Transformers: Beast Machines (WIN A DVD BOX SET!)

Michael Bay is renown for the excesses of his movies and his version of TOY STORY is based on the popular TRANSFORMERS series of toys, comics and animations. To coincide with the release of the "live action" version of TRANSFORMERS Sony Pictures Home Entertainment are releasing TRANSFORMERS: BEAST MACHINES Season One on DVD.

This 1999 TV series follows-on from the popular BEAST WARS, which both continued the storyline from the original TRANSFORMERS series. BEAST MACHINES sees the innocent Maximals (Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Cheetor and Blackarachnia) awaken on their home planet of Cybertron with no memory of how or why they are there. However, instead of being greeted by their own kind, the robotic creatures find themselves pitched in a life-or-death battle with the evil Veicons, ruthless and mindless creatures by the Decepticon Megatron. In a MATRIX moment the four Maximals have to meet the Oracle and be reformatted so they can engage in a war to free Cybertron from Megatron and restore it to its former glory before all life is doomed.

The whole Transformers universe has an incredibly dedicated fanbase, whether it is the toys, the animations or the comics, and this series is obviously aimed at them. Even though it is only eight years old the CG animation looks incredibly primitive, no doubt, in part, due to the TV budget restrictions, and looks more like Playstation game animation than what we have become accustomed to. This is more down to the textures and rendering than anything else. Luckily, all the characters are supposed to be robotic so this, and the movement, don't detract from the overall appearance of the show.

Storywise it hardly breaks new ground and is filled with the wise-cracking buddy buddy dialogue that characterises many other shows of its ilk. It is definitely one for established fans or for kids looking to discover more about TRANSFORMERS after seeing the new movie.

TRANSFORMERS: BEAST MACHINES Season 1 is out on Monday July 16 as two single volumes or in a two-disc box set and available from Amazon and Play.com

We have two box sets of Season 1 to give away, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. To be in the draw answer the following question: Which two members of the Maximal team are not in BEAST MACHINES? E-mail your answer by August 13 2007.

DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW. You will not be entered in the competition and you will give away the answer.