Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed (DOS)

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Description

Following the events of the previous game, N.E.O. the New Earth Organization, has gained some notoriety for defeating the forces of R.A.M., The Russo-American Mercantile. Because of this, the heroes of that mission are sent to diplomatic talks on Venus and N.E.O. stands to recruit a powerful new ally. However it isn't long before trouble starts, and an assassination attempt is planned against the Venusian minister. This is only the beginning of a plot embroiled with the mysterious Matrix Device, which can turn matter into energy. Naturally these adventures will take the NEO agents all over the solar system.

Matrix Cubed is an RPG navigated in first person for most places but with an overhead view for combat and ship navigation. Players will create (or import) a party of up to six characters and assign statistics, abilities and equipment. Players move their party in a first person maze of corridors, open area and rooms. Certain encounters will allow the player to make choices based on the party skills. In the case of combat, the player and enemy forces each have a turn, controlled on an overhead map.

Screenshots

Promo Images

Alternate Titles

• "The 25th Century Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed - Science Fiction Rollenspiel Computerspiel, Vol. II" -- German tag-lined title
• "The 25th Century Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed - Science Fiction Role-Playing Computer Game, Vol. II" -- Tag-lined title

Part of the Following Groups

• Buck Rogers games
• Gameplay feature: Importable characters
• Gold Box series
• Setting: Earth's Moon
• Setting: Mars
• Setting: Space station / Spaceship
• Setting: Venus
• Sound engine: AIL/Miles Sound System
• SSI Buck Rogers series

User Reviews

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Critic Reviews

Zero	May, 1992	85 out of 100	85
Games-X	Feb 13, 1992		80
Dragon	Jun, 1992		80
Power Play	Mar, 1992	79 out of 100	79
Play Time	Apr, 1992	75 out of 100	75
ASM (Aktueller Software Markt)	Mar, 1992	9 out of 12	75
PC Joker	Feb, 1992	68 out of 100	68
Amiga Joker	Apr, 1992	64 out of 100	64
Computer Gaming World (CGW)	May, 1992	Unscored	Unscored

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Trivia

Cancelled Amiga version

An Amiga version was in development but was not released. It was advertised by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. and was previewed in a few Amiga magazines including Amiga Power and Zero. Some German magazines even reviewed the port: Power Play gave it 78% (one percent less than the PC original) in its 6/92 issue and Amiga Joker gave it 64% in its 5/92 issue.

Cover art

The cover art for this game by Jerry Bingham was originally employed as cover artwork for the TSR 3573 Official Game Adventure XXVCS3: A Matter of Gravitol.

Novel

A Buck Rogers XXVC book, written by Britton Bloom and also entitled "Matrix Cubed", was published in 1991 by TSR. Being the third book of the "Inner Planets trilogy", its precise relationship to the single, autonomous game of the same name is unclear, though they are evidently an exercise in cross-promotional merchandise.

Information also contributed by Indra was here and Terok Nor