You have to admire Activision’s thoroughness – it’s spreading the mediocrity across every known format. There is some good news from this movie tie-in game: it’s superior to the previous Transformers title. Of course, the same could also be said of just about any other game. Ever. Including titles on the ZX81.

As before, you choose which side you’re on: the good Autobots or the evil Decepticons. Frankly, it makes no difference. Whichever moral standpoint you opt for, you’ll be thrown into an endless stream of dully repetitive, standard third-person shoot-em-up missions: run around, shoot things, occasionally turn into a different machine and drive or fly around instead And shoot things. Score enough points, unlock more missions. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat …

Some missions can be challenging thanks to the sheer number of assailants out to get you. Most though are challenging thanks to a control system that requires the dexterity of a conjuror and the memory of an elephant as button functions change depending on whether you’re in robotic or vehicular form. Mind you, the AI is so poor that general button mashing is frequently enough to get you by. With its major flaws, tedious gameplay and dull graphics, Revenge of the Fallen is a typically rushed, cynical movie tie-in. Or at least it would be if it weren’t for its saving grace of enjoyable online/multiplayer options.

Five game modes – Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Control Points, Battle For The Shards and the portentously named One Shall Stand – give decent variety, and online response times are speedy. It is, of course, all highly derivative and however you dress it up, it’s still essentially Gears of War with robots. But, seeing you could never turn Marcus Fenix into a fighter plane or a big blue truck, that must score it some brownie points. Whether it’s enough brownie points to justify the possible 50 quid outlay though is doubtful.