Transformers: War for Cybertron takes place on the home planet of Cybertron, where two factions, Autobots and Decepticons, are engaged in a war that will decide their fate. The game's story explores the Transformers' origins, long before they encountered Earth.
The game is a third-person action-adventure title that utilizes the Unreal Engine to render its robots and environments. Players can choose to side with either the Autobots or Decepticons in single-player and online co-op campaigns for up to three players. Each side has its own story and missions, which feature running, jumping, shooting, transforming, and more.
Players can transform between robot mode and vehicle mode to explore the game's environments and utilize different forms of mobility and weaponry. In single-player mode, the player is accompanied by two fellow Transformers that can be AI or player-controlled.
The game also features online multiplayer, allowing players to create their own Transformers: War for Cybertron character from one of four classes and engage in six different multiplayer modes, such as Deathmatch, Code of Power, or Countdown to Extinction.
A return to voice actor Peter Cullen's iconic role as Optimus Prime is featured, reprising his involvement with the character since 1984.