Cybermorph

"Cybermorph, The Jaguar Launch Title Fails to Impress"

Cybermorph launched as the first game for the Atari Jaguar (it was packaged with the system) and really tried to be an ambitious first title. The game is made up of polygon graphics, a novel feat for a game of its age, in which you must fly a T-Griffon through vast canyons as you search for pods to rescue. The game features fifty levels, and a password for the save feature. Really this game gives you total freedom as you can move almost anywhere, passing targets, turning around, strafing from the side, this game is very 3D. A game of exploration and wandering as well as action-packed firefights, Cybermorph is a free-roaming game in which the key is to figure out whether firepower should be used to conquer a planet or navigating mazes and puzzling terrain is the way to do it. Cybermorph is a challenging game that really tries very hard to impress the gamer. Unfortunately the graphics feature a barren landscape and horrid controls plague this title.

(gameplay - 6)
On-screen displays provide data about the ship and its weapons as well as your mission objectives. The ship has an onboard computer that provides comments on the game and warnings, but for some reason the warnings are pretty useless. Every button on the controller is used, and selecting weapons and changing your view can be awkward and difficult. Frustration sets in when you realize that pulling sharp turns is nearly impossible, as the controls are a bit too sensitive. Also the game is choppy and the poor framerate detracts from the fluid movement that your ship should possess.

(story - 7)
The Federation has perfected living steel weapons to win the war against the Pernitia Empire, but the security pods have been stolen by the Pernitia Empire during a raid. Operation Cybermorph is the only way to save the Federation, as you must fly a Transmogriffon ship into the enemy lands searching for the stolen pods and fighting off enemy ships. This is the background for Cybermorph. A futuristic space-age flying game in which you control a prototype ship searching for the stolen goods of your employer.

(graphics - 5, sound - 4)
The polygon graphics are very simple and plain, and many objects just look very blocky. Gouraud shading is used to provide coloring effects but the colors often look washed out and the barren landscape provides very little to look at. Sure the polygons are impressive for the time, but there is hardly any mountains to fly by, and the horizon is very plain. The sky is of a simplistic design that does nothing for the atmosphere. Really there is too little in the scenery to get excited about this game. The music is nearly non-existant as the title theme provides the only music in the game. The sound effects are decent with nice explosions and the voice samplings of the onboard computer are crisp and clean. With the lack of music this game often is too quiet, bordering on complete silence. With very few sound effects and very little music to enjoy, the game really comes up short in the sound department.

(replayability - 5)
Cybermorph is not a game that you will enjoy playing over and over again. Playing it through once is quite enough. The graphics are decent, the sounds are lacking, and the controls are pretty awful. So once you've completed this game (and it will require patience) I can't really see you going back for more. The fifty levels are vast and will take some time to conquer. Ultimately this game fails to provide a thrilling experience and therefore should not be played repeatedly.

(recommendations)
Cybermorph is a decent game for the Atari Jaguar system. It is one of the few games that is actually decent, most of them are rather terrible. So picking it up for your Jaguar may be a smart move if you are craving a 3D polygon space shooter type of game, but if you aren't into this type of game then skip it, because it won't make you a fan of this genre.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/04