Zyclunt, alternately titled Blade Warrior, is a very fun side scrolling platform game that features some very cool anime graphics. It was distributed only in shareware channels, which tended to detract from its mainstream popularity. It is a futuristic title and was published by Image Works. It was released for play in the fall of 1991.
It appears to be a medieval setting, filled with fun fantasy and adventure, but really it is set in a dystopian future in the year 2002 A.
D….now the not-so-distant past. Sadly, Zyclunt’s portrayal of the “future” is not so very different from the current state. It present’s the planet Earth on the verge of social and economic breakdown due to the continued spread of amoral activity (such as drug use and crime) and the continued infection from incurable diseases. The crime lords have overseen and overtaken the use of cyborgs and bioroids in an effort to fight big government (known in Zyclunt as “the Establishment”) and retain their way of life. You will play the part of Sou, a practical anti-hero. You are not an upstart young renegade with idealistic notions, nor are you the leader of some alien faction set to take
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advantage of the unrest on Earth. Sou is a member of the Zyclunt, which is a retired and discredited band of soldiers who are paid to undertake covert missions for the Establishment. The first mission, after being drafted into service of the Zyclunt, is to check out the location where a group of Mechadine have been spotted. It also happens to be the same area, D-C-14 district, where a meeting for the security council is taking place. It is too much of a coincidence, and the Zyclunt are sent to possibly intervene.
Zyclunt will feature many robotic and droid style enemies as the user progresses in standard platform gaming fashion from level to level. They are all very manga in appearance, which makes the game very cool and colorful, as well as action packed. Between many of the missions, the gamer will be able to view cutscenes to advance the storyline and offer a nice rest from the furious shooting and occasional puzzle solving of the platform missions. Zyclunt actually provides quite a challenge for even the seasoned gamer.
Overall, fans of action games or futuristic shooters will probably really enjoy the storyline of Zyclunt and the types of enemies. The manga/anime figures are very well done and most gamers will also appreciate the look and feel of the game. The music and sound effects are overshadowed by the graphic style, but are still complimentary to the game. This is a recommended play.
