Cyborg Hunter

Overview

Cyborg Hunter, also known as Borgman or 超音戦士ボーグマン, is a side-scrolling action metroidvania action-adventure based on the anime Sonic Soldier Borgman (or Chōon Senshi Borgman) where you are a bounty hunter who faces cyborgs in a huge fortress. It was developed by Sega and initially released in December 1, 1989.

The gameplay mixes action with exploration elements. The player have access to side combat views and a dashboard interface that simulates the helmet screen, where you check status and manage items. This mechanic brought a sense of immersion for the time.

Published internationally by Sega and in North America by Activision and made available for Master System, Cyborg Hunter was met with mixed reviews, some criticizing its lack of originality and difficulty. Regardless, it not only has nods to the anime considered a spiritual successor to the great Zillion but features great controls as you can see by yourself here, since we are providing an online version of the game ready to be played in your browser (HTML5).

About the game

The year: 2242. You’re the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy. You’ve amassed a fortune by defeating the most vicious creatures known to man. And now, deep inside the enemy fortress, you can almost taste your next paycheck. But there’s a little work to be done before you cash in. Like blasting swarms of deadly Cyborgs with your psycho gun. And a battle-to-the-death showdown with Vipron, the vile Cyborg leader. Prepare yourself for one explosive payday!

Awesome weapons include:

• Psycho Gun
• Laser Shield
• Light Gun
• Jet Pack
• Ray Gun
• Bombs, and more!

Split Screen Technology gives you multiple views of all the action:

• 3-D Tunnel-Scope lets you see the deadly enemies that lurk ahead.
• Infrared Radar Map tracks your position in each level at all times.
• Battle Screen- Non-stop enemies! Non-stop explosive combat!

Warp-speed elevators will transport you to 7 action-packed levels with over 200 screens of challenge and danger.

You’ll need your Psycho Gun to defeat Cytra in her Death Chamber.

Gameplay

In Cyborg Hunter, players take control of Paladin, a tough bounty hunter sent to infiltrate a massive cyborg fortress to stop an uprising led by the villainous Vipron. The game’s story unfolds across seven distinct areas, each one swarming with lower-level cyborgs and overseen by a chief cyborg boss. Your mission is to defeat these bosses and ultimately stop Vipron.

The game’s interface is divided into three distinct sections. The first section presents a first-person view of the map, allowing you to detect incoming enemies and obstacles. Red icons represent lower cyborgs, while white icons indicate the presence of the more powerful chief cyborgs. The second section displays a mini-map of your current area, as well as your health and psycho power levels. The third and primary section of the screen features a side-scrolling action view where you control Paladin as he navigates the environment, battles enemies, and searches for useful items.

At the beginning of the game, Paladin’s only weapons are his fists, but he can find a variety of upgrades and items throughout the levels, including a psycho punch, ray gun, light gun, and bombs. These weapons add to Paladin’s arsenal, though using the psycho punch or ray gun depletes psycho power, which needs to be replenished as it runs out. Other useful items include shields to protect from lasers, jet engines to traverse hazards, and power-ups to restore life and psycho power.

Each area is composed of multiple floors connected by elevators, and navigating these spaces requires defeating lower-level cyborgs, collecting keycards from defeated bosses, and progressing through the fortress. As you advance, certain bosses will drop ID cards, which are essential for unlocking new areas of the fortress and moving forward in your mission.

The game also features interactions with Adina, a supporting character who communicates through brief cutscenes. She provides guidance and gameplay tips at predetermined points, helping players understand their next objectives and the mechanics of the game. The equipment menu, accessed through the second controller, allows for quick management of items and weapons during the action.

The challenge of Cyborg Hunter lies in mastering which weapons work best against the various chief cyborgs, as some are more difficult to defeat than others. You’ll need to strategize and figure out the most effective approaches to each encounter to survive the fortress and prevent the cyborg takeover.

Controls

• Arrow Keys – D-Pad (Movement, enters rooms and elevators, places bombs etc.)
• Button 1 – X (Attack)
• Button 2 – Z (Jumps)
• Pause – Enter
• Attention – This game also needs the Player 2 controls, other wise you won’t be able to access the Item Selection Screen (more info here).
• Attention 2 – These controls are default. Hover your mouse into the lower part of the screen and a control bar will show up. Click on the gamepad icon and redefine your the keys if you want.

More info and anime

• Your Arsenal of Weapons @ SMSPower – More info about the Item Selection Screen, the weapons and items.
• Cyborg Hunter @ Gaming Room – Source and more info. In Portuguese.
• Shadow Fighters: Hero Duel
• Subway Princess Run
• Magikmon
• Zillion: Assault on Maris
• Arthur The Mythical Hunter
• Rose & Camellia
• Dynamons
• Zillion 2: Tri Formation

Cyborg Hunter gameplays, tips or walkthroughs

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