C&VG


Cyberun
By Ultimate
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #56

Cyberun

This is it. The game we've been waiting for. Cyberun was rumoured to be the game that would put Ultimate back on top. Wrong. Cyberun should be renamed Alsoran.

I first glimpsed Cyberun with a programmer - who shall remain nameless - who is destined to have a number one hit with his latest game. His big fear would be that Cyberun would come out and steal all his thunder. I've never seen someone more happy than him after a few seconds of looking at Ultimate's latest. "There must be more to it than that," he said.

Now the plot. There exists in the dark outer reaches of space a cluster of dark stars and planets, bound together by "plasmic energy" and composed of an anti-element called Cybertron.

Cyberun

Cybertron can be crystalised into the hardest and most valuable element in the universe - Cybernite. It is, therefore, very valuable and everyone wants it.

To get at the Cybernite, an almost unbeatable "magnetronic" pull must be overcome.

The construction Crystal ship, an enormous cargo carrier, has been undertaken to get the precious substance. But other galaxies will be out to stop you.

At least I think that's what it's about. The storylines have in the past always been an interesting read on Ultimate games. This one is a little confusing. One part reads "civilisations have devoted their entire resources to prying off one of the smaller outer planets from the main cluster...". What does "prying" mean? To pry means to peer and peep into something which is private. It doesn't make much sense at all.

Right, to play the game. Because of the size of the Crystal ship, it has to be constructed in stages and these have been shipped off to the Zebarema system.

You start off with the command module and must find two sets of rockets and boosters.

Zapping aliens boosts your score but at the same time I got destroyed with infuriating frequency. There may be a dynamite game lurking somewhere in Cyberun. But the more one plays, the more you get the impression there isn't.