Long time PlayStation fans may recall Namco’s Cyber Sled – an arcade sci-fi tank shooter that came to Sony’s brand spanking new console not long after the publisher’s own Ridge Racer. While Cyber Sled will likely gain an Arcade Archives re-release at some point, Hamster has chosen to release this 1994 follow-up first. Considering Cyber Commando is usually seen as the better of the two, this isn’t something to sniff at, even if it is a little unexpected.
Whereas Cyber Sled came to the PS1, this sequel remained in the arcade, making this the first time it has come to consoles. In an alternate timeline, this would have launched on the PS1 circa 1996 to go head-to-head with the Saturn’s Virtual-On. Had it gained a few more console exclusive features, it may have had a reasonable chance of success.
Like Cyber Sled before it, Cyber Commando involves 1v1 battles against futuristic tanks (or sleds, if you prefer) that glide above the surface rather than trundle on treads. The arcade original used a dual joystick set-up, replicated here using twin-analogue sticks. Initially, movement does feel rather unnatural, resulting in sliding into walls and struggling to turn corners cleanly. Even simply moving forward can be problematic. After a few false starts, things do eventually ‘click’ – and there’s the ability to remap controls if things still aren’t working out.
Keeping things simple, just two other buttons are used: a main attack that’s usually a missile strike, and a secondary attack that’s a machine gun variant. See, all eight crafts have their own weapon sets. They also look and manoeuvre differently, with some being slower than others. Again, if things aren’t going well, it’s worth switching craft to see if a speedier or even slower type suits. Each manages to stand out, varying from a purple Ghost in the Shell-style spider tank to a nippy black number resembling a scorpion. Generally, I stuck with ‘Wild Bear’ – a slow, hulking, military-esque tank with a homing missile.
Visually it’s a little blander than expected going in despite the sci-fi theme. While the sled design remains stylish, the boxy arenas are drably coloured, and the 2D explosions scrappy. It moves smoothly though, and there are brief cut-scenes to help remind you that you’re currently on board a space colony.
Battles take place in small square maze-like environments peppered with structures to hide behind. A radar shows your rival’s location, and each is as aggressive as the last, determined to home in on your location and let loose a barrage of missiles and bullets. You’ll need to skirt around them and use both perfect timing and precision to secure a hit, especially when using slower firing missiles. Both ammo types are in limited supply, so eventually you’ll need to break away from battle to collect an ammo pod. While these are shown on the map, they move around freely and can be snatched by your rival.
You’ll go up against three enemies before being transported to the next area, with your health restored between each fight. The last couple of stages are boss battle orientated, pitting you against larger, stronger, adversaries while navigating mazes with less space than usual. While only one life is given per credit, it is possible to continue from the start of a stage.
As this is an Arcade Archives re-release, you’re also able to save anywhere. The difficulty can be lowered, too. Even using save states, you’re looking at around 20 minutes playtime – which is par of the course for this kind of thing. The final boss is pretty challenging, launching missile barrages while bouncing off walls, clearly originally intended to drain extra credits.
In addition to the arcade mode, there’s a split-screen function for two player – which is neat to see. High Score mode gives the chance to compete globally via online leaderboards and grants just a single credit, Caravan Mode presents a five minute challenge, while Time Attack involves beating the whole shebang as quickly as possible. Just to highlight how challenging a 1CC is, only two players have managed to achieve a perfect run at the time of writing. You’ll definitely need to put some practise in to secure a high placing.
Even after mastering its tricky controls, Cyber Commando provides a reasonable challenge. It’s a bit too mundane to be considered a lost classic (I would even recommend the 5v5 Arcade Archives 2 Tokyo Wars over this), but it still offers engaging enough 1v1 battling through its gradually rising difficulty and overall swiftness. Cyber Commando is more of a near miss than a direct hit, but at least it isn’t a complete misfire.
Hamster’s Arcade Archives 2 Cyber Commando is out now on PS5, Xbox Series and Switch 2. A version for PS4 and Switch is available, minus the Time Attack mode. Original game by Namco.