Developer: Studio 12 Publisher: Acclaim Release: 1989 Genre: Action
Back in the day games were made more difficult when brought overseas. Sometimes this was a good thing as a little extra challenge would make an already solid game great. But many times the developers would go overboard as in the case of Exile: Wicked Phenomenon. The microcomputer scene of Europe in the 80s is littered with the bodies of games that did not know when to dial it back. Cybernoid is a NES port of a ZX Spectrum classic that mostly manages to rein it in. It is still frustrating and only those looking for something different need apply.
Your little ship is armed to the teeth with different armaments. Unlike most games each weapon destroys specific targets. Bouncers destroy blocks that…..block your path. Unfortunately these are unreliable as they rebound off walls and will inevitably go where you don’t want. Seekers only work on turrets and bubble dispensers. Bombs can destroy most enemies but also certain bricks that every other weapon cannot. Genocide is a screen clearer while the shield grants invincibility for ten seconds. The last is a mace you can find in the environment that is both a rotating shield and weapon. With the exception of the mace every weapon has limited ammo that is replenished by killing enemies or upon death. But that presents its own danger.
Technically Cybernoid is a shooter. You control a ship that is armed with many weapons and collect more as you progress, defeating enemies along the way. However it has the pacing of a puzzle game. Each room presents its own individual conundrum on your way to the level exit. Sometimes it is as simple as finding a safe lane to the next screen amongst infinite spawning enemies. Others you must navigate around invincible enemies or barriers. Some require the use of a particular weapon to destroy barriers to progress. The map of each level is massive with so many rooms the shooting element almost feels secondary.
The first thing you will have to accept is that you are going to die a lot. Cybernoid is an intense game of trial and error with each room consisting of obvious and not so obvious hazards. The coast might seem clear only for a missile shot from a bunker that looks like part of the environment to shoot you down. Often the simplest rooms are the most treacherous to traverse. The game often does an excellent job of hiding its traps only to spring them on unsuspecting players when they least expect it. After the first few deaths you then become cautious as you should be. The levels make good use of your toolkit and while simple at first become more complex as you progress.
Even though you die constantly that does not mean it is always fair. Cybernoid suffers from incredibly cheap design in many areas. Losing a life because enemies spawn immediately after moving to the next screen is never fun. I mentioned picking a lane to safety before. Trying to move your slow moving ship through a sea of blazing fast enemies makes that harder than it should be. The best trial and error mechanics allow you to see exactly how and why you screwed up. Many times in this game it happens so suddenly there is no time to process what happened. The many blockades require specific weapons to destroy. However ammo is scarce and if you waste it (a common occurrence) you will have to suicide to replenish your supply. That is unacceptable in my opinion.
As such the difficulty is off the charts. The game requires the patience of a saint but with its aggressive clock you do not have that luxury. I suppose one reason for the ridiculous challenge is its brevity. Once you have memorized each level the game is less than ten minutes long. But to get to that point will require more time than I think it deserves. As with Dr. Chaos and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde I soldiered on to get a sense of closure on a title I gave up on decades ago. I cannot say it was worth it.
In Closing
Cybernoid is unique, I’ll give it that. I still do not know if I actually like it even though I have completed it. Manage your expectations going in to this one. If you like non-stop action and going in guns blazing this is not the game for you. If you do not mind a slower paced game that might make you think occasionally you might want to give it a try. It has its flaws, some of them egregious, but can still make for a fun if trying evening. You might want to look at a youtube video before jumping in to this one however. This one is not for the weak.
