'Transformers: Fall of Cybertron' multiplayer lets you build your own Transformer, adding DLC Dinobots

Grimlock and Kickback coming to a Transformers multiplayer match near you.

Want to play as a pink Optimus Prime while you shoot your Autobot pals in multiplayer? Or would you rather build your own Decepticon from scratch, swapping dozens of parts, paint styles and metallic tweaks for even deeper customization? High Moon Studios and Activision's Transformers: Fall of Cyberton will let you do that via its deep build-a-Transformer mode when the game launches in August.

High Moon Studios game director Matt Tieger boasted at a Comic-Con event for the upcoming Transformers game that he expects players of Fall of Cybertron to lose themselves for hours in the game's character customization mode.

While players can choose from a large library of body parts, heads, vehicle shapes and weapons, the customization option Tieger seemed most excited to pitch was the "metallic" slider. "We've invested a huge amount of time in making our metal look good," Tieger said, from matte to super shiny, offering a range from G1 Transformers flatness to chromed out slickness.

High Moon showed off a new competitive multiplayer mode at its Comic-Con event last night, a territorial control mode that pits five Autobots against five Decepticons, with each team vying to secure control nodes. Fall of Cybertron's interpretation of the mode didn't deviate wildly from the norm, but the use of the multiplayer mode's four classes — the nimble but weak Infiltrator, the mid-range Destroyer, the tank-like Titan, and the supporting Scientist — and their respective vehicle and robot transformations, added a tactically interesting layer to conventional gameplay.

Grid View

What could spice up multiplayer further will be the downloadable content coming to Fall of Cybertron's multiplayer mode. Tieger announced that High Moon Studios will be releasing Dinobots and Insecticons to competitive multiplayer after the game's release, something that wasn't part of the developer's original plans.

Tieger told Polygon that he requested the feature, but believed it couldn't be added in time, as the multiplayer mode was hitting the memory capacity of the Xbox 360. To his surprise, the development team managed to work in Grimlock, Kickback and crew during the last 10% of the game's development cycle, Tieger says. It wasn't the first time High Moon hit a roadblock with those pesky Dinobots.

Details on the Dinobots and Insecticons, including the who, how and when, are still under wraps.

Beyond the DLC additions planned for Fall of Cybertron, Tieger also announced that the Transformers game's multiplayer mode would now boast host migration, making re-hosting of a multiplayer match smoother and less painful, should the host disconnect during gameplay.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is planned to roll out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on August 21st.