Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars is a strategy game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line that went gold on April 28, 1998¹. The game serves as a sequel to MissionForce: CyberStorm, taking place long after the events of the first game with the Cybrids no longer representing a major threat². Set in the Typheous star system where a jumpgate has been discovered, eight Earth corporations fight for control in what becomes an intense corporate warfare scenario³.

The game represents a significant departure from its predecessor by introducing real-time strategy elements alongside the traditional turn-based tactical gameplay⁴. Players take on the role of a corporate representative leading customizable mechs called HERCs (Human Emulation Robotics Chassis) into battle against rival corporations and their armies⁵. As one review noted, “Cyberstorm 2 takes its predecessor’s compelling and sophisticated tactical engine and adds to it a much more complex campaign and a host of new features”⁶.

Game Info

Developer: Dynamix⁷ Designer: Graeme Bayless⁷ Publisher: Sierra On-Line⁸ Platforms: PC, Windows, Windows 95⁸ Release Year: 1998 Series: Cyberstorm Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

The game’s narrative is established in the manual prologue: “It’s been several decades since the demise of the alien Cybrids, the ruthless techno-demons that once appeared destined to succeed in their campaign of human genocide”⁸. With the Cybrid threat eliminated, humanity has turned to corporate competition for resources and territorial control⁹.

The central conflict revolves around the discovery of a jumpgate in the Typheous system, which has attracted the attention of eight major Earth corporations seeking to control this strategic asset³. Players must navigate what the game manual describes as “a direct path to either universal honor or instant annihilation” as they commit to career play in this corporate battlefield⁸. The manual ominously concludes: “A new era in the destruction of the human race has begun. Welcome to Cyberstorm 2. Welcome to Corporate Wars”⁸.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The game is played from a top-down isometric view-perspective, similar to MissionForce: CyberStorm while using many of the same graphical assets¹⁰. However, significant changes were made to the core mechanics, including a shift from the original’s hexagonal grid system to a regular square-based battlefield¹¹. This change also affected unit facing, with units now having eight directions of facing instead of the original six, and shields changing from hexagonal to octagonal shape¹¹.

Players can choose between turn-based and real-time gameplay modes, with the game’s essence being RTS according to contemporary reviews¹². The combat system supports both traditional turn-based tactical combat and an optional real-time mode, representing the developers’ attempt to attract more strategy gamers by adding real-time elements⁴.

Structure and Progression

Each of the eight corporations has different areas of expertise and limitations, requiring players to adapt their strategies accordingly¹³. The game features an expanded campaign structure compared to its predecessor, with more mission types, planets, and research options¹⁴. Players progress by “working your way up the corporate ladder by means of explosions” as they build forces, defend facilities and colonies, and fight to claim their position as ruler of an entire solar system¹.

The career mode offers extensive customization options, with one reviewer noting that “Cyberstorm 2 shines in one (and really only one) area - customization”¹⁵. The game includes more HERCs, bioderms, mission types, planets, actual research capabilities, and entirely new classes of units compared to the original¹⁴.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around tactical mech combat using HERCs in various mission scenarios¹⁶. Players must manage resources, customize their mechanical units, and engage in strategic warfare across multiple planetary locations. The game supports various multiplayer modes including free for all, race, recovery missions, destroy base, tag, and capture the flag scenarios with support for up to 8 players via Internet, Network, or Modem connections⁸.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Publication	Score	Notes
GameSpot	6.8/10	Mixed reception with technical criticisms17
MobyGames	59%	Based on user reviews from 20017
GameRevolution	Average/Mediocre	”There’s nothing extremely horrid about Cyberstorm 2, but there’s nothing extremely good either”12
MyAbandonware	4.13/5	Community rating15
GameFAQs	Great	Based on 5 user ratings16

Modern Assessment

The game received mixed to negative reviews, particularly regarding its departure from the successful formula of the original. GameSpot’s review noted that “with the introduction of new features emerges a slew of new problems that collectively serve to keep Cyberstorm 2 from surpassing the original”¹⁷. Critics particularly pointed to the game’s visual presentation, with one reviewer stating that “Cyberstorm 2’s haggard appearance will repulse those who’ve grown accustomed to high-end graphics”⁶.

