Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Wire Tractor is Cybernetic Empire’s reason for existing. You can attach its magnetic wire to most surfaces and swing at high speed, which immediately changes what moving through the Black Mask compound feels like. A straightforward approach with a pistol can become a chance to whip around a wall, gain momentum, and come at enemies from somewhere less predictable. That is a much more interesting foundation than simply jogging from one shootout to the next.

It takes a little commitment to get the most out of that idea. Swinging is not merely a flashy shortcut; it is the game’s central invitation to think about surfaces and routes differently. Limited wall climbing adds another layer, and the best moments should come when you stop treating the environments as flat combat arenas. If you only want a conventional third-person shooter, the movement system may initially feel like extra work. If the prospect of mastering it sounds fun, it is the hook that makes the game worth your time.

Combat has a solidly direct armory behind the acrobatics. Max Brougham and Nina Lebedeva begin with standard pistols, then can pick up machine guns, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers. That range gives the action some welcome variety, while recovering items and information from defeated combatants makes clearing threats feel tied to the operation rather than purely to a body count. The guns are useful, but the Wire Tractor is what prevents the shooting from becoming anonymous.

Cybernetic Empire is at its most frustrating when you resist its signature tool or expect every encounter to play like a grounded shooter. Its most rewarding rhythm is movement first, firing second: look for an attachment point, use the speed, then capitalize with whichever weapon fits the danger. The payoff is a game with a genuine mechanical personality, not just another armed infiltration mission.

Graphics

This is a third-person PlayStation sci-fi action game set in a secret high-tech compound in northern Russia, so the camera keeps the operatives and their movement in view while they navigate Black Mask territory. The strongest visual draw is the motion itself: seeing a character traverse walls and swing on a magnetic wire gives Cybernetic Empire a more distinctive look than its armed operatives and military hardware alone.

Story

The story begins with a useful bit of pulp intrigue. An ancient artifact known as The Cube is unearthed in northern Russia, then taken by the terrorist organization Black Mask. The United Nations Security Keeper sends in its elite operatives before that power can be exploited further. It is a clean, immediately legible excuse to enter hostile territory with guns drawn.

You alternate between Max Brougham and Nina Lebedeva as they infiltrate Black Mask’s hidden compound, recover The Cube, and neutralize threats. That dual-operative setup gives the mission a little more texture than a lone-soldier assignment, even though the central objective stays deliberately simple. The game does not need a maze of political twists to get you moving; an artifact, terrorists, and a sealed-off northern base are enough to establish the stakes.

Do not come for a character drama. The narrative works best as brisk spy-flavored sci-fi framing for the action and exploration. The Cube supplies mystery, Black Mask supplies an obvious enemy, and the recovery mission gives every weapon pickup and combat encounter a clear purpose. It is functional rather than profound, but it suits a game built around an unusual way of getting around.

Overall Experience

Cybernetic Empire is easy to recommend on one condition: you have to be curious about its Wire Tractor. That single system gives it a real point of difference, asking you to swing, climb, and attack through spaces rather than simply advance through them. In an era full of armed operatives, the ability to turn walls and ceilings into part of your route is the memorable part.

The first stretch should tell you whether it has you. If experimenting with magnetic swings and limited wall climbing feels exciting, the familiar weapon progression and infiltration premise become a satisfying framework for it. If you find yourself wishing the game would stop asking you to manage momentum and surfaces, the action’s more standard pistol-to-rocket-launcher structure is unlikely to change your mind.

For the right gamer, though, the trade is worthwhile. Cybernetic Empire has the kind of big, specific PlayStation-era idea that remains appealing precisely because it is not cautious: a counterterrorist mission built around high-speed magnetic swinging. It is a better pick for someone who values a distinctive movement gimmick and sci-fi espionage flavor than for someone seeking a polished, conventional shooter.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10