Metascore
59 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 53 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 53
  2. Negative: 11 out of 53
  1. Jul 5, 2011
    42
    Overall this just feels like they took one step forward and then two steps back.
  2. Jun 28, 2011
    65
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon is one of the usual and trivial tie-in that hit the market. Gameplay mechanics gives some fun but the global experience is not really good in the end.
  3. Jun 22, 2011
    70
    The true winner in Dark of the Moon isn't Autobots or Decepticons – it's excellent pacing. Before any one part of the game starts to truly show its flaws, you're done with it and on to a new section. Sure, it's not the best Transformers game we've ever played, but it's still a good a Transformers game, and that'll be enough for a lot of people.
  4. Jun 21, 2011
    91
    If you're a fan of Transformers, this is one I'd recommend.
  5. Dec 12, 2011
    78
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon may suffer from some derivative level design, and its introduction of the cool Stealth Force form does have some repetitive gameplay consequences. But kudos to the developers for injecting something new into the formula.
  6. Sep 16, 2011
    40
    It seems like the developer ran out of the time before they could iterate upon last year's Transformers: War for Cybertron. This game winds up being a product of significantly lesser quality than it predecessor.
  7. Sep 14, 2011
    76
    While I know that this is a movie tie-in, I had high hopes for Dark of the Moon because of War for Cybertron. At the end of the day, Dark of the Moon feels unpolished with room to grow.
  8. 48
    A disappointing offering and one that is especially perplexing after War for Cybertron offered so much potential. Every aspect of this game is lacking in some way and the only boon is the fact it is mercifully short. Childhood memories – consider yourself crushed.
  9. Jul 24, 2011
    40
    A frustrating and unremarkable video game experience. The game never really goes above and beyond the call of duty, offering only mildly attractive locations, bog-standard third-person gameplay and a relatively insignificant plot.
  10. Jul 11, 2011
    65
    While (in my opinion) the single player game is pretty weak, with its short running time, linear gameplay and predictable structure (fight off wave after wave of enemy, until you reach the end of the level and fight the boss), DotM's competitive multiplayer may prove to be its saving grace.
  11. Jul 10, 2011
    50
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon is not a game we could recommend. The gameplay is boring and way too short. You're better off picking up Transformers: War for Cybertron again for a much more pleasant experience.
  12. Jul 8, 2011
    55
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon fails to avoid the movie tie-in trap, but it's functional gameplay will satisfy anyone who wants to know more about the titular movie and has low expectations.
  13. Jul 7, 2011
    50
    Although War for Cybertron had us hoping for an imminent consecration for the franchise, Dark of the Moon proves to be just one of the many mediocre tie-in's we've had to deal with.
  14. 70
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon may not be a truly complete experience, but it's just that: a good time. At their core, I think that's what games should be all about.
  15. Jul 6, 2011
    50
    After the release of War for Cybertron, expectations from High Moon Studios were high. But this is not a game like War for Cybertron, but a movie tie-in with all the flaws and weaknesses this particular genre is plagued by.
  16. Jul 6, 2011
    50
    While Dark of the Moon hits all the bases for a blockbuster game, it won't live up to the blockbuster experience. At least the game wasn't as bad as the movie.
  17. Jul 5, 2011
    50
    As much as fans may be hoping for that great Transformers game, and as much as Dark of the Moon offers occasional moments of enjoyment, this is a game that will ultimately frustrate fans with robotic precision as it underutilizes or undermines every defining aspect of the Transformers franchise.
  18. Jul 3, 2011
    65
    Transformers: Dark of the Moon may be the better of the three games based on the movie series, but that isn't saying too much. It's a tighter, more action-packed experience compared to the previous games, but it sacrifices length and choice to get there.
  19. 65
    High Moon clearly did all they could, but ultimately, Dark of the Moon is a small package with too much filler to be worth more than a rental. Though we're betting it's still better than the film it's based on.
