Cybermercs

Digital Impact developed Cybermercs…billed as Diablo in Space…in the late nineties for the DOS format.
Cybermercs takes place in the budding 21st century, which made it significantly futuristic for its day. Some type of unidentified life form or alien has attacked and demolished the base on the Sixth Colony. The user plays the part of a mercenary being sent to regain control of the base and rid it of the creatures where the troops have failed. The game begins with a character creation system similar to that of a role playing game.

The RPG flavour quickly fades, and Cybermerc becomes more of a shooter. It is a mission-based game and offers fifteen different levels of action in both single and multi-player format. The view is from a three-quarters perspective which is easy to navigate and the user interface is simple. Since there are four potential mercenaries to be built and played, Cybermercs works wonderfully as a cooperative adventure over the Internet. If nothing else, this is actually Cybermercs biggest strength. Single player becomes somewhat bland, and the AI behind the non-human controlled mercenaries is lacking.
One of the most important aspects of Cybermercs is the RPG-like system of enhancing and improving the mercenaries. To make an effective fighter, the mercenaries need to gain advanced technology and weapons and combine them into something useable and devastating. The user also has the ability to upgrade the character’s physical traits, such as strength and dexterity, in order to make a better fighting force. Adding power to the body can increase the amount of health or hit points the merc has available, obviously lengthening his or her life.
There is also an impressive number of weapons available, ranging from a flamethrower to a machine gun, which can all deal a lot of damage to the baddies that have taken over the Sixth Colony. The player has the option of setting traps for the enemy using mines and grenades. Many types and styles of armour are available for purchase or find. The space merc can be outfitted with masks, body armour and boots. Overall, the paths to destruction are endless.
Despite its potential, Cybermercs gets repetitive quickly. There is no variation in the graphic display and the levels all seem fairly similar. It is definitely a good play…for a while…but many gamers will find themselves looking for other entertainment before ever completing the main mission and usurping the Sixth Colony. Download it if you like, but don’t expect an epic adventure. If you liked Diablo and Alien, this may be a sure winner as a hybrid.