Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition is a an action-adventure game, based on the animated Transformers Earthspark series, released on October 13th, 2023. The game was developed by Teressa Games and published by Outright Games (with Bandai Namco handling distribution in Europe) for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One Xbox Series X|S and Windows PCs via Steam.
Taking place after the first season of EarthSpark, the game's story follows Bumblebee as he investigates the possible return of Dr. Meridian, a.k.a Mandroid, after being attacked by arachnamechs. During his investigation, Bumblebee finds out that Mandroid has discovered and is after an ancient Cybertronian piece of technology that might allow him to realize his plans to wipe out every Transformer on Earth. The game also features a completely different voice cast from the show.
The game provides examples of:
- Adaptational Angst Downgrade: Mind control in the game is treated with a lot less gravity than it is in the show. In the show several victims of Mandroid's control patches came out of the experience feeling violated with some, like Hashtag and Grimlock, even struggling with intense PTSD afterwards. In the game's story being controlled by Mandroid is treated more like a nuisance. Even Grimlock, whose lingering trauma from his first experience being controlled the show dedicated an entire episode to, seems only mildly annoyed over it at worst once freed.
- Adaptational Wimp: The mind-controlled Cybertronians Bumblebee fights were all extremely heavy hitters in the series, often taking more than one Transformer to defeat, if they were defeated at all. Here, Bumblebee alone is enough to beat them down, something Bumblebee himself points out with amazement. This turns out to have been intentional on Mandroid's part: He needed Bumblebee to collect the Energon Activator parts but couldn't let him suspect that something was up. So he made the mind-controlled Cybertronians put up just enough of a fight that Bee wouldn't be suspicious but not enough to actually stop him.
- Art Shift: The game's first cutscene is in a stylized 2D comicbook style, while the rest of the cutscenes are in 3D.
- As You Know: The game starts with Mo and Robbie re-telling the events of the show's first season, specifically the events of "Secret Legacy" and "The Last Hope: Part 2".
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Mandroid has brought several Cybertronians under his control with the help of his control patches and forces them to fight Bumblebee to defend his dig sites. His victims include Skullcruncher, Grimlock, Nova Storm and Skywarp and Optimus Prime.
- Demoted to Extra: The Terrans and their human siblings Robbie and Mo Malto were the protagonists of the animated series, but only play a supporting role here. In-universe this is justified by them repairing an old G.H.O.S.T. base so Bee can use it as headquarters, as well as Bee actively keeping them away from the action out of fear they'll get hurt.
- Dismantled Macguffin: The Energon Activator, a prototype Decepticon weapon capable of generating a nuclear electromagnetic pulse which can wipe out all forms of machine-based life. The Autobots split it into parts to prevent it's use and Bumblebee needs to collect said parts before Mandroid does to use it for his own sinister plans.
- The Ghost: Dot and Megatron are mentioned a few times, but never actually appear in the game.
- Suddenly Speaking:
- In the series, Transformers controlled by Mandroid were always eerily silent, due to being completely focused on fighting Mandroid's enemies over everything else. In the game, Mandroid's brainwashing victims are fully capable of talking and even seem to some extent aware that Mandroid is controlling them. Bumblebee lampshades this in his fight with Skullcruncher.
- What makes Skullcruncher an even more poignant example is that in the show, mind-controlled or not, Skullcruncher never spoke.
- Whatever Happened to the Mouse?: While Grimlock is present during the victory celebration in the final cutscene, Skullcruncher, Skywarp and Nova Storm aren't. No one asks or explains what became of them either, though it's likely they just didn't want to stick around and left.