Old Games gave the title low ratings across multiple categories, scoring graphics as “Adequate,” sound as “Average,” and both enjoyment and replay value as “Low”¹⁸. The consensus among reviewers was that while the game attempted to modernize the formula with real-time elements, it failed to achieve its goals of being an effective real-time strategy game¹⁸.

Development

Origins

Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars was developed as a direct sequel to MissionForce: CyberStorm by Dynamix, part of the Sierra On-Line family¹⁹. The development team made the strategic decision to shift from pure turn-based gameplay to incorporate real-time strategy elements, attempting to attract a broader audience of strategy gamers¹².

Production

The game featured contributions from 82 people credited in development⁷. Thomas Van Velkinburgh worked on the project, specifically rendering and organizing animations for the corporate fighting robots, collaborating with the lead programmer to create combat and other effects in the game²⁰. His technical contributions included a sophisticated lighting system where “the lights on the robots were rendered in a 2nd pass and combined real time allowing flickers and blinks from all angles and frames”²⁰.

The development team was actively seeking user feedback for potential future updates, demonstrating ongoing commitment to improving the game post-release⁷. The game went through multiple patch iterations, with version 1.01 addressing timing problems that affected machines with 100-mhz bus speeds²¹.

Technical Achievements

The game required specific technical considerations for proper installation, with documentation noting “Don’t create a path with a space in it or else the AVI videos will not play”²². System requirements included an IBM-compatible Pentium-133 processor, Windows 95, 24 MB RAM, and a 4X CD-ROM drive for minimum specifications⁸. The game supported various Windows versions and required careful compatibility management for newer operating systems²³.

Legacy

Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars is generally considered a disappointing sequel that failed to live up to its predecessor’s reputation. One retrospective review stated that “it is also worth noting that the game is much superior to the very disappointing sequel, Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars”²⁴. Despite featuring expanded content and modernized gameplay elements, the game struggled with complexity issues and performance problems that prevented it from achieving critical or commercial success¹⁸.

The game remains available through various preservation efforts and continues to have a small but dedicated fanbase who appreciate its extensive customization options and corporate warfare theme¹⁴. Modern players can access the game through abandonware sites, though it requires compatibility patches to run on contemporary Windows operating systems²⁵.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Currently not available on major digital platforms

Download / Preservation

• MyAbandonware
• Old Games Download

Series Continuity

• Previous: MissionForce: CyberStorm (1996)
• Next: No direct sequel produced

References

Footnotes

1. Web Archive GameSpot News – - Gold master date ↩ ↩²

2. ModDB Game Page – - Story background and series context ↩

3. Wikipedia – - Plot summary ↩ ↩²

4. GamePressure – - Gameplay description ↩ ↩²

5. AbeBooks Strategy Guide – - Game premise ↩

6. GameSpot Review – - Professional review assessment ↩ ↩²

7. MobyGames – - Developer information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

8. Archive.org Manual – - Publisher information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

9. Old Games Download – - Historical context ↩

10. KHInsider Downloads – - Visual perspective description ↩

11. MobyGames Reviews – - Battlefield system changes ↩ ↩²

12. GameRevolution – - Gameplay mode description ↩ ↩² ↩³

13. GamesDB LaunchBox – - Corporation mechanics ↩

14. GOG Dreamlist – - Content expansion details ↩ ↩² ↩³

15. MyAbandonware – - Customization focus ↩ ↩²

16. GameFAQs – - Core gameplay ↩ ↩²

17. GameSpot – - Review score ↩ ↩²

18. Old Games – - Detailed rating breakdown ↩ ↩² ↩³

19. Sierra Gamers – - Development context ↩

20. Thomas Van Velkinburgh Portfolio – - Individual developer contributions ↩ ↩²

21. ModDB Patch – - Patch details ↩

22. GitHub Wiki – - Installation requirements ↩

23. NameThatTech Blog – - Compatibility considerations ↩

24. MyAbandonware Original Review – - Series comparison ↩

25. GitHub Repository – - Preservation efforts ↩