Games published by 989 Studios
Select a publisher to browse its games.
We provide a complete list of games published by this publisher.
CyberStrike 2
OverviewSimutronics has been making online games as long as anyone. Its flagship title, Gemstone III, is a MUD that remains popular even today, more than a decade after its 1987 release. The company's first foray into action games, Cyberstrike, is an online-only 3D shooter that was groundbreaking in its day. Fast forward to the present day. Industry-wide support for Internet gaming is on the brink of reality, getting closer and closer as modem technology improves and the number of online users increases. CyberStrike 2 is one of those games on the edge, and like all Simutronics games, it has been designed specifically for online play.
First, Simutronics has released two versions of the game. The single-player version is distributed like any other game, priced at about $30, and offers about 40 missions. The multiplayer version can be downloaded for free, but requires a $10 monthly fee to play online on Simutronics' servers or through Microsoft's Internet Gaming Zone. The single player CD (the game comes in 2) includes the multiplayer front-end to save you a 25 MB download, but you can basically consider CyberStrike 2 as two separate products. With that in mind, I'll review the single-player game first.
CyberStrike 2 is a robot-based combat game, similar to the Mechwarrior and Heavy Gear games. The game expands on the gameplay of the original Cyberstrike, but is more of a remake than a sequel. The single-player element is entirely new, so there is an elaborate backstory and plot that strings the missions together. The introductory movie is quite lengthy and detailed, and more than adequately lays the groundwork for the conflict that you quickly find yourself immersed in. To summarize the story, there is a war between two rival human factions on a distant planet in the far future. You are a Cyberpod pilot (pod for short) with the option to join the war effort of either side. This choice takes you down the path of missions in one of two campaigns.
Each of the two campaigns has about 20 missions. The objective and overview of each mission follows a central plot, so the sense of progression is well developed. There are also video sequences scattered between certain missions to support the story, and they do an effective job of maintaining some interest in the state of the conflict as events unfold. However, the game falls halfway short in creating a compelling setting and telling a worthwhile story. The characters, including yourself, are all faceless entities with no life or personality. I know, there's no real obligation to create dynamic characters in an action game, but it feels like a lot of effort went into an attempt to create an immersive environment with story-driven missions. The overall effect would have been much greater if the developers had gone further.
ComfortableThe gameplay concepts are fairly standard as far as mechanical combat goes, but the game has a tough learning curve due to some of the idiosyncrasies of the controls. There is a tutorial similar to Heavy Gear, and it does a good job of familiarizing you with the controls and basic concepts of the game. However, most of the first few missions will be spent mastering the basics. Also, the controls aren't very customizable, and that's a shame because I don't really like the default settings. I spent a lot of time the first two days familiarizing myself with interesting terrain features, such as trees and rocks.
The gameplay is quite innovative, minus Cyberstrike, of course. Much of the emphasis of the game is on making sure your capsule has enough power to operate. Your onboard reactor only supplies enough energy for basic functions like movement. When you fire your energy weapons or absorb damage with your shields, your battery power is depleted very quickly. To make sure that you always function at maximum capacity, you must maintain a network of power transmission towers. You can place towers on the map by requesting an airdrop; a Raven aircraft responds to your request and deposits a tower in the desired position. These towers supply power to you and your squadron mates, the lifeblood of any battle. Of course, these towers are not invincible, so you also have to protect them from enemy fire.
