As you level up in each class, new weapons and abilities are unlocked. All classes have unique abilities, further specializing their role in battle. Scientists begin as healers, but are eventually able to drop sentry turrets on the field or, in a move Starscream himself would be proud of, fool opponents by temporarily "switching sides."
Once again, learning how to mesh the various classes is key to victory. Like our Escalation matches, early multiplayer rounds were every-man-for-himself. This led to a lot of deaths and not much progress. Once we stopped worrying about kill counts and focused on team goals, matches became incredibly close. It is easily one of my favorite multiplayer experiences this year.
Teamwork even spills over into Campaign. Solo play is, of course, available, though after playing through part of the Decepticon campaign in three-player co-op, I'm not sure I want to play alone. As in Escalation and multiplayer, you'll need to lean heavily on teammates to make it through levels. During our game, we found ourselves constantly spotting each other when ammo was low, a problem that happens a lot in single-player.
When I come away from an event wishing a game were tucked away in my bag, it's a good thing. High Moon Studios have found a way to integrate teamwork into multiplayer and have it actually matter. For me, that's even more appealing than the license. See for yourself on June 22 and stayed tuned for a full review.
