auto bots or the decepticons either one.I recommend it on the PS3 or 360 (we bought it on the 360) just because the other versions don't live up to this one.This a good game for every kid 7+.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 1.0

    bad for evry one

    the worst game i have ever played

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