Transformers: Galactic Trials has rolled out onto the gaming scene, and it’s time to transform your expectations. Badged as a racing/roguelike hybrid; in reality the game is a blend of racing and combat, set in the Transformers universe. Players can choose from a range of iconic Autobots and Decepticons, each with their own vehicle and robot forms, to compete in a series of Trials.
Trial and Error
The game’s main mode, Trials, has 3 difficulties (Normal, Expert and Prime). You are required to complete the previous difficulty to unlock the next with the challenge level increasing as you progress. The racing mechanics are pretty standard. You can drift, which builds up Energon which you can then used to boost, and there is a bash mechanic allowing you to try and destroy opponents on the track. Environmental hazards and the shield/healthbar mechanics mean you’ll have to be careful not to die mid race and lose time to the other racers.
One of the big changes from other racing games is the need to transform into robot form at key points on the track and either run through a gauntlet of enemies or complete an objective (which is almost always destroy a “generator”). In robot form, you can engage in combat using weapons and special skills unique to their chosen Transformer. Optimus Prime, for example, has an energy axe which you can throw at enemies to stun them.
On the surface this sounds like an interesting system, but in practice it doesn’t work particularly well. For one the areas themselves are mostly generic with the same enemies and objectives, and two there’s really no reason to try and engage the other racers in combat. The animations for special attacks take a little bit of time, so you’ll end up losing position for very little gain. My main strategy was just to shoot indiscriminately, and hope to blow up any other racers that might have got in front of me. Oh and the depth of field for jumping over gaps is shockingly bad, so get ready to get chucked to the back of the pack with infuriating consistency.
Rogue Racer
The roguelike elements come into play with the game’s perk system. As you complete events, you’ll earn perks that enhance your abilities, such as additional shield or bonus damage. New weapons can also be unlocked and upgraded, theoretically. In practice the unlock restrictions for new weapons are so arbitrary I wouldn’t be surprised if you went a good 20 hours without actually getting a permanent unlock. For perspective, you have to find the weapon during your run, and then use it to complete certain objectives. One of the objectives on the frag gun I found was to destroy a specific other racer with it. I then proceeded to never see that racer again when having that weapon equipped.
Suffice to say Transformers: Galactic Trials is not without its flaws. The vehicle handling can feel laggy and the higher difficulties seem impossible to win with slower characters. The on-foot combat segments are slow, clunky and lack in any sort of real purpose. During my time with the game I also encountered a host of bugs, such as clipping into the walls and getting stuck in a death animation. There’s also a absolute dearth of content. I play a lot of roguelites, so I expect a bit of grind but good grief there’s is so little to do. So many of the tracks (of which there is only 10!) feel incredibly similar and the bonus objectives are just boring. Oh and the AI cheats. To be expected from a racing game I know, but good grief did it feel egregious even on expert difficulty.
Final Thoughts
All in all, “Transformers: Galactic Trials” doesn’t have a lot going for it. The concept of combining racing with Transformers-style combat is intriguing, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. I think I would have preferred each mode to be separated to be honest. The Transformers themselves are generally well-represented in both visuals and audio, but the rest of the game almost screams mobile game ported to PC. There’s no microtransactions currently, but the reward box animations are so reminiscent of lootboxes I’d be surprised if they weren’t introduced later.
Fans of the franchise may find enough here to enjoy, especially with the variety of characters and the novelty of the transformation mechanic. However, those looking for a polished racing or combat experience might find the game’s execution lacking. And considering the £34.99 price tag the lack of content is sure to leave a negative taste in the mouth for even die hard Transformers fans.
Transformers: Galactic Trials was reviewed on PC. The game released on the 11th of October on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