  20. Jun 30, 2011
    40
    Incoming movie? Quick, get me a game out there! That's how one could summarize Transformers: Dark of the Moon. With super linear TPS phases and a failed racing gameplay, this episode only has its Mecha license and steam-venting ability for itself. AI's a mess, most of the original sequences aren't really convincing, and its production values are clearly not on par with the rest of the game products of today.
  21. Jun 29, 2011
    42
    After War for Cybertron released there was a brief moment of hope that licensed games would no longer be sub-par experiences. High Moon has dashed those hopes against Transformers: Dark of the Moon and erased their earned good will in the process. If the promise of a quality movie tie-in still exists, it'll take a lot more than this incomplete, graceless game to keep that promise alive.
  22. Jun 29, 2011
    70
    For a video game based on a film, Transformers: Dark of the Moon does well. It's a good action title that can be enjoyed by adults and kids. It's simple, easy to use and fun, though it doesn't stand out in any areas when compared to great action titles. It is worth at least a look.
  23. Jun 28, 2011
    70
    Dark of the Moon provides plenty of popcorn thrills that you'll likely forget as soon as the credits begin rolling. Judged against other movie games, it's actually pretty good; next to last year's superior entry, however, it looks a bit like a tin can.
  24. Jun 28, 2011
    50
    High Moon should have been given a little more time - and a lot more freedom - to play with their toys than they received for this outing. Hopefully, if we ever head back to Cybertron, the team will get another chance to show us what it can really do.
  25. Jun 28, 2011
    50
    It's a shame that Transformers: Dark of the Moon exhibits so many fundamental flaws in its design, as from time to time you get a fleeting vision of what High Moon Studios is trying to create.
  26. 60
    They've proved themselves capable of better than this.
  27. Jun 27, 2011
    70
    If you're already played War for Cyberton and are itching for more Transformers action, Dark of the Moon is a safe bet.
  28. Jun 27, 2011
    70
    Overall, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is your typical movie based video game as it is thin on features and is about as mind numbing as the movie itself. Simply put, Dark of the Moon is not as good as last year's War for Cybertron, which is disappointing.
  29. Jun 26, 2011
    50
    The intent is clearly there but a shortened development cycle prevents this from expanding on the solid foundations laid by War For Cyberton.
  30. Jun 25, 2011
    60
    If you want to play a Transformers game with your friends, then you need to play War for Cybertron instead. But if you're excited for the upcoming movie and want to get a head start on hyping yourself up, well, maybe you want to rent Dark of the Moon, since it's going to feel like a pretty empty purchase after you've finished it in a single sitting.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 12
  2. Negative: 2 out of 12
  1. 10
    Considering that it was developed by High Moon, which also developed War for Cybertron, I had high expectations of this game. It has not proved me wrong, everything I enjoyed in WfC I found just as compelling in DotM. The control scheme and game mechanics were all familiar to me. I can understand how some people dislike how this game is almost identical to WfC and expected extra content. However, judging from the reviews of previously disastrous Transformers games, I'm not surprised why High Moon decided to keep everything the way it was. Full Review »
  2. Horrible game that should not have been made, effort should have been put into the War for Cybertron 2. The campaign had horrible load times every time it would save on a level and the stealth mode ruins the need for robot mode during the campaign. The controls are slow & plodding, lagging behind the action with inaccurate melee and vanishing grenades. Map glitches abound where your character will be caught in invisible parts of the maps. Mulitplayer is plagued with lag in game and even when changing screens on the menu. Full Review »
  3. This game is good and bad at the same time. If you've played War for Cybertron, DotM will play nearly identical. So, playing and beating the campaign in less than 4 hours on normal difficulty was entertaining for the most part. However, the fact that this game came out AFTER War for Cybertron, I felt disappointed. DotM is basically War for Cybertron watered down. There is no longer co-op campaign, the campaign is shorter than WFC's, there is absolutely NO Escelation mode in multiplayer, and the character customization is less than WfC! I feel ripped off for paying $60+ for a game that is actually worse than WfC. It seems that High Moon and Activision thought "hey, we can put out a game in mere months without much work. We can just borrow the framework from WfC, put in a short campaign, and let the hype from the upcoming movie do all the advertising for us!" Full Review »