|
CyberStrike
2 is a fast paced giant robot game. While the original game
came out on the store shelves and had a single player version, this
game was really designed to be an online game. And this is
where it really shines.
With a
multitude of weapon and armor upgrades there are literally thousands
of unique combinations. Finding the right combination for your
play style is essential to success. You can outfit a lumbering
giant with massive offensive and defensive firepower or you can
outfit a nimble fleet footed rabbit that runs circles around the
enemy.
The designers
of the game decided early on that they wanted realistic
environments. If you know anything about 3D games, you can
only get so much detail on the screen before the game bogs
down. CyberStrike 2 decided to spend most of its detail on the
environment rather than the mechs (called "pods" in
CS2). This means the pods don't look nearly as good as the
robots you might find in other "Mech" games such as the
Mechwarrior series. However, if you look at the scenery, those
other robot games have rather flat and unimaginative backdrops for
their robots.
   
If you
just have to have highly detailed robots, then you'll be
disappointed with CS2. But if you think cool environments
rather than flat landscapes are important then you'll realize that
even though CS2 is now nearly two years old it still has the best
outdoor scenes of any online 3D game.
You
don't need to buy the retail game to play CS2. All you need to
do is log onto the CS2 server and download the online only version
of the game. You can also play for free for as long as you
want, though if you want access to all the weapon and armor modules
you'll need to subscribe at $9.95/month.
Installation
is a snap, but you do need a 3D card (You can still play the original
Cyberstrike
online if your computer can't handle the graphic requirements of
CS2). The game will run on a P200 but a PII is recommended if
you want to turn on all the graphic options. The biggest
problem is getting used to the player interface. While there
are several options to configure the way you control your pod, until
you get comfortable with the controls and master them, you'll
experience some frustration. It would have been nice if the
joystick could have been more customizable. However, this is a
minor problem unless you simply can't play a mech game unless you
can use your own standard configuration.
Bottom
line is that this is a fun online game. It's got the fast paced
action of Quake and Unreal with the look and feel of a giant robot
game. The outdoor scenes will sometimes leave you in awe,
especially if you know how tough it is to do highly detailed outdoor
scenes in a 3D game.
Since
the game can be played for free, this is a perfect option for people
who have limited funds and want to try before they buy.
There's no time limit on how long you can play for free, but if you
get into the game you'll eventually want to subscribe.
Final
Score
Highlights: Great
online gameplay and great outdoor scenery.
Lowlights:
Low detail on the mechs.
Recommendation:
If you like the idea of commanding a nimble giant robot destroying
other nimble giant robots
Hints:
Using the mouse may be the easiest for a newcomer. Keep moving
and learn to fire accurately while moving and turning the
turret. And finally, keep moving.
Age Appropriateness:
Pre-Teen to Adult
Christian
Sense (CS): 3
Game
Engine (GE): 4
Game
Play (GP): 4
Overall:
3.3 |
