I’ve long held the belief that movie games get a bad rap, there’s plenty of examples of great movie games out there and, as it happens, I’m currently finishing up an article highlighting the top ten.

From the sound of things Transformers Revenge of The Fallen could have been number one if I’d had a chance to play it.

Transformers Revenge of The Fallen isn’t a game you’d immediately add to your ‘must play list’, first you've got the stigma of the movie license game, then you've got the stigma of Michael Bay attached to the whole project as well and some part of your brain, the part that stops you drinking paint, is shouting a warning. Well annoy that troublesome pest and absorb the following data, like an energon cube.

In the game you choose a side and then select which missions you want to tackle from a central hub location. The missions take place in a number of open world environments but they’re not just all on good solid earth. If you choose to play as Starscream you’ll have a mission where you need to take out the US Navy at sea. You can fly as a jet strafing aircraft carriers and US jets, or you can transform and crash onto the deck of a ship and then rip them up with your bare hands. You can also hover and methodically take out your targets. Success earns medals and rankings that unlock more missions and upgrades for your Transformers. See, I saw a light go on in your eyes there, medals and ranks? Unlockable upgrades for your transformer? There's more than meets the eye here. Read on.

The game is fast, like Burnout fast. In most levels you’ll be speeding like a maniac, hand breaking round corners, transforming into a giant robot at full speed, jumping over a building, firing of a few rounds in mid air and then hitting the ground as a car again. Just picture that scenario and then explain to me how that might not be cool. All the Transformers in the game have an individual special ability such as a Sniper Rifle zoom for their guns or the ability to drop automatic turrets. Kinda like having kittens as an offensive ability, only for robots.

There’s also a very powerful melee attack you can pull of as you transform that is ideal for taking out other Transformers. The controls haven’t been detailed yet but it will definitely require some well timed button presses.

The really good news? Multiplayer will be a major part of the game so you and your friends can spend some time together reliving the battles of your childhood with your Hasbro toys over Xbox Live and PSN. For many that’s the only selling point they’re likely to need.

With the good comes the bad though. Escort missions. Driving puny humans around to objectives and then trying to protect them while they complete they’re objective. I suppose while it could potentially be frustrating it’s a good way to get inside your Transformers head and realising just how hard it is to sympathise with these pathetic fleshlings. Us in other words.

I love giant robots and in theory giant robot games and eagerly await the day we get a really good giant robot game on consoles, something that captures the feel of Mazinger Z or Robotech. I even shelled out $50 on ebay a few months ago for an ancient PS2 game called War of the Monsters (brilliant game) just because you get to fight classic giant with a giant robot. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen certainly sounds and looks like a contender to fullfill my yearning for robot love.

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