Simply one of the best game fo SNES!
Was a day like another when someone knock to my door; my friend Piero "The Berserk" run into my house like a fury with a Snes cartridge in his hands… he was angry like a bee.
"I can't stand anymore -he said- this game is too difficult! Here, take and finish it!!!"
The Berserk throw the game hitting me just on my head. When I regained my senses he was no more there, only the game remained. The write on the box said "Cybernator"; I inserted it in my Snes, played for some minutes and… LOVE FOR SIGHT!!!
Cybernator is a 2-D shoot'em up (typical game of the early 90 era) with a plot set in an hypothetical future of space war (drawing on famous anime like Macross/Robotech or Gundam) seeing you as a mech pilot; and the mech you control is really something: strong, heavy and fully armed.
Is simply amazing the way that control this little sprite manage to give the real sensation of moving around a powerful war machine.
From the beginning the mech can count on a vulcan machine gun, a powerful fist and on a solid shield too. This last will be essential for almost the game 'cause, given the limited agility of the machine, often will be more easy parry then avoid. Speaking about mobility, the general slowness of the mech can be remedied using a booster allowing to perform some brief but fast acceleration; is available even a jetpack for prolong the jump or reach too high spot.
How said before, there was a lot of similar games during those years, so why did this game erect him over the masses?
Well, because he was (and is still today) perfect!
Perfect in the commands answer, so well optimized to give the feeling to move the mech with the power of the mind; perfect in the development of the mech, acquisitions of new weapons and empowering of them (collecting power chips rarely dropped from enemies each weapon could level up gaining in strength and versatility); perfect in the level design (extremely various making each stage absolutely different).
Technically the game is a bit affected by the period it was released. Graphic is good, really well drew, but the colors number is a bit low. However, the mecha design is wonderful as for the most little sprites as for the megalithic end level bosses. Pretty inconstant even the animations with some sprite splendidly moved and others pretty stiff.
Absolutely wonderful the audio with outstanding music and great sound effects.
Great part is assigned by the game to bosses battles (either mid-level than end-level): engaging, funny and studied very well, though pretty challenging.
I've read so much complaint about the difficult level of this game. Know this: in the '90 age was not unusual have to run trough a whole game without save or password. Cybernator is part of this category offering to the players only a single life (energy bar is pretty long) and a bunch of continue. Overall difficult level is surely over the average respect modern games, so if you are pretty young you could be scared from some merciless behaviors of the game.
This game require calmness and concentration, an effective use of the shield and the right approach to the various game situations. Played in the right way the game result fun, engaging and plenty satisfying, especially if you want obtain the good ending.
Just two curiosities: the character design if signed by Satoshi Urushiara, a Japanese artist later famous for works like "Legend of Lemnear" and "Plastic Little"
And why this awful habit of change the videogames names coming from Japan?
I thinks that the original name "Assault Suit Valken" was really better.
Final Line
Cybernator is surely one of the better Snes game ever and a wonderful 2-D action game.
Realization is over the average, level design is magnificent, audio is outstanding and the game shows charisma to sell. Atmosphere is great too. Though a plot simple, this game managed to catch the feelings of products like Macross or Gundam even better than the official titles dedicated to them (always speaking about the '90 years).
Yes, the game is challenging, but not so impossible like some wimp gone say around.
If you are into retrogaming or you want to play a old fashioned game experience full of personality you should try this game and I'm sure you'll not regret.
Final Score: 9.5