Transformers: Cybertron Adventures vs Dead Space: Extraction

... or why I consider DS:E way more fun than T:CA.

On paper, there are some similarities between Transformers: Cybertron Adventures and Dead Space: Extraction. Both are based on an existing franchise. Both are rail shooters. And, of course, both are on Wii. But, that's not much.

I'm on the fence of whether T:CA has more plot to go with it than usual rail shooters. The missions string together to form a sequential plot rather than a bunch of missions you can pick in any order (Ghost Squad). There can also be other team mates going with you (with an actual name and not being cannon fodders). There's plenty of talk over the radio about what is happening, often when your Transformer is moving to a different place.

Nonetheless, there are few idle moments, especially when compared to DS:E.

When it comes to emotional impact, I see no contest. If you're old enough to play the game, DS:E's story is more emotionally gripping, even if you know the outcome before even starting the game. At the moment, I'm (probably) in the last mission of the Autobot campaign and haven't touched the Decepticon campaign yet. The first chapter of DS:E had more feeling to it than all of T:CA I've played so far.

Music. I didn't notice what kind of music DS:E had, but it definitely wasn't anything that stood out on itself. And that was the way it was supposed to be. T:CA also has almost nonexistent music. Why? Like Geltonz said in his YouTube review, "the music is there but it's muted, quiet, atmospheric; that doesn't work for a game like this." I don't think there is much of an atmosphere for the music to create or emphasize. It's shiny metal men shooting at each other and cleanly blowing up in rapidly disappearing pieces when they die.

Well, DS:E also has the fallen enemies quickly vanishing, but they take visible damage, unlike the robots in T:CA.

In DS:E, you have the telekinesis and the stasis abilities, together with a nice selection of weapons, although you can carry only four at a time. In T:CA in the on-foot parts, you... have no pickups, have otherwise the same four weapons in each mission except for a cannon replacing the rapid-fire blaster in some levels and the ability hide behind a cover and recover your health. On the other hand, in T:CA there are also the vehicle sections in which you fly more or less in a pipe or drive a vehicle on a junctionless road and shoot things with lock-on missiles or a blaster. So it might balance things out a bit.

Extras. T:CA has static artwork as extras you gain access to by leveling your characters. DS:E has an 'animated' comic with voiceovers. Sure, there are more artwork in T:CA than there are issues of the comic on DS:E, but I don't see that really making it up.

There are some extra modes beside the main storyline, but I don't think I'll be bothering with them.

I'd definitely pick Dead Space: Extraction over Transformers: Cybertron Adventures.